Uniden BCT396XT display explanation?

[W1CMC]

I'm a little bit surprised that the user's manual for the Uniden BCT396XT doesn't provide any details on what is being displayed on the LCD while scanning. I'm new to this, and very perplexed by what I can best describe as a very non-intuitive user interface. For example, while I am scanning I see five lines of text

Mass State
ID SCAN (scrolling left with an up-arrow on the right)
NFM
S2: 1********-
GRP----------

So I get that the first line is the name of the system that I am currently scanning.

What is the significance of the second line, and why is it scrolling left? What does the up-arrow mean?

NFM is narrowband-FM, which is the modulation

What about those last two rows of mostly asterisks and hyphens?

Can somebody please lend me a clue?

 

[ka3jjz]

I'm pretty sure those last 2 lines are systems, sites and groups. It's briefly explained in our FAQ

Systems, Sites and Groups - The RadioReference Wiki

73 Mike

 

[W1CMC]

That site you linked should be imported wholesale into the Uniden scanners wiki/manual. But I still wonder, what do the arrow pointing up and ID SCAN scrolling left signify?

 

[hfxChris]

Mass State
ID SCAN (scrolling left with an up-arrow on the right)
NFM
S2: 1********-
GRP----------

As you said, Mass State is the system being scanned
ID SCAN - since this is a trunked system, this line tells you that it is scanning and waiting for activity on a talkgroup ID you have programmed. The alternate would be ID SEARCH, in which case it's waiting for activity on any talkgroup ID, not just those you have programmed. You can toggle between search and scan with Func, Scan. As for why it scrolls, not a clue, I find it kind of annoying myself but I guess they think it looks 'neat'. The up arrow means it's scrolling up through the list of stuff (channels, systems, whatever) you have it set to scan. The alternative is a down arrow meaning it's scanning in the opposite direction. This is adjusted by turning the knob on top.
NFM as you said is narrowband FM.
S2 1********- This tells you what system quick keys (SQKs) you have turned on, or in other words what systems it is scanning. This display says you have system 21 turned on. SQKs 22-29 are turned off, and there is nothing assigned to SQK 20.
The last one tells you what group quick keys (GQKs) in the Mass State system it's scanning. The hyphens tell me you haven't assigned anything to any of the GQKs.

Hope that helps.

 

[SCPD]

uniden 396xt

the last two rows are systems and groups if there is a number that means that system is enabled (unlocked) if there is an asterisk it means that system in locked out. the bottom row are groups within a system. systems are locked in and out by simply pressing that # while scanning. groups (bottom row) are locked in and out easily by enabling only one system (top row) the one you want ..then pressing the fucntion key then the the # of the group you want to enable or disable. the arrow indicates the direction of scan....it takes a while to get used to , but its easy after awhile.. the manual for the 996t explains systems and groups better and also the monitoing times article included with the scanner does a good job of explaining systems and groups

 

[W1CMC]

Thanks to everyone who replied; all the replies have been very helpful. To summarize, I think the "Easier to Read BCD396T/UBCD396T Scanner Manual"

Easier to Read BCD396T/UBCD396T Manual

is a great place to start to learn how the buttons and display work, and the Dynamic Memory FAQ

Uniden DMA FAQ - The RadioReference Wiki

for background on how the memory hierarchy works. It's a shame that more of the information from those two sites wasn't included in the Uniden wiki/manual.

Those bottom two rows on the LCD are essentially displaying the memory hierarchy, as was explained to me by previous posts in this thread.

Thanks again to everyone who replied.

73 de W1CMC