Increased my scanning speed 100%....

[Blackink]

That's right...my BCT15X is scanning twice as fast as it once did.
I shut off the built in State programmed frequencies which means I shut off the PL, DOT, HP, and BT buttons. I never had the BearTracker on anyways. Then I added a few frequencies....

Now that I've had this scanner for a month and a half, I've learned how to "see" what was in the scanner for built in state frequencies-the ones that come per-programmed into this model. My state happens to be Vermont.
I copied all of those frequencies down that were in the scanner and crossed checked those with frequencies I had jotted down over the last 1 1/2 months, that were getting hit, on those Vermont frequencies. Cross checked the other frequencies on RR's database and found half of those ones were outdated.
By the time I was done, I had shortened the list of frequencies to about a third of what I started with and really only needed to be in my scanner anyways.

I then created a new group for those new frequencies, about 25 of them. Entered them all into FreeSCAN and then loaded the new group into my scanner and P-O-W.....my scanner is now scanning twice as fast as before, when it had to scan through all the pre-set state programmed frequencies in addition to what I had set up for Conventional Sustems.

So, for anyone out there using the pre-set state-programmed frequencies that are in your scanner now. Maybe you should find out exactly what is really being scanned and does it need to be scanned at all?
You might find similar results as I did and in so doing, you'll do away with the pre-programming and enter your own frequencies by checking to see if what is there is still of any use and how much it'll add to what you've collected so far..
You'll probably find that half of it is outdated.
Now granted....I live in a place with few cities and towns and even fewer frequencies. There's probably places with hundreds of frequencies that make it near impossible to look through every one but for my area, what i did help my scanning speeds tremendously.

Hope this helps others in gaining some speed time on your scans also.

[RonnieUSA]

Originally Posted by Blackink

That's right...my BCT15X is scanning twice as fast as it once did.
I shut off the built in State programmed frequencies which means I shut off the PL, DOT, HP, and BT buttons. I never had the BearTracker on anyways.

How did You do that?

[cacherjoe]

I don't think it's scanning any faster, you have just eliminated some of the "junk" that you don't listen to. You are cycling through your frequency list faster because it isn't as large.

[troymail]

Scanning less "stuff" means you are scanning faster for what remains.... the radio is scanning at the same rate - just less things to check before it cycles back around

Originally Posted by cacherjoe

I don't think it's scanning any faster, you have just eliminated some of the "junk" that you don't listen to. You are cycling through your frequency list faster because it isn't as large.

[cacherjoe]

Yes, but its like saying driving your car in a circle at one speed and then changing to a smaller circle still at the same speed. You are not going any faster, you are just completing shorter circuit.

That said it is an issue with some people who are scanning frequencies that they cannot receive from their location or are simply obsolete. Cutting those out helps. That's why I like the Extreme Upgrade on my HP-1, I can log hits and see if over a period of time whether I'm receiving on all the frequencies that have open for scanning. Especially with larger Trunked systems like the TMR system here, you can end up scanning for things you will never hear anything on.

[troymail]

Yup - I agree - that's why I really don't like "locational" loads all that much -- way too much junk in there. I much prefer programming exactly what I want to listen to to make the radio "scan faster"....

I generally only use zip code or city/county loads for short notice trips and/or if I'm interested in knowing what's out there... but it's rare.

[wtp]

good for every day, which is what most want but
could some of them be used less than once a month and still be important?
also did you keep a record during the day or when you are at work?
its nice to have a couple of radios one for everyday stuff
and one for the once and a while stuff
for a couple of years in new jersey 155.475 was in my radio
only heard radio checks and then one night fbi was calling hackensack pd
it was one of a few times i got involved and called the pd to answer the radio
it was before caller id and all

[cacherjoe]

I have favorite lists set up on my HP1 for areas that I'm in regularly and also for travel between these points. I'll use the gps to lock in and out on my travels. The only time I use the global list is if I'm traveling to an unfamiliar area.

[Blackink]

Originally Posted by RonnieUSA

How did You do that?

By pushing the POL, HP buttons until those initials and the initials associated with them, don't show up at the bottom of the display: Pressing POL will get you PL(Police), and /or DT(Dept. of Transportation), depending on how many times you press POL.
Do the same with the HP button, keep pressing it until HP (Highway Patrol), and BT (BearTracker) either show up or go away on the bottom of the display.
It is these buttons that enable or disable the pre-set scanning for your state.

Originally Posted by cacherjoe

I don't think it's scanning any faster, you have just eliminated some of the "junk" that you don't listen to. You are cycling through your frequency list faster because it isn't as large.

Ah.....Yes, you are right. sort of ! It does have less frequencies to scan which will increase the time it takes to scan from start to finish. But darn it, it still scans faster.....

[RonnieUSA]

Originally Posted by Blackink

By pushing the POL, HP buttons until those initials and the initials associated with them, don't show up at the bottom of the display: Pressing POL will get you PL(Police), and /or DT(Dept. of Transportation), depending on how many times you press POL.
Do the same with the HP button, keep pressing it until HP (Highway Patrol), and BT (BearTracker) either show up or go away on the bottom of the display.
It is these buttons that enable or disable the pre-set scanning for your state.

I guess I had already done it, and didn't know what You meant when You posted about speeding up your scan.

[N2JDS]

How come everybody has to bust peoples chops on here? If his favorite channel was only being checked every 5 seconds because of all the other channels and now it is checked every 2 seconds because he removed stuff, it's scanning his favorite stuff faster.

[Fuzy_GSXR1000]

Glad that your scanning more efficiently good for you!!!