BCD436HP/BCD536HP: Close Call Avoids not working

[jonwienke]

I've gotten a bunch of Close Call hits recently (200-204MHz mostly), most of which seem to be digital TV stations or something, and the scanner decodes them to white noise/static. So I want to add them directly to my avoid list.

When the CC alarm goes off, I hit the enter button 3 times to add the freq to the quick save list. Then I hit the Avoid button to exit out of the add menu. The scanner is now playing the annoying static on the freq I want to avoid. So I double-tap the Avoid button and get the "permanent avoid" screen message.

And the next time the scanner goes through my quick save list, it stops on the new freq and plays the annoying static. I have to double-tap the avoid button yet again to get the scanner to actually avoid the freq.

It would be nice if the scanner actually avoided the freq the first time it gave me the permanent avoid screen message.

 

[UPMan]

Don't quick-save the frequency into a channel. Just AVOID/AVOID.

 

[jonwienke]

I tried that, and the zombies kept wanting to crawl out of their graves. I'd permanently avoid a freq (at least according to the on-screen message) and then later on get CC hits on it again.

Where is the Avoid saved if the frequency isn't saved somewhere? Can such an Avoid be reviewed and revoked if created erroneously?

For the time being, I went into the CC Broadcast Screen menu, and set up some custom bands to cover the frequency range where I've been getting the garbage CC hits (179-182 and 202-209 MHz approximately). That prevents the problem at the source.

But it would seem to be a firmware bug that I avoid a freq permanently and get an on-screen confirmation that I've permanently avoided it, and then 10 seconds later, I'm hearing it again.

 

[Gilligan]

Not sure but is there any way this is related to the scanner auto-storing close-call hits and then cycling through those hits while close call is also enabled? Could that be part of the problem?

 

[UPMan]

I'm on vacation and don't have the scanner handy (by a few hundred miles), but frequencies can be avoided that will then be avoided in any custom/service/close call search mode. As you avoid these, they'll get added to a roster of frequencies to avoid in these modes. I think, IIRC, that this list can be found in the menu tree under the "Srch/Clo Call Options".

If you "read from scanner" then these will show up in Sentinel in the Profile Editor (pencil/paper icon) under the "Search/Close Call" tab, lower right corner Avoided Frequencies: Review and Edit

 

[Gilligan]

I'm on vacation and don't have the scanner handy (by a few hundred miles)...

You mean you don't take your scanner with you on vacation?

Sorry, couldn't help myself...

 

[Jimru]

You mean you don't take your scanner with you on vacation?

Sorry, couldn't help myself...

Heh, it wouldn't be a vacation for him, then! It would be like someone taking their desk or tools with them on vacation!

OP seemed to solve his problem, for now, by blocking those TV channel ranges.

 

[UPMan]

Well, now that I think about it, I do have a 536 in the trunk of my car...but my car broke down in Pueblo, CO and has been in the shop since Monday. Pretty area, but I really didn't intend to spend all week here.

http://massivelyuninformed.me/?p=938

 

[jonwienke]

I think, IIRC, that this list can be found in the menu tree under the "Srch/Clo Call Options".

If you "read from scanner" then these will show up in Sentinel in the Profile Editor (pencil/paper icon) under the "Search/Close Call" tab, lower right corner Avoided Frequencies: Review and Edit

OK, that makes sense. I remember seeing something about Avoids in the Close Call menu. Thanks for answering while on vacation.

 

[Steve2003]

Well, now that I think about it, I do have a 536 in the trunk of my car...but my car broke down in Pueblo, CO and has been in the shop since Monday. Pretty area, but I really didn't intend to spend all week here.

http://massivelyuninformed.me/?p=938

Pueblo County just purchased a new zone controller for the CO State DTRS system. If you get bored let us know if any new sites came online down there lol. Enjoy your vacation!

 

[jonwienke]

Upman, That was the issue. I merged the quick save avoid list into the Close Call avoid list and deleted the duplicates from the quick save list. Over the last 3 days, I've had about 90 new close call hits 173.900 and 207.200 that I never picked up before. I don't know if they are switching to a digital TV system in my area and standing up some new channels, but it seems like I've been doing nothing but dealing with close call hits lately.

 

[UPMan]

Well, moved on from Pueblo to Taos, so too late to test that.

For the DTV hits, you can avoid these mostly by using the broadcast screen feature.

 

[Emoney250]

I had similiar "permanent avoid" issues. I'm hoping my next firmware upgrade will resolve.

 

[jonwienke]

Close Call has an Avoid list separate from the main database and Favorite Lists. If you Avoid while scanning the main DB or a FL, the Avoid is stored in the DB/FL. If you Avoid a Close Call hit, the Avoid is stored in the Close Call Avoid list. Close Call Avoids have no effect when scanning the main DB or favorite lists, and DB/FL Avoids have no effect on Close Call.

It's not a bug, it's just a feature set that is confusing if you don't understand how it works.