BCD325P2/BCD996P2: 996P2 vs 436

[SOFA_KING]

i am curious, what manual thershold value have you found to be effective on the 996p2. i have the scanner and have been displeased that it does not hear as well as my pro 197. it may have to do with this as i have not messed with the threshold value. i just dont mess with that scanner much as i mainly use it to copy the local system. others i use for other systems more distant.

Good question! And there is a way to determine the best value.

AUTO mode attempts to automatically peak the optimal value, and does well when the signal is strong and clean. The problem comes when the signal is marginal. Then AUTO becomes confused, as it keeps trying to find the peak and fluctuates all over the place. That effectively shortens range! You can observe this in action by pressing FUNC and then VOL to display the setting and ERRor rate. The optimal MANUAL setting will be the threshold value shown on a perfectly strong clean signal. For most of my listening frequencies, that value on my particular 996P2 is "10". Consequently, the same method of determination on my 436 and 536 shows that optimal value to be "9". I do have one 800 LSM trunked system that shows "10" as the best, and yes the system is perfectly readable at that value. I would expect some variation between different scanners due to possible frequency calibration issues. If I still had a service monitor, I would address that. I like to be dead on frequency. But if you can park under (or close to) a transmitter site (remove the antenna on the scanner to reduce any possible overload issue and guarantee a clean signal) and read the threshold found in AUTO, that is the best value to lock MANUAL on to prevent weak signal drift, which shortens range. Not everyone is going to drive to transmitter sites (not as nuts as I am), so just try and get the signal nice and strong to get a good measurement.

You may also notice that different transmitters have different optimal values (I noticed a few...not many). This is a transmitter calibration issue. It happens. Not everything is perfect out in "radio land". Just do the best you can. I'm the super "anal" type...meaning analytical type. Not everyone is. I like to really dig into these matters and know what works best. I will say this about the two scanners in question...If one determines the optimal P25 threshold varies widely between different transmitters or systems, then maybe the 536 is the only choice, as it allows different MANUAL settings on different programmed systems. The 996P2 only has ONE setting for all. So when we really look at all these scanners, and dig deep into what they can and can't do, then we can pick the best scanner for the job. And that's an issue if you don't actually own all these scanner models and really analyze everything about them. You can't tell these things by any of the nomenclature that is out there. Those "real world" intricacies will only be known if you get them and test them. But that is why we share this information on forums...to help others who may want to know these fine details.

Phil

 

[N5XTC]

Good question! And there is a way to determine the best value.

AUTO mode attempts to automatically peak the optimal value, and does well when the signal is strong and clean. The problem comes when the signal is marginal. Then AUTO becomes confused, as it keeps trying to find the peak and fluctuates all over the place. That effectively shortens range! You can observe this in action by pressing FUNC and then VOL to display the setting and ERRor rate. The optimal MANUAL setting will be the threshold value shown on a perfectly strong clean signal. For most of my listening frequencies, that value on my particular 996P2 is "10". Consequently, the same method of determination on my 436 and 536 shows that optimal value to be "9". I do have one 800 LSM trunked system that shows "10" as the best, and yes the system is perfectly readable at that value. I would expect some variation between different scanners due to possible frequency calibration issues. If I still had a service monitor, I would address that. I like to be dead on frequency. But if you can park under (or close to) a transmitter site (remove the antenna on the scanner to reduce any possible overload issue and guarantee a clean signal) and read the threshold found in AUTO, that is the best value to lock MANUAL on to prevent weak signal drift, which shortens range. Not everyone is going to drive to transmitter sites (not as nuts as I am), so just try and get the signal nice and strong to get a good measurement.

You may also notice that different transmitters have different optimal values (I noticed a few...not many). This is a transmitter calibration issue. It happens. Not everything is perfect out in "radio land". Just do the best you can. I'm the super "anal" type...meaning analytical type. Not everyone is. I like to really dig into these matters and know what works best. I will say this about the two scanners in question...If one determines the optimal P25 threshold varies widely between different transmitters or systems, then maybe the 536 is the only choice, as it allows different MANUAL settings on different programmed systems. The 996P2 only has ONE setting for all. So when we really look at all these scanners, and dig deep into what they can and can't do, then we can pick the best scanner for the job. And that's an issue if you don't actually own all these scanner models and really analyze everything about them. You can't tell these things by any of the nomenclature that is out there. Those "real world" intricacies will only be known if you get them and test them. But that is why we share this information on forums...to help others who may want to know these fine details.

Phil

thanks for the VERY detailed and intelligent response. it will take me awhile to digest this, but I think I already understand most of what you said. is the only place to change the threshold in freescan or can that be done on the scanner? i cant find it on the scanner. i def learned from your post as i am sure others will as well. thanks for taking thet time to reply!

 

[N5XTC]

one other question, do you turn your AGC on? i have been messing with that to see what effect it has on various systems. one thing about my 996p2, u really have to crank the vol to 3/4 to hear it right. my other scanners are not like this.

 

[SOFA_KING]

thanks for the VERY detailed and intelligent response. it will take me awhile to digest this, but I think I already understand most of what you said. is the only place to change the threshold in freescan or can that be done on the scanner? i cant find it on the scanner. i def learned from your post as i am sure others will as well. thanks for taking thet time to reply!

No problem...glad to help. For the 996P2 and 325P2, the only way to set MANUAL is to press the HOLD button briefly while powering on the scanner. Then go into the SETTINGS menu and scroll up to P25 THRESHOLD, select it, and select the value you want. Once locked in, go back to scanning and press FUNC then VOL to show the new setting. You should notice your desired value with MAN showing besides it. Now you're locked onto the optimal value...even on weak signals. That should provide the best P25 range possible, save a great outdoor antenna.

Unfortunately, none of the software (that I know of) can address that manual setting. I love ProScan, but have also usedFreeScan. FreeScan actually shows a place to set the P25 threshold, but it goes nowhere and does nothing. Don't know why that is in there.

AGC? Doesn't seem to do much of anything, that I can tell. Let me know if you actually hear a difference.

Have fun!

Phil

 

[N5XTC]

No problem...glad to help. For the 996P2 and 325P2, the only way to set MANUAL is to press the HOLD button briefly while powering on the scanner. Then go into the SETTINGS menu and scroll up to P25 THRESHOLD, select it, and select the value you want. Once locked in, go back to scanning and press FUNC then VOL to show the new setting. You should notice your desired value with MAN showing besides it. Now you're locked onto the optimal value...even on weak signals. That should provide the best P25 range possible, save a great outdoor antenna.

Unfortunately, none of the software (that I know of) can address that manual setting. I love ProScan, but have also usedFreeScan. FreeScan actually shows a place to set the P25 threshold, but it goes nowhere and does nothing. Don't know why that is in there.

AGC? Doesn't seem to do much of anything, that I can tell. Let me know if you actually hear a difference.

Have fun!

Phil

this did it. really helps. i am still not copying some of the P25 systems that my Pro 197 is. anything you know of in terms of the volume of the 996p2? mine has to be 3/4 vol to make it decent. seems like that could be adjusted better, somehow.

 

[N5XTC]

I agree 100% The BCD996P2 build quality appears to be much better than the 436/536 scanners as well.

it sure is prettier. the red screen is a bit too dark to where you can barely read the information. they could have lightened up on the red some, maybe a light red rather than blood red. IMOP.

 

[SOFA_KING]

All the GRE/Whistler made scanners with AGC do wonders for getting received audio nice and level. That AGC design really improves intelligibility Uniden never matched that feature, so no joy there.

Perhaps the TX audio on the system you listen to is low. My county system is pretty low compared to other counties around me. Lazy radio operators and bad radio microphone gain settings are the issue here. The audio on the replacement system (9600 P25) they were testing a few weeks ago was even worse by being very low and muffled on the dispatch consoles. I hope it improves when they finally get on the new system, but somehow I doubt it will.

Phil

 

[Whelen]

Purchasing a 996P2 next week. Never owned one. Curious to know, is the operation similar to that of the 15X in that you can set up traditional/old fashioned "Banks"? Building my profile in Butel and just was curious how to assign. I like that particular feature of the 15X in that you can switch on/off banks with the press of one button. Thanks in advance!

 

[mule1075]

Purchasing a 996P2 next week. Never owned one. Curious to know, is the operation similar to that of the 15X in that you can set up traditional/old fashioned "Banks"? Building my profile in Butel and just was curious how to assign. I like that particular feature of the 15X in that you can switch on/off banks with the press of one button. Thanks in advance!

Yes you can set up quick keys as you did on the 15x.

Sent from my SM-S907VL using Tapatalk

 

[Whelen]

Awesome. Thank You!

 

[marksmith]

Awesome. Thank You!

You will find the programming nearly identical to the 15x and can even upload your 15x Freescan or Bute files directly.

Mark
536/436/ws1095/996p2/996xt/325p2/396xt/psr800/396t/HP-1/HP-2 & others

 

[Whelen]

You will find the programming nearly identical to the 15x and can even upload your 15x Freescan or Bute files directly.

Mark
536/436/ws1095/996p2/996xt/325p2/396xt/psr800/396t/HP-1/HP-2 & others

Good to know! Thanks for the info, as the new 996P2 is actually replacing a 15X!

 

[marksmith]

Good to know! Thanks for the info, as the new 996P2 is actually replacing a 15X!

The only difference is the 996 p2 does not require the special Uniden cable, but can use a generic USB mini cable.

Mark
536/436/ws1095/996p2/996xt/325p2/396xt/psr800/396t/HP-1/HP-2 & others