BCD436HP P25 reception issue

[WideTrac]

I am new to the forum so if I am not clear please let me know. I have had this scanner for over two years and all of a sudden it started not receiving intermittently. I have programmed several time and it appears it is gotten worse, like not working.
I used Sentinel to program my scanner for local P25. Denton County Tx. My city is The Colony, Tx. I have all the PD & FD channels setup. PD dispatch TGID 1125, Ops 1– 1126, Ops 2- 1127. FD dispatch 1135, Fire 2- 1136, Fire 3- 1137.
It appears to be scanning correctly and shows a good signal strength.
Problem is, I hear nothing.
If I set the Full database ON, I get multiple hits from all around, except The Colony.

 

[hiegtx]

I am new to the forum so if I am not clear please let me know. I have had this scanner for over two years and all of a sudden it started not receiving intermittently. I have programmed several time and it appears it is gotten worse, like not working.
I used Sentinel to program my scanner for local P25. Denton County Tx. My city is The Colony, Tx. I have all the PD & FD channels setup. PD dispatch TGID 1125, Ops 1– 1126, Ops 2- 1127. FD dispatch 1135, Fire 2- 1136, Fire 3- 1137.
It appears to be scanning correctly and shows a good signal strength.
Problem is, I hear nothing.
If I set the Full database ON, I get multiple hits from all around, except The Colony.

Just to be clear, The Colony is not on the Denton County system. They are on PAWMCo, the system used by, among others, Plano & Collin County.

Unfortunately, the PAWMCo site is simulcast, which can be an issue for many scanners including the 436HP. Here;s a map to the main PAWMCo site:

Simulcast distortion occurs when signals from more than one transmit tower arrive at your scanner at various times, depending on their distance from you. While the time differential may be very small, the out of sync reception is still enough to negatively effect your ability to clearly receive & monitor the site. Each of those blue markers represent a transmitter location for the site. Note that there are two very near The Colony, as well as others in an arc, of varying distances, to your east & northeast.

Using a scanner other than the SDS series from Uniden, or using one of the Unication pagers, you have limited options to try and counter the simulcast effects. That could be using a much smaller antenna, even down to a paper clip, or using a directional antenna pointed at one specific tower. At times, you might find a specific location in your house where you can still monitor, because something like metal siding on your outside walls, or foil backed insulation in the walls, is blocking some of the out of sync transmissions, But those type countermeasures may only work when at a fixed location, like your house. Once you go out mobile, using the scanner in your car, those options may be no longer effective.

 

[WideTrac]

You are correct, it is PAWMCo for the P25. The scanner worked great until several weeks ago when it started the reception issue. Would it be due to added transmission towers? Something has changed in the past few weeks. I also suspect the scanner itself may have an issue
I am using a Diamond SRH789 antenna that has had no
Issues in the past inside or mobile.

 

[WideTrac]

BTW, I can receive other TGID’s on the same P25. Example is Plano #102 or Lewisville #11555 and Collin County Sheriff # 1168, etc. It appears to have something to do with The Colony TGID numbers only.

 

[hiegtx]

You are correct, it is PAWMCo for the P25. The scanner worked great until several weeks ago when it started the reception issue. Would it be due to added transmission towers? Something has changed in the past few weeks. I also suspect the scanner itself may have an issue
I am using a Diamond SRH789 antenna that has had no
Issues in the past inside or mobile.

There's been no 'site related' changes in the database for over a year. But that would not rule out a possible change of adjusting the antennas to reshape signal pattern. If any of these were 're-focused', that might increase distortion at your location.

Try folding the 789 antenna to a horizontal position instead of straight up & down. I've found that that helps somewhat on using one of my 436HPs to log new activity on the Dallas related sites on NTIRN.

You might also try setting your 436 on your desk or table, and placing a metallic item, such as a cookie sheet or aluminum baking pan next to it roughly to the east. Maybe that would limit reception from the antenna sites to your east (towards Plano) and limit it to only those sites to your south. If trying that (a blocker, if you will), be sure that the scanner;s antenna does not extend up past your pan or sheet.

BTW, I can receive other TGID’s on the same P25. Example is Plano #102 or Lewisville #11555 and Collin County Sheriff # 1168, etc. It appears to have something to do with The Colony TGID numbers only.

TGID 11555 (Lewisville) is on the Denton system, not PAWMCo,

I'm too far out of range to reliably receive the system & help you. Any possibility that The Colony has recently switched to using encryption? I say that since, apparently, you can hear a Plano TGID. The Collin County unit should be on a different site. Look at your display when receiving either of those tow TGIDs & verify which frequency you are hearing it on. Maybe the Plano TGID is over on the PAWMCo site, instead of PAWM.

You could also try holding the scanner on, say, the main 'The Colony' PD dispatch talkgroup. See if you briefly get a 'blip' of that TGID with Enc on the display. If they went encrypted, the scanner would not receive them, and would only briefly stay on that TGID before moving on (much too quickly for you to notice). But of you hold on it, maybe you could see what shows up.

 

[WideTrac]

Thanks for the advise. I started moving around the house and noticed the scanner started receiving the TGID 1125 for the PD. I also laid the antenna almost at horizontal and received multiple signals. The odd thing is where I have used this scanner for a long time is now not a good place for signals.
This might sound weird but the only change in the past four weeks is a newer car parked in the garage about 25ft from where I have the scanner. The newer car has all the electronics in it where our 05 Camry did not. If I get close to the garage the scanner stops receiving. I have not used the scanner in the newer car yet. I will test that tomorrow.
It appears the scanner is very location sensitive now. This could be from the simulcast mentioned before. At least I am receiving again.

 

[hiegtx]

Thanks for the advise. I started moving around the house and noticed the scanner started receiving the TGID 1125 for the PD. I also laid the antenna almost at horizontal and received multiple signals. The odd thing is where I have used this scanner for a long time is now not a good place for signals.
This might sound weird but the only change in the past four weeks is a newer car parked in the garage about 25ft from where I have the scanner. The newer car has all the electronics in it where our 05 Camry did not. If I get close to the garage the scanner stops receiving. I have not used the scanner in the newer car yet. I will test that tomorrow.
It appears the scanner is very location sensitive now. This could be from the simulcast mentioned before. At least I am receiving again.

Simulcast is, indeed, very location specific. If you 'win the simulcast lottery', where a nearby transmitting site is visible out your back door (like within a quarter mile), then that overly strong signal washes out the out of sync signals from other sites. As you've found, even chaning your location in the house can mean all the difference in the world.

Sounds like your new wheels does indeed generate enough interference to cause problems when you are close to it. Hopefully, if you're lucky, using it in the car might work. If you plan to power the scanner externally (when in the car), use a USB-mini cable that has a ferrite core on it. That might help on interference in the power feed. Example

 

[WideTrac]

Will be a test in the car. I do use a power cable with ferrite on it. I have now found if I just lay the scanner down on a diagonal beside me it works. If I stand it up it does not work no matter the antenna direction. This is an eye opener for the signals being transmitted and received. At least I can now listen to all the traffic once again after playing with this for two weeks. Glad I found the radio reference site. Thanks for the help. I will post how the car test goes.

 

[IAmSixNine]

If you are planning on listening to these agencies long term i would suggest getting an SDS100. This way you have a device that works with simulcast systems and you dont have to worry about fiddling with scanner placement. It will get annoying after a while.

 

[WideTrac]

If you are planning on listening to these agencies long term i would suggest getting an SDS100. This way you have a device that works with simulcast systems and you dont have to worry about fiddling with scanner placement. It will get annoying after a while.

I know it would be best to get the SDS100 but I don’t want to put out almost $700 on a new scanner. One day I am sure it will be no option so I better start saving now.

 

[WideTrac]

Update - The scanner worked perfect in the car using the same antenna. Apparently the issue is inside the house. I have found a place beside my chair that works perfect. If I move it 6” and have the antenna straight up, it stops receiving any P25 signals and the signal strength meter drops to nothing on most frequencies.
I don’t know any user that has the SDS100 unit in or close to my location to verify if it would be any better.

 

[hiegtx]

Update - The scanner worked perfect in the car using the same antenna. Apparently the issue is inside the house. I have found a place beside my chair that works perfect. If I move it 6” and have the antenna straight up, it stops receiving any P25 signals and the signal strength meter drops to nothing on most frequencies.
I don’t know any user that has the SDS100 unit in or close to my location to verify if it would be any better.

That 6" difference, between working & essentially deaf, is a good illustration of just how location specific reception of a simulcast system is.

 

[WideTrac]

It is unreal how specific the reception can be. It’s like doing Yoga with a scanner antenna. LoL. I was finally able to set it on the table beside me where I have always had it but the deference is I have to have the antenna on a 22.5° angle extended 13” and pointed NW away from the main towers.

 

[hiegtx]

It is unreal how specific the reception can be. It’s like doing Yoga with a scanner antenna. LoL. I was finally able to set it on the table beside me where I have always had it but the deference is I have to have the antenna on a 22.5° angle extended 13” and pointed NW away from the main towers.

As long as it works, don't worry about the esthetics.