Uniden BC296D

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scottymcneill8657

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I have a Uniden BC296D- all buttons work and I have sound but I can't get it to pick anything up. I have tried everything- local control channel, local repeater, local weather freq. Opened it up and everything looks fine- made sure antenna jack was still soldered right. Ideas anyone?
 

ka3jjz

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Well my first thought is where did you get your frequency information? Ham repeaters are not always active (best time to check is the drive times to/from work), but certainly the local weather channel should be OK.

Since you're in Calvert county, here are our listings...(links are always blue)

Calvert County, Maryland (MD) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Go to the bottom of the above for the trunks in your area...

Calvert County Trunking System, Prince Frederick, Maryland - Scanner Frequencies

(note that the local trunk is rebanded so you would need updated firmware to trunk it. Unless you knew this, I'm willing to bet that you tried to use the old frequencies which, of course, are no longer valid)

You cannot hear BG&E or the FiRST system - that radio won't copy these formats.

K3CAL Calvert ARA Repeater Note: Put in the higher of the 2 freqs

NOAA Weather Radio

Did you try plugging in an earphone? If you heard something there, that just means the speaker is shot. Did you try a better antenna? A duckie (what normally comes with handhelds) isn't particularly efficient as you go lower in frequency.

Try to eliminate the obvious before assuming the worst...Mike
 
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scottymcneill8657

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I tried 852.13750 in manual mode- which on my pro97 recieves fine. It's a data channel but I can't get that even on my uniden. I am fully aware of the rebanding changes but I can't even get the data channel which is a steady stream. It says scanning on the screen but does not stop on any traffic on any freq even with the squelch wide open- not even static. I'm using a 800mhz yagi on a 30ft mast as well as the standard ducky. The speaker works because I get button beeps. The squelch/volume knob is quite hard to turn- does anyone think that could be it? I know the squelch does really effect trunked systems but I'd thought I'd ask.
 

tline

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I have a Uniden BC296D- all buttons work and I have sound but I can't get it to pick anything up. I have tried everything- local control channel, local repeater, local weather freq. Opened it up and everything looks fine- made sure antenna jack was still soldered right. Ideas anyone?

Have you checked the APCO 25 Card? if the chip is popped the radio I thinks is dead
 

ka3jjz

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All 296s came with the decoding card built in - unless you got it used and for some reason someone removed it...if it doesn't have it, there's a chance that's part of your issue...Mike
 

ka3jjz

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In theory - but if the card is integrated into the discriminator (as I would suspect it would be), then removing the board could potentially cripple the radio.

Not a very bright design, if that was the case. After all the older BC250 would work fine without the card, it just wouldn't handle mixed mode trunks without it. Hopefully the 296 didn't have a design change. Otherwise I'm out of ideas. Mike
 

davidmc36

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In theory - but if the card is integrated into the discriminator (as I would suspect it would be), then removing the board could potentially cripple the radio.

Not a very bright design, if that was the case. After all the older BC250 would work fine without the card, it just wouldn't handle mixed mode trunks without it. Hopefully the 296 didn't have a design change. Otherwise I'm out of ideas. Mike
I used mine both ways. Followed Moto VHF analog voice with no issues with card removed.
 
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