Pro 97 help please!!!

[btritch]

I have an unusual question, It's got me puzzled so I'm going to see if anyone else has ever asked/experienced anything like such problem...

My Pro 97 works great well was working great, however, here recently I've noticed that when I'm indoors my pro 97 doesn't want to recieve anything, Not EVEN the local fire departments whose transmitter are right in town...It used to pick them up great but recently has not...my psr 500 will pick them up like usual in doors. PERFECT, Now I know the 97 doesn't even compare close to the 500 but as far as being in town it should pick up ok... Does anyone know why this might do that? The structures have not changed at all so it's not that, Anyone know why? Thanks?

 

[xpawel15x]

Are you using the same antenna on the PSR-500 and Pro-97 ? Does your house have aluminum siding? Try moving the scanner near a window and see if it receives any better.

 

[SouthSoundScanner]

If it worked indoors before and recently stopped, it could be that the antenna connection inside the scanner has come loose. The wire that goes from the antenna connector to the circuit board may have broken off or maybe has a crack in the solder joint.

 

[SCPD]

loose BNC inside radio???

 

[btritch]

No, I'm using an 800 mhz antenna on the 500 for digital p25 systems...The other just a basic radio shack antenna, but I've tried the original too and it's the same way, on top of that ya'll know how RS is, The connection on the BNC is loose and all transmissions are crackly anyways but never this bad, I first thought when it started that it was a loose connection inside, I checked it then and it was fine then I learned it was the antenna..BUT I thought about that this time, I wanted to get some input before I tore into it but I'll check it tomarrow and let you know if that fixes it, If it's not that, Should I try another antenna and see what happens?

 

[DickH]

loose BNC inside radio???

No, the small wire from the BNC connector to the circuit board can become loose (the solder connection). It's very common on the PRO-95, 96, 97 etc.

 

[btritch]

No, the small wire from the BNC connector to the circuit board can become loose (the solder connection). It's very common on the PRO-95, 96, 97 etc.

Well if the connection is loose I have NO CLUE how to get to it to solder it back on but from what I can tell it's not loose, So if it's not loose, what else could it be? In the antenna? Should I try another or a different antenna and see if that helps? It works good with an outdoor antenna or in my house, It's when I go somewhere in public that I have a problem, But it's always worked before in the same places I were before...
Any help will be appreciated...
Thanks!

 

[DickH]

Well if the connection is loose I have NO CLUE how to get to it to solder it back on but from what I can tell it's not loose ...

LOOSE is really not the right word. A poor solder connection is the correct term and you can not tell without opening the scanner. Once the back is off you can easily see that the small wire that goes from the BNC connector down to the circuit board is not soldered well. You may need to push the wire to actually know for sure.
Just a touch with a hot soldering iron should solve the problem. I've had to do it 3 or 4 times to my PRO-95 that has the same type of connection as your PRO-97.

 

[DanHenry]

PRO-97 photo with back cover off

Well if the connection is loose I have NO CLUE how to get to it to solder it back on ....

Brian,

If you do have to check inside your PRO-97 the thread below has a good photo with the back cover removed.

Pro-97 Discriminator Tap - Illustrated instructions
http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25917

See the first post by "brettbolt" with a link to this page:
http://www.naturalgfx.com/pro97_discriminator.htm

It's easy to get the back cover off. The photo shows the inside with the bnc connector in the upper left.

Good luck,

-Dan

 

[BRYKIM]

How Do Get The Assigned Bank Text Tag To Show At The Same Time As The Channel Text Tag? Radio Shack Pro97
Tnx
Bj

 

[SCPD]

There might be some other interference around, like a data line, or wireless internet.

 

[dune614]

Just out of a strange curiosity do you have Attenuation on? I've flipped on global ATT and I'll get stuff outside because the signals are clear, but indoors it blocks most.