Uniden Bearcat BCD996P2

[PJH]

There are few factors for this:

-The repeater may or may not support this
-The field radio may not use the 'reverse burst" feature
-The phase of the reverse burst may not be compatable. There is/was a known issue between Motorola and Kenwood radios. Both manufactures used a sligthly different shift and the repeaters (based on manufactures) wouldn't see it. IIRC, Motorola uses 120hz shift and Kenwood 180hz.

Or, tighten up your squelech

In the case of the first bullet, nothing you do will help.

I suspect this may have to do with how the system is set up. If the system does not transmit Squelch Tail Elimination (STE) or have a long enough carrier after the CTCSS drops, you will have a squelch tail on any receiver.

There are also at least two forms of STE.

 

[elitedata]

There are few factors for this:

-The repeater may or may not support this
-The field radio may not use the 'reverse burst" feature
-The phase of the reverse burst may not be compatable. There is/was a known issue between Motorola and Kenwood radios. Both manufactures used a sligthly different shift and the repeaters (based on manufactures) wouldn't see it. IIRC, Motorola uses 120hz shift and Kenwood 180hz.

Or, tighten up your squelech

In the case of the first bullet, nothing you do will help.

the thing is, the CTCSS does work, if the squelch is opened, there is a delay of about a half second after transmission ends, before the white noise is muted from CTCSS.
im pretty sure there is a way to reduce/fix this STE "delay" and ill poke around in the radio with my scope/meter and RF signal generator during simulated tests to find out the root cause.
if i discover a "fix", ill post it.
this issue is not specific to a certain repeater/ctcss tone.

 

[justabigham]

I have owned a BCD325P2 for almost a month now and a BCD996P2 for a couple of weeks and I like both of them very much. The BCD325P2 would have been better if it were built in the 3 AA battery case but I do enjoy the larger display. Fot now they both work great for me....

 

[ND3U]

Berks 700mhz

Ok folks I'm interested to hear from all who use this scanner to listen to the Berks 700mhz system. I've finally been able to pick it up with the help of a 700/800mkz yagi antenna. After listening to the system for about 2 months and constantly playing around with various settings I've come no closer to having it sound like it's not a parent from a Charlie Brown comic.

One thing I just noticed a day ago that the frequency input of xxx.xxxx is missing the last digit (usually the 5). The frequency should have 5 digits after the decimal not 4. I'm wondering if this is the reason for the warped audio. Any thoughts on this? My PSR-800 has all 5 digits.

 

[ka3jjz]

Looking at the db entry, I immediately noticed that there are 2 simulcast sites. I suspect that some simulcast distortion issues might be at play here. Someone in the Pa. forum and / or lives in that area could confirm my suspicion.

The loss of the least significant digit shouldn't be an issue unless the signal was quite weak. Mike

 

[ka3jjz]

This is the thread in the Pa. forum that's discussing this system - and it does mention that the system is using LSM, which most consumer scanners have a hard time decoding properly...

http://forums.radioreference.com/pe...unty-700mhz-phase-ii-radio-system-thread.html

Mike

 

[cifd64]

I will say, the Phase II sounds great in my office. We have 700/800 P25 Phase II all over this area. Nice and clear. Rare drop out, but the features included are well worth it. Glad I waited for this. Now they need to put out a remote for it.

Also, the ARC software loves it, and Freescan has a nice interface for PC Control.

 

[bsmotril]

Ok folks I'm interested to hear from all who use this scanner to listen to the Berks 700mhz system. I've finally been able to pick it up with the help of a 700/800mkz yagi antenna. After listening to the system for about 2 months and constantly playing around with various settings I've come no closer to having it sound like it's not a parent from a Charlie Brown comic.

One thing I just noticed a day ago that the frequency input of xxx.xxxx is missing the last digit (usually the 5). The frequency should have 5 digits after the decimal not 4. I'm wondering if this is the reason for the warped audio. Any thoughts on this? My PSR-800 has all 5 digits.

Even though the display is missing the last digit, the radio still supports internally that last digit when entering frequencies or reading the database.

 

[adko701]

Remote Option

Hello all.

I apologize in advance if this is the wrong thread, but has anyone found a remote mount option for the Uniden Bearcat BCD996P2?

Thank you!

 

[03msc]

Hello all.

I apologize in advance if this is the wrong thread, but has anyone found a remote mount option for the Uniden Bearcat BCD996P2?

Thank you!

There is no remote head for the 996P2. They stopped making the RH96, which worked on the T and XT models, and do not make one for the 996P2.

The closest they get now days is the "Siren App" for the flagship x36HP models.

 

[adko701]

Remote Mount

That's awful. Now I can't mount my scanner in my truck!

 

[garys]

It's funny, in an ironic sense, because no one wanted the RH96 when it came out. People complained that it didn't carry audio, couldn't turn the radios on or off, didn't have multi color display, and a bunch of things it didn't do.

Until of course Uniden announced that they weren't making them any longer. Then everyone wanted them and Scanner Master even commissioned Uniden to make up a batch using left over components. Uniden even updated the firmware to work with the XT scanners. Which lead to more complaints because you couldn't use start up keys with the RH96.

I had two of them to use with my 396XT and 330T scanners. They were great for that.

I do wish that Uniden would have done what GRE and then Whistler did. I've long wanted scanners with remote heads and could never understand why Uniden didn't see the potential.

You might be happier with the new Whistler scanners that have a remote head.

 

[ka3jjz]

Heck, I never understood why Uniden didn't do this a lot sooner. The technology for this has existed in the ham world for many years, so it's not a matter of 'new development'.

The same argument goes for the RS scanners...

I guess the demand wasn't there...Mike

 

[03msc]

True. In fact, the RH96 I had I recently (few months ago) sold for $250 or so. Yes, you read that right. I also "watched" an auction for one on eBay that ended at $435...just for a RH96. Supply and demand.

I agree, the Whistler design on the WS1095/98 and TRX-2 is great...and simple. Maybe Uniden will catch up eventually.

 

[garys]

It's the only reason that I can think of. As you note, the technology has existed in ham radios for years. My FT-8800 has a remote head and it made installation very easy. A remote head for the XT and P2 mobile radios would do the same.

Heck, I never understood why Uniden didn't do this a lot sooner. The technology for this has existed in the ham world for many years, so it's not a matter of 'new development'.

The same argument goes for the RS scanners...

I guess the demand wasn't there...Mike

 

[adko701]

So I made a bold move tonight.

I took the scanner apart and it just looks like it's 3 molex connectors and one "ribbon" connector. One would think that I could buy some extensions? Seems so simple.

 

[kirk5056]

A few years ago UPMan suggested using a windows tablet and a remote program like ARC XT Pro as a expedient remote head.

 

[scosgt]

There is no remote head for the 996P2. They stopped making the RH96, which worked on the T and XT models, and do not make one for the 996P2.

The closest they get now days is the "Siren App" for the flagship x36HP models.

Actually, I made a remote serial cable for the 996. All you need is a stereo cable and a DB9 connector.
Tip goes to Pin 3, Center to Pin 2, Shield to Pin 5. No null modem connector.
Since the 996P2 does have a serial connector, it seems to me that it would work, possibly with a firmware update,
But the thing is, programs like ProScan work out of the box, because I think the protocol is the same.
Do not have a P to try it with, someone should. Takes about 5 minutes to make the cable, I bought the DB9 off Amazon for like $7.00.
It uses screw terminals, no heavy lifting involved.

 

[03msc]

Actually, I made a remote serial cable for the 996. All you need is a stereo cable and a DB9 connector.
Tip goes to Pin 3, Center to Pin 2, Shield to Pin 5. No null modem connector.
Since the 996P2 does have a serial connector, it seems to me that it would work, possibly with a firmware update,
But the thing is, programs like ProScan work out of the box, because I think the protocol is the same.
Do not have a P to try it with, someone should. Takes about 5 minutes to make the cable, I bought the DB9 off Amazon for like $7.00.
It uses screw terminals, no heavy lifting involved.

Maybe or maybe not. My post is still correct - there is no remote head made for the 996P2 like the RH96 was for the 15X and 996XT...

 

[scosgt]

That I agree with. Just wondering if it might work off a serial port.