PSR500/PSR600: PSR600 problem

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rbuxton

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My aging PSR600 has a problem. On conventional channels that have no PL tone programmed the scanner will stop on these freqs and emit a faint sound that sounds like a DMR kindofa racket. And the sound is not loud. Gotta turn the volume full blast in order to hear it. And,,,the squelch has no effect on anything.

Anyone else experience this?
 

ScannerSK

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Change all your conventional channels that do not require a PL tone to the following:
Sq Mode: CTCSS
CTCSS Hz: Search

This should fix the issue. This is a long known issue and has to do with the scanner attempting to determine whether the signal is a digital or analog signal. By programming the scanner to CTCSS and Search this will stop it from pausing to determine whether the signal is digital or not.

Shawn
 

rbuxton

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Weird. I changed one channel as you suggested and every other problem channel works as they should even though these channels are set as Squelch Type: Search.
 

rbuxton

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Oh, and then no sooner than I send the last message the problem occurs. Grrr. Let me get to changing 'em all to CTCSS/Search.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Done. Did not fix the problem. Maybe something internal to the radio.
 

ScannerSK

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The next thing I would try personally is to monitor one of these trouble frequencies for a while with the squelch turned down and in AM mode to see if there is some type of signal or interference that is causing the scanner to stop scanning. You could press TUNE, enter the frequency, switch to AM mode and then turn down the squelch.

Removing any delays from the problem conventional channels may help if it is some type of local interference or intermittent signals causing the issue as well.
 

rbuxton

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The next thing I would try personally is to monitor one of these trouble frequencies for a while with the squelch turned down and in AM mode to see if there is some type of signal or interference that is causing the scanner to stop scanning. You could press TUNE, enter the frequency, switch to AM mode and then turn down the squelch.

Removing any delays from the problem conventional channels may help if it is some type of local interference or intermittent signals causing the issue as well.
Did as u say. Sounds like a combination AM radio station with a side of DMR racket. Can't make out the station. What's weird is that this problem came out of nowhere. All good one day, not good the next. Like a flat tire.
 

ScannerSK

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Interesting... AM radio signals can travel down power lines with great efficiency from the source of transmission. It could be a new radio station that just began broadcasting, an approved increase in power to an existing radio station or possibly a defect at the radio station.

I would try running the scanner on a 12-volt battery to isolate it from the power grid to see if that stops the issue.

The GRE scanners are known to suffer from a number of issues (desense near strong radio towers and opening of squelch) due to out of band interference.

It sounds like some new signal was turned on in your area and it's wrecking havoc with the GRE scanner.

Most likely the signals are coming through the antenna and not the power lines so then it becomes a decision of purchasing some type of filter for the antenna or maybe simply adding attenuation to the affected conventional channels in the scanner.

Uniden scanners have much less trouble with out of band interference however I prefer the programming offered by GRE scanners. So, I have a few of both depedning upon what situation I am in.
 

tvengr

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Radio stations use frequencies around 450 MHz for remote pickup. They will be wideband FM (WFM). TV stations use frequencies in the same range for IFB for remotes (Earpiece audio for reporters). They are NFM. Radio stations can also use NFM for IFB. Do you have a radio or TV tower close to you? Try searching 450-451 and 455-456.
 
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