396T scanning the FCCA and MARCS system

[mmartinfan]

I picked up a 396T this week at Universal Radio (http://www.universal-radio.com/index.html) Fiqured what the hell try it out. Since I already have/had the 246T I was I was familiar with the programming of these newer style Uniden radio's.

I quickly updated the firmware and then updated the Ohio MARCS system file on the radio and I was off and listening.

The audio was great and the blue backlight was change for the good. No problems with the AGC digital audio stuff.

I then added the Franklin County radio system which includes Columbus PD/FD talk about great audio.

Battery life was great on the Radio Shack 1800 Ma batteries I charged ahead of time. The 2300MA that Uniden seem like they went dead quicker. (I've got plenty of AA's)

I have since loaded Grove City, Dublin, and OSU 800Mhz systems on the radio and also lots of Conventional such as Airband, VHF High and Uhf stuff all seemed to work with ease. Overall I would give this radio an A. More updates to follow including a trip to Cinncy and Hamilton County shortly.

 

[jerk]

BCD396 works well on Analog. It also sound good on Hamilton Co. MARCS needs some adjustment. Now FCCA system, I put the police, city and county, then fire, county and city, and the scanner balked at it. It had too many groups for the unit. I also had hospitals separate and then unknowns.

So I placed the system in to three new quick keys. City and county fire, along with EMS and hospitals. City and County police. And then since where I stay is in Westerville, I set up a separate system for them only. Works good. I did listen to Dublin, then come in well. And I picked up the "beer" plant but didn't hear anything or see any groups flash. But it was a weekend.

AL

 

[mmartinfan]

The "beer plant" is encrypted. The scanner worked very well for listening to OSP at the game today

 

[cmhbob]

I really appreciated this info. I'm thinking seriously about a 396T, and when I listen to FCCA, I usually want to listen to just PD, or just fire, and it's just too hard to set up right in the PRO-94. I've never been able to set it up the way I like it. Seems like the GC and Dublin systems screw things up in the 94.

 

[mmartinfan]

OK I guess I should follow up now that I have had the unit for 21 days. 1st thing I did was download the Butel software, and also download the lastest firmware 1.08 (At the time)

I loaded up the FCCA system, OSP MARCS, Dublin TRS, Grove City TRS, Ohio State University, AEP EDACS, Pickaway County EDACS, and Franklin County Public Service. I also loaded up the conventional frequenices from the adjecent counties from me (I live in Franklin County BTW)

I am currently using the good Radio Shack 800Mhz antenna (20-183 I think is the number) I am also using the SMA to BNC adapter which is seriously heavy duty piece of metal.

Reception is great, FCCA comes in great throughout the city with only small area's that have limited coverage.

OSP (Marcs) what can I say, oh I know wow! Incredible sound not bleeps or bonks to it. I hit about 95% of the time off of the Franklin County site sometimes I do get the Orient tower which will limit my listening but I just adjust the scanner and boing its back on Franklin. Apco-25 decoding is quick, I have since upgraded the firmware to 1.09. I have not traveled, alot out of Franklin County (I am going to Cinncy this week) So I'm not sure how it will do travelling.

Conventional stuff sounds good, nothing to complain about here. This includes VHF Air bands to.

I would have to give this unit an A great sound quick to scan stuff and will scan anything out there.

 

[Cobra_Commander]

The pro-96 is just as good at listening to marcs and osu and osp as the 396t is.

 

[mmartinfan]

The pro-96 is just as good at listening to marcs and osu and osp as the 396t is.

true, but not everyone likes or wants a rat shack radio (I.E you've got questions, we've got blank looks.)

 

[ajpritch]

And the 396 is like half the size as the big pro-96

 

[mdulrich]

The pro-96 is just as good at listening to marcs and osu and osp as the 396t is.

Not if you want to listen to I-Calls.

Mike

 

[ShawnCowden]

where is a link to osu's trunk system thanks

 

[mdulrich]

where is a link to osu's trunk system thanks

http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=TRSDB&sid=661

Mike

 

[mmartinfan]

396 did great down I71 from CMH to CVG. I even picked up the Columbus site all the way down to the Jefferson Outlet mall area.

396 on the Hamilton County System was awesome to the big fire on Walbash Tuesday afternoon it work perfectly for.

 

[Cobra_Commander]

The 396t is harder to program than the 96 is. Some people prefer easy programming and some like harder programming.

 

[ajpritch]

I think it is just the opposite when programing the two.

 

[Dubbin]

The 396t is harder to program than the 96 is. Some people prefer easy programming and some like harder programming.

Again not everyone is going to agree with you on that one. I'm finding the new Uniden way to be pretty easy.

 

[16b]

Again not everyone is going to agree with you on that one. I'm finding the new Uniden way to be pretty easy.

Has Uniden added any "shortcuts" for programming the '396 compared to the '246? Like a "I just want to delete this channel" button?

I think Uniden has a really good concept going, but it needs some rough edges smoothed. I'd like to know if there are any improvements specifically between the '246 and the '396.

I would probably find this out if I just read the entire BC-396 thread. I admit it, I'm lazy.

 

[mmartinfan]

Its a matter of holding on the channel or turning to it. Hitting one button and seeing delete channel and clicking on it. Takes less than 2 seconds

 

[wa8pyr]

Reception is great, FCCA comes in great throughout the city with only small area's that have limited coverage.

OSP (Marcs) what can I say, oh I know wow! Incredible sound not bleeps or bonks to it. I hit about 95% of the time off of the Franklin County site sometimes I do get the Orient tower which will limit my listening but I just adjust the scanner and boing its back on Franklin.

Concur. Just got mine yesterday (after waiting 2 months due to distributor backlogs) and stayed up until 3am getting it programmed with ARC396Pro just the way I like it. Didn't get out of bed until 11am, but what the heck, not like I have to go to work or anything...

Works great. Audio is nice and clear, and the P25 decoding is nice and clean. The threshold adjusts automatically; in fact, the threshold can be set to Auto or adjusted manually; naturally, Auto works best. Another *excellent* feature: not only is there Digital AGC, but Analog AGC as well, a feature advanced scannists have been crying for for years. AGC prevents SHOUTERS and whisperers from alternately blowing you through the wall or forcing you to strain to hear what someone is saying (once you've got to within 1" of the speaker, the whisperer is invariably followed by the most obnoxious shouter an agency has, after which you have to pick drywall dust out of your hair).

Out of the box, the P25 audio was a wee bit flaky, but acceptable. This morning I upgraded to the 1.09 firmware (I started with 1.07) and it made a noticeable difference. P25 decoding is much smoother, with few noticeable drop-outs, even on sites on the fringe of my reception area.

I set MARCS up under Quick Key 5 to conform to my Pro-96/2096, which have MARCS in Bank 5. I've got the Columbus simulcast, Orient, Circleville, Lancaster, Londonderry, Pleasant Valley, Bainbridge, London and Sugar Grove sites all programmed under QK5 and it scans all of them nicely. With the stock antenna I can pick up all these MARCS sites when on the second floor of my home in northern Pickaway County, and only lose Bainbridge, Londonderry, London and Sugar Grove when on the first floor, and Sugar Grove is sometimes a toss-up. I'll try a better antenna with the included SMA>BNC adapter to see what improvement I get.

I've also got all the trunked systems in Franklin County programmed as well as the Kiddies LTR system (for some odd reason) and all work well. One very nice result of the Dynamic Memory (like my BC246T): even with all this stuff programmed, I'm only using 20% of the memory.

The blue backlight is cool, baby, real cool. A very nice change from the standard orange or sickly green we've all become accustomed to.

The small size is great, too. I'm not too wild about 3 batteries (as opposed to 2 or 4), as it sort of limits your charging options; most chargers will only charge batteries in even numbers (usually pairs), and sometimes charging them in the radio just isn't convenient. I would have been willing to accept a case about 1/2" taller to accept a fourth battery, primarily for the added capacity, but also in a small way for the convenience of being able to charge the batteries in most any charger.

I've got lots more to say, but I'd better save it for my National Communications Magazine review.

Tom WA8PYR

 

[mmartinfan]

Told you would like it Tom, I need to get down there for my FPO pager

 

[bbelhorn]

Could somone tell me what scanner would be good for listening to the Columbus Police / Franklin county sheriff's office and other s in the central ohio area? I was thinking of teh BCT8 but was hoiping somone else could share some knowledge.

Ben