BCD396XT/BCD996XT: 396xt no audio

irishman75

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Dec 10, 2004
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I am having problems getting audio from my BC 396XT scanner. I used free scan software to import all the frequencies and the names are coming through on the scanner, but I’m not getting any audio. I do have an extension speaker hooked up and I’m sounds the scanner is making, but there’s no volume
 

irishman75

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Dec 10, 2004
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Anne Arundel county pd &fire Baltimore city/county and Anne Arundel county schools
 

wtp

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Joined
Apr 3, 2008
Messages
6,533
Location
Port Charlotte FL

Anne Arundel County (P16)​

This system is deprecated, and may no longer be in use or is superseded by another system.
001 (1)Simulcast854.1875854.3375c854.4125c854.5125854.7125854.8125c855.1625c855.5375
856.0125856.0875856.1125856.1625856.5125856.3875856.4125856.6375

and this looks like the new system
Project 25 Phase II
1 (1)001 (1)Simulcast851.1375c852.6875c853.325c853.8375854.1875854.5125c854.7125855.8375
856.0125856.1625856.4125856.5125

Baltimore County
1 (1)002 (2)Simulcast854.0125854.0375c854.5625856.0625856.2125c856.4625856.6875856.7125
856.9625857.0625857.1125857.2125857.4625857.5375857.6875857.7125
857.9625c858.1125858.2125c858.6875858.7125858.9625859.1625859.2125
859.4625859.5875859.7125859.9625860.2125860.4625860.7125860.9625

and what they all have in common is that nasty word SIMULCAST.
usually if you are far enough away it is not that bad, but you never know.
other than the uniden SDS radios, many have problems with simulcast.
on our system the 396T and 396XT had problems receiving the 700 mhz simulcast system.
at times it would show 5 on the signal meter and we would not hear anything.
the best we got it to do ws 1/4 second of voice and then 1/4 second of silence.
so the wife and i got a SDS100 and have no problem.
i am a cheap guy, and hate to tell someone to spend money...but the SDS radios are worth it.
they take a bit to get used to programming them, but so did the others.
the wife set 'her' radio up with me just looking over her shoulder.
but she did do IT work for many years.
to make sure it is the problem, can you get near a tower and see if it works fine ?
the problem is when the radio 'sees' more than one tower.
 

Whiskey3JMC

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Philly burbs 🇺🇸
Building upon the simulcast distortion diagnosis above, feel free to try the mitigation methods linked here if there is still traffic carried on the old P16 system. Ultimately you'll need a P25 Phase-II capable scanner if/when your county finally makes the migration over to the new Phase-II system, your 396xt won't track the new system at all. I'll echo the recommendation for an SDS100
 
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wtp

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Apr 3, 2008
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Port Charlotte FL
yes.

Baltimore City​

1 (1)001 (1)Simulcast851.1125851.225851.350851.625851.6625851.825851.850851.875
851.900852.150852.175852.2125852.400852.4375852.4625852.825
852.900852.925852.9875853.100853.125853.150853.300853.450
853.700c853.7375c853.875c853.950c
 

Whiskey3JMC

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Philly burbs 🇺🇸
Oddly it was working fine a month ago. Now suddenly nothing
The P16 system is now listed as "deprecated" meaning they've moved on to the new Phase-II system. As I mentioned in Post #6 you won't be able to track the new system with your current 396XT
Also one important note: All law enforcement is now fully encrypted as are all other mode "TE" talkgroups on the new system so you won't be able to monitor these with any receiver not intended to operate on the system. Mode "T" talkgroups can be monitored with a capable scanner, preferably an SDS100 to overcome simulcast distortion
1731352743075.png
 
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Ubbe

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Sep 8, 2006
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Location
Stockholm, Sweden
If it's just one or two systems that use simulcast and you monitor from home, then you can use a $20 SDR dongle and suitable free trunking software. No need for a SDS100.

/Ubbe
 
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tvengr

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Feb 10, 2019
Messages
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Location
Baltimore County, MD
The Anne Arundel County system is P25 Phase 2. The BCD396XT is capable of P25 Phase 1 only. Law enforcement is fully encrypted and cannot be received by any scanner. Your scanner is not capable of receiving the new AA County P25 system. Simulcast distortion is a big problem with the new system. The only scanners specifically designed to receive simulcast sites are the Uniden SDS100 handheld and SDS200 base/mobile.
 
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hiegtx

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May 8, 2004
Messages
11,427
Location
Dallas, TX

Anne Arundel County (P16)​

This system is deprecated, and may no longer be in use or is superseded by another system.
001 (1)Simulcast854.1875854.3375c854.4125c854.5125854.7125854.8125c855.1625c855.5375
856.0125856.0875856.1125856.1625856.5125856.3875856.4125856.6375
As noted, this system is deprecated. But, the county's database page still lists it as the primary system, with no reference to the new Phase II system on the main county page. (The new Phase II system is listed in the section showing trunked systems in the county, but not referenced when the county's page is first viewed.

Oddly it was working fine a month ago. Now suddenly nothing
Looking at the change history, the old (P16") system was marked as deprecated on 10/28, even though still shown on the county page as being in use. Someone in the area possibly could confirm whether the old system was still in, at least, partial use until the 10/28 change date. That's also the same date as the last update to the new system. The 4 Phase II system is listed among the trunked systems for the county, but is not referenced on the main page for the county.The county database page needs an update to reflect current usage, which tends to result in confusion as to which system is in use and should be programmed.. Someone in that area should send a 'reminder' update so that it reflects the current usage.

As Whiskey3, and several others have noted, the OP's 396XT is not capable of monitoring the new Phase II system. The best choice for a scanner for a simulcast system, as noted in several posts, is the SDS100. The issues created by simulcast distortion are heavily affected by location. In a few, limited, cases, a scanner other than the SDS series might work, and/or one of the suggested work-arounds on the simulcast Wiki page can help in a few instances, but that can be a long shot in making them work very well. But other than using an SDR dongle and software on a PC, the best choice remains an SDS100 or the base/mobile SDS200.
 

JoeBearcat

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Uniden sets the price for new stock at $649.99 with no paid upgrades. If you search the classifieds you can sometimes find them second hand for cheaper

I can't say for certain, but some good deals may pop up in a couple weeks. (No, I have no inside info on this happening or not happening)
 

hill

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Dec 19, 2002
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Middle River, MD
The P16 system is off the air.

I posted this information in tread on the new radio system for AA Co.
 

hill

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Dec 19, 2002
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Middle River, MD
Think the AA County Smartzone is finally off the air. Not seeing any active control channels from the list of them.


Here is my post from 25 October 2025 a month ago from the tread on the new AA Co. TRS on the Smartzone (P16) being off at that time.
 
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