Funny sound

Status
Not open for further replies.

paramedic1982

Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2009
Messages
2
Location
toronto
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.
 

pro106import

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
2,847
Location
Milford, Ct. perched high above Long Island Sound
The radio is detecting an encrypted transmission, muting the audio after a split second, and then resumes scanning.
Bob


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.
 

paramedic1982

Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2009
Messages
2
Location
toronto
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
Joined
May 27, 2007
Messages
882
Location
Sarasota County, FL
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.

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.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top