CSP Reception Issues

[motorman105]

I installed my BCD536HP in my car and I'm using the SpectrumForce mini window antenna. I find that CSP reception is sounding digital. 60% of the time its OK but seems like whenever I really need to hear something, like an accident location, the signal drops out or goes digital and I can't understand it .....I downloaded the system from Sentinel along with all the systems in the scanner and CSP is the only one that I'm having this issue with. I live in Trumbull and drive to Greenwich almost every day.
I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to "tweak" the CSP system in "settings" or should I just suck it up!

 

[msingewald]

I had the same problems with the PSR800 and my Home Patrol. Works fine most of the time, but it always seemed to miss important bits. Either it was the beginnings of the transmissions, or dropping out whenever I got near a cell site, which happens a lot during highway driving.

I finally gave up and bought a used Motorola radio and learned how to program it to safely monitor the State Police. Night and day difference. Not as convenient, but so much more effective.


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[dispatcher812]

I also have my 536 in my truck. I am using an antenna mounted to my toolbox. I receive the CSP quite well with limited digital. I would try a different antenna. You may not have a proper ground plane. Also, change try changing the modulation to FM and up the threshold level to about 8 or 9. When these first came out there was a lot of people who where saying that they were not receiving as much as , say a 996. I was one of them who felt that way. However, I changed the above settings as some had suggested and I receive 90 %. I still get some signal drop out in certain parts and very rarely get a transmission in "digital"

 

[msingewald]

I didn't get much digital, I just had the signal drop out (verified by S-Meter) and time I got near a cell site. An antenna is not going to help the radio with selectivity and overload.

 

[MrAntiDigital]

Another sad story on digital reception.

Gone are the Great days of 42.04, 42.36, 42.48, and 42.52 MHz to monitor the CSP. That's when there were no special skills, tweaking, or antennas required. Even a rubber duckie antenna worked okay. Just punch the numbers into your scanner and you were set to go.

 

[msingewald]

True, but without a repeater, you often couldn't hear any of the cars. Especially with a portable antenna. It is much more enjoyable now. Plus, no skip and interference from co-channel.


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[theshadowman]

nfd2004 and msingewald both have valid points. The simplicity of the good ol' days and the clarity (sometimes!) of today!

RE: motorman105,

I don't have the same scanner you do (I have a 996XT) but I do know that the antenna, its placement and its orientation play a large role in reception if you aren't using an external perm-mount antenna (or even if you are, for that matter). I had a great external antenna mounted on my old truck and never had a problem. I bought a new truck and am consequently shy about mounting anything to it so I suffer the consequences of an internal job. It's still not as good as my old setup but playing with the orientation and placement of the antenna seems to have done the trick with making it acceptable.