"Tinny" Sound on GRE 800

[FirePix1075]

Fairly new GRE 800 user here. Baltimore County, MD, and to a lesser extend Baltimore City, MD are coming in very "tinny", almost like someone is using two tin cans and a string. Anyone else experiencing this issue and / or anyone have an idea / solution? Thanks.

 

[BeerNutz]

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Audio improved a lot for me when I went to a 800 Mhz antenna.

 

[Halfpint]

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Is there any way you could get rid of all that garbage? Are we all supposed to be impressed? Sheeesh... Almost didn't find your reply.

Audio improved a lot for me when I went to a 800 Mhz antenna.

As for changing the antenna to get rid of a `tinny sound'...?? I've used all sorts of different antennas with my 800 and any `tinnyness' I have ever experienced had been all from the system side. Usually I occasionally have it when it is a fire fighter in full SCUBA gear which has been a problem with even PSR500/600s and other radios because of the lousy mikes they have been supplied.

 

[BeerNutz]

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Is there any way you could get rid of all that garbage? Are we all supposed to be impressed? Sheeesh... Almost didn't find your reply.

Audio improved a lot for me when I went to a 800 Mhz antenna.

As for changing the antenna to get rid of a `tinny sound'...?? I've used all sorts of different antennas with my 800 and any `tinnyness' I have ever experienced had been all from the system side. Usually I occasionally have it when it is a fire fighter in full SCUBA gear which has been a problem with even PSR500/600s and other radios because of the lousy mikes they have been supplied.

It is common knowledge here, posted by many 800 owners, that if you are listening an 800 Mhz, trunked system, an 800 Mhz antenna will improve the audio.

 

[FireDawgEMT22]

Is there any way you could get rid of all that garbage? Are we all supposed to be impressed? Sheeesh... Almost didn't find your reply.

As for changing the antenna to get rid of a `tinny sound'...?? I've used all sorts of different antennas with my 800 and any `tinnyness' I have ever experienced had been all from the system side. Usually I occasionally have it when it is a fire fighter in full SCUBA gear which has been a problem with even PSR500/600s and other radios because of the lousy mikes they have been supplied.

And it is SCBA, not SCUBA..they dont go underwater. And I really think your attitude needs some changing. If you do not like what is posted in a reply, dont respond to it, dont read it.

 

[jackj]

He does have a point though, FireDawg. If the radio is getting a strong enough signal to enable error free decoding then the audio quality is going to be determined by the originating station and/or your scanner's audio section. A different antenna won't effect either of them. Less that error free won't result in a 'tinny' sound but choppy or an under water sounding audio.

 

[FireDawgEMT22]

I didn't disagree with his point, just the attitude with the are we supposed to be impressed, get rid of that garbage

 

[BeerNutz]

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This is to funny. I looked at a review I wrote on Amazon back in May, 2011. In the review, I used the same word as the OP to describe the audio, "tinny."

I felt sick the first time hearing the 800. This is what $450 got me? Then I snapped on an 800 Mhz antenna and was one happy camper. Audio is now as good as a base unit.

 

[riveter]

A lot of that tinnyness is probably system-side, like was already said, due to record and transmit equipment.Some is also likely due to multipathing problems that are giving you decode errors- we all have that problem until GRE figures out LSM CQPSK modulation. Some is likely also due to the little speaker in your portable- you will very likely find much better audio quality with a larger external speaker.. for instance plugging it into your car if that's available, or to a stereo's 3.5mm input.

 

[BeerNutz]

A lot of speculation with words like probably and likely as to what is causing the "tinny" audio on this radio. Members come here looking for concrete answers not speculation. This same problem has been brought up many times here. The fix is to switch to an 800 Mhz antenna.

I just put the stock antenna back on my PSR-800, BOOM !!! Tinny audio, hissing and a lot of background noise again. Does switching the antenna make any sense? Nope. Does it fix the problem? Without question it does.

To FirePix1075... if switching antennas doesn't fix your audio, I'll pay for the 800 Mhz antenna.

 

[W6KRU]

What about tinny audio on VHF frequencies?

 

[jackj]

I guess it depends on what you call 'tinny' audio.

 

[BeerNutz]

I guess it depends on what you call 'tinny' audio.

To me, the true definition of "tinny" is when the Corps went from 3/4 PUs to Gama Goats. From an ordinary gas, 4X4, PU, that did the job, to a 4-wheel steering, diesel, 6X6, POS.

Come on ole timers, remember those amphibious turds that couldn't get you to the enlisted club? I remember one time we crossed a river to get to the gals. Next morning it wasn't just the Gama Goats that had the drip.

Sorry, since I'm retired, I use my PSR-800 and my time for disaster clean up. With the right antenna, this radio is a real workhorse. Cuz I never know where I'll be, the location based programming is as sweet as 2 funny boys with lock jaw.

 

[ahearn]

Not sure what is meant by "tinny" but I monitor a local P25 system (on a PSR-800) that often sound "burbly" or like echos. I suspect it's related to multi-path effects associated with multiple transmission antennas in different parts of the county. Other listeners have the same problem, to varying degree depending on their proximity to the antennas and distance away. Listeners further away have better experiences.

Other transmissions on the 800 sound great, better than any other portable scanners and transceivers I've owned.