Frustrated

[maus92]

Turn off Close Call for now, and see if things improve.

Your problem is not signal strength; it is interference / distortion induced by the signal reaching your radio / antenna from several different transmit sites at slightly different times, aka multipath - which is not good. Radios designed specifically to receive simulcast can compensate for these timing issues.

When experiencing simulcast distortion, your RSSI can be acceptable, but will sometimes appear to drop when multipath effects are particularly pronounced, due to environmental and other factors. Sometimes you will miss entire transmissions. When I had an HP-2 and a Unication radio tuned to the same TG and sitting right next to each other, the HP-2 was at times completely deaf, whereas the Unication was playing the all the traffic.

 

[hooten3]

How should hold and delay times be set or does that make much difference?

 

[Hit_Factor]

Leave alone for now, 2 seconds is default, I think.

That's how long you will wait for a human to respond.

 

[ind224]

If you are talking about 800 mhz try a piece of coax with 3.5 to 4 inches of the center exposed to your connector. Just fold the braid down back over the jacket. You might go full horizontal too. I have fought with simulcast for years and a piece of tin foil blocking RF from one site (direction) may help.

 

[wtp]

did you not read my rundown on hold and delay in the personal message ?
it is ok to get second opinions.

 

[hooten3]

did you not read my rundown on hold and delay in the personal message ?
it is ok to get second opinions.

Correction, yes I did read that,

 

[hooten3]

Correction, yes I did read that,

Wow, this is crazy. Some tin foil on half the antenna is already improving the situation.

 

[wtp]

with reception only there are no rules.
have you tried the old "rabbit ear antenna dance" of the sixties ?

 

[hooten3]

I am so encouraged that eliminating some of the multi path is making such a big difference. Thank you so much.

 

[hooten3]

I understand - thanks.

Update.
I have YAGI that appears to be improving the multi path issue. As we have discussed, I have multiple towers within 7 miles. To help me understand, should I point the YAGI to the tower that is most removed from the others in degrees? I appreciate your patience.

 

[maus92]

Update.
I have YAGI that appears to be improving the multi path issue. As we have discussed, I have multiple towers within 7 miles. To help me understand, should I point the YAGI to the tower that is most removed from the others in degrees? I appreciate your patience.

I would aim the yagi a few degrees north of the site that's near 114, aka the farthest west site of the three that were circled in a previous post.

 

[hooten3]

Excellent, thanks

 

[Hit_Factor]

Update.
I have YAGI that appears to be improving the multi path issue. As we have discussed, I have multiple towers within 7 miles. To help me understand, should I point the YAGI to the tower that is most removed from the others in degrees? I appreciate your patience.

Point it where it works best. Don't watch your signal strength meter, that value has little use in this endeavor.

 

[hooten3]

Thanks

 

[bubbajoe56]

Hooten3, Have you resolved your issues? If so what worked for you.

Thanks

 

[n1chu]

Joining late to this thread. I don’t know what scanner you are using but I would guess you’d like to keep the yagi but loose the multi path. Normally, I’d say use a less efficient antenna that captures the strongest signal (normally that would also be the closest site) and see what results you would get. If your radio has an attenuator that can be set for each frequency/system, try that also. But that means you loose the yagi’s better reception on everything else that doesn’t have multi path issues. Have you tried using the attenuator feature on the multi path system with the yagi? You may be able to desense the signal enough to reduce or eliminate the multi path and still enjoy better coverage on the other systems you monitor.

 

[hooten3]

Hooten3, Have you resolved your issues? If so what worked for you.

Thanks

Yes, Im in good shape. The Yagi eliminated the multipath issue. When I couldn't receive the Lubbock Fire I realized that I had a quick key set for the LFD and no other. I eliminated the quick key, reviewed all the settings using ARC software, and reloaded the data. Everything is working well now. I honestly don't know where the problem was and it is hard for me to believe that the quick key was the problem. But I don't know enough about the scanner functions and setting to actually know. Regardless, it is working like a champ now. I am using a BCD325P2 and I am now very satisfied.

 

[doctordialtone]

it is hard for me to believe that the quick key was the problem.

Glad you got it working and it's nothing wrong with the scanner!

Like I've said. I love my 325P2! The best scanner for the buck!

Enjoy!

 

[N9JCQ]

My 325P2 has been running all day long for the last month as I have been working from home here in suburban Chicago. I am using a discone with it and its handling everything well except the civil and military aviation bandsIts not nearly as effective on those bands as it grandfather, the 396T was. I have a Uniden 780XLT if I really need to have the best for those bands too. But for local Starcom 21 and VHF/UHF bands, the 325P2 does everything very well. It's sad hearing all the "trouble breathing" EMT calls now.