BCD160DN/BCD260DN: Uniden BCD160DN, air band issue

[NS9710]

When I get traffic on the frequency 118.500 (tower frequency for IAG airport, shared with a military base.

The scanner stays “stuck” on the frequency once traffic has been detected, the only way I can get the issue to clear is by “SCAN” button, or by turning on the Attenuator.

I am using the Smiley Slim Duck 5/8 160MHz antenna currently, issue also persists when using the stock antenna as well.

It happens no matter where I am, I could be in a field, in a car, in the house, doesn’t matter where.

Any idea of what’s causing this issue?

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Squelch set higher than 1?

 

[ve1sef]

A couple things come to mind.
1 - Do you have another antenna you can try?
2 - Try using IFX and/or Attenuator on that frequency.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

1 - Do you have another antenna you can try?

OP said:

I am using the Smiley Slim Duck 5/8 160MHz antenna currently, issue also persists when using the stock antenna as well.

2 - Try using IFX and/or Attenuator on that frequency.

OP tried the latter suggestion

the only way I can get the issue to clear is by “SCAN” button, or by turning on the Attenuator.

 

[Ubbe]

Any idea of what’s causing this issue?

If you get that at every location then it must be a spurious signal generated inside the scanner. Only solution would be to set the suggested IFX setting to that frequency.

Open squelch fully and listen to the noise and then switch to another frequency like 118.575 and listen if the noise level changes. You can also program those two channels to FM or NFM as it might be easier to hear if there is a signal interference on 118.500

/Ubbe

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

@NS9710 try removing the antenna altogether. If scanner becomes "unstuck" then this would rule out an internally generated signal

 

[wtp]

set up a custom search of 118 to 119,
take the antenna off,
search.
it might be a birdie that is close to 118.5
if it finds one, i would then use a frequency on the other side of 118.5
the antenna out thing is also useful to find really close transmitters.

 

[NS9710]

I have it full time at 2.

Squelch set higher than 1?

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

I have it full time at 2.

Great. What about...

try removing the antenna altogether

take the antenna off,

Does the birdie go away?

 

[Ubbe]

A spurious signal generated from its own electronics, that happened to the BCD436 when Uniden removed a filtering capacitor from the clock line, can radiate to the outside and be picked up by the antenna. If using coax and an antenna further away the signal became so weak that it didn't interfere.

/Ubbe

 

[NS9710]

Will try that today, I was under the weather today.

Should have a report back to you before long

Great. What about...


Does the birdie go away?

 

[NS9710]

This sounds like it may be the case, because as I said, I never had this “lock” in the signal until AFTER a transmission was picked up, then I had to force a scan continue before it dropped the interference.

A spurious signal generated from its own electronics, that happened to the BCD436 when Uniden removed a filtering capacitor from the clock line, can radiate to the outside and be picked up by the antenna. If using coax and an antenna further away the signal became so weak that it didn't interfere.

/Ubbe

 

[NS9710]

I pull the antenna off the scanner when locked into the the static and it clears the “hang”, should I use Attenuator or IFX, and if so, which would be better off?

 

[kc2asb]

I pull the antenna off the scanner when locked into the the static and it clears the “hang”, should I use Attenuator or IFX, and if so, which would be better off?

I think some experimentation is in order here. You already know the attenuator eliminates the "hang" issue. Try IFX and see if it still hangs on that frequency after traffic is received.

I prefer to use the attenuator as an absolute last resort, because it will (obviously) affect reception of weaker signals. Can you still hear the Tower with the attenuator on?

 

[NS9710]

I can still hear everything with Attenuator on.

I think some experimentation is in order here. You already know the attenuator eliminates the "hang" issue. Try IFX and see if it still hangs on that frequency after traffic is received.

I prefer to use the attenuator as an absolute last resort, because it will (obviously) affect reception of weaker signals. Can you still hear the Tower with the attenuator on?

 

[kc2asb]

I can still hear everything with Attenuator on.

OK, great! However, I would still try the IFX and see what the results are. If it doesn't work, then the attenuator is clearly the solution. As I said, I prefer not to use the attenuator unless absolutely necessary.