Announcing the BCD396XT and BC346XT Scanners

[afdscan]

Maybe a stupid question

What is Q1?

 

[Viper43]

1st quarter of 2009........

Rocket science.......

What is Q1?

 

[SCPD]

I can't wait any longer... the wait is killing me. I need digital, and I need it now. I almost bought the PRO-106 over the weekend, because I miss the digital reception of my favorite local LE & FIRE frequencies. I may have to start drinking again... lol. Well, maybe not, I will just wait.

Why wait, buy a GRE500 cheaper than a good case of Scotch

 

[kb8rvp]

Question on the Volume Offset feature on the BCD396xt

Wondering if the volume offset feature would be in any future firmware updates for the BCD996t? And also wondering if this feature on the BCD396t is on a per channel basis meaning per frequency or per talk group or both. I have times on my BCD996t that the volume sounds great most of the time and all of a sudden it was blast you out of your seat using an amplified speaker like when fire goes out on a run and it's just to much for the digital AGC to handle. It would be nice to adjust on a per talk group basis because some are just so much louder than others.

Mike

 

[KE4ZNR]

Wondering if the volume offset feature would be in any future firmware updates for the BCD996t? And also wondering if this feature on the BCD396t is on a per channel basis meaning per frequency or per talk group or both. I have times on my BCD996t that the volume sounds great most of the time and all of a sudden it was blast you out of your seat using an amplified speaker like when fire goes out on a run and it's just to much for the digital AGC to handle. It would be nice to adjust on a per talk group basis because some are just so much louder than others.

Mike

On the BCD396xt the volume offset is on a per channel/per talkgroup basis...meaning each talkgroup/channel can have a volume offset.
Marshall KE4ZNR

 

[afdscan]

Rocket science? Is that necessary?

 

[UPMan]

You mean BCD396XT. It is on a per-channel basis.
\
Oops. Was answered while I was interrupted...

 

[KE4ZNR]

You mean BCD396XT. It is on a per-channel basis.
\
Oops. Was answered while I was interrupted...

Jinx you owe me a coke
I knew if I was not "quick on the draw" with my response
you would jump in there and answer Paul
Happy Monitoring!
Marshall KE4ZNR

 

[khoelldobler]

I don't really like Scotch... I prefer Beer

Why wait, buy a GRE500 cheaper than a good case of Scotch

Honestly, I have been waiting patiently for the KING of all scanners, the 396XT, but...


I am currently awaiting a 36 HOUR sale at RS... I do believe I will purchase the Pro-106. Its basically the PSR-500, and I do believe the sale price could come down as low as $299.00 during this sale. I am sorry to steel this thread, but I think the 106 will do well for what I need it for, and the price seems pretty darn good right now. I dont think I can afford the 396XT when it arrives in the marketplace, but I can afford a 500.00 scanner with a 299.00 sale price tag.

sorry, back to your thread.

 

[plaws]

Rocket science? Is that necessary?

If you want to get into orbit, yes.

 

[ka3jjz]

OK here's one that kinda annoys me about the 396. The battery charger is not intelligent - it can cook them if left in for too long. How about adding some intelligence to the charger so that it stops this problem? I'm fairly certain some ham handhelds have this ability, and it seems awfully sloppy to have this issue in a USD500 radio. Seems like this would be a fairly simple design change, frankly

73 Mike

 

[Viper43]

If I remember correctly from READING THE MANUAL you can manually set the time that it charges so you don't have to worry about that.

V

OK here's one that kinda annoys me about the 396. The battery charger is not intelligent - it can cook them if left in for too long. How about adding some intelligence to the charger so that it stops this problem? I'm fairly certain some ham handhelds have this ability, and it seems awfully sloppy to have this issue in a USD500 radio. Seems like this would be a fairly simple design change, frankly

73 Mike

 

[KE4ZNR]

If I remember correctly from READING THE MANUAL you can manually set the time that it charges so you don't have to worry about that.

V

Yep:

Set Charge Time
This option can be used to set the battery charge time.
Press the number keys to enter the charge time from 1 to 16 hours.
Press [E / yes / gps] to accept the data and return to the previous menu.

Marshall KE4ZNR

 

[cws]

Yep:
Marshall KE4ZNR

Uh, nope.
It seems that y'all are talking about the BCD396T, right?
If so, mine does NOT have that setting for how long the batteries charge - or, at least, I'm unable to find it in either my printed manual, nor in my radio.
So, please educate me. Thanks.

 

[UPMan]

This thread is for the BCD396XT and BC346XT, so anything posted here is going to be taken in the context of these two scanner models.

I am not aware of any product available that is able to reliably cut off charge when full when using multiple AA-style cells. There is no reliable way to do this (which is why all scanner manufacturers use a time-based circuit or no cut-off at all). Products that use LiIon or that can isolate single cells for charging can have more sophisticated charging circuits. In order to reliably detect a full charge on a NiMH cell, you need to charge the cell in isolation and you also need to charge at at least a 1C rate (that would be 2.9 Amps for some cells that are now available). It just isn't practical.

 

[Viper43]

Ummm, no, as Upman stated I am refering to the 396XT which is what this thread is about, the 396XT & 346XT.
As for battery charging in a scanner, you really shouldn't do it. You have a $500 scanner I think you could afford a $30 charger. I bought on at Radio Shack and for $30 it even came with 4 batteries giving me an extra set. I have 5 of these chargers, one for each HH scanner, and even if I had a scanner cappable of charging batteries correctly I'd still use a seperate charger just to be safe, no need to melt down a $500 radio when theres a better choice.

V

It seems that y'all are talking about the BCD396T, right?
If so, mine does NOT have that setting for how long the batteries charge - or, at least, I'm unable to find it in either my printed manual, nor in my radio.
So, please educate me. Thanks.

 

[randybcd396t]

I agree. I have the BCD396T and turned off the internal charger. I will do the same with the BCD396XT.

 

[rvawatch]

if you can make this scanner water proof, heck, ill pay an extra 100

 

[Viper43]

You can find plugs to plug the earphone jack and power jack, that helps to keep water out. I use my scanners in all kinds of weather and agree they (Uniden & GRE could make them waterproof for very little addtional cost.

V

if you can make this scanner water proof, heck, ill pay an extra 100

 

[UPMan]

Spray resistant (JIS 2), perhaps. Maybe even water resistant (JIS 4). Waterproof (JIS7) would significantly increase the size of the scanner and also significantly impact the cost. (I do marine radio products, too...)