246T System locked out

[thumbtrap]

I had problems when I first programmed this system, got frustrated, copied the channels to a new system and deleted the old one and got it working. (Much like the swami in All of Me, continuing to flush the toilet until the phone stopped ringing I'm sure.) At any rate, I managed it again, the same system, and I'm stumped again. (Flushing the toilet does not help, so I figured I'd find out fer real what's going on.) This time I know that it had been working, and I managed to hit some magical combination of function keys.

Here's what I know:
The system is not locked, data skip is not on, it is a conventional system, it's on quick key 2 (which I think may be related to how I got it messed up.) The system contains 3 groups, on group key 1, 2 and 3. None of the groups are locked out. None of the channels within any of the groups are locked out.

But there are no active groups in system 2. I toggle all systems off except system 2, it says "All Locked". When I press Func 1,2,3 to try to enable one of the groups, instead, it toggles groups in system 1. I'm stumped, but I think system 1 is my problem, not system 2. Why does it continue to grab all group activations?

 

[UPMan]

Whilst (I just love that word) pressing "F", rotate scroll to ensure you are on System 2. Continue to hold "F" and then press 1,2,3 to turn on the channel groups.

I know it looks like you are on system 2 when you first press F, but the scanner doesn't think so...

 

[UncleSLAM]

This happened to me once. It happened when I deleted a group within a system that happened to be the only group that was set to active. The only way I could monitor that system again was to add a new group to that system and set the quick key button. Then, it let me use the function key to turn the other groups back on.

 

[thumbtrap]

The BCT 8 just won't let you disable the last talkgroup list or system. That seems to be how it gets into this mode.

 

[SCPD]

Had the same thing happen to mine in oddly enough system 2.
I don't know why it happened just how I finally fixed it.

In short I never did resolve it using only the radio.
I used the arc246 software to do it. Loaded the program and when you bring up that system the general preference box will have the Lockout System box checked. Uncheck, send to radio and you'll find everything is back to normal.

A bug perhaps? It happened twice. Both times with conventional systems.

Running firmware 1.42 by the way.

Hope this helps.

 

[rdale]

Follow UPMan's instructions precisely and you will not need to reload anything.

 

[SCPD]

Follow UPMan's instructions precisely and you will not need to reload anything.

Gosh I'm an idiot and wouldn't have thought of following the instructions provided. Wow what an innovation--what insight--what problem solving ability.

Fact of the matter is it didn't work. That is why I offered the alternate choice. Pay attention now...I did NOTHING while using the radio to lock out that system in the first place I'll stick with my first suggestion. Also looking into the programming sub menu for the system lockout shows "unlocked". The only way it resolved with the software as mentioned.

A bug, a glitch or blip. Uniden might not like hearing that but if it happens it happens. Fix it or offer a viable suggestion for getting it back to normal once it happens.

Auto makers are quick to tell you problems you have with a new vehicle are "normal" and you have to live with them too. Right up until you get the recall notice.

UPMan: If I happen to get to a point where I can easily duplicate the problem, I'll send you a message with the details so that it can be looked at for resolution. It's the fact that the system shows unlocked on the radio while still acting as all locked that is troubling. Only happens in conventional system and usually when only 1 or 2 channels in 1 or 2 groups are unlocked.

 

[rdale]

"Also looking into the programming sub menu for the system lockout shows "unlocked". The only way it resolved with the software as mentioned. "

It's not that it is locked out, because it isn't. That might be a bad term to display on the scanner. It is a confusing issue and I "suffered" from it as well, having to reload the scanner, til I followed the directions provided even though it doesn't make "sense" to have to scroll again.

It is that you have no systems active.

- Rob

 

[dfw1417]

I had the same thing happen to me the other day. It was System 5 and it was a trunking system with 5 groups of many talkgroups. I was wondering why I wasnt ever hearing anything on the trunking system. It showed it was scanning systems 1 and 5 but when I dropped 1 it gave me the message All Locked! I read the manual on pg 25 I believe it was followed the unlock instructions there and there was NOTHING locked. I read the groups posts about this and followed UPMAN's instructions over and over to NO AVAIL. It still would'nt get crap on this system. Nothing was locked out all the trunking system freqs were there I could hear the control channel when I went to it, but it would'nt get NOTHING!

The ONLY WAY I was able to restore it was to FULLY RESET and erase the MEMORY then reload a CLONE IMAGE of the scanner from a backup (I had one fortunately!) As soon as I toggled the on/off after reloading the clone image it worked just like it should have before!

It has only happened once so far but it definitely must be a PROBLEM since nothing the manual, groups, or anything I checked or did made a difference. What was even worse was who knows how much stuff I missed watching it scan and thinking it was working correctly for a number of days.... UGH.....

:-(

 

[UPMan]

If it happens again, tell me before you reset. I'll meet you somewhere to look at it.

That said, 100% of the occurances of this that I have personally seen have been that all of the channel groups for the only active system(s) are disabled (not locked, just not selected for scanning) and following my instructions to the letter corrected the issue.

 

[SCPD]

"Also looking into the programming sub menu for the system lockout shows "unlocked". The only way it resolved with the software as mentioned. "

It's not that it is locked out, because it isn't. That might be a bad term to display on the scanner. It is a confusing issue and I "suffered" from it as well, having to reload the scanner, til I followed the directions provided even though it doesn't make "sense" to have to scroll again.

It is that you have no systems active.

- Rob

But that is not what was happening. Groups were selected within the system. The system showed active until the software was used and the software showed it locked. I can duplicate the situation that UPMan's instructions correct and that is not what was going on with my radio.
I'm sure it's not much but it's really odd. I'm not overly concerned with it as I can correct it quickly...provided I'm close to my computer. I'm also kind of glad I'm only monitoring about 5 conventional frequencies too.
The radio is otherwise flawless and I wait in anticipation for the 396.

 

[GordonE]

I've had the same thing happen with a conventional system assigned to quick key 0.

In both cases the system was not locked out, none of the groups under the system were locked out and neither were any of the channels in the group.

The only was I was able to use the system again was to reload it using arc246.

I believe I was holding on a channel in a group under the system and had it display "All locked!" after I did something afterwards. After it happens nothing in that system can be scanned. Like someone else mentioned, pressing Func and then a number to try an enable a group (since they appear to all be disabled by looking at the display) only enables/disables the group in the system assigned to quick key 1.

 

[UPMan]

I know this is only a few posts up, but let me try it again:

1. Hold down FUNC and rotate the scroll control to select the system (even if you thing it was already selected, do this!).

2. Continue to hold FUNC and press the number key(s) corresponding to the system's channel group(s) you want to enable.

3. Release FUNC.

 

[SCPD]

Ok folks...I was paying attention when it happened today.

Here goes:
Scanning systems 1, 2 and 3. In system 1 groups 1,2 and 4 were active. In system 2 groups 1 and 2 were active. In system 3 Groups 1 and 2 were active.
System 1 trunked 800 mot. System 2 trunked vhf. System 3 Conventional.

Started monitoring a call on the conventional channels. So, pushed 1 & 2 to disable the first 2 systems. Continued scanning without problems on system 3 but decided to hold on a channel for a while. When next I pressed scan I got the all locked message.

In case brain cells were missing I decided to follow UPMan's instructions once again with no success and in fact the little critter actually locked up on me. None of the buttons except the light would do anything. Power down and back up and got the all locked again.

Hooked to the computer arc246 and read the data from system 3. Unchecked the lockout system box in system options and sent it back to the scanner. Without doing anything else I was then able to resume scanning on system 3 and ultimately back to my normal scanning settings for 1,2 and 3.

Now, having said that...I still cannot easily duplicate it. Believe me, I've tried. I am really paying attention to what makes it happen though.

UPMan: Do you think it would be worth me perhaps re-initializing the scanner and reloading it from scratch to see if the problem goes away?

Just a thought.
Thanks.
Dennis.

 

[UPMan]

If you can find a way to reliably duplicate it, clone your setup and send it to me first! (Along with how to duplicate.)

Even if you can't reliably duplicate, next time it has the condition, clone memory first, then try my steps. If my steps don't work, send me the clone file.

Meanwhile, I'll beat on it, too, but I really haven't been able to duplicate it in any form that my instructions don't fix (but, hey, I'm just one guy).

p

 

[scanfan03]

Hey try this, while holding Func scroll to the system that displays "all channels locked out" and press the lockout function. Make sure the system isn't locked out, even though the quick key is on, the system can still be locked out. If that doesn't work press hold, now hold func and press the 7 button. Scroll to the system that says "all channels locked out" press either E or press down on the VFO knob. Now make sure that none of the groups are locked out, if they are it will display "L/O" to the left of the "F" for func. Even though the group quick key is on, it doesn't mean that the group isn't unlocked.