BCT15X receiving problems. Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire

[blogan52]

Does anyone have any idea why I can't seem to hear Riverside County Fire on my BCT15X? I downloaded the frequencies from RadioReference...nothing....I manually entered them with tone, and with no tone...tried FM modulation, Auto mod, NFM mod....nothing.....display says scanning, shows frequencies that it is scanning, but never seems to find anything....my BCT75XLT finds the frequencies quite easily....sitting in the same room, next to each other.... the BCT15X is a new scanner to me.....it catches Riverside City Fire and CHP just fine, so I don't understand what I am doing wrong with the CalFire/RRU frequencies.

 

[engineco16]

This should be a no brainer for the scanner, any scanner. Cal Fire/RCoFD is so easy to monitor, never had any issues myself. I know your location and you should be hearing a lot. I'm stumped.

 

[tvengr]

I just saw another post with a similar problem. Go to broadcast screen and set Pager to off. It can block 150 MHz frequencies in that range commonly used for paging.

 

[tvengr]

It looks like I misread the post. That problem only occurs in search mode.

 

[buddrousa]

If it is working on other frequencies then my question is Riverside County Fire still using the listed frequency you are trying to hear?

 

[blogan52]

If it is working on other frequencies then my question is Riverside County Fire still using the listed frequency you are trying to hear?

I downloaded the frequencies from RadioReference using the import tool in Proscan. I copied the frequencies into my BCT75XLT and they are picking up. I will try your first suggestion even though I am not using Search Mode. Thanks. ( And I will double double check the frequencies )

 

[iMONITOR]

What are you using for an antenna?

 

[ka3aaa]

Did they go digital maybe like everyone else is doing. the 15x doesn't do digital FYI.

 

[iMONITOR]

Did they go digital maybe like everyone else is doing. the 15x doesn't do digital FYI.

He says his BC75XLT is receiving things ok, so apparently no digital.

 

[techman210]

.....it catches Riverside City Fire and CHP just fine, so I don't understand what I am doing wrong with the CalFire/RRU frequencies.

Riverside County/CALFIRE is on VHF-Hi
Riverside City is on UHF
CHP is on Low Band

I think your VHF-Hi section in that radio is dead for some reason. Try listening for NOAA weather and see if you hear anything.

 

[blogan52]

What are you using for an antenna?

stock antenna...sitting next to a window

 

[blogan52]

Riverside County/CALFIRE is on VHF-Hi
Riverside City is on UHF
CHP is on Low Band

I think your VHF-Hi section in that radio is dead for some reason. Try listening for NOAA weather and see if you hear anything.

rather than spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to listen for NOAA, I went back to RR and downloaded the NWS frequencies into my scanner and am now scanning that 'system'.....the frequencies match what I saw on the NWS website for my area, and it is scanning, but there is no talking.....I thought the NWS frequencies were pretty much constant broadcast..?? I pulled out an ancient Pro-94 and hit the SVC button to see what NWS was broadcasting, and picked up what I consider to be 'normal' traffic for NWS....and yet, the BCT15X is not picking up that same traffic.... ugh...

 

[blogan52]

I downloaded the frequencies from RadioReference using the import tool in Proscan. I copied the frequencies into my BCT75XLT and they are picking up. I will try your first suggestion even though I am not using Search Mode. Thanks. ( And I will double double check the frequencies )

double checked the frequencies - all correct
Pager not checked on the Search Mode

 

[techman210]

Your VHF-HI section is hosed in some way.

 

[Ubbe]

Enter a local FM broadcast frequency. HOLD-frequency-HOLD. You should be able to receive that with a paperclip in the antenna connector. Also try a known 700-900MHz control channel for a nearby site. You hear noise when you open the squelch, and the signal strenght indicator doesn't show any signal?

/Ubbe

 

[wtp]

set the squelch to 2.

 

[engineco16]

That's my opinion to. Time to contact Uniden Support. Me and her lives 5 miles apart and I have no problem at all. Checked my squelch today and it was on 5, moved it to 2 and was picking a few things better

Your VHF-HI section is hosed in some way.

 

[wtp]

i have my 396T set to 2 also.
one day things were cutting out.
my squelch was on 15...i am the only one to touch that radio.
don't trust computers, they have a mind of their own.

 

[blogan52]

ok, so I did a hard reset on the scanner.....imported a Freescan file with the RCoFD frequencies in it that @engineco16 sent me..... scanner is receiving just fine with the squelch set at 2.....I have no freaking clue why the Proscan programming wasn't accomplishing the same thing.....

 

[wtp]

as long as it works, that is what counts.
and someone else might need to do this for their radio.