A B737-300 CREW EXPERIENCED A NOSE GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT WITH GEAR UP OR DOWN AND RETURNED TO DEP ARPT AFTER DECLARING AN EMER.

Narrative

ON DEP FROM ZZZ; FO FLYING; NOSE GEAR IN-TRANSIT RED GEAR LIGHT DID NOT GO OUT ON GEAR RETRACTION. AFTER REACHING SAFE ALT; WE CONTACTED DISPATCH AND MAINT WHO HAD US CYCLE GEAR/RESET SOME CIRCUIT BREAKERS BUT NOTHING HELPED. WHEN GEAR EXTENDED; RED LIGHT STAYED ON AND WE DID NOT GET GREEN DOWN AND LOCKED LIGHT. WE DID DETERMINE THROUGH GEAR VIEW PORT THAT ARROWS WERE ALIGNED INDICATING GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED. WE DECIDED TO RETURN TO ZZZ. I ASKED FOR FIRE EQUIP TO STAND BY; JUST AS A PRECAUTION; EVEN THOUGH THIS APPEARED TO BE AN INDICATION PROB -- NOT AN ACTUAL GEAR PROB. I EXPLAINED SIT TO PAX AND TO EXPECT NORMAL LNDG AND THAT TRUCKS THERE AS ONLY PRECAUTION. FLT ATTENDANTS GIVEN AN 'ADVISORY.' WE LANDED NORMAL AND AFTER COMING TO STOP HAD FO CALL ZZZ MAINT TO COME OUT AND PUT GEAR PIN IN PLACE; THEN WE TAXIED TO GATE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 637775: THE CAPT CONSULTED MYSELF AND DISPATCH AND WE DECIDED TO RETURN TO ZZZ EVEN THOUGH MAINT WAS OK WITH US CONTINUING. WE FELT THE BEST ARPT AND HELP WAS AT ZZZ EVEN THOUGH WE WERE CONFIDENT THAT THE GEAR WAS DOWN.