RS Pro-83 White noise problem
 

I have had a Pro-83 since last Summer (2005) and really like it. It
usually lives in the car when I am driving, and is subject to New
England's seasons.

Over the summer, it behaved fine.

This winter, though, even though the season has been rather mild, the
radio has started to act like the squelch is open full time, with
constant white noise. The scanner function properly continues to
search for active frequencies as does the signal stalker. If the
squelch was open, the scanner and signal stalker functions would
obviously be sitting on a frequency and not move.

I've tried playing with both the squelch and volume knobs, but no
change from squelch, though the volume does help "squelch" some of the
headache I can start to develop.

This white noise problem occurs regardless of whether I use
rechargable batteries or the DC adapter, and regardless of use of the
radio in the house or in the car.

The white noise has been known to subside after some time. But I ask
readers if they have also experienced this? If so, what could be
causing it? It is NOT automobile interference because the scanner
does come into the house at times and present the same problem. It
would be difficult to believe it is squelch since the rest of the
functions behave as if the squelch _is_ working properly.

What else could I be missing? Has the radio become defective? It
was purchased new, out of the box.

Thanks for any ideas/leads/hints.

Scott

RS Pro-83 White noise problem
 

On 18 Mar 2006 11:56:04 GMT, (Scott Ehrlich) wrote:

What else could I be missing? Has the radio become defective? It
was purchased new, out of the box.

The squelch output (DC that gets higher as the detected noise gets
higher) feeds 2 points - the computer, so it knows whether to scan or
stop and an audio gate that cuts off the audio when there's no signal.
It sounds as if either the audio gate is allowing signal through
regardless of the state of the squelch output, or the squelch output
isn't getting to the audio gate. How you can check that out without a
schematic (RS schematics of recent products are rare) is the tough
question.

RS Pro-83 White noise problem
 

In article ,
Al Klein wrote:
On 18 Mar 2006 11:56:04 GMT, (Scott Ehrlich) wrote:

What else could I be missing? Has the radio become defective? It
was purchased new, out of the box.

The squelch output (DC that gets higher as the detected noise gets
higher) feeds 2 points - the computer, so it knows whether to scan or
stop and an audio gate that cuts off the audio when there's no signal.
It sounds as if either the audio gate is allowing signal through
regardless of the state of the squelch output, or the squelch output
isn't getting to the audio gate. How you can check that out without a
schematic (RS schematics of recent products are rare) is the tough
question.


Is there any other reasonable way to get around it?

Thanks.

Scott

RS Pro-83 White noise problem
 

On 18 Mar 2006 19:51:02 GMT, (Scott Ehrlich) wrote:

Is there any other reasonable way to get around it?

You mean without the schematic? Experience and luck.

Start at the squelch control. Measure the top (clockwise end) with
signal and with no signal. You should have either an increase in
noise or an increase in DC with no signal. Follow the signal and see
if it gets to the audio stages as a DC voltage. See if that voltage,
when there's no signal, cuts off an audio stage. Somewhere along the
line, you won't see what you expect. Open resistor? Shorted
capacitor?

RS Pro-83 White noise problem
 

Scott Ehrlich wrote:

I have had a Pro-83 since last Summer (2005) and really like it. It
usually lives in the car when I am driving, and is subject to New
England's seasons.

Over the summer, it behaved fine.

This winter, though, even though the season has been rather mild, the
radio has started to act like the squelch is open full time, with
constant white noise. The scanner function properly continues to
search for active frequencies as does the signal stalker. If the
squelch was open, the scanner and signal stalker functions would
obviously be sitting on a frequency and not move.

I've tried playing with both the squelch and volume knobs, but no
change from squelch, though the volume does help "squelch" some of the
headache I can start to develop.

This white noise problem occurs regardless of whether I use
rechargable batteries or the DC adapter, and regardless of use of the
radio in the house or in the car.

The white noise has been known to subside after some time. But I ask
readers if they have also experienced this? If so, what could be
causing it? It is NOT automobile interference because the scanner
does come into the house at times and present the same problem. It
would be difficult to believe it is squelch since the rest of the
functions behave as if the squelch _is_ working properly.

What else could I be missing? Has the radio become defective? It
was purchased new, out of the box.

Thanks for any ideas/leads/hints.

Scott
Scott Ehrlich wrote:
I have had a Pro-83 since last Summer (2005) and really like it. It
usually lives in the car when I am driving, and is subject to New
England's seasons.

Over the summer, it behaved fine.

This winter, though, even though the season has been rather mild, the
radio has started to act like the squelch is open full time, with
constant white noise. The scanner function properly continues to
search for active frequencies as does the signal stalker. If the
squelch was open, the scanner and signal stalker functions would
obviously be sitting on a frequency and not move.

I've tried playing with both the squelch and volume knobs, but no
change from squelch, though the volume does help "squelch" some of the
headache I can start to develop.

This white noise problem occurs regardless of whether I use
rechargable batteries or the DC adapter, and regardless of use of the
radio in the house or in the car.

The white noise has been known to subside after some time. But I ask
readers if they have also experienced this? If so, what could be
causing it? It is NOT automobile interference because the scanner
does come into the house at times and present the same problem. It
would be difficult to believe it is squelch since the rest of the
functions behave as if the squelch _is_ working properly.

What else could I be missing? Has the radio become defective? It
was purchased new, out of the box.

Thanks for any ideas/leads/hints.

Scott
here is a wierd thing to try....it just came to me
(mostly because it happened to me on a portable radio)
I live in the damp state of WA and I use to leave a radio on the seat
24/7... I started getting a hissing noise that I couldn't get rid of
and being a tad electronicly minded I took it appart to see if I could
find the problem.

Finally did (after 2 hrs) a bit of moisture had condensed inside the
radio and had caused a bit of short to one of the traces leading to the
speaker..after the moisture had departed (evaportated) it had left
minute trace of some mineral that allowed current to flow causing the hiss

After I dug out my isopropal alcohol and cleaned it up a bit (solder
traces and joints and board alll nice and clean again) the noise stopped

I don't know if that would be your problem but in a "mild" New England
weather I would expect instead of lots of very cold.. a lot of moisture
instead. With the posiblity of dust inside the unit (impossible to
avoid even in 'sealed' units it could happen

don't know if it is likely.. but ever since I had a similar problem
I always check for the simple solutions first before breaking out test
equipment

Again.....just a thot



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