Issues with my Pro-96...Can anyone help?

[T-Santon]

Okay, here's the problem...





I live in a rural area...and out here, my Pro-96 does a VERY poor job of receiving weaker signals in the 800mhz band. However, I did notice something interesting recently...





When I program a trunked system's control channel 6.25 khz higher than I'm supposed to, I get MUCH better reception from it...






For Example: The Ohio MARCS Ashtabula Site Control Channel is on 867.42500, but it comes in too weak for me to monitor it.



But if I program the control channel 6.25khz higher (at 867.43125), the signal comes in much clearer, and I can monitor it much more easily.








Now, I assume that I can't fix this issue on my own (I really wish I could), and I don't have the money to send it off to Radioshack. So here's my question:






I've now programmed all of my control channels 6.25 khz higher, but the voice channels still go to the correct frequencies that they're supposed to...






Is there any way that I can make the voice channels ALSO go 6.25 khz higher(maybe through the Custom Trunking Tables in Win96)????






All the systems around here are your standard, type 2 motorola systems (not yet rebanded). So I'm not at all familiar with how the trunking tables work. But it would be GREAT if I could somehow get all the voice channels to also go up 6.25 khz.






Once I'm in an urban area, this is not an issue for me at all. But from where I live now, it's a very big issue...Accomplishing this would seriously give me at least 4 more systems that I could monitor out here (in the the middle of nowhere).




Any help is GREATLY appreciated!

 

[GrayJeep]

Offset

That is a very WIERD symptom.

How does it behave when you go to town near the transmitter? Will it behave normally under normal signal strength conditions?


If so- a better antenna is a standard treatment. You might even require a better antenna AND a pre-amp.

But if this offset behavior continues with normal sigs then something is wrong with the radio. Does it do anything similar on other non-trunked system freqs? (maybe you can't receive any but I gotta ask)

 

[T-Santon]

Well, I've had some issues with it ever since I got it... I bought it used off of Ebay (couldn't afford a new one). It's also an older model (CPU-1.1).



Currently, I just have the RS-800 duckie on it (no preamp). I also checked to see if the same thing occurred in the lower frequency bands, but it seems to be limited to just 800mhz and up.


I haven't checked to see how big the difference is near the transmitter sites yet....But it is something I'll look at the next time I'm in the city.



The other major problem I have (with this radio) is with a digital system in the area. It's the Lake County Ohio system...Sometimes, it just simply won't decode the transmissions (instead of voice, I just hear the digital noises). And sometimes this will go on for several minutes. Turning the scanner off and back on doesn't seem to help either....However, like I said, it seems to be limited to just Lake County Ohio (I've never had that issue with any other digital system, including the Ohio MARCS sites).



I just wish I had the money for something NEW (like a PSR-500)....But unfortunately, I'm just a poor schmuck, hooked on a hobby that I can't afford.

 

[T-Santon]

Also...

With the MARCS Site that IS close to me (Cherry Valley), I get a nice, strong signal...



Unfortunately, it too, is even stronger when programmed 6.25 khz higher.

 

[DOPPLERBOB]

Sounds like your main CPU oscillator crystal drifted a little. There is a trimmer cap to "tweak" it in, as they do drift after age. But if you are not familiar with the electronics inside, probably best you get someone to do it for you. If it sounds like your UHF reception is "off frequency" also, then that is what the problem is.
Bob

 

[T-Santon]

That could very well be the issue (I'd even bet on it)...



There aren't any other UHF frequencies around here, so I couldn't see if it occurred around 400 mhz as well (I just checked the VHF-hi band, and that was fine).



I would like to open this thing up and get the problem corrected, but I'm not at all familiar with the circuitry of this radio.



If anyone could "guide" me as to how I would tweak the trimmer cap, that would also be very appreciated (unless there's someone nearby that could teach me how to do it).



Since the signal comes in on the desired frequency, but even stronger just 6.25 khz up...My guess is I would need to "tweak it" by about 4 khz or so.