Conv Channel Trouble

[gs_new]

Listening in on my new GRE 500. Gotta Love it unbeleivable! However, in my basement I get the same trouble with conventional freqs between 150 and 170 s I did on my Pro 97. They seem to constantly break squelch and hiss no matter how much I tighten squelch?

Does the same on both stock and Diamond 77 antenna.

Any ideas?

 

[smason]

Did you try the attenuator?

 

[Jay911]

What electronics do you have in your basement? If it happens on all scanners, I'm thinking interference.

 

[gs_new]

No i didnt try the ATT guess I should. If I do that how much does it effect the capability for channell to break through when in use?

Also as I look around my basement I am agreeing with interference, we have 6 spotlight type lights in our rumpus room that we use with a dimmer switch. Also my wife has insisted on replacing a few bulbs around the house with those compact fluorescent ones which I have read that send off interference.

That would be it I am thinking because it is definitely worse at home, even is better upstairs than down...

 

[Jay911]

I get wicked interference from my broadband Internet, which is a wireless 2.4GHz service. I would estimate my signal strength is reduced by 50% just by being inside my house, where the signal is pointed at from the tower.

You can also get interference from things you never expect. Try pulling off the antenna and wandering around looking for places where the interference is strongest. If you put the scanner minus antenna right against your sternum (the bone in the middle of your chest), the scanner's reception will be focused directly in front of you. Also try turning on/off various things in the house - and more than just 'soft off' i.e. a monitor in standby mode. Throw the switch or pull the actual plug so the device has no power. You may eventually find something that is causing the RFI. One thing I found in my home that's very leaky, RF-wise, is a battery charger. That thing eats the VHF band alive - channels without a CTCSS/PL are hopeless.

 

[gs_new]

You are a good man! Thanks very much. I have a wireless router in basement never even considered that. I will try some of those process of elimination deductions!

Thanks again

 

[mtindor]

Good luck. Once you find the culprit(s) you've got to figure out how to silence them (in a way that won't cause you to get thrown out of the house). My wireless router generates a little bit of noise, not much (Linksys WRT54G). But my 100 mbit connection between my wireless router and DSL router wreak havoc on low band (30-50 Mhz). I have never had any problems with internal interference to VHF.

on the other hand, the PSR is extremely sensitive on VHF and is prone to overload. I wouldn't expect it on the stock antenna, but it is possible depending on how close you live to high power paging transmitters/VHF TV stations/radio stations. If i put my PSR on an external antenna I have too much noise on all of VHF to have any fun.

Sure, using the attenuator may help - but it's never the optimum solution if you are still looking to hear weak signals (i.e. the attenuator defeats the whole purpose). If all you listen to are strong local VHF, then turning on the ATT shouldn't be a problem.

Good luck in your endeavors... I'm still working on my noise.

Mike

 

[gs_new]

Thanks, I am thinking it is a bit of overload due to the 500 being more sensitive than my Pro 97. I have never even had time to travel with my 500 yet as I only got it last week. It is not hard to tell already that it is way more sensitive than my 97 compared to what and where I listen anyway.

Air is 5 times better! VHF is better also, well outside anyway, the house is a different matter

 

[mtindor]

Thanks, I am thinking it is a bit of overload due to the 500 being more sensitive than my Pro 97. I have never even had time to travel with my 500 yet as I only got it last week. It is not hard to tell already that it is way more sensitive than my 97 compared to what and where I listen anyway.

Air is 5 times better! VHF is better also, well outside anyway, the house is a different matter

Definitely. I have a PRO-97 as well and sensitivity is the difference between night and day. Even with the overload, I still wouldn't want to get rid of it. I just try to deal with it as best i can. I haven't tried monitoring air much. The good thing is that if you identify the source there are some options (filters) you can get aftermarket to help counter the overload. For me it was a TV station, which is much harder to filter. I think radio/paging is much easier.

Mike

 

[gs_new]

Good to know. Cant imagine what a big City would be like Calgary with Digital Cops and such. Wife would kill me for sure, wouldn't wanna take earphones out! LOL

 

[HDMechanic]

Word of advise with the 500. Dont put any type of high gain antena on them as it will blow out the rf chip.

 

[robertmac]

I know around my house, there are a number of frequencies between 136 and 170 that get a lot of interference on scanners. Some of the culprits I have found are: poor cable TV cables and connectors [no shielding]; Telephones especially those with a LCD display; as is mentioned, routers, computers in general; BPL; etc.. Luckily, a lot of electrical appliance interference is temporary. At least with digital coms., the interference is less and Calgary users are generally on the 800 MHz spectrum. I suspect that, with the switch to 700 MHz, the amount of intereference will also be very limited. More of a concern here is encryption so it won't matter if there is man made or natural interference.