Pro 197 - Do I have a problem

[usmaak]

Hi all,

I got this scanner less than a week ago, and I have a couple of questions about it. I'm basically trying to determine if it's defective, because I still have three weeks to get it replaced by RS if it is.

1. I've mentioned this in another thread, but didn't get any kind of definitive answer. So here goes again. I've noticed that the signal meter is always displaying on my scanner. I understand that when scanning trunked that the signal meter is showing the strength of the control channels when nothing is coming through, and when receiving a broadcast, it's the strength of the incoming broadcast. I've also heard that the signal meter can display when scanning past a channel with the squelch mode set to CTCSS or DSS. But my signal meter is always showing. As an experiment, I entered one channel into a scan list. This channel had the squelch mode set to None. The signal meter still showed up while just scanning that one channel. I have Win500 installed on my computer. When I plug it into the scanner and start the monitor, the Signal is always showing something, and it seems to go along with the signal meter. Can anyone confirm or deny whether my 197 has a problem? My PRO-163 never shows the signal meter until I'm receiving.

2. I'm noticing some problems with the scanner cutting off the beginning of transmissions. Sometimes I get half the transmission and sometimes I get nothing but a keyed mike for a second. This seems to happen on most frequencies, but is particularly bad on the one trunking system I have programmed in. After reading the following thread: http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129895 I set the DG Int Prime value to 30. That's the only reference I could find to fixing this issue. Is there anything else I can do, because it is particularly annoying not to be able to hear entire conversations most of the time.

Thanks guys.

2.

 

[dougjgray]

But yet you keep how high the S Meter is a secret from us and epect us to know if you scanner is bad. Why wont you share that info with us. if it has a full Strength showing with no signal and it doesnt stop on the frequency then I would say you have a bad scanner. On the other hand if you messed with the settings for the S-Meter somehow by mistake maybe thats the problem and the scanners ok and it was operator error. I think I mentioned on your last thread that I will ussually see 1 bar on mine and it doesnt break the squlch, I probaly need to adjust it but I am not missing any transmissions that I can tell so I dont worry about, but if your missing transmissions on yours then its a bad scanner

 

[fmon]

Attach the Win500 file in a Zip. We'll have a look.

 

[Sinister]

1. I have the twin bother PSR 600, which shows the signal strength as it scans through the frquencys programed. As dougjgray has said you need to tell us what the meter is showing for strength.

2. If your scanning a trunked system and you have a weak signal it will cut out as you mentioned or stop on the frquency with no audio then continue scanning. Changing DG Int Prime value to 30 is work around from GRE only if you have good signal but the first part of transmitions are being cut off. If you have a weak signal to begin with you may create other possible issues recieving other frequencies.

 

[usmaak]

But yet you keep how high the S Meter is a secret from us and epect us to know if you scanner is bad. Why wont you share that info with us. if it has a full Strength showing with no signal and it doesnt stop on the frequency then I would say you have a bad scanner. On the other hand if you messed with the settings for the S-Meter somehow by mistake maybe thats the problem and the scanners ok and it was operator error. I think I mentioned on your last thread that I will ussually see 1 bar on mine and it doesnt break the squlch, I probaly need to adjust it but I am not missing any transmissions that I can tell so I dont worry about, but if your missing transmissions on yours then its a bad scanner

My apologies. I didn't mean to hold anything back. I didn't realize the info was important.

Anyway, it bounces around between one and three bars when it's scanning non-trunked frequencies.

 

[Sinister]

Having one to three bars is not a strong signal and will give the results you mentioned. Is this when it stops on the frequency or just scanning? just scaning is ok but if it stops on the frequency with 1 to 3 thats weak. What are you using for an antenna?

 

[ibagli]

The signal meter always showing something is normal. A lot of VHF high band channels I have programmed in my PSR-500 always have 2 bars on. Low band channels will show 3 or even 4.

 

[jeffkraussws]

When I set my Pro-197 to MAN on a VHF FM conventional channel in the 150 MHz range, I get four bars when there is a signal on the channel and three bars when there is no signal.
When I set it to MAN on a signal in the 40 MHz range or the 450 MHz range, I get only one or two bars when there is no signal.
Maybe at 150 MHz it's measuring noise levels rather than signal levels.
What frequencies were you trying to listen to?

 

[Astrak]

I can disagree with saying's about the S meter. It can be all 5 bars yet no decode. Digital is a tricky subject. If you want to try different decode method's on different object's then set then to there respectable tones...IE CTCSS,DCS,or NAC.

 

[N8IAA]

If it stops on a TG and there is no voice, but there is a signal, the scanner is muting the digital hash that is not intelligible enough to decode for you to hear. I scan trunked and conventional with my 106, the S meter bounces all over the place until it receives a signal to stop on. Then it shows me how strong the signal is on conventional, or trunked. Expect different things from a scanner that is different from the older genre of radios
Larry

 

[SOFA_KING]

Here is the thing....You are sitting on one VHF channel with no activity (at the time) and get 2 to 3 bars, right? Unplug the antenna. Now you get zero bars, right? Why is that? Because this receiver is prone to overload from FM broadcast and VHF TV transmitters. It will also overload on strong in-band signals like those ugly high power paging transmitters. This is being reported all over this forum...you don't have to look far!

So what impact does this have on being able to pick up what you want to hear? As far as I can tell by checking this condition out on weak WX stations, when you get 2 to 3 bars of overload, you start to loose the ability to pick up very low signals. 1 to 2 bars has no impact. 3 to 4 bars and moderate signals degrade. 4 to 5 bars and you are screwed on everything but a signal very close and strong. Some say the attenuator is the answer. Not for me. I like to dig out distant stations and mobile units. I am going with RF filters. There are too many good things about this scanner that make it worth the added expense, but GRE should have done that for us and made a better front end on this box! LISTEN UP, GRE!

800 has problems with 800 Cell sites. You get near one of those and your 800 goes down the toilet. Typical GRE on that. They really need to improve the RF end of the scanner. The features are outstanding, and the sound quality of my 197 is perfect. Its just the overload issue that spoils what would be a near perfect scanner. That and a few added features (I mentioned elsewhere) and they would win on all fronts.

Come on, GRE...Take it the extra mile!

 

[hoser147]

From what Ive read Notch filters is the way to go. For most part it just seems like you have to tame the beast to the RF in your area. As far as the hot front end, GRE came about leaps and bounds over the good distant reception. I would rather have great reception that I had to tame over a lack of it. Thats what really made me switch to GRE from Uniden. All I had to do was bring one in to program a Pro95 it was running circles around my Uniden base models, with a rubber ducky. Its kinda like antennae some can get one hook it up and bingo they are good to go, others have to experiment around and find the right combo to get it there. Its all part of this Great Hobby.

 

[bonus1331]

Filter companies should be thanking GRE for these new models.
Seems as if every GRE thread as of late is suggesting a filter purchase to handle overload and de-sense.

 

[usmaak]

Thank you for all the great replies. I did a video capture of what it is I'm talking about. The screen capture was done through Win500. Great program.

 

[fireside]

Thank you for all the great replies. I did a video capture of what it is I'm talking about. The screen capture was done through Win500. Great program.

Mine acts the same way

 

[buddrousa]

Nice we can see what you are talking about.
Now lets find when the trouble is coming from.
1. Place the scanner in the manual mode.
2. Use the up and down arrows and move through your channel list and see where you get the highest reading on your S meter.
3. After finding the band it is in the do a search in that band for a signal that is always there.
4. Once found order a notch filter to cover your overload problem and you should be up and running.

 

[usmaak]

Nice we can see what you are talking about.
Now lets find when the trouble is coming from.
1. Place the scanner in the manual mode.
2. Use the up and down arrows and move through your channel list and see where you get the highest reading on your S meter.
3. After finding the band it is in the do a search in that band for a signal that is always there.
4. Once found order a notch filter to cover your overload problem and you should be up and running.

Most of the CONV channels I have programmed in are in the 150 - 159 range, and they all show the same or very similar readonout on the signal meter. I have three other channels programmed in that are outside of that range. They are 453.4875, 453.950 and 464.925. None of those channels show any signal at all unless something is being broadcast on them.

 

[buddrousa]

How close do you live to a FM Radio Station or a Paging Tower.
The reason I said that you can get a FM filter that traps 88-108 if it is FM Radio.
If it is High Band Paging 152.400 ect you can get filters for them also.
If you can search and find the strong signal you can buy a tunable trap filter and tune it to the problem frequency.
Theses are all things I have had to do in the past for 2way radio and scanners.

Good Luck and keep asking questions and updates.

 

[usmaak]

How close do you live to a FM Radio Station or a Paging Tower.
The reason I said that you can get a FM filter that traps 88-108 if it is FM Radio.
If it is High Band Paging 152.400 ect you can get filters for them also.
If you can search and find the strong signal you can buy a tunable trap filter and tune it to the problem frequency.
Theses are all things I have had to do in the past for 2way radio and scanners.

Good Luck and keep asking questions and updates.

I'm not really sure. Is there any way that I can look up that information?

 

[buddrousa]

1 Do you know if any FM Radio Station Towers 300 foot tall or taller with flasing lights.
2 Scan 150.000 to 170.000 see if you hear any paging transmitters popsag paging is a series of tones followed by data stream. You will know it if you hear it.