Help for an Old-Timer

[greggk]

How nice to be back. Its been over a year since I could even think about turning on one of my scanners. With a lot of my health issues not as bad as before, I am anxious to get back in.

I want to be brief; promise I have read all the manuals and lots of research. I'm confident you will consider my lapse of time here and my not so good/lapsing memory.

I want to start with my Uniden BCD 996T. I always had so much fun manually pushing those buttons to program it, but not now. If I could just get a few answers here I will be on my merry way.

1. Does anyone have any comments about the Butel Software? Good/Bad?
2. Will this scanner receive the NW Central Dispatch Fire freqs? I know the cops are gone due to encryption.
3. This is vague, but is it worth even using this scanner? I have old stuff still programmed in, but this radio has not been on over a year. My thought was to clear everything out, set to "new", buy the software, and have fun.

Any thoughts, good or bad , are much appreciated. Thanks. Greg

 

[N9JCQ]

Hi Gregg, welcome back! Let me answer your questions from my point of view. I am sure others will have opinions as well.
1. I use Butel to program my 396T and it works fine. I would also suggest you look at some freeware taht you might find as useful. Check out Freescan. It works great and it can do anything the Butel software can do. There are links to download can be found by googling "Freescan."
2. the 996T will receive NWCD if the transmit in P25 Phase 1. Last time I checked, I could here the Phase 1 for several of the FDs on NWCD. They are eventually moving to P25 Phase 2 and the 996T cannot receive Phase 2.
3. Get the software, back up what you have, then create you can either add/modify what you have using whatever software you decide on. I strongly recommend being a paid member of this site. Both Freescan and Butel software can link and download directly from RadioReference database once you are a paid member. That way you don't have to cut and paste anything into the software.

I hope this helps you.

 

[greggk]

It is a very big help. I am a paid member; in the days ahead I will go back to my Pro 106 and Uniden 436HP software and tackle that. I'm finding a lot of recall to what I did before, so I just need to brush up a bit.

I discovered that I do not have the cable to program from my computer to the 996T. I believe you can purchase a cable that goes from the front of the scanner to a USB port.

I appreciate the info on Free Scan. If its that good then I would not need Butel.

You were a BIG help and I thank you. Have a great weekend.

Greg

 

[N9JIG]

The cable and Butel software are both available at ScannerMaster. If you opt for the Butel software make sure you get ARC996 for your BCD996T, we have had people buy ARC-XT by mistake.

The info that N9JCQ gave you is spot-on. The 996T will work for most SC21 ops now but as they start switching over to Phase 2 you will be shut out. The 996T will however continue to work for other systems and is still a great scanner.

Uniden has a BCD996P2 which does handle Phase 2, it operates much like the 996T you have now.

 

[greggk]

Both my pro106 and 996T are becoming dinosaurs. I discovered that there is a "pro" version of the Butel Pro 106 software which allows hit counts, recordings, etc. Always wondered why those functions did not work before, so now I need to upgrade I guess. My 436 works very well, but I wish at times I had bought the base model instead of the portable just for reception. Wonder if the wife will agree to a 536? Naaa. Nice thought tho.

Thanks for the help Sheriff. Take care.

Greg