Ham Radios over-powering fire freq.

[Dondestro 9]

I know nothing when it comes to ham radios, but i do know they must be putting out some crazy amounts of power. At my firehouse is New Fairfield,CT we have a scanner with freq from all around the area but every evening around rushhour putnum county is walked all over by these ham guys talking to each other in their cars. You still hear putnum in the background but the ham guys are twice as loud and honestly talk about some weird stuff. Anyone else have this problem or know what could be done about it>?

[jack10562 414]

Maybe it's a problem with the scanner, not properly rejecting transmissions on adjacent channel frequencies?

[Dondestro 9]

Maybe it's a problem with the scanner, not properly rejecting transmissions on adjacent channel frequencies?

Could that be it?

IT is an older scanner that is for sure. its a uniden 210xlt....yea i know its old. but a great scanner.

[IzzyEng4 427]

First off, what freqeuncy or frequencies are programmed into the scanner? Usually if its car to car then its usually VHF high band and UHF through a local repeater system, though HF and VHF low band are also possible. Maybe their repeater output is to high or its just normal bleed over between frequencies because you are close. There area a list of repeater frequencies for Hams over on radioreferece.com in the datebase. See how close they are.

Also licensed Hams who operate radios / repeaters are under strict guidelines on thier power use, unlike CBers.

PS I'm just learing this stuff since i want to get my operators license, I'm no authoritarian.

[uvfd67 0]

It could possibly be a harmonic problem.

[Medic442 15]

I am a ham, kc2crv. I would check the scanner 1st. If you could catch a call sign it could also help find the problem. It could also be the buses have a talk freq from other areas that are in the 155s, unlike us hams who are alot lower. If you hear code it could also help id a repeater that might be having a issue. Just a idea. For the most part IzzyEng4, you got it. 73

[gamewell45 258]

I know nothing when it comes to ham radios, but i do know they must be putting out some crazy amounts of power. At my firehouse is New Fairfield,CT we have a scanner with freq from all around the area but every evening around rushhour putnum county is walked all over by these ham guys talking to each other in their cars. You still hear putnum in the background but the ham guys are twice as loud and honestly talk about some weird stuff. Anyone else have this problem or know what could be done about it>?

How do you know they are Hams? Did they give call signs? More likely, its probably citizen band operators, who operate using linear amps that are causing the interference. If they are close enough, it could overload the receiving circuits on your scanner. Or it could be a CB base station with an illegally high power output.

[Dondestro 9]

one of the other guys at fd said they used ham numbers or something i have know clue about ham stuff so again sorry if i am wrong but its what im todl

[jack10562 414]

As was mentioned, some CB'ers, AKA citizens band radio users, also use call signs that are very similar to ham licenses. (although a FCC license is no longer required to operate a CB radio) Some over the road truckers have been known to use powerful (and illegal) signal amplifiers on their rig's CB radio to boost the signal for greater range. This can cause a severe bleed over of their transmissions on adjacent channels, and might be what you're hearing.

[Dondestro 9]

As was mentioned, some CB'ers, AKA citizens band radio users, also use call signs that are very similar to ham licenses. (although a FCC license is no longer required to operate a CB radio) Some over the road truckers have been known to use powerful (and illegal) signal amplifiers on their rig's CB radio to boost the signal for greater range. This can cause a severe bleed over of their transmissions on adjacent channels, and might be what you're hearing.

should I just swap witha newer scanner? will it be able to weed it out?

[capt22 0]

I would try another scanner to check it out cause I have putnum in my scanner and I don't get any bleed over

[jack10562 414]

A new scanner will likely have better selectivity due to improved filter circuitry than your old one, but there is still a possibility you could get bleed-over from very strong local transmissions. Generally speaking, you get what you pay for: the more you pay for a scanner, the better the selectivity and sensitivity.

[petervonb 9]

If you are talking about trying to hear Putnam EMS on High Band (155.xxx Mhz), those frequencies are also used by school buses. That is in the "Special Emergency" band and the school lobby managed to convince the FCC that school buses qualified as special emergency vehicles. Go figure. School bus drivers are notorious for talking about all sorts of stupid stuff - never mind the "emergency" calls that "Johnny's mom isn't there to pick him up. What should I do with Johnny?"

If you are talking about Putnam Fire Lo-Band (46.38 MHz, etc.) then you have another problem. Older scanners are much more susceptible to interference from sources both close and nowhere near the frequency programmed into the scanner. Newer ones have much better filtering, etc.

Good Luck.

[CAM502 6]

Sorry I just saw this....

The odds of a CB bleeding over to the 140-160mhz range is slim...very slim. You would have to be close....VERY CLose...and have a bad scanner.