Static/Morse Code

[msbridges]

I bought a Uniden Bearcat, model BC365CRS, a few months ago and it has worked fine until now. A couple of weeks ago it started only picking up static and what sounds like Morse code. I tried adjusting the squelch which didn't help. Today I did a factory reset and reprogrammed all the channels. Still nothing. It's so frustrating! If it hadn't been working fine for this long I would have thought that I had not set it up right but it has. Can someone please help me to figure out what has happened and a fix? Any assistance would be appreciated!

 

[ko6jw_2]

Actual Morse code as transmitted by hams is an on and off keying of the transmitter. This would not be demodulated by a scanner since scanners don't have CW (continuous wave) reception capability. If you are hearing tones that sound like Morse code it could be an FM automatic identifier of a distant station (hence the static). Is what you are hearing a long message or is it just a few characters? The other issue is that it could be an overload, an image or intermodulation. It which case there is little you can do because it is inherent in every receiver. You could try filters. Give more information about the frequency that is causing the problem. How often does it recur? Get someone who knows Morse to listen and see what it says.

 

[KevinC]

You also might want to give us your location as something may have changed in your area (switch to P25 or DMR, etc,).

 

[Tech792]

My vote is for intermod from a nearby transmitter. If you can decode the morse code, that would be a big clue. Any nearby radio towers?

 

[msbridges]

Ok this is my first scanner and a lot of that is way over my head lol but I am hearing the sounds on the local county sheriff station. It's Clay Co. TN sheriff (155.700). I don't know for sure if it is really Morse code but sounds like that type of sound. It's beeping repeatedly sometimes and them sometimes it is just plain static. It was picking up fine before and I haven't messed with any settings so it is just strange to me. No nearby towers that I am aware of. I live out in the country. Thanks for your responses.

 

[mmckenna]

Looking at the current FCC license for Clay County Sheriff Department:
ULS License - Public Safety Pool, Conventional License - WQCE691 - CLAY COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT - Frequency 000155.70000000

They show both analog (which your scanner will hear just fine) and DMR one of the various versions of digital radio.

From what you are describing, it sure sounds like they switched over to using the DMR digital. That would explain why your radio worked fine, then suddenly started hearing the odd noises.

The solution would be to purchase a new scanner that will decode DMR.

—HOWEVER— It's really easy for these digital modes to be set up with encryption. Before you purchase anything, you'd need to find out for sure if they are encrypted or not. If they are encrypted, you will not be able to listen to them, even with a new radio.

 

[msbridges]

Looking at the current FCC license for Clay County Sheriff Department:
ULS License - Public Safety Pool, Conventional License - WQCE691 - CLAY COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT - Frequency 000155.70000000

They show both analog (which your scanner will hear just fine) and DMR one of the various versions of digital radio.

From what you are describing, it sure sounds like they switched over to using the DMR digital. That would explain why your radio worked fine, then suddenly started hearing the odd noises.

The solution would be to purchase a new scanner that will decode DMR.

—HOWEVER— It's really easy for these digital modes to be set up with encryption. Before you purchase anything, you'd need to find out for sure if they are encrypted or not. If they are encrypted, you will not be able to listen to them, even with a new radio.

Ok I will call the local guy who works on them and I got it from. I will find out if he knows if they have changed over then. I'm pretty sure he would know more about that. Thank you so much for your help.

 

[msbridges]

I called him and found out that they did switch to DMR. The guy I spoke with has a $500 digital scanner and he is getting the same sounds. So they must have it encrypted. I'm glad to have figured it out. Thank you so much for all your help!!

 

[RF23]

I called him and found out that they did switch to DMR. The guy I spoke with has a $500 digital scanner and he is getting the same sounds. So they must have it encrypted. I'm glad to have figured it out. Thank you so much for all your help!!

Did the guy you spoke to actually tell you that it was now encrypted?

A $500 digital scanner is not necessarily DMR capabile.

 

[msbridges]

Did the guy you spoke to actually tell you that it was now encrypted?

A $500 digital scanner is not necessarily DMR capabile.

He said his scanner was DMR capable. He didn't say it was encrypted but since his is DMR capable I figured it must be encrypted if he can't hear it.

 

[UnidenSupport]

He said his scanner was DMR capable. He didn't say it was encrypted but since his is DMR capable I figured it must be encrypted if he can't hear it.

if it's one of our DMR capable radios, the DMR upgrade would also need to be purchased. It would be worth looking into and seeing if it's encrypted or not. If it's not, I would be happy to make recommendations on radios for you.

 

[msbridges]

if it's one of our DMR capable radios, the DMR upgrade would also need to be purchased. It would be worth looking into and seeing if it's encrypted or not. If it's not, I would be happy to make recommendations on radios for you.

My radio is model # BC365CRS. I just want to make sure, but mine is not DMR capable, correct? I would appreciate any recommendations. Thank you!

 

[UnidenSupport]

My radio is model # BC365CRS. I just want to make sure, but mine is not DMR capable, correct? I would appreciate any recommendations. Thank you!

Your radio is not DMR capable. For base units you would be looking for the BCD996P2, BCD536HP or the SDS200.
For handhelds the BCD325P2, BCD436HP or SDS100.

All of them would require the $60 purchase of the DMR upgrade.

 

[msbridges]

Thank you!

 

[W5JCK]

As mentioned above though, it would pay to check out the new DMR system here in RR to ensure it is not encrypted before shelling out a ton of money on an expensive digital trunking scanner plus paying extra to use DMR. If it is encrypted, you won't be able to listen to it. If it is digital, you might want to find someone with a digital scanner that can RX DMR and listen to that system before buying your own scanner. Many of the digital systems are very difficult to hear due to the nature of digital voice signals and the fact the digital uses a small fraction of the bandwidth that analog does. Many digital systems are garbled and make all kinds of noises making them very difficult to understand what is being said. About half of the digital systems I listen to in the DFW area are so garbled that I can only make out a few of the words from each sentence. Others are crystal clear. The scanner has features that can help make the reception better, but if the system is bad there is not much any scanner can do to make it good.

 

[DeepBlue]

Most systems will still send an analog CW id. He may well have been hearing CW on FM transmissions as the towers ID.

S.