PSR 600 Disappointment

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trunkerman63

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I've had this scanner for over a month now. I have had tons of help in setting it up from a fellow who really knows this business. But I am finding that to receive digital voice, it is going to take about a 3 to 5 bar signal strength to pull it off. I live in an apartment complex and can NOT have an outside antenna which this radio desperately needs to function right. I do have a good Diamond antenna on it.

The fellow who worked so hard to help me get the system going has several entries with different codes entered to try to get hard to get neighboring counties. The one county I can hear, most of the time, it gets 2-3 bars and all I can get is silence with a soft "pop-pop-pop" sound. Every great once in a while, some digital voice will break through, but it is only garbled, and a word or two, totally unintelligible.

A local friend suggested I enter the two hard to get counties just plain vanilla with no squelch or CTCSS settings. I did that, and for the first time ever, did hear Nolan County (I'm in Taylor County, Texas), but very very weak, barely one bar and unconverted digital "hash".

I just don't think the 600 "has it" to dig in it's heels and pull out the digital voice on weaker signals. I am very disappointed in the radio in that regard, but am happy with it as for getting good digital voice on the strong local-only signals.

I've spent more time re-doing the software and re-entering new files into it than actual listening. Still, I can not receive digital signals from anything weaker than about 3-4 bars. I wish now I would have bought a good Uniden like my local friend has. His automatically switches to digital voice when received.
 
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trunkerman63

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Well, I'll be! I sure may try that! Give it that ground plane effect!

Thanks PR!
 

gewecke

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Which diamond antenna are you using? I think you'll need the 800mhz.antenna from radio shack which does a great job with P25 systems. Also make sure your attenuator (ATT) is not turned on as well. As the other poster said, even in your apt. mag mount antennas can be use on drop ceiling frames upside down, on file cabinets or your frig. ;)

73,
n9zas
 
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trunkerman63

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Not sure of the model number on the Diamond. It's a short whip type that goes on the scanner with a BNC. It sure outdoes any other scoping antenna in the house including the one that came with the 600. It's a dandy for what it does. I also monitor a lot of high band which is where all of our digital stuff is.
 

gewecke

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Keep experimenting with your antennas and watch your signals from the system you're trying to hear. sooner or later you should find a happy medium!
Good luck!

73,
n9zas
 
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trunkerman63

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Sure will do that, gewecke. I may even try to set the Diamond up in another room near a window facing the direction of the cities I want to hear. Run some coax, figure out something like that.

Thanks!
 

NYRHKY94

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Trunkerman63:

I currently run a feed on Radio Reference using a PSR-600 connected to a mag mount antenna inside the house sitting on a large cookie sheet. It works quite well and I have no problem pulling in P25 digital from around the area.
 

SCPD

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I wish now I would have bought a good Uniden like my local friend has.

I don't think a Uniden would have helped you .. as you are dealing with weak signals. In generel, GRE scanners are more sensitive than Uniden models. The Uniden models tend not to overload as easily than the GRE models.

What you need is a better antenna .. to get you up to like 5 bars on your scanner.
 

SCPD

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I wish now I would have bought a good Uniden like my local friend has.

I don't think a Uniden would have helped you .. as you are dealing with weak signals. In general, GRE scanners are more sensitive than Uniden models. The Uniden models tend not to overload as easily than the GRE models.

What you need is a better antenna .. to get you up to like 5 bars on your scanner.
 
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