BCT8 Programming

bigjake40 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-17-2003, 09:06 PM

Does anyone know the correct way to program this scanner? I have talked to Unidens Technical assistance line 4 times and read the manual 3 times, but still can't get a straight answer. I have the frequencies in order. 2,860.4875, 6,859.2375, etc. but am not sure about the id list. I don't know if I have them in correctly, not sure what the proper way to enter them, namely the correct banks and in what order. I can hear the dispatch channel most of the time, and sometimes the other frequencies come in, but the are interspersed with chatter from id's I haven't entered, NAPD, NAFD, Etc. The Uniden people are telling me I need to send in 40 dollars for a registration code to open up the trunking on this unit, but that is the first I have heard of that on any ad or paperwork that came with the unit. The software that came with the scanner has a block for a registration code and I think that is what they want the money for. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. bigjake

scouter · #2 (**permalink**) 03-08-2004, 07:03 PM

Hello, just wanted to say that I know what you saying about this scanner. I just got mine about 1 week ago and am having some trouble understanding the manual on how to program it for trunk-tracking. I have not called Uniden as you did. I guess that in due time and retrying to program that I will get it, but it could be easier!

LarrySC · #3 (**permalink**) 03-09-2004, 07:52 PM

I dont understand your post. 2, and 6, in front of the freq.

FSilvia · #4 (**permalink**) 05-23-2004, 07:49 PM

bigjake: Your not alone on this. I got the same response about the special 40 dollar code breaker. In addition Uniden is still scratching their heads trying to figure out why two different model radios, BC350C and the BCT-8 can't recieve a general FM frequency @ 493.0000.
It sits next to a old Radio Shack pro-25 pulling in signals all day from 493.0000. :cry:

spot2112 · #5 (**permalink**) 06-01-2004, 01:48 PM

Umm, i know what you all are talking about. I too have the same problem...thats the whole reason i found this forum in the first place. If either of you have found answers since you posted, what did you find out?

What I know is, the $40 is for the software, as you suspected. I can trunk track just fine as long as i am only using the pre-set stuff for my state (OK). I have _sort of_ programmed a few frequencies and ids but i am not sure i have them working right. I do seem to receive on the right channels, but not necessarily when I am trying to.

The manual is horribly written, so don't feel bad. It kinda reminds me of the way manuals are written when the writer isnt a native english speaker. But it also seems to have some serious discontinuties in the topics. Maybe we can get someone with lots of experience to take a look at it for us and make guesses as to how it should be rearranged for clarity?

FSilvia · #6 (**permalink**) 06-01-2004, 03:12 PM

I have posted questions to Uniden on their web site as of 21 May. I asked about the BCT8s inability to recieve on the UHF "T" band. And the Software isssue.
Their claim of a response within 24 hours has passed. Still waiting as of this date.

At present I suspect that the BCT8 has programming blocks that are locking out frequencies and maybe even trunking capabilities.

I also believe the BCT8SS software is the only way you can program additional banks for trunk mode properly. But this is speculation on my part.

In addition that I forgot to mention in my previous post. The Radio Shack PRO25 recieves on the UHF "T" band without an antenna attached.
I believe Uniden has some big problems with these models BC350C and BCT8.

spot2112 · #7 (**permalink**) 06-03-2004, 12:46 PM

I have been doing some experimenting on my daily 1.5hr commute, and i think i have some things figured out. Throughout, i am talking about a Motorola type II system. Also, talk group = id. And please, dont feel offended if it seems i am over explaining something. I am posting with the assumption that everyone is as new as i am to scanning, though i know this isnt true.

1) You can only have one system per trunking bank. this is from the manual. As far as I can tell, a system is 1 (and only 1) control frq and as many other frq's as you have space for as long as they are from the same system as the control frq. I know this is common sense, but I have more than once programed in frq's obtained online, that were listed together as a single system, and ended up with nothing but a normal non-trunking scan through the frequency list. I think sometimes they arent grouped right when given online. It seems that more than one system may be grouped together. I can tell you how i checked this if anyone is interested.

2) The manual's description of programming trunking frequencies and id's is adequate as-is. This will get your freq's and id's in properly.

3) When programming id's, the id's in slots 1-1 thru 1-0 comprise list 1. similar for lists 2-5. Each bank has its own 5 lists. So trunking bank 1, list 1, is different than trunking bank 2, list 1. I hope you guys are smarter than I was, but this sure confused me for a while.

4) Be sure to turn on the lists that have id's. This is done while in the trunking programming menu.

Once you have all your frq's and id's entered, and your lists turned on/off, you can exit the trunking programing menu. Make sure you are in trunking mode, and cycle through the private scan modes until you are _only_ in private trunking scan mode. Make sure you arent holding.

For simplicity, have only one private bank selected for the next part.

Now the moment of truth. _If_ you are in range of the control frq and it is coming in loud and clear with no interruptions in reception, you will see "B-X id scan" in the diplay. If you momentarily lose the control frq signal, you will see a normal non-trunked scan start through the frq's in the bank you are in. Anytime you lose the control signal, this seems to happen. Similarly, if you start out with bad reception of the control frq, you will never see an id scan start ("B-X id scan" in display). You will scan, but it wont be a trunking scan. When the scanner gets the control signal clearly again, it will start trunk scanning (id scanning) again. So you might see the "B-X" indication flicker periodically as it goes into and out of id scan mode.

Hope this makes as much sense to you as it did to me writing it. I left out lots of what i did to figure this out for the sake of brevity. If you want something cleared up, just post.

RAL686 · #8 (**permalink**) 07-30-2009, 06:22 PM

I am trying to program one of these BCT-8 up for a friend.. I have a motorola trunked system in bank 1 and 2 with conventional channels, those work fine.. I also have bank 3 and 4 with conventional channels, and those work fine, but in bank 5 am trying to program a LTR system, the L and the trunk will light up, but it wont scan with the ID Scan, just with Scan... I dont know why I can get it to scan.

RICHPERK · #9 (**permalink**) 07-30-2009, 06:50 PM

Hello fellow BCT 8 owners,
I am glad I am not alone having problems with this scanner. Be careful updating the firmware, it affected my 400 MHZ reception for example I now hear 457.900 on 457.9125, etc. I cannot get an answer on how to reveret to the original firmware, any ideas?.

riccom · #10 (**permalink**) 07-30-2009, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAL686

I am trying to program one of these BCT-8 up for a friend.. I have a motorola trunked system in bank 1 and 2 with conventional channels, those work fine.. I also have bank 3 and 4 with conventional channels, and those work fine, but in bank 5 am trying to program a LTR system, the L and the trunk will light up, but it wont scan with the ID Scan, just with Scan... I dont know why I can get it to scan.

ltr is almos like edcas it has a logical channel numbering or lcn for short

when you set your freq for the bdct (i owned one myself) i had it to set it for the channel like for say when you have a lcn of 08 154.3625 set it on the channel ch 8 opf the ltr system, more then likely it will work
but ltr is a tricky system so play with it for a little bit and see what happens

riccom · #11 (**permalink**) 07-30-2009, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RICHPERK

Hello fellow BCT 8 owners,
I am glad I am not alone having problems with this scanner. Be careful updating the firmware, it affected my 400 MHZ reception for example I now hear 457.900 on 457.9125, etc. I cannot get an answer on how to reveret to the original firmware, any ideas?.

ohh thats not a firmware issue is called imaging, or a bleed in the freq, like a river you will have some bleed over on the freq, and its normal trust me i bet if you punched in say , 155.625 then on the next ch punched in 155.630 you will hear the same traffic , its normal!

RICHPERK · #12 (**permalink**) 07-30-2009, 07:26 PM

But it did not do this before the update, is there a way to fix this? I do not get this for VHF.

riccom · #13 (**permalink**) 07-30-2009, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RICHPERK

But it did not do this before the update, is there a way to fix this? I do not get this for VHF.

Once the fermware is in there its in there for good, now it may be a new station may be in, but if your monitoring a ch on that and youtr getting bleed over then you m,ay want to invest a radio with pl tone decoding decoding in it.

RICHPERK · #14 (**permalink**) 07-30-2009, 07:48 PM

Thanks for the information. I was hoping to find a way to fix it. I will find a use for this scanner.

riccom · #15 (**permalink**) 07-30-2009, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RICHPERK

Thanks for the information. I was hoping to find a way to fix it. I will find a use for this scanner.

i hope you dont mind me asking what are you scanning that would have the odd offset freqs?

RICHPERK · #16 (**permalink**) 07-30-2009, 08:09 PM

I had EMS, SKYWARN and railroad UHF frequencies, then after the firmware update I noticed they were all offset. have reset the scanner several times and reprogrammed it several times. I do not know what happened. My 780xlt is on the same antenna and not affected. The search banks are affected also.

riccom · #17 (**permalink**) 07-30-2009, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RICHPERK

I had EMS, SKYWARN and railroad UHF frequencies, then after the firmware update I noticed they were all offset. have reset the scanner several times and reprogrammed it several times. I do not know what happened. My 780xlt is on the same antenna and not affected. The search banks are affected also.

Ok ok ok i think i know whats going on

Ok can you rest the scanner to factory again?

if you need help i know the man who may be able to help you on that

Uniden Scanners - The RadioReference.com Forums
and ask for up man in the forum's or make a thread, that may be the freqs may have been jumbled up in the fermware update

RICHPERK · #18 (**permalink**) 07-30-2009, 08:51 PM

Thanks a lot, I really appreciate your help, but I have done that already, he could not help me either. I just wanted to warn those in the posts above to be careful, with an investment like this, they do not want to ruin their scanner. I have several other scanners, a shame to have one messed up.

Take care

riccom · #19 (**permalink**) 07-30-2009, 10:59 PM

Rich
Not a problem. normally i would back the bc 8 cause it is a good radio, but wait till a new firmware comes out to fix it.
but if up man heard it i am sure he would look in to it ,, give it a little time and they may come out with a new version for that model.
but i will look in to it more and i will send you a message if i find anything
but at least you have a back up scanner