bc296D and 700 MHZ ??

[ronenp]

Is there any way to allow the BC296d To scan the 700MHZ trunking Band ??
also any mods for extending the scanner range (such as closing the Gaps )
or other mods ???

Thanks Forward
Ronen
http://www.ronen.org

 

[rdale]

No

 

[AZScanner]

No

Hold on a minute there Rob... I consulted with the all knowing Google. And she had an interesting link for me:

http://mvpscanners.com/Scanner/Misc/BeacatMods.htm#cellmod.

It's a cell mod for the 780XLT. More importantly it is a virtual downconversion mod. Suddenly this has become interesting. Could it be... perhaps, that this mod could hold the key to the elusive chunk of 700MHz that we will all lust for?

I bet someone who knows a thing or two about electronics could adapt this mod to the 296/796 easily. All it is, is bypassing a band pass filter. Bypass the right one or one(s) and you could theoretically open up the 760Mhz band - it would be tuned as a frequency 400Mhz less, around 360Mhz.

"But AZ, that's the mil air band!" Yes, normally this would be a show stopper, but the BC796 has the option to set the mode on any channel to FM or NFM... You might even be able to trunktrack 700Mhz this way simply by setting your base and offset accordingly.

Something to think about: In these days of Homeland Insecurity, The Unpatriot Act and other feel good warm fuzzy legislation that does little more than take away our rights one at a time, what makes everyone so sure there will even BE a scanner capable of receiving 700Mhz? What if the ECPA is amended to include that band as well? Then what, Skippy?! :shock: Game over, that's what.... you spent $500 on a paperweight. Unless you can revive it with a little good old fashioned hacking, Bill Cheek style....

Now I grant you, this has likely never been done with the intent of receiving 700Mhz on a BC296... but that doesn't mean it couldn't be done. Just that it hasn't. Yet. We have an active 700Mhz control channel here. Once my warranty on my 796 expires, I intend to give this a try. I will post the results here, if doing so is still legal at that time... :wink: Look for this to happen in about 10 months.

Phew! After all that, I'd have to say the answer is more like a definite maybe. But of course "no" is so much easier to type and doesn't require any research. :twisted:

-AZ[/i]