Need some help with SAFE- T 396T & my PC

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SCOTTER

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I know you guys get sick of programming questions but as a 43yr old who saved up his money to buy his first scanner at Kmart in 1979 i need a little help with pc programming. I am a little old school. I have my bc396t hand programed to the South Bend, tower but i want to try some pc programming. All I want to do is load some systems before keys fall out. First off the wire will not fit in my pc do i need a adapter or new wire.2can I just download the 2 SAFE-T files from data base into 396t.3 should i just download tg file I use 1 tower for SAFE-T.4 what baud rate 5 the guy across street has port for the wire can i send him file and download there 6 will all tgs fit into 1 system 7 can i download files without the new firmware i dont want to mess with that my 396 works fine.Anyway if someone can help me out i thank you and will pass on what i learn to others. Im kinda pc dumb so keep it simple if you can THANKS SCOTTER
 

jerk

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SCOTTER said:
I know you guys get sick of programming questions but as a 43yr old who saved up his money to buy his first scanner at Kmart in 1979 i need a little help with pc programming. I am a little old school. I have my bc396t hand programed to the South Bend, tower but i want to try some pc programming. All I want to do is load some systems before keys fall out. First off the wire will not fit in my pc do i need a adapter or new wire.
Yes or no, you can get a serial adapter that would work with the "wire" you have. There was a recent thread on this in the uniden forum. Or you can by one from Uniden. The cost is $30 the adapter is about $10

SCOTTER said:
2can I just download the 2 SAFE-T files from data base into 396t.3 should i just download tg file I use 1 tower for SAFE-T.4 what baud rate
Yes, the database has some files, but look for one matching your area... ask here, someone should be able to supply one or there may not be one in the files. One tower is fine as long as you are receiving everything you already want. You can download the TG's and limit what you receive, for instance if all you want to listen to is fire, then just download or turn on fire and skip the rest. The buad rate, I use 57600 and it works, I've used the higher ones and lesser ones, I currently have 115200 set for my needs.
SCOTTER said:
5 the guy across street has port for the wire can i send him file and download there 6 will all tgs fit into 1 system 7 can i download files without the new firmware i dont want to mess with that my 396 works fine.Anyway if someone can help me out i thank you and will pass on what i learn to others. Im kinda pc dumb so keep it simple if you can THANKS SCOTTER
I would get with the guy across the street, and learn from him until you obtain what you need. Now will all the tags fit, depends on what you are monitoring. If you want "all" of Safe-T, then no they will not. The limit is 200, but if you want is local and state area, it should not be a problem. I run about 160 tags in my scanner and five tower sites, the rest is one general file as I travel through areas. The purists will say each site needs to be programed as a system. But I only do it for my local ones, traveling allows the scanner to search out new control channels and work fine.
 

kg9qm

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May 22, 2008
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Well, I never touched a 396 until last week and the programming was very straightforward with the software Uniden offers for download.

I found that I can either plug the 9-pin 'D' connector end of the Uniden-supplied cable into my desktop PC or - with a short USB-to-serial adapter/cable that came with the laptop - I can connect the same 'D' connecter into the adapter and it works with my laptop.

Be wary about buying a cable. There are $10 options (that I saw in here someplace) and there are $35+ options. Don't let them rip you off.

My laptop came WITH the adapter I mentioned and I would think your PC should have had one if it doesn't have the 'D' connector.

Go to the nearest Best Buy and check for a USB-to-Serial RS232 adapter, either a short cable or an outboard USB box that has a serial port in it.

If there are any small computer shops around where you live, stop in there. They usually have the odd stuff like this that big stores don't bother with. You might find something gathering dust for 2 bucks. They typically have odds and ends (like my laptop adapter cable) that few people need or want and they can be had VERY cheaply.
 
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