Uniden Scanner - are they all deaf ?

[VK2XTC]

I purchased a Uniden Scanner (UBC330CRS) off eBay this week. I was hoping to program it with all those other frequencies I listen to occasionally , Aircraft, Marine etc.
Unfortunately I find it's deaf as a post.

A signal thats S9 +10db on the TS-2000 is still in the noise on the Uniden. (and the TS-2000 ears are not that good)
I connect it to an external antenna (a Diamond dual band ) and it's not much better, may actually be worse. (too much signal maybe?)

It works but it's deaf. I would have thought that I should get a full noise quieting signal out of it.

Was I expecting too much from a cheap device ?
Is this the norm or should I open it up to find the fault ?

It cost $50 second hand (inc shipping) , so I'm not that concerned, but I thought they where better quality than that.




Brian

VK2XTC

[VK5KAA]

not that deaf.
there is something very wrong.
check this link for specs.
https://www.uniden.com.au/RESOURCES_MAI ... CRS_OM.pdf
Gordon.

[ZL3MF]

I purchased a Uniden Scanner (UBC330CRS) off eBay this week. I was hoping to program it with all those other frequencies I listen to occasionally , Aircraft, Marine etc.
Unfortunately I find it's deaf as a post.

A signal thats S9 +10db on the TS-2000 is still in the noise on the Uniden. (and the TS-2000 ears are not that good)
I connect it to an external antenna (a Diamond dual band ) and it's not much better, may actually be worse. (too much signal maybe?)

It works but it's deaf. I would have thought that I should get a full noise quieting signal out of it.

Was I expecting too much from a cheap device ?
Is this the norm or should I open it up to find the fault ?

It cost $50 second hand (inc shipping) , so I'm not that concerned, but I thought they where better quality than that.




Brian

VK2XTC

Hi Brian a verry common fault on all Unden scanners is the BNC antenna socket is dry jointed so strip the radio and check the socket, it may either be dry jointed at the socket it's self or where it is terminated on the PCB. Also make sure the socket is not loose.
hope that helps

Mike ZL3MF

[VK3ALB]

They're not spectacular but they're not as bad as you described either. ZL3MF has a very good suggestion.

I had a 9000 on my bench that was deaf on just two bands. Turns out a couple of the transistors that switch in the band filters were dead. There was some signal getting through but it was woeful. Not sure how the 330 does things but I imagine the concept is similar.

[VK2XTC]

Thanks for the suggestions.

My first thought was the BNC connector. I found some references to them being hand soldered in their day, and that many of the joints where dry or not soldered correctly.

I also found some circuit diagrams (thank you Google ) , and it seems the radio circuits seem to be fairly consistent between models. Which sort of makes sense , one design used in many models.
I could not find the exact model I have ( anyone ?? ) but will go with something that seems to be a close second.

I'm in Artarmon very close to the main transmission towers, so I'm not short of RF signals, but it doesn't find much which is a concern.
Getting less signal when I install a decent antenna , rather than the rubber ducky antenna it came with , leads me to think the receiver may be saturated.


Thoughts ??


Brian

VK2XTC

[ZL3MH]

I have a UBC72xlt . Great Scana ,100 memories, Great on ISS with SSTV having AFC. I have used it with a converter to do the FM downlink on
AO-51 on 2401 MHz. The only downside NO computer programing

73 Murray ZL3MH

[VK6ADF]

Getting less signal when I install a decent antenna , rather than the rubber ducky antenna it came with , leads me to think the receiver may be saturated.

USB stick type SDR's suffer similar problems. The stronger a nearby transmitter the deafer they appear. Try further afield and see if it still appears deaf. I had a couple of Uniden scanners I used for weather satellites and did not have deafness problems, but I was not near any high power transmitters either.

[VK4GJW]

I had a Uniden scanner many years ago too. Worked great for many years, then one day it went deaf, just as you say. Eventually got the better of me, o I opend it up and sure enough, the connection to the BNC connector had finally failed, due to being a cold solder joint. Desoldered it, cleaned it up, resoldered it, and BINGO, back to full performance again. Never underestimate looking for bad solder joints. Nearly 50% of most electronics problems I have had over the years have been to bad solder joints, or bad connections of one type or another!

[VK3DXE]

Artarmon is RF alley. My money is on the poor thing being so overloaded, its rolled over and given up.

I remember once brushing my face against a bunny ears indoor tv antenna at a job in Artarmon and feeling an intense burning sensation, there was so much RF floating around.

[VK6ZFG]

Test the Scanner with a signal generator if you can. This will tell you how the Scanner compares with the published specifications.

If ththe Scanner is within the ball park of the published specifications then overloading will be the problem when it is connected to an antenna at your QTH.

[VK2XTC]

I found a 12 volt car plug and took it for a drive.

It's receiver is not so bad if I get away from this location , but it's still what I would call deaf, at least compared to the other radios I have.
I've opened it up, it all good. No dry joints. It's in a very new condition.

Lets face it, It's a cheap radio so I should not expect much, but it won't hear the local repeaters on 2M even after I key them on the hand held.
I won't hear Dural with an external antenna.

Re: RF alley, yes it's no place to live as a ham.

As I write this the Noise floor on 40 meters is S9 with the RF amp on, S5 without. Getting worse. Was about S4 when I bought the place (8 years ago) , S7 mid last year.
When it rains I get pager break through right across 2 meters.

I was going to ask if anyone has any designs for generating power from Antennas ?



Brian

VK2XTC