Scanner Troubles

[shfirefighter 19]

I have a scanner that is on my nightstand along my back wall of my room and my brother has one along the same wall but on the other side (our rooms are next to each other) the other night i was listening to a call come over his scanner but not mine! Really confused on why, his antenna is fixed on standing straight up while mine can do a 360. Any suggestions or help? Thanks

[Tommy_Scanners 3]

Are they programed the same? Was the channel he was listening too also programed into your scanner? Is your squelch set properly?

[shfirefighter 19]

Are they programed the same? Was the channel he was listening too also programed into your scanner? Is your squelch set properly?

we both have the same frequencies and the squelch has always been set on half way.

[Tommy_Scanners 3]

Did you lock out the channel by accadent? If you hit one of the numbers 0-9, you lockout the bank. Somewhere on the screen, you should see what banks are being scanned. If you don't see the bank that your channel is in, hit the bank number key so it shows up on your screen. If you locked out your channel, manually scroll to the channel and make sure it dosent say LO or L/O or something like that. If it is locked out, find the button on your keypad that says LO / L/O to unlock it... Hope this helps.

[shfirefighter 19]

Did you lock out the channel by accadent? If you hit one of the numbers 0-9, you lockout the bank. Somewhere on the screen, you should see what banks are being scanned. If you don't see the bank that your channel is in, hit the bank number key so it shows up on your screen. If you locked out your channel, manually scroll to the channel and make sure it dosent say LO or L/O or something like that. If it is locked out, find the button on your keypad that says LO / L/O to unlock it... Hope this helps.

I realize if a channel is locked out but I also dont get the best reception either

[E106MKFD 56]

The channel on your brother's scanner may be listed as a priority in the bank. Though you have the same frequencies in your respective scanners are they programed channel for channel?

[JetPhoto 626]

First question is was the source of the transmission close by or far away? Second radio waves do not provide a complete saturation of an area guarantying reception as an example it's not like being in a ocean where you are surrounded by water and will definitely get wet but like a light rain storm where you will get wet but parts of you will remain dry if that makes sense.

I experience the reception issue often where in one room I will hear Pike County PA loud and clear but in another room with the channel on hold will not hear a thing or I will hear Mamaroneck fire apparatus on calls but will not hear Peekskill (which is a lot closer). It has to do with location and luck.

Edited August 23, 2013 by JetPhoto

[Medic137 6]

"Location and luck" A distant signal can be blocked by a pipe, HVAC duct, or even wiring in the wall. Moving the scanner a couple of inches will change your reception for a particular signal. Putting it by a window will help. An external antenna is better.

[RWC130 594]

I have the same issue in my house. One scanner is very good..picks up everything. The other one is OK for local stuff. I've moved both all about the house. Not much change.

Oh..by the way. The scanner that picks up everything is about 16 years old.

[shfirefighter 19]

The scanners are literally 4 inches away from each other only a wall separates them and i have a pretty big window in my room and it sits maybe 6 feet from the window and the frequency that my brothers picks up and mine doesn't sometimes is the 46.26.

[EMT111 149]

It also can have nothing to do with the scanner at all. My vac has dual pagers with the fire tones in them form members who also ride with the FD, and they say that the ems page for an mva will be crystal clear, and then the fire page 5 seconds later will be almost completely static. Both agencies are paged from the same dispatch center off the same tower.

[grumpyff 1,159]

When I was still volunteering, my pager would only activate from Putnam911 if it was on the left side of my window sill. If i moved it 3 feet over to the other side, nothing, not even the tones. Its all about location, location, location

[engine968 8]

I have 3 scanners in different parts of my house and they all receive differently using the original telescoping antennas. The one in the largest room with the biggest windows receives the best. The second one also in a large room with a little less windows receives almost as well, but better when placed on a high shelf than on a table in the same room. The 3rd one in a small room with small windows near a TV and computer receives the worst.

But scanners vary too. You could put 2 identical model scanners next to each other with the same antennas and they might receive differently. Radio reception is weird like that. And as someone said above, an outside antenna is usually more effective than any indoor antenna.