BCT8 Trunking; ripping hair out!!!

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rbecker1963

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Okay...

I'm really struggling over here and I could use some help. When I run this BCT8 in HWY mode, I get plenty of New Jersey State Police comm's.

On the banks that I program, I'm not getting the same traffic. Numerous times, I've programmed all trunked voice freq's in one bank. In another bank, I've programmed just the Control Channel freq's and set ARC8 Software to plan 1.

What the hell am I doing wrong? That's it...I'm taking hostages....LOL

Ray
 

Highpockets

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Okay...

I'm really struggling over here and I could use some help. When I run this BCT8 in HWY mode, I get plenty of New Jersey State Police comm's.

On the banks that I program, I'm not getting the same traffic. Numerous times, I've programmed all trunked voice freq's in one bank. In another bank, I've programmed just the Control Channel freq's and set ARC8 Software to plan 1.

What the hell am I doing wrong? That's it...I'm taking hostages....LOL

Ray

Are you setting the trunk type to E2-800 in the bank with the control channels and is CC only turned on.
 

Highpockets

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I don't believe the BCT-8 has the CC only turned on feature.

Accoring to the manual it does, maybe I should have used the word Activated.

Control Channel Only Mode​
When this function is activated, trunking is performed using Control Channel data only.
Voice channel (also known as "DATA channel") frequencies do not have to be programmed
into memory. This feature only applies to Motorola 800 MHz systems.
1. Press and hold​
TRUNK for 1.5 seconds and select the bank you want to change.
2. Use the
or key to select (Motorola Type2 800MHz) or (Motorola Type1
800 MHz), then press
E.
3. Use the
or key to select , then press E.
4. Use the
or key to select a plan from 4 frequency plans,
then press
E. The scanner returns to Control Channel Only
list item.
 
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w2csx

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my gosh what you don't learn, i had one before i bought the BCT15X and never knew that the BCT8 had that feature.....
 

w2csx

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In rereading the post, if i read it right, I believe you are programing it wrong. The control channels have to programed in the same bank has the other frequencies.
 

Highpockets

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In rereading the post, if i read it right, I believe you are programing it wrong. The control channels have to programed in the same bank has the other frequencies.

In CC only mode, he won't need the voice channels, just the CC's in red and blue in the database for the system he wants to monitor. I don't want to confuse the OP, I'll wait and see how he makes out up to this point.
 

rbecker1963

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Yes to E2-800. Also....Yes to putting all freq's in same bank. Like I said, I used the software to program and I've even programmed a bank manually. I've read the manual many times. I've read forums. I've read....friggin tea leaves....

According to Uniden, I can program just the control channels and not need the voice freq's. Or, I could program the voice freq's.

Technically, I should be able to copy every Control freq from DB and set the bank for CC Only Plan 1. If I knew how Uniden setup the HWY mode, I would duplicate that in one of the banks. Frustrating.
 

Highpockets

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Yes to E2-800. Also....Yes to putting all freq's in same bank. Like I said, I used the software to program and I've even programmed a bank manually. I've read the manual many times. I've read forums. I've read....friggin tea leaves....

According to Uniden, I can program just the control channels and not need the voice freq's. Or, I could program the voice freq's.

Technically, I should be able to copy every Control freq from DB and set the bank for CC Only Plan 1. If I knew how Uniden setup the HWY mode, I would duplicate that in one of the banks. Frustrating.

If you put all the freq's, voice and CC's in one bank and set it to E2-800 and do not use CC only it should work.
 

rbecker1963

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Okay...

Copied all NJSP freq's from DB into bank 3. All Freq's have trunk turned on and 2 sec. delay. E2-800 system with Plan off. Status Bit On. End Code Detect. HWY mode is now off. Only using private banks.
 

rbecker1963

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Mr. Highpockets....

You Sir are responsible for me keeping some of my hair. One of the Talkgroups are coming in now. Thank you Sir. I am not Worthy.
 

rbecker1963

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Follow up Question....

Should I Not program the talk groups but instead do a search for ID's that only I can receive??

In HWY mode, I can get a handful of ID's. But in PVT, I only seem to get one ID coming in.
 

Highpockets

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Follow up Question....

Should I Not program the talk groups but instead do a search for ID's that only I can receive??

In HWY mode, I can get a handful of ID's. But in PVT, I only seem to get one ID coming in.

I'd have to read the manual, I don't know to much about that scanner, but, there should be a way to ID search, and the ones you like, there should be a key stroke to save them. Or you can enter the ones you just want to hear, once again, you'll have to read on how to do that, and not use search mode. When I get time I'll read on it if you can wait, or give it a try yourself using the manual and taking your time.
 

rbecker1963

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Okay....

What I'm doing is ID Search. When an interesting Talk Group ID is found, I'm programming it to one of the available Lists. 26960 is the one that is most important to me since it's the Parkway and I dispatch tow trucks to the Parkway. That ID went into 2-1 which is Priority. As other ID's come in, I'll place them in other slots.

For posterity sake, this whole thread should help quite a few peep's with their BCT8. Thanks to Steve and the others who responded. Here is a review:

I'm using a BCT8 with the Firmware upgraded. I also use Butel ARC8 and a serial cable. I did a web catch of all NJ State Police freq's from the database. These were put into one bank and that bank was set to Motorola Type II 800, 2 sec. delay, end code detect, Status Bit On and Control Channel Mode off.

After programming freq's I pressed SRCH and started getting Talk Groups.
 
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