Police Scanner Range & Reception Issues - Pt.2

This post is part two of a two-part series and covers factors that affect the range and reception of your radio scanner. Range and reception is basically how far you can pick up any given signal and how clear those signals come in.

In part one, I covered range and reception issues such as Line of Sight, Frequency Behavior, Atmospheric Conditions, Skips and Propagation, and Surrounding Terrain.

In this second part of range and reception issues, I will cover the remaining factors that affect your scanner's range and reception including; Type of Antenna Used, Indoor Reception, Electrical Noise, Birdies, Battery Power, Station Transmitter Power, and Repeated or Non-Repeated Stations. Let's get started.

Type of Antenna  –  the type of antenna you are using plays a big part. If you are using a standard rubber ducky antenna (standard on handhelds), you will not be able to pick up distant signals then if you where using a telescoping or outdoor antenna.

When you purchase a base/mobile scanner, it comes with a telescoping antenna (mobile scanners come with a mobile antenna). These work well, however, to maximize your receiption, an external antenna is highly recommented. Learn more about the different types of antennas that are available on the market on our "Police Scanner Accessories".

Indoor Reception – indoor reception will depend on what type of structure you are in, wood, steel, or concrete. Generally, reception of lower frequencies inside of a steel structure will be weak. Receptions of higher frequencies within a steel structure are not generally affected. Reception within a wood or concrete structure varies, but is generally fair. If you are listening from home, connecting an external antenna will boost your reception and extend the range of reception.

Electrical Noise – electrical devices can generate radio signals that can be picked up by your scanner resulting in interference with existing frequencies. Causes include electrical machinery, vehicle ignitions, motors, power lines, florescent lights, etc. Interference from electrical noise usually occurs with lower frequencies.

Birdies – birdies are signals that are internally generated by a scanner that can cause interference with some frequencies. If you have a problem with a birdie frequency, simply lock it out. See this blog post of a list of commonly known birdie frequencies.

Battery Power – the bottom line here is that fully charged or fresh new batteries will give you better range and reception than if you are running on weak ones. Most scanners on the market now include a "Battery Low" indicator to let you know when your batteries are running low. If your scanner does not have this feature, you can usually tell your batteries are getting low because reception starts to break.

Station Transmitter Power  –  base station transmitting power is measured in wattage. The more watts a transmitting station puts out, the further the signal can be received. You can learn more at the FCC.gov website.

Repeated or Non-Repeated Stations – if a radio is being used in simplex, or “talk-around” mode, then that means that each radio is communicating directly to the other radios on that frequency in that area. Simplex range can vary from several blocks to several miles depending on how much power the radios are putting out, the type and position of your antenna, and the surrounding terrain. This range is typically 3-5 miles. For ranges beyond this limitation, a repeater system is used.

A repeater is a device that is used to extend the range of mobile and portable radios. Public safety agencies need to communicate using portable or mobile radios over the distance limitations posed by handheld and mobile radios, which is approximately 3-5 miles. A repeater also allows communications where buildings usually block the radio signals.

Generally, a repeater is placed on a building, radio tower, mountain, or other tall structure. The higher up the repeater's antenna, the larger coverage area, or range the signal will have. The repeater works by listening to what the radios are transmitting and simultaneously broadcast it back over a larger area.

Hope this information was helpful.

That's it for now. Till next time stay safe and happy scanning!

-RF
Webmaster, Police-Scanner.info