BCD396XT - Houston, Texas HPD, HFD

Status
Not open for further replies.

Houbob03

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 14, 2014
Messages
9
Location
Houston, Texas
Hello All,

I was a big scanner back in the crystal days and just last year it appears that Houston switched systems and my old analog scanners became silent. After saving up, I purchased a BCD396XT last week and promptly joined Radio Reference.

I had read the forums and some posting on the NEW programming nightmare I was about to embark upon and decided to follow the suggestions:

1. Join Radio Ref.
2. Download Proscan
3. Download Database
4. Program scanner with upload.

I went through this and all went very smooth just like the advice. Only problem is nothing is heard. It is scanning and I see the channels in there, but it's silent as my analog. I am sure I have missed something or done something wrong. I would appreciate any advice or help anyone can give me. I love listening to police in my area to know whats going on around me so I have invested heavily with this equipment and would just like to get it to work. Thanks in advance!

-Bob (Houston, TX)
 

KevinC

Big Dog...celebrating 10 years of abuse!
Super Moderator
Joined
Jan 7, 2001
Messages
11,269
Location
Home
Welcome to RR!

Can you post your file here and let us look at it? I'm quite sure we can get you going.
 

KevinC

Big Dog...celebrating 10 years of abuse!
Super Moderator
Joined
Jan 7, 2001
Messages
11,269
Location
Home
It looks like you don't have any of the trunked information entered, only conventional and most of that is simplex AND encrypted.

What part of town do you live in and what do you want to listen to?

I'll make you a file as a sample and you can massage as you seem fit.
 

KevinC

Big Dog...celebrating 10 years of abuse!
Super Moderator
Joined
Jan 7, 2001
Messages
11,269
Location
Home
This is very basic, but should get you headed in the right direction.

Be sure to save your current configuration first in case you don't like what I attached.
 

Attachments

  • HPD.txt
    6.6 KB · Views: 189

Houbob03

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 14, 2014
Messages
9
Location
Houston, Texas
Thanks. How can I import this? When I try clipboard, I copy but nothing pastes. Anyway to point to the file in proscan?
 

KevinC

Big Dog...celebrating 10 years of abuse!
Super Moderator
Joined
Jan 7, 2001
Messages
11,269
Location
Home
Save the file, click on Database in ProScan, then Open and choose this file.
 

Houbob03

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 14, 2014
Messages
9
Location
Houston, Texas
Let me attach config file just to make sure I didn't miss something.
 

Attachments

  • New-BCD396XT-Houston-Wide.txt
    3.9 KB · Views: 135

KevinC

Big Dog...celebrating 10 years of abuse!
Super Moderator
Joined
Jan 7, 2001
Messages
11,269
Location
Home
I'll take a look at it later, hopefully someone else can jump in before I get a chance.
 

Houbob03

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 14, 2014
Messages
9
Location
Houston, Texas
I think its working, got up and unplugged it, turned off and on. Then started hearing traffic. Seems like its all good! At least now I can hear stuff while I educate myself more. ; )

Thank you for taking time to help a newbie. I do appreciate it and I hope this helps others as well.

-Bob
 

KevinC

Big Dog...celebrating 10 years of abuse!
Super Moderator
Joined
Jan 7, 2001
Messages
11,269
Location
Home
Good deal!

The RR community is here to help, so feel free to ask more questions if necessary.
 

infohou

Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2010
Messages
49
Location
Houston, TX
Can't Open Com 1

Hey Folks,

Bought the 396XT yesterday but I cannot get a serial connection to Proscan. I am an IT Consultant of sufficient age to have worked with many serial connections. I have set the radio to match the comm port speed of the computer and gave Proscan the same speed. I am using the rs232 port and have tried several speeds.

On the 396xt does it need to be in GPS receive mode or not? The comm port on the computer does not show any additional drivers, should it?

Thanks,
Robert
PS: Thanks to KevinC as I am planning to use the config he posted in this thread.
 

ka3jjz

Wiki Admin Emeritus
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Messages
25,354
Location
Bowie, Md.
Nope you don't need drivers if you really do have a serial port on that PC...assuming here that you know that new PCs don't have serial ports anymore...anyhow, one step you didn't mention was configuring the port on the scanner itself. This wiki article has a summary of how to go about it for all the DMA scanners...

Freescan - Connecting Scanner to PC - The RadioReference Wiki

Another thing to check is Device Manager -- see if something is grabbing COM1 and won't let it go....

GL...Mike
 
Last edited:

infohou

Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2010
Messages
49
Location
Houston, TX
"assuming here that you know that new PCs don't have serial ports anymore"

Yep, as I said, I am an IT Consultant.

"...anyhow, one step you didn't mention was configuring the port on the scanner itself."

Actually I did mention "I have set the radio to match the comm port speed of the computer" .

"This wiki article has a summary of how to go about it for all the DMA scanners..."

That is good info!


"Another thing to check is Device Manager -- see if something is grabbing COM1 and won't let it go....

GL...Mike"

Good idea, I have already done that.

Thanks for the Wiki link and your reply. What I don't think I did was Yes after selecting the speed on the scanner. I just push the rotary knob in and thought that would select it. I will try that now.

I appreciate the help,
Robert A. Ober
 
Last edited:

Syncopations

Hears voices in my head.
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 19, 2011
Messages
240
Location
South Texas
I believe some of Houston PD's channels are P25 Phase 2, like the main dispatch channels. You won't hear those with the 396XT.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top