BCT15X: Alert Tone

[DOCMHZ]

BLUF: I want to turn off the Alert Tone function on the BCT15X.

Background: I just got a BCT15X ... I’m in Ravalli Co. Montana ... I know this is an analog scanner ... I’m computer savy ... I know I need to program the scanner via a scanner program and enter the Radio Reference database ... I entered the initial State set up as described in the manual ... I want to listen to what’s available via preprogrammed settings before I plug the scanner into my laptop.

Problem: The alert tone goes off immediately after I turn on the power. I push the mute, it quits, but comes back. It’s a temporary mute and displays it on the screen. I must turn it off and quickly or I’ll be banned by my dear spouse from using it much longer.

Question: Is there a top level menu I can use to mute all alerts?

I‘ve scrolled through the menus on the screen but can’t find a “Mute All Alerts” selection. I’m hoping there’s one buried under one of the top level menu headings. There may be a use for an alert in the future. I’ve had weather radios, lived in the Midwest, rode out many a thunderstorm and close calls from tornadoes and understand the value. I don’t need to hear it till I want to hear it. I’ve looked through the online manual and it appears I must set the alert tone for each type of category. I’m hoping I’ve missed a menu option to mute all alerts. So, if the only way to mute all alerts is via the USB cable and mute it on each category or system, so be it. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[doctordialtone]

Any help would be appreciated.

Try "Alert Mute -- Permanent"

Easier to Read BCT15-X Scanner Manual Toggle Alert

 

[letarotor]

I'm not familiar with this alert tone you are getting when you turn your radio on? What I'm wondering is if it is either one of the weather (WX) alert functions, something I don't use, that is turned on or if it is CloseCall that is turned on.I'm leaning a little closer to thinking you probably have CloseCall mode turned on and maybe you have a NOAA weather radio site close to your location? Is it weather related each time you turn it on and it comes upon one of the NOAA Weather Radio frequencies or are there other things like radio stations or just regular traffic that seem to be getting tuned to? I guess I'm trying to figure out if your radio seems to be tuning to certain frequencies?

Also, and even if what I described above is something else happening, if you hit the Avoid button twice in quick succession it will lock out permanently whatever frequency you're trying to lock out. and when I say permanently that doesn't mean you can't unlock it again, it just means that until you manually unlock it or go to the area where you can unlock all locked out frequencies, it won't pop up each time you turn the radio on. It will be locked out until you unlock it. If you just hit the Avoid button one time it just temporarily locks out the frequency until the radio is turned off and then turned back on again. You can always unlock things that are locked out by holding down on the Avoid button also. While this measure is a temporary fixed, if you do have CC turned on, your radio is looking for a signal that is strong and/or close and then it's tuning to it. But if you definitely are hearing tones and things like that, I'm just not familiar with what may be the issue? You can assign different noises or tones to any channel on your scanner but in most cases I think people only do it to real important channels that they want to audibly be notified to. I would take a look at some of the terminology that I mentioned and see if it looks like it applies to your situation. Mainly I'd look at CloseCall and also the different Avoid functions as well as WX alerts and ways to turn those functions off and on in the manual. I hope this helps. I'm pretty sure it should be something a lot more easy like what is described. It can be frustrating if you haven't dealt with it before and you're not even sure that it's turned on. But I can't think of any other case off the top of my head where there would be any kind of alerts or tones you were receiving unless it was related to one of those three things that I mentioned. And by the way, well I don't have the BCT15X personally, even though I do have one over here but I just haven't used it, I'm pretty sure that it has all three of those features I mentioned. But usually on the front keypad you will see different keys or functions that work when you hit the Function (F) key and then whatever number on the keypad has the other function written just below it. For instance the weather alert stuff should probably have WX written below one of the keys. So if you press F + whatever number is on the keypad with WX under it, it will cycle through the different modes and display on the screen what mode you are in. And of course you wanted to be turned off so you would keep looking or cycling until you saw OFF on the screen. I'm going to shut up before I start giving too much detail and confusing things here like I tend to do sometimes

Brian (COMMSCAN)

 

[doctordialtone]

I'm not familiar with this alert tone you are getting when you turn your radio on?

It's described in the link I posted above.

 

[letarotor]

Gotcha, I totally missed that because I am legally blind. I sure wish RadioReference had not taken away the ability to use the Tapatalk app! It helped me out a lot

Brian (COMMSCAN)

 

[DOCMHZ]

Thank you Doc and Brian ... I’ve silenced the annoying alert! Yay!
On to listening and programing the box!