Starcom 21

[usmaak]

Hi,

I am able to get a really strong signal from starcom 21 on my PRO-197, but a lot of the times, the voices sound distorted. My wife says it sounds like they're talking into a tin can. Any advice for making it sound better?

I have

774.34375
774.59375
774.30625
774.55625
774.80625

programmed in.

 

[timmer]

Well, I am by far no expert, but I have a PSR 500 and have had the same issues from time to time. I'd start by moving your scanner to different locations around the house to see if you can find a "sweet spot". Also, try an antenna specifically made for 800 mhz, such as the RS 800 mhz rubber duck antenna. Make sure your settings are not on "roam" or "stat". That should be set to "off". I have found a couple of places in the house that are better than others for reception. Some talk groups are encrypted, such as tg 9083. They will have a "funny" sound like you described. In some instances, it's not your scanner. The other day, I was getting that garbled noise instead of voice and the mobiles kept saying to dispatch "repeat" and "you went digital". So it is sometimes starcom with the problem and not your scanner. GOOD luck. Hopefully someone that knows more about it can chime in.

 

[ERICMYERS]

What towers/sites are you monitoring?

Tweaking the setup for Starcom is a matter of a lot of trial and error. Every equipment setup and location is a variable. You mention 'really strong' signal....and yet get garble (poor decode, check your error rate). First try attenuating. Less might well be more. Multipath in simulcast may be in play...lots of threads and posts on this.

I had some OK success with an 800mhz RS rubberduck on my 996, but only if i tilted it at a 30ish degree angle to the north (effectively attenuating). I had even better results using the el-cheapo telescoping antenna that came with the 996 at a certain extension and angle. My 20-176 was occasionally reliable on Will county, and received Grundy/Dupage really well. I'm at the Kendall/Will county line in Plainfield.

The way I finally got Starcom in Will County to be rock steady reliable was to build my own Yagi tuned for 774mhz and pointed in a very specific direction (trial and error method) to catch one tower while effectively attenuating the others by directivity of the antenna. That thing picks up all the locals (joliet/willco/wescom/naperille/romeoville, etc) surprisingly well as a surprise bonus. It's not hard to build one, and cheap too.

Phoenixscanner did a very scientific post on digital multipath issues.

 

[RoninJoliet]

The tower freqys you typed in are for T113-District 5, that tower is poorly located if your not near its boundry limits and simulcasting its awful...Where Eric is in the Plainfield area i receive that tower in Plainfield perfect on both my Uniden 396 H/H and on my GRE500 because there is a new site over there...Where i live on the west side of Joliet T113 is awful...I live near Provena hospital and use a outside antenna, i use T101-Dupage, T102-South Cook Co, and T125-Grundy County for near perfect reception attached to my RS/GRE 197 base....Here on the second floor of my home i use actually the "stock" antenna on the GRE500 H/H but as mentioned in just very CERTAIN spots in the second floor for the same towers and the coverage is about 90%....Digital is rough copy and like mentioned even for the mobiles on the highways.....

 

[usmaak]

I'm located under the big red dot. I'm closer to 113 than the next closest tower (102).

 

[RoninJoliet]

Neat picture, im located about 3 miles NE where 80 and I55 cross.....I think you may have better luck as i do with T101 and 102.....Unless your in Lockport like my buddie is he does not even need a antenna on his H/H RS106 or GRE500 for perfect signal on T113....That T113 has better coverage to the NE, he lives at RT171 and I355....Ron

 

[usmaak]

Neat picture, im located about 3 miles NE where 80 and I55 cross.....I think you may have better luck as i do with T101 and 102.....Unless your in Lockport like my buddie is he does not even need a antenna on his H/H RS106 or GRE500 for perfect signal on T113....That T113 has better coverage to the NE, he lives at RT171 and I355....Ron

Thanks so much! You were right. Even with the towers for 101 and 102 farther away, the signal is much cleaner and less distorted!

 

[kb9ndb]

I'm located under the big red dot. I'm closer to 113 than the next closest tower (102).

They need a starcom tower in kendall co, as their audio here is weak and so is the signal.