Fairfax PD down ?

[mike_s104]

Originally Posted by nicdoot

Hi I have a Pro 96 and had help setting it up. I did notice it is quiet I think I just get ambulance type calls on mine right now. I checked and see that I have 857.2625 but not 860.2625 or 856.2625. How do I add them? I checked on the manual and it said to hit pgm then type it in and hit pgm again but when I hit that I have over 900 channels and it just goes through them. Any help would be great I miss hearing the juice!

I don't think you have it set as a trunked sytem.

[yank108]

1. Press Manual, Press three digits to get the bank and channel number desired then Press
Manual again. (Upper left should read Mxxx for your bank and channel number)
2. Press PGM, (upper left should change from M to P)
3. Press TRUNK
4. Press MODE until Motorola or EDACS is displayed for the appropriate trunk type.
5. Press PGM
6. Enter the frequency
7. Press Enter

[Magnetek]

BCD396T SQ =4, I see the signal level display blinking full strength at approx 1.5Hz, SCAN/SEARCH and it never locks on to anything???

[brownlab]

Are you using Freescan to program your unit? Mike may be correct that you do not have the radio setup as a trunked system in which case it will not work. For example you need to program all of the new channels fregs not just the CC and there may be a couple of other settings which you are missing. I would use Freescan and reprogram the enitire Fairfax System. If you have already done all of this then there may be something wrong with the unit but if it worked before, then it should work now. Anyhow if you find out what is wrong, let us know. Good luck

[Magnetek]

I'm using the Uniden BCD396T UASD software. I guess trying something else is a good suggestion since this doesn't seem to be working now. So I've tried all freq's, not just the control channels, and that didn't change anything. I noticed that in the past program it did not have any "fleet maps" setup, is that possibly something that has changed and I need to modify? How about the "Ignore Status Bit" and "Ignore End Code", they are both checked. System Type - Motorola 800MHz Type-2 Standard, P25 Threshold Mode AUTO, I-Call OFF, Modulation AUTO. I revised the TGID's to what is listed in the new spreadsheet in the RR database, which shows that all of those recently changed. Darn if I can see anything else that I can change?

[brownlab]

Did you check your Band Plan? I am showing 0:851.00625/6.25 and 1:762.00625/6.25
I leave the Attenuator Off. This is working for me

Frequencies are
Frequency LCN L/O Vol Adj Num Tag
856.26250 1 False 0 NONE
857.26250 2 False 0 NONE
858.26250 3 False 0 NONE
859.26250 4 False 0 NONE
856.91250 5 False 0 NONE
857.56250 6 False 0 NONE
855.38750 7 False 0 NONE
855.26250 8 False 0 NONE
859.63750 9 False 0 NONE
854.13750 10 False 0 NONE
854.26250 11 False 0 NONE
858.61250 12 False 0 NONE
856.53750 13 False 0 NONE
854.46250 14 False 0 NONE
854.28750 15 False 0 NONE
858.01250 16 False 0 NONE

[Magnetek]

just loaded and looking at FreeScan. BandPlan states only for XT? I just have he BCD396T

[Magnetek]

The FreeScan gave me the option to change the system type to "Project 25", where the UASD just had "Motorola 800MHz Type-2 Standard" with no option to change it.

Thank you!

It lives again!!!

[brownlab]

So it works? Great. Yeah the 996xt and 396 can be tricky to program and Freescan has never failed me however that is not to say that other programing packages are not any good. I just prefer Freescan

[Magnetek]

Thank you for recommending Freescan. Downloaded what I had and did 2 changes, switched system to P25, instead of Type II, which may have been the fix. Also aded the band plan 0:851.00625/6.25, 1:862.00625/6.25.

Working so well I would like to put it online for everyone to hear. Much better PCM decode than what is currently online here.

[brownlab]

Yeah once you get it working it does come in very good and there is almost too much to listen to. I had to set it up on three channels, PD, Fire, and everything else. I may end up setting up a couple of more.

[DrWhoVa]

Originally Posted by Magnetek

just loaded and looking at FreeScan. BandPlan states only for XT? I just have he BCD396T

You can program a 396T or 996T off freescan. There are features only available to the XT in there, but those can be left blank and it'll program your T just fine. That's what I use.

[nicdoot]

Excuse my ignorance but what do you mean you don't think I have a trunked system? I never had to use any cables to set up my scanner someone talked me through it over the phone. I went through your instructions and hope that it worked. No idea what all the mode, trunk, program, etc. mean. I can guess what the program means as I am programming manually a new channel.

[Magnetek]

If you are in the Farifax Co. area, you are in a Public Safety Trunked Digital P25 system.

If you have a Trunked Digital Scanner, then with the proper programming, you will hear all that is going on.

Simply stated is that a digital trunked systems broadcast on a control channels that assigns the voice channels and frequencies. If you have a Trunked Digital Scanner, then with the proper programming, you can hear and see what channel is active and talking.

[nicdoot]

I looked and when I turn on my scanner it says Welcome to digital trunking VA DC MD. But now that I plugged in this manual 856.2625 it scans for channels and all I get is static. I at least got the non police radio and now I get nothing. Anyone know how I can fix this and also get the police stations? thanks

[willvabch]

I also have a 396T and found FreeScan easier to use. I became a premimim member and the sorftare was downloading and configuring everything great. I have the APCO 396 sorftware, but I guess I'm dumb. Freescan works great. I like the ability to download the scanner to my computer just in case I goof up the programming. I also bought the 396T Mark's Scanner Book. I like reading the info online, but.. I wanted Mark to get some money for his hard work. The uniden manual is poor. If anyone needs help with the 396T I can help out some. The book from Mark helps alot.

[nicdoot]

I did a search online and found this:

On scan mode press (man) for manual then pgm then trunk. screen should read not trunked press mode. if it does say that then press scan, and it should work. but if it doesn't say not trunked then press mode until it does say not trunked, then press scan. should work.

I did what it said and I am getting some frequencies. Not sure if it's police yet or not but definitely either fire or ambulance. At least I can hear something.

[Magnetek]

The only way I could could get my BCD396T into the new Fairfax Cnty P25 mode was using FreeScan. Was in Trunked Type II mode, and it all stopped at the end of Sept/2012.

[GaryNewell]

Originally Posted by Magnetek

Thank you for recommending Freescan. Downloaded what I had and did 2 changes, switched system to P25, instead of Type II, which may have been the fix. Also aded the band plan 0:851.00625/6.25, 1:862.00625/6.25.

Working so well I would like to put it online for everyone to hear. Much better PCM decode than what is currently online here.

Dear Magnetek -
I really wish you would put your feed online! What RR currently has online as its live feed for Fairfax County Police is next to useless. Incomplete transmissions, distortion, impossible to follow what is going on. I tried to contact the owner of the feed but didn't get a response of any sort. If other members are having better luck decoding the Fairfax County system, how can we get the current feed replaced?

[mike_s104]

Deleted. Wouldn't get it anyway.