BCD436HP/BCD536HP: Help troubleshooting BCD436HP - new user

[chrisfburke]

So I'm a new owner of a BCD436HP. New to scanning in fact. I've been reading and experimenting nonstop for the past several days, and I sure would benefit from some expert advice. I think I've got it programmed correctly with several small favorites lists.

Where to start?

I'm in the metro Nashville, TN area. Looking to scan in Davidson and Sumner counties. Currently using the 436 as it came out of the box (i.e. usually indoors with the rubber duck).

Issue 1) Simulcast. At home, I'm having big time problems with the Middle Tennessee Regional Trunked Radio System (P25-II). Trying to get the police and fire/ems channels. I get sporadic snippets of conversations, but typically long periods of silence (compared to the feed on Broadcastify). When I do get audio, it's choppy, with high error rates (80+).

Issue 2) UHF. My local Sumner system is a mix of VHF, UHF, and 800 mHz. For example, the count EMS dispatch (462.98750) is crystal clear on my old UV-5r, and barely audible on the 436.


I'm looking for suggestions on what to try next?

Antenna? My immediate vicinity at home is quite hilly (see attached). I don't currently have plans for an external antenna, and would prefer something that is portable for use at home and at work (which is in Davidson Co).

Any way to improve 436 and simulcast?

Would the RS-800 be an improvement over the stock antenna for UHF?

Any other ideas?

Thanks/!

 

[Ensnared]

No, I would not recommend that poorly constructed RS 800 mhz to anyone. It might be useful for digging feces from the bowels of an impacted dog. I have owned many and they all failed. The stock antenna is basically garbage, IMHO.

I am happy you are wanting to Davidson and not other counties or cities because I am seeing a whole lot of 'DE.'

First of all, I don't bother listening to UHF or VHF on my 436HP because it performs poorly. I live in a slightly hilly section of Texas. From what I gathered, this radio was designed to perform on digital. All of my analog frequencies around me are horrible with respect to reception.

I would use the Ham radio you mentioned for UHF/VHF. Let the 436HP do what it does fairly well, receiving digital signals.

Since you live in a hilly environment, dealing with 700 and 800 mhz frequencies might be rather difficult, particularly with the crap stock antenna. I don't see how you are going to avoid buying an outside antenna. I don't know if it would be worth programming the Williamson site since that county is 100% encrypted.

On rare occasions, I can hear Bell County which is around 35 miles away, but that is a stretch with my mobile antenna.

You might try these two antennas. I don't know whether this radio antenna would pull in signals to your liking, but if you are in the metro area, it would likely work. This is a molded antenna as opposed to the RS 800 mhz ca ca. 800 MHz 2.5db Gain Professional Portable SMA Antenna | Scanner Master

For my mobile, I am using the following. The base uses a rubber boot to protect paint. There are several models, but I prefer the one with 58U coax since I can put a screw on BNC if necessary. https://www.amazon.com/Tram-Tram1267r-Sma-Magnet-Nmo-Mounting-Rubber/dp/B07C2SDFXR

Finally, I have this for the stinger: NMO150/450/800 Pulse-Larsen Tri Band Whip 150-940 MHz Omni antenna | Arcadian Antenna

For distant signals, particularly in hilly terrain, an outside antenna, even directional, might be your only option.

 

[W4EMS]

Sumner county is a potpourri of signals. When I visit my brother in the NW part I find the RS-800 antenna works fine but he is up on a ridge. The SO is going to a UHF trunked system soon so that may help. Have you tried moving the scanner a bit to improve the EMS reception? SOmetimes a few inches either way helps.
As for Nashville, I live near Murfreesboro. For the hamshack I installed an outdoor antenna and even then it is a bit choppy some days. Not a simulcast issue as the next closest site is behind a large hill.
Agree with the last commenter that best bet is an outdoor antenna. Several to choose from. Would also give you reception from KY area.
How well do you receive the TACN system? It has a transmitter in White House.

 

[chrisfburke]

Since you live in a hilly environment, dealing with 700 and 800 mhz frequencies might be rather difficult, particularly with the crap stock antenna. I don't see how you are going to avoid buying an outside antenna. I don't know if it would be worth programming the Williamson site since that county is 100% encrypted.

On rare occasions, I can hear Bell County which is around 35 miles away, but that is a stretch with my mobile antenna.

It's strange. I did some measuring on Google Maps between my house and two of the simulcast antennas for the Mid TN Trunked system linked above. One tower is 7.8 miles and the other is 9.7 miles. These don't seem excessive to me...? Again, performance at home is very poor.

You might try these two antennas. I don't know whether this radio antenna would pull in signals to your liking, but if you are in the metro area, it would likely work. This is a molded antenna as opposed to the RS 800 mhz ca ca.

Thanks, I'm going to give this one a try.

For my mobile, I am using the following. The base uses a rubber boot to protect paint. There are several models, but I prefer the one with 58U coax since I can put a screw on BNC if necessary.

For your use, does the rubber boot adequately protect the paint on your vehicle?

For distant signals, particularly in hilly terrain, an outside antenna, even directional, might be your only option.

I wish this was an option at this time. Unfortunately, it is not. One day!

 

[chrisfburke]

Sumner county is a potpourri of signals. When I visit my brother in the NW part I find the RS-800 antenna works fine but he is up on a ridge. The SO is going to a UHF trunked system soon so that may help. Have you tried moving the scanner a bit to improve the EMS reception? SOmetimes a few inches either way helps.
As for Nashville, I live near Murfreesboro. For the hamshack I installed an outdoor antenna and even then it is a bit choppy some days. Not a simulcast issue as the next closest site is behind a large hill.
Agree with the last commenter that best bet is an outdoor antenna. Several to choose from. Would also give you reception from KY area.
How well do you receive the TACN system? It has a transmitter in White House.

Thanks for your reply, and I sure appreciate the local insight. I've taken this thing all over town, and local UHF doesn't seem to change much. The Mid TN Regional Trunked system seems bad all over, until I get to about mile marker 2-3 on TN-386. Then it will start to pick up.

 

[chrisfburke]

Right now I am sitting at home listening to TACN, held on dept THP District 3. When I get audio on the 436, it is actually performing quite well. Clear, not choppy. I am comparing to the Broadcastify feed, however, and there are transmissions I am not receiving on the 436.

Here's a question I have, and I apologize if this could be found with a forum search...if I have this system set as part of a favorite list, would it behoove me to remove simulcast sites that are not geographically nearby?

 

[SteveSimpkin]

Issue 1) Simulcast.

It's strange. I did some measuring on Google Maps between my house and two of the simulcast antennas for the Mid TN Trunked system linked above. One tower is 7.8 miles and the other is 9.7 miles. These don't seem excessive to me...? Again, performance at home is very poor.

Any way to improve 436 and simulcast?

This will be your biggest challenge. The problem with receiving P25 Simulcast transmissions on scanner/radios that are not designed to deal with it is receiving a signal from more than one simulcast tower at a time. You seem to be almost in the middle of two Simulcast towers. This is probably the worst case scenario. If you were to drive closer to one of the tower sites, you would probably get much better decoding. Most of the strategies for dealing with this issue involve using directional antennas or attenuation to try and receive only one Simulcast tower. The ultimate solution is to buy a scanner that is designed to receive P25 Simulcast transmissions like the Uniden SDS100/SDS200 or upcoming (and much delayed) Whistler TRX-100/TRX-200 models. There is also the Unication G4/G5 Pagers. While the Unication models are not scanners, they are designed to work with P25 Simulcast systems.

For more information on this issue see:
https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Simulcast_Distortion

 

[Ensnared]

Some folks number the tower sites and toggle them on and off. Yes, the Tram does not harm the paint, at all.

 

[dfw1193]

Maybe check to see if you are using range and what that range is set or limited to if its in use.

 

[chrisfburke]

This will be your biggest challenge. The problem with receiving P25 Simulcast transmissions on scanner/radios that are not designed to deal with it is receiving a signal from more than one simulcast tower at a time. You seem to be almost in the middle of two Simulcast towers. This is probably the worst case scenario. If you were to drive closer to one of the tower sites, you would probably get much better decoding. Most of the strategies for dealing with this issue involve using directional antennas or attenuation to try and receive only one Simulcast tower. The ultimate solution is to buy a scanner that is designed to receive P25 Simulcast transmissions like the Uniden SDS100/SDS200 or upcoming (and much delayed) Whistler TRX-100/TRX-200 models. There is also the Unication G4/G5 Pagers. While the Unication models are not scanners, they are designed to work with P25 Simulcast systems.

For more information on this issue see:
https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Simulcast_Distortion

I have two P25 simulcast systems that I'd like to listen to. One is the TACN and it has been working pretty well. Another is the Mid TN one referenced above, and it has been working very poorly. I have noticed that there is often a flashing DAT icon present when I am listening to the Mid TN system, and no audio is heard while this icon is lit. I do not see this on the TACN system. Any thoughts on what this might mean?

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[chrisfburke]

Maybe check to see if you are using range and what that range is set or limited to if its in use.

Thanks for the reply. I am familiar with the range setting when programming using a zip code. Can you elaborate on what you mean by your response? I have not been using the ZIP code based programming lately.

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