Help with BCD536HP

[geoffmercer78]

I recently bought this scanner. I purchased the 3 licenses Provoice, Dmr and NXDN. I cant get the scanner to pick up hardly any thing. I am new to this so I probably doing something wrong PLease Help someone

 

[MStep]

I'm not going to attempt to answer your question because there is too little information, but I will give you some food for thought that others will likely ask. 1) How was reception BEFORE you installed the 3 license upgrades? 2) You say your recently bought the scanner... new or used ? 3) How is reception on conventional non-digital frequencies? 4) How about reception in P25 mode? 5) Have you had experience with other scanners? 6) A little bit about your location and your antenna configuration.

Theses are but a few of the questions that will need to be answered before someone can start to diagnose your reception issue, if in fact there is one.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

I cant get the scanner to pick up hardly any thing.

Please give us specifics on what exactly you're unable to pick up. Provide Radioreference database links so we can rule out possibilities like encryption, simulcast distortion, etc. Also, how are you programming the scanner, via Sentinel? Entering zip code? The more specifics you give us will help us help you

Lastly, please review the easier to read 436/536hp manual to familiarize yourself with the basic operations of the scanner

 

[K4EET]

They also have a Whistler WS1065 that isn't receiving anything for the most part...

WS1065: - NEED HELP WITH WS1065 SCANNER

I just bought a new Whistler ws1065 scanner. I programed it with Radioreference and PSRedit software. I was able to program it easily enough and it will scan and show the the name and frequency but it will not pick up on anything. I have tried 3 different antennas. The weather station works...

forums.radioreference.com

 

[K4EET]

They are in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada which is just East of Edmonton, Canada. So they are probably trying to listen to some of these agencies:

Edmonton County, Alberta (AB) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference for Edmonton County, Alberta (AB)

www.radioreference.com

Alberta First Responders' Radio Communication System (AFRRCS) Trunking System, Multiple Locations, Alberta

Alberta First Responders' Radio Communication System (AFRRCS) Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

Note that the:

Alberta First Responders' Radio Communication System (AFRRCS)

has a lot of full-time encryption...

That might explain why both of their scanners is not picking up anything but showing a received signal...

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Alright then, well digging through the DB myself & assuming this is the system the OP is trying to monitor, it looks to me for starters that most law enforcement talkgroups systemwide are encrypted, all are such in Strathcona County. Here's a tip for the OP: Take a look at the tables in the db link I provided, focusing on the Mode column. Those listed as mode "DE" will NOT be able to be tracked by ANY scanner as these talkgroups are encrypted full time. Assuming the database is accurate, your scanner should only be able to track the talkgroups designated as mode "D"
Also the upgrades the OP paid for will do NO GOOD in tracking this system (alone). This is why more info is needed from the OP regarding what they are trying to track to get more relevant answers

 

[K4EET]

^^^What he said...

 

[geoffmercer78]

I'm not going to attempt to answer your question because there is too little information, but I will give you some food for thought that others will likely ask. 1) How was reception BEFORE you installed the 3 license upgrades? 2) You say your recently bought the scanner... new or used ? 3) How is reception on conventional non-digital frequencies? 4) How about reception in P25 mode? 5) Have you had experience with other scanners? 6) A little bit about your location and your antenna configuration.

Theses are but a few of the questions that will need to be answered before someone can start to diagnose your reception issue, if in fact there is one.

To answer your questions

1) I WAS AND AM GETTING GOOD RECEPTION ON THE SCANNER MOST TIME IT IS FULL OR CLOSE TO IT.
2) I BOUGHT THE SCANNER NEW
3) THE RECEPTION IS GOOD ON CONVENTIONAL FREQUENCIES AS WELL JUST NOT PICKING UP MANY OTHER THAN RAILROAD TRASMISSIONS.
4) TO MY KNOWLEDGE I AM NOT PICKING UP P25, OTHER THAN WHEN I RUN THE TRUNKED DISCOVERY MODE AND IT IS PICKING UP 200 HITS IN A 24 HOUR RUN ON THE ALBERTA FIRST RESPONSE RADIO COMMUNICATIOIN SYSTEM UNDER EDMONTON SIMULCAST
5) I ORDERED A WHISTLER RADIO BEFORE THIS ONE AND I HAD IT FOR 3 DAYS AND DIDNT LIKE IT AND RETURNED IT, SO REALLY NO EXPERINCE
6) I HAVE AN OUTDOOR ANTENNA 40 FEET FROM MY HOUSE I AM USING RG-58 COAX CABLE (BNC CONNECTORS) AND SO IS THE SHORT CABLE ON ATTENNA

LIKE I SAID I DONT HAVE ANY EXPERENCE WITH THESE RADIO I THOUGH IT MIGHT BE AS GOOD HOBBY TO GET INTO ALL THE VIDEOS I WATCH MADE IT LOOK SO EASY TO USE. ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE WILL BE GREAT

THANK YOU

GEOFF

 

[jonwienke]

Your P25 system is mostly encrypted, so you aren't going to get much of anything from it with any scanner.

 

[APX7500X2]

To answer your questions

1) I WAS AND AM GETTING GOOD RECEPTION ON THE SCANNER MOST TIME IT IS FULL OR CLOSE TO IT.
2) I BOUGHT THE SCANNER NEW
3) THE RECEPTION IS GOOD ON CONVENTIONAL FREQUENCIES AS WELL JUST NOT PICKING UP MANY OTHER THAN RAILROAD TRASMISSIONS.
4) TO MY KNOWLEDGE I AM NOT PICKING UP P25, OTHER THAN WHEN I RUN THE TRUNKED DISCOVERY MODE AND IT IS PICKING UP 200 HITS IN A 24 HOUR RUN ON THE ALBERTA FIRST RESPONSE RADIO COMMUNICATIOIN SYSTEM UNDER EDMONTON SIMULCAST
5) I ORDERED A WHISTLER RADIO BEFORE THIS ONE AND I HAD IT FOR 3 DAYS AND DIDNT LIKE IT AND RETURNED IT, SO REALLY NO EXPERINCE
6) I HAVE AN OUTDOOR ANTENNA 40 FEET FROM MY HOUSE I AM USING RG-58 COAX CABLE (BNC CONNECTORS) AND SO IS THE SHORT CABLE ON ATTENNA

LIKE I SAID I DONT HAVE ANY EXPERENCE WITH THESE RADIO I THOUGH IT MIGHT BE AS GOOD HOBBY TO GET INTO ALL THE VIDEOS I WATCH MADE IT LOOK SO EASY TO USE. ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE WILL BE GREAT

THANK YOU

GEOFF

I had to turn down my speakers for that

 

[K4EET]

I had to turn down my speakers for that

@geoffmercer78, what @APX7500X2 means by that is since you responded in ALL CAPS, you were essentially yelling. That is not good netiquette. I just wanted to mention that in case you were not aware of that courtesy.

With respect to the Alberta First Responders' Radio Communication System (AFRRCS), what talkgroups are you specifically trying to listen to? Under the "Mode" column, here is the legend:

D ---> Digital (your scanner can receive these talkgroups)
De ---> Digital with Part-Time Encryption (your scanner can receive these talkgroups when encryption is not being used)
DE ---> Digital with Full-Time Encryption (your scanner and all other scanners will never be able to receive these talkgroups)

The only caveat that I have is that the "Mode" column entries may change at any time without prior notice.

 

[geoffmercer78]

@geoffmercer78, what @APX7500X2 means by that is since you responded in ALL CAPS, you were essentially yelling. That is not good netiquette. I just wanted to mention that in case you were not aware of that courtesy.

With respect to the Alberta First Responders' Radio Communication System (AFRRCS), what talkgroups are you specifically trying to listen to? Under the "Mode" column, here is the legend:

D ---> Digital (your scanner can receive these talkgroups)
De ---> Digital with Part-Time Encryption (your scanner can receive these talkgroups when encryption is not being used)
DE ---> Digital with Full-Time Encryption (your scanner and all other scanners will never be able to receive these talkgroups)

The only caveat that I have is that the "Mode" column entries may change at any time without prior notice.

I am sorry my caps lock was sticking and I didn't realize that it would offend, again my apologizes