Free BCD396T Advanced Virtual Control Software

[brianfoy]

Hey all,

I have released the Beta for the Scannerbase BCD396T Advanced Virtual Control (AVC396) Software for Windows over at Scannerbase.com/dev.

Some updated screen caps for those interested in seeing what the program looks like before digging into the details:

http://www.scannerbase.com/scannerba...e-preview.html

A Quick Overview of the Scannerbase Advanced Virtual Control BCD396T (Scannerbase AVC396):

As it's name implies, advanced virtual control software for the Uniden BCD396T Scanner Radio. Amongst a growing list of unique advanced control functions like Macro's, Extended Info and Group QK Buttons, the Scannerbase AVC396 software will allow you the opportunity to log both conventional and trunked frequency hits to both text and audio format (WAV format).

More Info and Link to the Free Download is available here:

http://www.scannerbase.com/scannerba...-software.html

Future Updates and other software releases will be listed in the Scannerbase Software Development Site located at:

http://www.scannerbase.com/dev

Enjoy, please email me at software@scannerbase.com and let me know how it works for you or just post away here!

Brian Foy

[ICP963]

Brian, AWESOME job so far!

Here is a suggestion for a feature I would like to see. In the log screen I would love to have two options, one might be sorrta hard to do though.

The first option would be the ability to tap on a log line and have the 396 stop what it is doing and tune back to that freq/talkgroup and hold.

The second option would be if recording is on. It would be nice to be able to point to a log entry and have that entry played back, maybe with the option of putting the 396 in hold & mute while the sound file is playing. And the ability to cursor up or down and play whicever log entry is highlighted would be nice too.

Keep it going, you have done a great job so far.

Roy Schahrer - N7QYK - ICP963

[Kirk]

Great software! I'm having fun with it after one night of playing with it.

Suggestion: Let users specify a path for creation of the sound files, rather than putting them in the program root directory.

[buttsrob]

This is OUTSTANDING software. I've been using computer-control software since the BC245XLT first came out (1998? 99?).

This is certainly on par with any commercial software I've used - probably better - and Brian has released it for free.

- The logging functions are great.

- The "Quick Scan" function is OUTSTANDING.

- The control interface is very easy to use and comprehensive.

- The "Extended Info" is really cool. By aligning .gif images and text files to a given frequency of talk group you get the info and picture on the screen when the scanner stops on that freq/tg. This is really cool because all I have to do is glance at the computer screen and I instantly know what channel is talking - and have reference data available.

I've gotten serious utility out of this already.

Bravo!

[ffexpCP]

Sweet software. Could the signal meter be added on to the log?

[1080iAddict]

Originally Posted by ICP963

The second option would be if recording is on. It would be nice to be able to point to a log entry and have that entry played back, maybe with the option of putting the 396 in hold & mute while the sound file is playing. And the ability to cursor up or down and play whicever log entry is highlighted would be nice too.

I second this feature request. This would be awesome if it worked EXACTLY as suggested. If a listener is outside and hears sirens, the listener could easily return to the PC, click on the log, and play back the action easily (and, most important, QUICKLY). This is a great suggeted feature.

Another idea..... a Fire Tone Out button that puts the 396 in FTO Standby on a pre selected channel 1 through 10. I will try the macro for this in the meantime.

One thing I dont get.... why is this awesome software free? This is better than lots of software I buy! Great job.

[1080iAddict]

I also thought of one more feature request. It would be great if there was a 'trigger' that would happen upon receiving audio, i.e., the ability to automatically run an executable program (.exe file) of my choice upon receiving audio on a given channel. This would supplement the Fire Tone Out feature (among other examples) by allowing the user to set the unit into FTO Standby and, upon receiving an alert (i.e., a burst of audio), the .exe file would be run automatically. Sort of a "run this program upon audio" dialog box.

For example, I have an X-10 home automation setup that could be used with this feature, i.e., the 396 alerts, the X-10 .exe program runs, and a light blinks or turns on in a different room to signal an alert. I could then go back to the PC and play the recorded audio which is already a feature in the software.

[GutWrench]

Do these guys have free software for other units? Like 296D etc...

[loumaag]

Originally Posted by 1080iAddict

...One thing I dont get.... why is this awesome software free? This is better than lots of software I buy! Great job.

Brian explained it pretty well on the Yahoo BCD396T list. I am sure that if you ask him via email he would explain it, or he may post it here. BTW, I applaud both his effort and his reasoning.

[ka3jjz]

Originally Posted by GutWrench

Do these guys have free software for other units? Like 296D etc...

Well Brian hints on the 396 Yahoo group that he may have something for 246 users soon....heck it looks very much like if he married his 246 recorder software at:

246 Recorder

with whatever functions are applicable from his 396 implementation, he could have quite a winner on his hands. He even says that **if he has the time** he might develop something for the 296/796.

Freeware developers take note - Brian is obviously on the warpath - and scanner users are, for a change, going to benefit.

73s Mike

[GutWrench]

Originally Posted by ka3jjz

Well Brian hints on the 396 Yahoo group that he may have something for 246 users soon....heck it looks very much like if he married his 246 recorder software at:

246 Recorder

with whatever functions are applicable from his 396 implementation, he could have quite a winner on his hands. He even says that **if he has the time** he might develop something for the 296/796.

Freeware developers take note - Brian is obviously on the warpath - and scanner users are, for a change, going to benefit.

73s Mike

Thats geat news. Hope he does this soon!!!



Derek

[1080iAddict]

I cant get into it right now because I do not have time, but I was able to interface Brian's software to a program I found through Google called PageGate ( http://www.notepager.com/pagegate.htm ).

Long story short, by hooking up my 396 to my server which has SMTP, I figured out a way to get text messages for Fire Tone Outs from the 396 on my CELL PHONE completely automatically and within seconds after a call. So, I can get a txt message, and then pull a second trunktracker from the glove box or office and listen in, without the need to monitor when it is impracticable.

If anyone is interested, I can get into it another time. But, the basics are:

1. 396 connected to Brian's software
2. 396 in FTO mode
3. Brian's software creates log file as a text file for all activity.
4. FTO Alerts are logged in the text file when 396 converts to FTO HOLD MODE after a tone out - - delay on FTO set to 5 seconds to have 396 revert back to FTO STANDBY Mode (in anticipation of next FTO)
5. The FTO creates a new text line in the log file as an 'added line' to the file.
6. The ASCII decoder in the PageGate Server software reads each line in that logged text file and looks for a key word in the log file (basically, the key word is the description you set in the 396 for the FTO setting which displays on the face of the 396 when there is an FTO)
7. When the PageGate Server sees that word, it SMTP's the text of the applicable line of the log file to the cell phone.

After a FTO, I get my text msg on my cell within about 15 seconds. I can then tune in if not listening already.

Benefits? How about walking around my house and I get the msg in my pocket. By also using ScanRec, I can go back and instant re-play the call. No need to carry the 396 around with me.

Drawback? I may commit a 396 to my server and need to buy a second one to take mobile.

[Kirk]

Question...maybe this should go in the LTR forum, but I'll try here first.

I'm a total novice at LTR decoding, but have decided to give it a try. I read that if you program the same frequency into each of the LCN positions (1-20) and then go into ID search mode, the # it stops on will be the LCN position for that frequency.

I've looked at the FCC data for a particular name, and I'm showing about a half dozen LTR freqs for the same site. I put one frequency into 20 systems in each of the 1-20 LCN positions, and start scanning. I find traffic on 464.275 on group LTR Test 5. I listen a while, and log only hits on the system with the frequency in position 5.

So I go to the next one. This one shows hits on LTR Test 3, 11, 15 and 7. Uh... Most of them were on 3, so maybe some anomaly?

The next frequency shows even more puzzling results. The frequency log on BCT396T Advanced Scanner Control shows a DIFFERENT frequency than is actually in the radio.

Does this make sense? Do I need to forget it, do a discriminator tap, get a DOS box, software, slicer and go that route, or am I on to something?