BCT15X: BCT15x questions

Hi all-

I'm new to the scanner hobby, so excuse my idiot-ness.

I'm using a Uniden BCT15x, and I'm no genius when it comes to programming these things and how they work. Either way, I'm in Story County, Iowa (Story County, Iowa (IA) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference) and I'm trying to get three different trunked systems to work.

First, I've got them all programmed, although settings may be off? The Iowa State University system (call it ISU) comes in loud and clear, never any problems -- able to monitor Police dispatch/ops, info and parking loud and clear, and I've even blocked out BS university talk groups I don't want to hear like maintenance. Second, the City of Ames (trying to monitor police dispatch/ops and fire). This one is a mix -- sometimes it is loud and clear like ISU, sometimes it's unreadable and full of static -- I'll look up and see different frequencies have different results.

Third, I've programmed Story County, once again to monitor sheriff dispatch/ops, and nothing on this one. While it's scanning, doesn't even display a frequency (just flashes NFM). I see it's a different Motorola system (Motorola Type IIi Hybrid instead of a smartnet). Anything that needs to be done differently here because of this? Fleet map/band plan/modulation? Help a noob with a walk through?

Also, state patrol has a conventional system, is there a way to have this thing scan all the trunked systems and one conventional system at the same time? I have the Des Moines group programmed in (Department of Public Safety Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference). In this case, in rare cases it may be useful to hear the Des Moines are "LEA" messages.

Is this possibly just a reception problem? I'm smack dab in the middle of the City of Ames, so I have a hard time believing it's a reception issue (Although, notably, Ames PD operates an "Ops 2" channel on the ISU system for some calls, as I understand for when they take calls on the west side of Ames).

Also, I've got a Mac, so I'm SOL on scanner software to do it all for me.

Thanks in advance, folks.

The blue underlined items are links, just click on them for more information.

A Hybrid system requires that you program the System Fleet Map.

I assume you are using the stock antenna. An 800 MHz. antenna will receive much better on those 800 systems. You will need a BNC right-angle adapter as well. If you still have a Radio Shack around you can probably find these items there, and probably cheaper.

Also this forum is more for discussion of technical aspects of Uniden scanners. In the future regional related questions should be posted in the Iowa Radio Discussion Forum where local members who monitor these systems can give you some better answers. You can review that forum and these systems may have already been discussed.

If you would like to have this thread moved you can click on the red and white triangle in the upper-right hand corner of your post and ask a moderator to move it there.

Since most Radio Shacks are gone at this point and stock is probably limited, this is the antenna you want to search for - Remtronix REM-800B -BNC connector

JamesO said:

Since most Radio Shacks are gone at this point and stock is probably limited, this is the antenna you want to search for - Remtronix REM-800B -BNC connector

Click to expand...

That is the exact antenna in the link I posted (from ScannerMaster). I was giving the OP the option to buy local if they were available. There are some Radio Shacks still around and they still have the 800 MHz. antenna.