2 bcd396t questions....

[heelover]

1: if the battery switch is set to "alkaline" so it won't charge batteries,does the scanner still pull power from the batteries if external power is hooked up? in other words, will a fresh set of batteries stay fresh as long as external power is hooked up?

2: I've been trying to do the AGC tweak that is on the wiki. I can't get into the adjustment screen. powering on the scanner with the "hold" button held down produces nothing for me. AGC is set to "on". This scanner is only a couple of weeks old. Firmware version is 1.11.04. Is there some timing thing I'm not getting on my button presses?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[bpsmicro]

On your first question, I'm pretty sure that if the switch is in "alkaline", and the external charger is plugged in, the batteries are totally switched out of the circuit.
But the exact answer depends on what kind of batteries you have in there. If real alkalines, then they should last a nice long time and be ready for you. But if you have rechargeables in there (especially NiMH), then those self-discharge. The ones I commonly use will discharge at a rate of about 10% per week, but I've heard cheaper brands discharge even faster. So after a few weeks, the batteries will be useless anyway and need a charge.

Alas, can't help you on the second question. I'm unfamiliar with that tweak.

Brad.

 

[heelover]

thanks...

I understand about the self-discharge issue. I guess an example might have explained my question better. If I install a fresh set of NiMH batteries and then take a five hour drive to camp for the night,keeping the scanner plugged in and on,will the batteries still be fresh at the campsite after the road trip? The reason for the question is that I just dont like to charge in the radio....

 

[ChargerSRT8]

That is the purpose of the alkaline switch, to take the batteries out of the charging circuit.
You can run the NIMH in the alkaline mode and use the AC plug to run the scanner. The NIMH's would be untouched by the charge circuit.

 

[MarkWestin]

One slight correction: With the switch in the Alkaline position, and the scanner running on external power, the batteries are still sort of active in the scanner. More exactly, the battery voltage will still show up in the upper right corner when the scroll/encoder knob is pressed. It takes about 2 to 3 months for NiMh batteries to completely self discharge, so a five hour period of non use will barely affect the length of life of the charge.

As far as your second question, there is a bit of an error in the Wiki instructions. The full instructions are below.

Here is the procedure from the Uniden docs:

Adjusting AGC Parameters (Unofficial)
This setting is neither fully tested nor supported by Uniden America Corp.
ATTENTION!
This change allows access to some AGC parameters that might result in poor audio. The default settings of 0 have been arrived at through testing in multiple environments. The use of other settings is at your own risk. Uniden America Corp. is releasing access to these features without support.
General Notes:
• All settings are saved, even when you cycle power and the option is no longer available.
• These settings are not accessible through UASD.

P25 AGC Settings
To access these settings:,
1. Press [HOLD] while turning on the scanner.
2. Turn on the Digital AGC option.
3. Tune to a digital channel.
4. While receiving a P25 signal, hold F then tap the scroll knob. The scanner displays the current P25 RES TIME parameter setting (see below for option details).
5. Rotate the scroll control to change the setting.
6. F+rotate the scroll to select another setting.
Parameters:
P25 RES TIME
Range: -8 to +8
This parameter determines how frequently the AGC factor updates. Decreasing this value makes AGC respond faster, but could result in “pumping.” A higher value decreases the response time.
P25 REF GAIN
Range: -5 to +5
This parameter determines the reference level that AGC attempts to adjust the volume to. If digital/analog volume is not matched, adjust this parameter.

Analog AGC Settings
To access these settings:,
1. Press [HOLD] while turning on the scanner.
2. Turn off the Digital AGC option and turn on the Analog AGC option.
3. Tune to an analog channel.
4. While receiving a signal, hold F then tap the scroll knob. The scanner displays the current ANA RES TIME parameter setting (see below for option details).
5. Rotate the scroll control to change the setting.
6. F+rotate the scroll to select another setting.

Parameters:
ANA RES TIME
Range: -8 to +8
This parameter determines how frequently the AGC factor updates. Decreasing this value makes AGC respond faster, but could result in “pumping.” A higher value decreases the response time.
ANA REF GAIN
Range: -5 to +5
This parameter determines the reference level that AGC attempts to adjust the volume to. If digital/analog volume is not matched, adjust this parameter.
ANA GN RANGE
Range: 0 to 15
This parameter controls the total dynamic range of the AGC adjustments. A larger value allows a wider variation in volume.

When they say "press F", they are referring to the "Func" Key on the left side.

Mark

 

[heelover]

thanks again!

Ok. I know the batterys are out of the charge loop and now I think you guys are telling me that there is no battery drain on eternal power. That is what I was wondering.

Mark,
I noticed the battery voltage indicator while on ac power as well. That is what sparked the question. Also, thanks for the answer to Q#2. I knew I was missing something on the wiki. While not a pro, I am a bit tech savvy!!

Thanks to all,
Scott