Avix
Member
I'll ask my electronics guy if he wants to take a look at it. I wouldn't have the faintest idea what to look for. I ordered the BC125AT so I will be covered. I finally got some audio for you all.
Last edited:
Static and no squelch.
- Thread starter Avix
- Start date
- Status
tvengr
Well Known Member
It wouldn't be the oscillator crystal since you hear transmissions. Most likely, it is the antenna connection. I just hear a weak signal. Try removing the antenna and stick about an 18" length of thin wire into the center of the BNC connector to verify it isn't a bad antenna.
Avix
Member
I have an antenna off my handheld CB. Same "Bayonet" connection. Is that worth a try? I wouldn't know what a broken connection looked like, let alone how to fix it. I'll ask the electronics guy I know if he wants to fiddle with it. He just did a power connector on my handheld CB. I'll ask him. I have 18 inches of 16 gauge wire in the center hole. Now it's hurry up and wait. Thanks for the lead Tvengr
I'm getting the same kind of signal. Lots of hiss in the background. Same as with the stock antenna.
Scotty.
I'm getting the same kind of signal. Lots of hiss in the background. Same as with the stock antenna.
Scotty.
Attachments
Last edited:
Ubbe
Member
At the 15 sec mark it sounds like a pager overload, the pager data signal can be heard. The reception behaves as the scanner are being overloaded so 99% confident that you have an overload issue in 155Mhz band.
/Ubbe
/Ubbe
Avix
Member
Ubbe: That makes sense as far as I can understand. Is there anything I can do? A fair amount of the freqs are in the 155Mhz band.
Scotty.
Scotty.
tvengr
Well Known Member
A CB antenna would not be a good match. The 18" length of wire would be a good 1/4 wave antenna for VHF.
Avix
Member
Tvengr: That's what I thought, but I thought I would ask. I've been using that 18 inch wire for the last hour or so and the traffic sounds the same.
Scotty.
Scotty.
tvengr
Well Known Member
Check for the broken antenna connection.
Ubbe
Member
Reduce the signal from the antenna until it stops overload and reception should improve a lot. Old scanners like Pro2006 have a 10dB attenuator but for some reason modern scanners use 20dB or even 30dB as in SDS100/200 and that's too much for most situations. 20dB are a 100 times lower signal if you use the attenuator setting in your scanner. Try an antenna that are focused to be used at 400/800Mhz band and then the 150MHz band might then go down enough in signal level.
I would buy a radio to handle just the 150MHz band and let the scanner do the other frequency bands. A radio like TYT MD380 VHF makes a huge difference, not the dual band UV models that have a different receiver design, but the single band old models that costs $100 new.
/Ubbe
Avix
Member
Will do Tvengr. Maybe it will be obvious. The BC125AT should arrive tomorrow, and I'll see what that does.
Ubbe: I'm off to a day of Doctor's appointments and will try and parse that out and spend some time on Google understanding some of those things. That's the kind of thing that stopped me getting my technician's amateur license.
Ubbe: I'm off to a day of Doctor's appointments and will try and parse that out and spend some time on Google understanding some of those things. That's the kind of thing that stopped me getting my technician's amateur license.
wtp
Member
search bank: SR6 programmable limit search
set up a search for 148 to 174, take the antenna/wire off.
as it starts turn the squelch down until the static starts, then turn it up a little.
you will then hear very close or very powerful local transmitters.
there might be some 'birdies' but they sound like an open mic. just hit an arrow and continue.
set up a search for 148 to 174, take the antenna/wire off.
as it starts turn the squelch down until the static starts, then turn it up a little.
you will then hear very close or very powerful local transmitters.
there might be some 'birdies' but they sound like an open mic. just hit an arrow and continue.
Avix
Member
Thank you, WTP! That will make it so much easier! Limited search running. Antenna off. Do you own one of these as well? Is that for the noisy local channels or the no squelch over in Pullman?
Scotty.
Scotty.
Last edited:
Avix
Member
WTP: Ran your suggested config all morning. Not a peep. The new BC125AT showed up this morning and despite a few false starts caused by yours truly not RTFMing first, it is up and running. Sitting right beside the Pro-97 it was much clearer for local traffic and was pulling in traffic the Pro-97 wasn't, although still some noise in the background, but much easier to understand. Even my much, much better half could follow what they were saying despite the speed at which they talked. (I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to go down there and teach them the NATO Phonetic Alphabet!!!!!) I haven't heard back from my electronics wizard yet about taking a look at the Pro97 for bad antenna connections etc.
Scotty
Scotty
Avix
Member
Oh, I will. Maybe even tomorrow and see what I can see. I'm also working on trying to get 1 single trunk thingy set up for our local power utility, and the trunking howto's has sent me searching for a bottle of good single malt Scotch Whisky. Talsiker would be nice.
Scotty.
Scotty.
wtp
Member
i have a pro 164, so kind of close.
and EXACTLY what utility are you going to try and listen to ?
and EXACTLY what utility are you going to try and listen to ?
Avix
Member
Sorry. I should have made that clear. The local power utility. Avista here in our part of the state. We have a tendency to lose power in our area in winter, and it would be nice to keep an ear out for info from those darn tough road crews. We only have enough emergency heating fuel for 72 hours. If it's going to be more than half an hour again, we want to start gathering our neighbours in with us.
Scotty.
Scotty.
wtp
Member
| System Type: | MPT-1327 Standard |
|---|
Channels 1XX use a Base of 215.74375
Channels 2XX use a Base of 214.49375
Transmitters are on 6.25 KHz centers.
Custom Bandplan uses 12.5 KHz Steps
but no scanner presently decodes the control channel.
but you can set it up as conventional and listen it seems.
173.4000 174.0000
225.0000 380.0000
the 125 does not do the 217 band that avista is in
the 97 does cover it.
216.0025-220
Avix
Member
Thank you for all that. I am still confused, even using the Easier to Read Manual, which is my goto for the Pro-97, but my brain just won't wrap around it. It just kicks my Dyslexia into high gear, and it all is gibberish with no meaning for me. I've tried downloading it right into the 97 using the PSREdit300 software (registered) and the only thing under trunked is the University of Idaho. Avista doesn't show up at all. I'll try what I assume are the conventional freqs you listed and see if anything comes through. I have to say I am really impressed with this little BC125AT! I've been picking up signals from 35 miles away that are quite clear with my roof antenna. It's a county SO but Wow! I even got them on the stock rubber duck at home.
Scotty.
Scotty.
CycleSycho
Member
.
Love it listening ro radio (and OTA TV) in rural areas where there isn't too much 'metal' (ie minerals in ground or metal structures above ground). Makes for a much better reception in low RFI saturation areas. Have fun (I miss the lower RFI OTA radio days/nights)... .
Avix
Member
I am just so impressed at how much more I get with the BC125AT than I did with my ancient RS Pro-97. Then again. I assume that technology on both ends has improved quite a bit. Especially the speaker. My Much Better Half has already asked if we're going to get another one so we can have one in each vehicle. I love it when she tells me to spend money on toys!
Scotty.
Scotty.
- Status
