Uniden BC 780XLT Programming Help

[Fireboat03]

So I was handed down this old scanner and I have programmed several scanners with no issues.

Can anybody help on how to easily program this radio. I just can't seem to figure it out at all. I have searched Youtube for videos with no ease or help.

Thanks

 

[ka3jjz]

You're going to have to give us a lot more information before anyone can help you. For starters, where are you (county/state is fine)? Precisely what system(s) are you trying to hear? Go up to our database by clicking on 'DATABASES' in the blue toolbar under the site title, select Frequency db, then use the various pulldowns and links to get to the areas you want. C'mon back with the URLs for those areas.

Are you using software (ProScan will work with this scanner)? If not that, which one? Have you got a working connection between the PC and scanner (sometimes folks can send you a file you can use)?

Too many questions, not enough answers...Mike

 

[Fireboat03]

You're going to have to give us a lot more information before anyone can help you. For starters, where are you (county/state is fine)? Precisely what system(s) are you trying to hear? Go up to our database by clicking on 'DATABASES' in the blue toolbar under the site title, select Frequency db, then use the various pulldowns and links to get to the areas you want. C'mon back with the URLs for those areas.

Are you using software (ProScan will work with this scanner)? If not that, which one? Have you got a working connection between the PC and scanner (sometimes folks can send you a file you can use)?

Too many questions, not enough answers...Mike

So I really do not want to program this scanner manually. I would like to program it using software since this is the best method. I know I have used all of the ARC software before and Freescan. Not sure if there is free software to program this scanner since its an old beater scanner.

Just trying to use this for trunking in analog only for a real basic scanner. The software that is probably used to program this scanner probably only works on Windows XP or Windows 7 hopefully.

So if somebody could point me in the right direction on the software to use and the hardware programming cable that is needed. It looks like it uses a comm port type cable from the scanner to the comm port on the computer. I have an old laptop with Windows XP with a comm port on it.

P/M me or post what I will need. I have programmed all of the BCT15X BCD996P2 and the BCD536HP. So I understand scanners and programming but this BC780XLT is a little confusing.

Thanks

 

[Phreakin318]

So I was handed down this old scanner and I have programmed several scanners with no issues.

Can anybody help on how to easily program this radio. I just can't seem to figure it out at all. I have searched Youtube for videos with no ease or help.

Thanks

here is the wiki page for it BC780XLT - The RadioReference Wiki

 

[sparklehorse]

I know I have used all of the ARC software before and Freescan.
<snip>
It looks like it uses a comm port type cable from the scanner to the comm port on the computer. I have an old laptop with Windows XP with a comm port on it.

I don't believe Freescan works with the 780, but ARC still sells their 780 software program, or did as recently as a couple months ago. So once you have that you'll have a 780 Trifecta: ARC780, Laptop with a comm port, and Windows XP. All you'll still need is the programming cable. IIRC it's just an RS232 to DB9 cable, which are still pretty easy to find.

Looks like Universal Radio sells it:

Uniden Bearcat 780XLT Scanner

It's been a while since I've used ARC780, and I can't remember now if it can connect directly to the RR database like Freescan does to download data. It might do that, but if it doesn't you'll just have to copy & paste data like frequencies, talk group IDs, etc. I do know it works for programming that radio, and works well.

Hope that helps.

.

 

[ak4fn]

You can use proscan to program it you can try it out for free for 30 days.

 

[sparklehorse]

I forgot to mention one HUGE BC780XLT caveat:

That radio will not track re-banded Motorola systems properly. Period. There is no way to update firmware or anything like that to address this issue. Now with that said, I can tell you it might still track your local systems just fine. In my area we have four large Moto Smartzone systems that went through rebanding a few years ago. My 780 can still track three of those four systems perfectly. The fourth system has 2 frequencies out of 10 that the 780 drops every time because it doesn't fully understand that new band plan. But I still hear 80% of the transmissions on that system, which isn't terrible.

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