Montgomery County

[ancientchief]

Has anyone out there who has successfully re-programmed a BCD396T for the re-banded Montgomery County systems got directions on how to do it? I have attempted to reprogram my 396, followed the directions to a "T", and all I get is dead air. I would appreciate any help that someone might be willing to provide. Thanks, Art

[ka3jjz]

You need to have updated firmware, otherwise it will not work. See this article from the Uniden TWiki

BCD396TFirmwareUpdate < UnidenMan4 < TWiki

Follow all the instructions precisely - skip no step...HTH...Mike

[ancientchief]

Well, I totally erased the memory in the scanner, re-installed the firmware and verified that it indeed is the 3.02.02, went to RR, got the d/l and assured that MontCo was set for a rebanded system. Nothing but silence.

I then reloaded my other files for DC Fire/Rescue/EMS, both conventional and trunk, and am recieving them just fine.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks,

Art

[RUSTY_SHACKAFORD]

Note for Motorola/P25 systems: If you are not sure if the system is Motorola or P25, look at the system voice in the RR database for your system. Those entries that say System Voice: Analog and APCO-25 Common Air Interface are not true Project 25 systems as they have one or more analog talkgroups. Program these systems as a Motorola system and let the scanner detect the digital.

Use '800MHz Custom' for rebanded 800 MHz systems that use a custom band plan.

Easier to Read BCD396T/UBCD396T Digital Scanner Manual > To Program a new Motorola/P25 system

[maus92]

Originally Posted by ka3jjz

You need to have updated firmware, otherwise it will not work. See this article from the Uniden TWiki

BCD396TFirmwareUpdate < UnidenMan4 < TWiki

Follow all the instructions precisely - skip no step...HTH...Mike

The Uniden link is down atm. Do you have the latest version number and release date? I haven't updated my firmware in my 396T for at least a year, and I need to reprogram Montgomery County's system. I'm hoping that I already have the latest FW.

[ka3jjz]

I just got the page. Even when it's up, it's very slow - and that's ironic, considering the meaning of the word 'Wiki' comes from an old Hawaiian word which means 'fast' or 'quick', depending on whose translation you're using....

Anyway, the latest version is 3.02.02. You can check your firmware version using the info in the firmware update article, below...

Updating the Firmware in Uniden DMA Scanners - The RadioReference Wiki

Be aware that if you're still using the UASD, after doing the firmware upgrade, the UASD won't work properly (it doesn't support rebanding). However, FreeScan (which is freeware) does, and it will import UASD files.

Mike

[ancientchief]

Well, many thanks to all of the folks who responded to me and stuck through the trial-and-error of trying to set this up. I am using ARC 396, with a USB cable I got from ScannerMaster and also the correct driver.

Being the scientist that I am, I was unwilling to give up. I tried every one of the recommendations that folks sent me to to avail. Nothing would work. So, I set out to try multiple combinations of doing stuff and VOILA! I have successfullt reprogrammed for the rebanded stuff in Montgomery County!

However, the solution mades no sense to me, but I repeated the experiment and this in fact is the only way that the BCD396T would agree to reprogram correctly.

First, at base, I replaced the batteries with three new, NUON, rechargables. Fully charged the scanner and batteries, discharged to as clos to zero as I could once, then recharged. This had no effect on my ability to reprogram, but did help keep the backlighting nice and bright. Failure.

Without going through all the permutations of what I did here is the "simple" solution: the scanner reprogrammed totally correctly when it was attached to the PC and ARC and WAS NOT CONNECTED TO THE POWER SUPPLY/CHARGER!!!! What? Yes, boys and girls, the only way that I could get this puppy to reprogram was to do solely on batteries connected to the PC.

I am sctatching my head over this one as it makes zero sense to me. But, then again, I am not a techie and am electro-retarded. I offer no explanation, I offer only successful experimental results. Why the hell should the scanner dislike being attached to the power supply/charger while being reprogrammed? Never happend like this before.

Oh, well. Now I know and throw this to the electo-wolves to have fun with. Thanks again to all who offered suggestions or even comple group files!

Merry Christmas and Happy New year to all!

Art

[Bote]

Originally Posted by ancientchief

...Without going through all the permutations of what I did here is the "simple" solution: the scanner reprogrammed totally correctly when it was attached to the PC and ARC and WAS NOT CONNECTED TO THE POWER SUPPLY/CHARGER!!!! What? Yes, boys and girls, the only way that I could get this puppy to reprogram was to do solely on batteries connected to the PC.

...Why the hell should the scanner dislike being attached to the power supply/charger while being reprogrammed? Never happend like this before.

Maybe you have a ground loop between the outlet into which the scanner power supply is plugged and the computer itself? That might cause enough noise that it corrupted the programming data.