BC72XLT not accepting manual frequency input within range...

[Jennifer_rose]

Just purchased a BC72XLT. The intended main use is for railroad and free up my other scanners. Hope to see if local fire is still on analog too.

I reset the unit but stumped on manual entry. When I push hold, type in 161.385, press hold again it says error. I was able to program it into memory and get it to work but it wont let me enter it in manually. What might I be doing wrong? I tried manually entering some frequencies within the range of whats listed on the box (including wx 162.4) but all say error.

I can make a video if it does not make sense.

 

[KE5BCP]

FUNC / E (PGM), first:

 

[doctordialtone]

What might I be doing wrong? I tried manually entering some frequencies within the range of whats listed on the box (including wx 162.4) but all say error.

According to the manual, you may have entered a frequency in an invalid format

https://www.uniden.info/download/ompdf/BC72XLTom.pdf

 

[Jennifer_rose]

I know how to program in a channel. I just want to be able to type in the frequency and listen to that specific one. According to the manual (and same as my 996) while scanning press hold, enter frequency and press hold again to listen. However, I get error after pressing hold the 2nd time even though the frequency is within the scanners range.

It appears I get error on any manual frequency entry, what setting am I missing?

 

[donc13]

To manually enter a CHANNEL you press HOLD the channel number and then HOLD again.

You MUST already have the frequency you wish stored in a specific channel. (page 36 of the manual).

I do not believe there is a way to direct tune to a specific frequency on that scanner. I have a BC72XLT don't recall ever being able to do that. I first had to store the frequency and then could direct tune that channel it was stored in.

 

[Jennifer_rose]

I do not believe there is a way to direct tune to a specific frequency on that scanner.

I think thats my problem. Seems crazy that you can't type on a frequency directly. Looks like the only way to do that is directly entering the frequency into the memory then accessing it from there. I was hoping to look for fire pages/transmissions too but it seems very limited. Would that be best to look for in a custom chain search?

 

[wtp]

my 396Tm,396XT and 325P2 all do the HOLD, FREQ, HOLD thing.
make sure you hit the decimal point.
that does something different.

 

[Jennifer_rose]

my 396Tm,396XT and 325P2 all do the HOLD, FREQ, HOLD thing.
make sure you hit the decimal point.
that does something different.

I presumed that's how it worked but apparently not. As donc13 points out, it does not appear that you can directly enter a frequency in this scanner, it needs to be recalled from programmed memory. Very strange IMO.

 

[mass-man]

out of curiosity, I watched a couple of videos and donc13 is right. there is no provision for direct entry and then monitoring. EVERYTING must go into memory and be recalled from there. It is strange and frankly sure makes the little scanner not all that practical.

You can program ALL of the AAR frequencies and scan thru those if its primary purpose is rail monitoring...

You can set up freq ranges to scan, with a lower and upper limit. Or with any luck, the fire frequencies you want are in the the RRDB.

As a side note, if you think the BCT72XLT not having direct to monitoring is strange, then the BC355N with no keypad or any method of direct entry is even a stranger bird. You must go into scan, stop near a freq you want to input, often step up or back down to it, and then enter it. If it hadn't been $10 bucks or so at a garage sale, it wouldn't be one of the scanners on my desk!!!

 

[sonm10]

You can program ALL of the AAR frequencies and scan thru those if its primary purpose is rail monitoring...

Not necessary. Just two RR frequencies - AAR 85 [161.385] Staples Sub East, AAR 72 [161.19] St Cloud to Rockville.

 

[Jennifer_rose]

You can set up freq ranges to scan, with a lower and upper limit.

That is one thing I was referring to above. The manual calls it Chain Search, thats a new term for me.
It does have Close call so thats nice. Otherwise it is not too terrible to manually put frequencies into the very limited memory.

Oh well. At least I have the answer I was originally looking for.