Pro-96 Background Noise

[peterjmag]

I just got my new Pro-96 from RadioShack.com today. It has all the latest upgrades which is outstanding however it has this back ground noise that sounds like a fan. It's not the reception or intereference of any type. It's on all the bands. Does anyone else have this problem or heard of it? Is the scanner defective?

P.J. Maguire

 

[RoninJoliet]

PRO96 hiss

I also hear that same hiss, its louder than the PRO93 i sold had, i turned off the Digital AGC=FUNC-MANUAL is the key strokes and its not quite as bad.

 

[marcp90]

I am also having that problem. However it only exists on the 453.000 mhz band. I turn off the scanner and it dissapears, then the sound starts again after 10 minutes. I thought it was a problem with the radio itself, but when Radio Shack gave me a new one under the warrenty (It Crapped Up) it had the same problem. A loud humming noise that sounds like a fan.

 

[RolnCode3]

Since I purchased mine a little after Thanksgiving, it's been just fine. I get NO weird humming noise unless it's next to my Nextel phone. So, at least in comparison to my -96, I would say there's something wrong with yours.

 

[peterjmag]

Well I don't feel as bad now that I know others have the same problem. I wonder if the download from Radioshack.com will help any also I have tried to get the download in the last few hours and my computer just freezes. Yes, I have Adobe reader and it's the latest version. Is anyone else having the same problem with download? This is frustrating for a radio that costs $543.00 after tax.

 

[peterjmag]

Hey RoninJoliet you turned what off how?

P.J. Maguire

 

[peterjmag]

I'm fed up with it. I'm sending it back tommorow and going to get the 296 instead. Urrrghhh!

 

[Voyager]

Hey RoninJoliet you turned what off how?

P.J. Maguire

Like he said... FUNC - MANUAL.

Maybe you got a bad one, but that's no reason to jump the ship. Simply return it for another.

Joe M.

 

[Admin0140434]

I'm fed up with it. I'm sending it back tommorow and going to get the 296 instead. Urrrghhh!

personal opinion here, but might as well wait for the 396

 

[Chris-M]

Mine's doing it too..even with the DSP off. Very faint hissing/crackling coming from the speaker when the radio is scanning/trunking and no other audio is coming from the speaker.

 

[Voyager]

Mine's doing it too..even with the DSP off. Very faint hissing/crackling coming from the speaker when the radio is scanning/trunking and no other audio is coming from the speaker.

I think about EVERY scanner I've ever owned has audio amp hiss on it. Some may have it more than others, but they all have it. My BC235XLT has it. My BC245XLT has it. My BC246T has it. My AR8200 has it. Well, you get the point. And yes, my PRO-96 has it. The later units (PRO-96 and BC246T) seem to be slightly louder than the earlier units, but they ALL have the hiss. It IS possible you got one that has more than 'normal' hiss, but that's why I suggested returning it for replacement.

It would be a (female dog) if you returned your '96 only to get a BC296D that has the same thing, wouldn't it?

Joe M.

 

[rdale]

I have a noticable and almost annoying background noise in all freq's in the 460MHz range, but wasn't worth taking back and attempting repair on since I primarily use mine for digital 800 and that's fine. But sitting it side-by-side with my 246T is a MAJOR difference... I did not have that noise with my first Pro96.

- Rob

 

[Chris-M]

I think about EVERY scanner I've ever owned has audio amp hiss on it. Some may have it more than others, but they all have it. My BC235XLT has it. My BC245XLT has it. My BC246T has it. My AR8200 has it. Well, you get the point. And yes, my PRO-96 has it. The later units (PRO-96 and BC246T) seem to be slightly louder than the earlier units, but they ALL have the hiss. It IS possible you got one that has more than 'normal' hiss, but that's why I suggested returning it for replacement.

It would be a (female dog) if you returned your '96 only to get a BC296D that has the same thing, wouldn't it?

Joe M.

My PRO-96's hissing is loud enough that I can hear it when it's on the desk, 4 feet away from me. Maybe you have had scanners that you could hear when you put them UP TO YOUR EAR and yes I have some that do that. Yet it is NOT bad enough to warrant taking it back in to the Shack. Especially since I've drilled the side of the case for my discriminator tap. :?
The hissing does sound like a low speed fan running as mentioned in an earlier post. And I'm not KNOCKING the PRO-96. I love the scanner! Just commenting, like everyone else in this post, that mine does it also.

 

[astrodanco]

My PRO-96's hissing is loud enough that I can hear it when it's on the desk, 4 feet away from me.

How high do you have the volume knob cranked up? (This is a serious question, not a lame attempt at humor.) Does it happen on high volume, low volume, or all the time regardless of volume? Does it also happen when you use an external unamplified speaker (i.e., plain old speaker, but of higher quality than the built-in one)? How about when using an external amplified speaker (i.e., using a separate high quality amp, such as a hi-fi stereo system)?

 

[Chris-M]

I did some tests with stereo headphones from a Walkman. When they're plugged into the headphone jack, the speaker is bypassed and becomes silent as it should. Even the hissing noise is silent. It does come thru the headphones when they're plugged in. The volume affects the hissing. At low volume it's more noticable then at high volume. What I mean is, with the scanner on, but not receiving anything, when I turn the volume way up the faint hissing/crackling almost goes away. Probably just the audio amp like Voyager mentioned. Just more noticable in some scanners than others. I first noticed it a few weeks ago but it doesn't seem to be getting worse with time.