BCD436HP/BCD536HP: How to stop Close Call picking up FM Broadcast?

[radioroo]

When I have Close Call turned on it jumps to FMB stations. I permanently avoid them but every time it finds a new strong signal it will jump to this and suddenly start playing loud music. If I travel it does this as it finds new FM music stations. It's getting annoying. Is there a way to have Close Call ONLY avoid FMB but continue to listen for everything else?

 

[Saint]

CLOSE CALL

When I have Close Call turned on it jumps to FMB stations. I permanently avoid them but every time it finds a new strong signal it will jump to this and suddenly start playing loud music. If I travel it does this as it finds new FM music stations. It's getting annoying. Is there a way to have Close Call ONLY avoid FMB but continue to listen for everything else?

On my 396t scanner all I do is go into the close call options menu and go to broadcast screen and lock out FM, you will find this kind of information in the manual you received with the scanner.
Steve

 

[TedRHayes]

When I have Close Call turned on it jumps to FMB stations. I permanently avoid them but every time it finds a new strong signal it will jump to this and suddenly start playing loud music. If I travel it does this as it finds new FM music stations. It's getting annoying. Is there a way to have Close Call ONLY avoid FMB but continue to listen for everything else?

In Sentinel, edit the Profile, open the Broadcast Screen tab, check the appropriate boxes, or add custom frequency bands to be screened. Make sure you write it to the scanner.

You can also set it from the Menu on the scanner: look in the Srch/CloCall Opt menu.

I think that will solve your problem.

 

[radioroo]

Thanks guys! I have set broadcast screen to "ON" for FM, Pager and Weather. Problem solved. Thanks a million!

 

[oscarg1971]

How strong does a close call signal on a 436/536HP have to be before it picks it up?

 

[Jay911]

I'm not sure about the actual measured strength in terms of whatever units you choose to use, but this was brought up when the 396T first came out. The response, if I recall correctly, was that it has to be a certain strength above the noise floor, i.e. the background noise/static inherent in the area. It thus varies depending on your location. For example, I'm in a rather rural area, so handheld transmissions from a decent distance away may trip off CC here because there's not much else to receive. Someone in the city nearby, with lots of sources transmitting all around them, might have to be much closer (or have a much stronger signal to hear in the first place) before CC will trip.

 

[KevinC]

How strong does a close call signal on a 436/536HP have to be before it picks it up?

No simple answer to this...but...

If it's like the x96-series radios the signal needs to be about 18 dB (IIRC) above the noise floor. The caveat is the noise floor isn't a set/magic number and will vary according to strong signals within the band.

In my case I can drive all around Houston and may only get a few hits on stuff that is extremely strong/close. If I go 60 miles outside of Houston I can get hits on drive-through windows 1/2 mile away (impossible in town) and 100w repeaters at 300 feet several miles away.

What really hurts me in town is if I'm within about 7-10 miles of TV broadcast channels 8, 11 and 13 (they all transmit form the same general area). They elevate the noise floor on VHF considerably. I have filters for these at home so that helps a lot.

 

[localknitwits]

At home I only have a couple of channels that trigger the cc hit. So I just lockout the offending channels.