paramedic1982
Member
My scanner at times makes a funny short sound then freezes on a channel with no transmittions. It then starts to scan again. This does not happen all the time. Any know what it may be. My scanner is the BCD 396T. Thank you.
Funny sound
- Thread starter paramedic1982
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The radio is detecting an encrypted transmission, muting the audio after a split second, and then resumes scanning.
Bob
Bob
sjlamb
Member
Does this funny sound make you giggle?
paramedic1982
Member
Is it possible that the sound I am hearing is something called a birdie. I don`t know what that is but I have heard the term.
sjlamb
Member
No... a "birdie" is an internally generated rf signal created by the scanner itself and causing the scanner to lockup on a particular frequency until that freq. is locked out. Usually the only noise relating to a birdie is "white" background noise that sounds much like someone is transmitting a dead (unmodulated) carrier on the air (accidental open mic).
Do a search thru some of the pre-programmed searches in your scanner and you'll quickly find out what a true "birdie" sounds like. The way to confirm that you are hearing an internally generated birdie is to move the radio away from other possible sources of interference and then remove the antenna when it locks up. If the signal stays the same and it remains locked up, you're likely experiencing a birdie.
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