New to digital scanning. I have done analog for many years and trunking. Now I have a BCD996P2 and listen to Anderson county TN. Fire and ambulance still use analog but Sheriff went to Tennessee Advanced Communications System P25 Phase II. Setup using RR database and am having an issue with sheriff dept reception. Sometimes is fine then times it cuts out or choppy. Not sure if setting issue antenna issue or just user error. Sheriff uses three repeaters not simulcast all operate different freqs. Dispatch channel (ops 1) is not encrypted other channels are of course get nothing on the encrypted Tac channels. Have the basic antenna that came with the scanner located in my living room. Some transmissions come in fine can hear the whole thing both dispatch and cars some it cuts in and out like a bad cellphone call. Others it starts and then nothing. Some I only hear dispatch others the dispatch cuts in and out and car is fine. Wondering if I need to go to an outdoor antenna or I have done something wrong in setup. For info repeater one is about 6 miles from house get full signal bars on scanner second is about 10 miles signal fluctuates between 2 to full bars third is about 12 miles fluctuates from none to 4 bars.
BCD325P2/BCD996P2: Help with digital reception
- Thread starter wprileyjr3
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Think of this way:
On analog when signal gets weak, there is more and more static as the signal gets weaker.
With digital, the result of a weak signal is garbled (underwater) reception until it is unintelligible.
I'd look at a better antenna to start...
On analog when signal gets weak, there is more and more static as the signal gets weaker.
With digital, the result of a weak signal is garbled (underwater) reception until it is unintelligible.
I'd look at a better antenna to start...
nd5y
Member
No. Depending on how the scanner is set up it will mute the audio (or not) when it receives and decodes a control channel.
tvengr
Well Known Member
Please delete.
ka3aaa
Member
your scanners reception will be much better with an outdoor antenna.
What number of signal bars are you seeing on the display? It looks like a roadside hill sign. If your seeing 2 or less that's a problem.
Maybe silly but have seen this happen where the antenna wasn't attached fully. Be sure when you attach the antenna, push it in and give it a 1/2 turn twist to lock it in.
If your within say a 1/2 mile or less of a cellphone tower, it can ruin reception on digital big time. You would have to get a directional antenna
pointed towards the 911 tower or more than likely you’ll need to get a filter.
996P2 ships with firmware 1.06, update it to 1.08.01 that helps with decoding. Video was made before 1.08.01 became available.
Maybe silly but have seen this happen where the antenna wasn't attached fully. Be sure when you attach the antenna, push it in and give it a 1/2 turn twist to lock it in.
If your within say a 1/2 mile or less of a cellphone tower, it can ruin reception on digital big time. You would have to get a directional antenna
pointed towards the 911 tower or more than likely you’ll need to get a filter.
996P2 ships with firmware 1.06, update it to 1.08.01 that helps with decoding. Video was made before 1.08.01 became available.
It is running version 1.08.01 of the firmware I did the update when I got it.
The signal bars for the closest repeater is 3 to 5
The next one is around 2 to 3
and the final one is 0 to 3 it fluctuates on all of them.
Also I hadn't thought about cell phone towers I did some checking and I have three in different locations that are all about 1.25 to 1.5 miles away.
So most likely problem is need a better antenna
Sounds like with 3 cell towers could be the problem with 800 MHz reception.
That 1/2 mile I mention is just strictly an estimate, could be more., 'your mileage may vary'.
Try taking a few places all over a few miles and more away if you can try it. Maybe in the opposite direction of the 911 tower(s) instead of getting closer. If it starts coming in good. Likely cell tower issue.
This has been shown by two others here locally that it worked with nearby cell towers. Granted it will let in the 700-800 MHz band but lessen reception outside of that.
That 1/2 mile I mention is just strictly an estimate, could be more., 'your mileage may vary'.
Try taking a few places all over a few miles and more away if you can try it. Maybe in the opposite direction of the 911 tower(s) instead of getting closer. If it starts coming in good. Likely cell tower issue.
This has been shown by two others here locally that it worked with nearby cell towers. Granted it will let in the 700-800 MHz band but lessen reception outside of that.
thanks I will look at that. I moved around the house and found a spot where 2 of the three repeaters get 4 to 5 bars. Works better but noticed when watching display mostly on the weakest repeater but once in a while on the others it would catch a transmission stop on a channel show repeater, talk group, and ID but no audio.
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