TRX-1: Scanner won’t pick up anything.

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johnniehrvy

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Nov 11, 2011
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Brownstown, Michigan.
Last January I bought the Whistler TRX-1 and was excited to get back into scanning, what an absolute letdown it has been. Loaded the software and thought I had everything programmed right but never and I mean never picked up one single radio call. After months of doing every I could think of I finally went to zip scanners website in August and spent like $60+ to have them send me an SD card pre programmed for my area and yet I still pick up nothing. The only thing I manage to pick up was 1 time a volunteer FD from a couple counties over. I live in a city about 15 south of Detroit, an area with a lot of local PD and FD departments. You would think my scanner would be hopping, but nope nothing. Any ideas? I am so bummed.
 

N8IAA

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Dec 19, 2002
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7,240
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Fortunately, GA
Last January I bought the Whistler TRX-1 and was excited to get back into scanning, what an absolute letdown it has been. Loaded the software and thought I had everything programmed right but never and I mean never picked up one single radio call. After months of doing every I could think of I finally went to zip scanners website in August and spent like $60+ to have them send me an SD card pre programmed for my area and yet I still pick up nothing. The only thing I manage to pick up was 1 time a volunteer FD from a couple counties over. I live in a city about 15 south of Detroit, an area with a lot of local PD and FD departments. You would think my scanner would be hopping, but nope nothing. Any ideas? I am so bummed.

:confused: Why would you pay someone $60 who has no clue what you want to monitor? The TRX1 comes with software built into the SD card. You don't even need a premium membership to program the scanner.

With the scanner off, plug the USB cord into the scanner, then into the PC. Let the magic begin. Make sure that you do all of the updates for the scanner, DSP, CPU, EZScan software, and library. Updates are very important for SD card scanners.
Then read the scanner into the software. You can then figure out why you paid someone all that money. You can then change it to what you want to scan.


In over 40+ years, I've never paid anyone to program any of my scanners.Ever. Probably put in the whole state of MI and whatever else your county has. Be adventurous and learn how to use the software and scanner Your way.

Larry
 

nessnet

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Jan 22, 2007
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Eastside of Lake WA
Rebanded??
When I first got a TRX-1, I was very frustrated. Downtown Seattle and nothing.....
Once I figured out KCERS was rebanded, bingo... heard everything
 

johnniehrvy

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Joined
Nov 11, 2011
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Location
Brownstown, Michigan.
Thanks everyone for the advise. It was absolutely the antenna. I found a local place that deals in different kinds of radios and went there yesterday. The guy turned on my scanner and like me got nothing, after a few minutes he took off the stock antenna, put a different one on and the scanner lit up with action. I didn't even know the signal bar {pictured} in the upper left corner of the screen existed because I had never seen it till the guy connected the new antenna. I know people say the stock antennas are junk, but i'm pretty sure my scanner shipped with a bad one.
 

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Wackyracer

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Like I said before and I cannot stress it enough....the stock antenna from whistler are JUNK, they either do a poor job or are bad out of the box.

I sure hope they finally get rid of them and put a remtronix 800mhz in the box when they release the Trx-100. enough is enough already!
 

DJ11DLN

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Mar 23, 2013
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Mudhole, IN
Like I said before and I cannot stress it enough....the stock antenna from whistler are JUNK, they either do a poor job or are bad out of the box.

I sure hope they finally get rid of them and put a remtronix 800mhz in the box when they release the Trx-100. enough is enough already!
I seriously doubt that will happen, though it would be nice. That antenna performs decently almost everywhere except VHF-Lo.

But can we amend this to say that all stock scanner antennas are sub-par? They're always a compromise, they don't do anything well. Correction: My cat likes to bat them around.:LOL:
 

Wackyracer

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I seriously doubt that will happen, though it would be nice. That antenna performs decently almost everywhere except VHF-Lo.
.
But can we amend this to say that all stock scanner antennas are sub-par? They're always a compromise, they don't do anything well. Correction: My cat likes to bat them around.:LOL:
Not necessarily true. I have many old analog scanners that the stock antennas do a fine job with, Put the whistler antenna on it and what was a clear distant transmission is now static filled.
 

DJ11DLN

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Mar 23, 2013
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Mudhole, IN
Not necessarily true. I have many old analog scanners that the stock antennas do a fine job with, Put the whistler antenna on it and what was a clear distant transmission is now static filled.
The first HH scanner I ever owned was a Pro-18, prior to that it was all B/M for me. I was basing my statement on (1.) what knowledgeable others have said and (2.) on the fact that the antenna that came with my 436hp isn't any better than what was on the -18, or the -668, or the -651. I have 1 of each thanks to the famous fire sale. But I would imagine that scanners that topped out at 512 probably had less compromised antennas than the ones that cover 11M to 1.2 GHz. The ones on these newer, wide-coverage scanners just cannot perform well and still cover the entire range...and a discone that would do it would be a tad bit too bulky to include, not to mention carry around.
 

hardsuit

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May 23, 2017
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Vrigo Super Cluster, Milky Way Galaxy, Sagatarious
BEST scanner Antenna I've used is the Radio Shack center loaded telescoping HAM antenna.
its 6" closed (800 MHz) and 26" Fully Extended (VHF & CB), you can also use it for UHF half extended (450 Mhz).
Its a Really high gain Antenna and because its Center loaded , no Ground plane is needed. I even use it for HF (fully extended) with a clip on SW antenna, works best Outdoors, I use the Radio Shack roll up SW antenna.
 

krokus

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Jun 9, 2006
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Southeastern Michigan
Thanks everyone for the advise. It was absolutely the antenna. I found a local place that deals in different kinds of radios and went there yesterday. The guy turned on my scanner and like me got nothing, after a few minutes he took off the stock antenna, put a different one on and the scanner lit up with action. I didn't even know the signal bar {pictured} in the upper left corner of the screen existed because I had never seen it till the guy connected the new antenna. I know people say the stock antennas are junk, but i'm pretty sure my scanner shipped with a bad one.
Get the Remtronix 800 antenna that fits the radio. (I can't remember if you have a BNC or an SMA.) It will do well at picking up MPSCS and the Downriver stuff.

Sent using Tapatalk
 

KeithJoseph

Still working on my amateur radio callsign.
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Mar 1, 2018
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Abilene,Texas
So I have to have the antenna at a certain height to be able to hear certain stuff? Like I can't have it fully extended and hear everything at once?
 

Melv7956

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Jul 31, 2005
Messages
112
Not necessarily true. I have many old analog scanners that the stock antennas do a fine job with, Put the whistler antenna on it and what was a clear distant transmission is now static filled.

Agreed mine excels on 400 MHz and ok up to 456 but vhf it is useless. In UK we have nothing of interest at 800 just digital mobile phone signals.
 

DJ11DLN

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Mudhole, IN
So I have to have the antenna at a certain height to be able to hear certain stuff? Like I can't have it fully extended and hear everything at once?
Different frequencies resonate at different wavelengths. As discussed above, your telescopic antenna will work better for certain frequencies such as 800 MHz (shorter wavelength) if fully collapsed, and better at lower frequencies such as VHF-Lo (at 30-50 MHz, a much longer wavelength) if fully extended. VHF-Hi and UHF will like it set somewhere in between.

I'll second the suggestion of the Remtronix 800 antenna, in BNC for your scanner. I have several of these, they work very well at 700-800 MHz where you will find a lot of Public Safety traffic these days, also pretty well at UHF and acceptably at VHF-Hi.

Good luck with your new scanner and have a great holiday.
 

krokus

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So I have to have the antenna at a certain height to be able to hear certain stuff? Like I can't have it fully extended and hear everything at once?
Just to clarify:

The height of the antenna's mounting helps the reception of more distant signals. (Specifically for VHF & UHF, as they are utilized line of sight.)

The length of the antenna is something best determined for the frequency being used/monitored.

Sent using Tapatalk
 
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