Butel - 996 & RR Database

[fuzzymoto]

I've searched around and haven't really found the answers to these questions. I'm planning on buying a 996T in the future and would like to use the Butel software to manage it. I'm also interested in downloading into the Butel software from the RR database...and I have a few questions.

1) How easy is the process? I'd want to load up several counties and states and I'm hoping the import is easy.

2) How would updates work? For example lets say I load in my county on Monday, then on Thursday there are updates to my county in the RR database. Would the download erase and overwrite just that county or just the items that changed?

3) Assuming I have other systems/groups/channels I input myself that are NOT in the RR database. Would those be lost if I added updates form the RR database for the same system/group?

4) How well does the Butel software co-exist on a computer that already has UASD software connected to a different scanner? I assume I'd have to use a USB connection or be plugging and unplugging my serial cables all the time.

[Deeke]

Before you spend any money on software, check out bctool (free) http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/BcTool
and freescan (free)http://scannow.org/
you can download the user manuals and have answers to some of your now questions and later ones also.

[fuzzymoto]

Originally Posted by Deeke

Before you spend any money on software, check out bctool (free) http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/BcTool
and freescan (free)http://scannow.org/
you can download the user manuals and have answers to some of your now questions and later ones also.

It was my impression that only Butel directly imported the RR database data. Is this not correct?

[ajpritch]

There are several companies that can link into the database provided you are a paying member. Butel by far is the best I have come across and for the price you cant go worng either

[fuzzymoto]

Great...hopefully someone using it can answer my questions in the OP.

[ajpritch]

1) the process is very easy. You connect inside the software and it gives you drop downs for states and counties.

2) Updates dont play out as nice and it overwrites or you have the option to create a new. Either way you can do the update manually if you like.

3) Manual adds are not lost unless durring the download you say overwrite and erase all. Otherwise you overwrite just select systems or none. It will also let you download the manual entries into butel to save

4) I have UASD and Butel install on the same machine without an issue. I have never tried though hooking two scanners up at once but as long as you can get each to lock to the correct one you should be fine.

[ka3jjz]

fuzzy there are now NUMEROUS apps that can download data from the database; the bottom of this article lists them all...

http://wiki.radioreference.com/index...om_Web_Service

and in so far as FreeScan is concerned, Assaf is about ready to send out a new release. I've been working on developing a user manual that's wiki accessible, and it's about 1/2 done. There's more than enough here to give you a taste.

http://wiki.radioreference.com/index...can_User_Guide

FreeScan isn't my first choice for either the 996 or 396, BCTool definitely is. I've been fooling around with both for my 396 for a little while now. There are 2 things about FreeScan that gives me some pause;

a. It assumes everyone has upgraded their firmware to version 2. It doesn't give you the ability to change the P25 functions like BCtool does. For beginners, who might find upgrading firmware a bit daunting, I think this was a poor decision on Assaf's part to remove this;
b. It shows every option for all the DMA scanners. That's going to be rather overwhelming to a newcomer. I'd prefer to show only those options that apply to the scanner I'm using.

YMMV of course.

73 Mike

[fuzzymoto]

Thanks...I wasn't aware that anything other than the Butel software is able to download from the RR database. Does anyone know the answers to my original questions relative to BCTool?

[AlabamaRS]

Originally Posted by fuzzymoto

It was my impression that only Butel directly imported the RR database data. Is this not correct?

you will need to become a PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER of RR before you can use this feature in any of the software that you may download/\. pay up to play

[fuzzymoto]

Originally Posted by AlabamaRS

you will need to become a PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER of RR before you can use this feature in any of the software that you may download/\. pay up to play

Yes of course I knew that.

[captclint]

Originally Posted by fuzzymoto

1) How easy is the process? I'd want to load up several counties and states and I'm hoping the import is easy.

In most cases, it is very easy

Originally Posted by fuzzymoto

2) How would updates work? For example lets say I load in my county on Monday, then on Thursday there are updates to my county in the RR database. Would the download erase and overwrite just that county or just the items that changed?

Since no one has answered your Bctool question, I find that it will import the entire system as a new and separate system with the same name. However, I have not used BCtool other than to evaluate it. I believe most software does it this way. From there, you can just copy out the add's, or delete the original system. I think most people simply add the updates manually, unless they are large.

Originally Posted by fuzzymoto

3) Assuming I have other systems/groups/channels I input myself that are NOT in the RR database. Would those be lost if I added updates form the RR database for the same system/group?

Again, it would create a new system with same name(or different name), and would not over write.

You should be able to play with the software without having your scanner hooked up, and try various downloads to see how it works.

[fuzzymoto]

Thanks Clint...