epfdtracktrunker
Member
This is just to see what y'all think about the new BC296D by Uniden. Tell me all about it.
BC296D
- Thread starter epfdtracktrunker
- Start date
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Since I bought it four months ago, my BC 296D has become my favorite scanner. Here are my favorite characteristics and features:
- The audio is better and louder than previous Uniden models that I have has in the past.
- The past problems with wrong talkgroup ID's being displayed and the scanner not holding properly on an ID if it loses then regains the control channel have been fixed. It trunktracks flawlessly.
- I like the screen mask feature which removes the frequency and s-meter from the display. It makes the display less busy and in some banks I have even programmed a series of blank spaces with a period at the end for the bank tag so all I see is the talkgroup text tag on the third line and the ID on the first line. (the scanner wont let you program just a series of blank spaces for a text tag. You have to have at least one character)
- I like the backlight dimmer when I am listening to the scanner in bed at night. It makes the backlight less harsh on the eyes after my eyes have adjusted to the dark.
- The 296D is a bit more sensitive in the 800 band than my GRE made scanners.
- I like the ability to rapidly select a talkgroup by pressing [manual] [digit] [digit] [manual] and the ability to use the scroll wheel to go up or down one trunked channel at a time while in ID hold mode. GRE wont let you do this.
- I like the I-Call tracking ability. I used to have nothing but GRE scanners for trunking, but after buying the 296, I found out what I was missing. I don't mean personal phone patch calls, but the radio to radio private calls. I often hear some good details about police or fire operations on private calls. I like the ability to lock out individual radio ID's in I-Call mode. I can lock out the non law enf. and non fire radios so I don't hear illiterate and non articulate public works employees calling their houses to argue with their wives.
- I like the ability to program ten different custom search ranges.
- The proprietary battery pack is not that much of a problem. I made my own pack by gluing together four 2300 mAh AA's and soldering wires to them to connect them in series. The connector was easy to find. I went to radio shack and they let me cut connectors off the dead cordless phone batteries that were to be sent in for recycling. It seems that it is a very common connector. I get 15 hours operation with the 2300 mAh batteries and I even made my own external charger that charges them in 3 hours.
- I like the ability to load one bank at a time in the scanner with the factory software that came with the scanner. If I need to make updates to one system, I need only to update one file instead of mulitples files that may contain that system.
- I like the way that the priority feature works with trunked systems. If the system is busy and I don't want to scan all the channels then I select one channel and turn on priority. I have a separate agency programmed into each scan list with the dispatch channel for each designated as the priority channel. This way I can listen to only the dispatch channels during times of peak system activity without having to lock out anything.
- I am glad that Uniden decided to make this one look more like a professional radio instead of the big yellow text plastic toy look of the BC 235.
- More choices for step size and bandwidth than GRE models.
On the other hand... Drawbacks:
- Somewhat more easily overloaded by cell sites that GRE scanners.
- Tone quality of the audio is still not quite as good as GRE but it is still better than previous models and is better than the new 246T.
- AGONIZINGLY SLOW tone search (however if you program a tone or DCS code into a channel it works very well at recognizing the tone with weak signals)
- The audio is better and louder than previous Uniden models that I have has in the past.
- The past problems with wrong talkgroup ID's being displayed and the scanner not holding properly on an ID if it loses then regains the control channel have been fixed. It trunktracks flawlessly.
- I like the screen mask feature which removes the frequency and s-meter from the display. It makes the display less busy and in some banks I have even programmed a series of blank spaces with a period at the end for the bank tag so all I see is the talkgroup text tag on the third line and the ID on the first line. (the scanner wont let you program just a series of blank spaces for a text tag. You have to have at least one character)
- I like the backlight dimmer when I am listening to the scanner in bed at night. It makes the backlight less harsh on the eyes after my eyes have adjusted to the dark.
- The 296D is a bit more sensitive in the 800 band than my GRE made scanners.
- I like the ability to rapidly select a talkgroup by pressing [manual] [digit] [digit] [manual] and the ability to use the scroll wheel to go up or down one trunked channel at a time while in ID hold mode. GRE wont let you do this.
- I like the I-Call tracking ability. I used to have nothing but GRE scanners for trunking, but after buying the 296, I found out what I was missing. I don't mean personal phone patch calls, but the radio to radio private calls. I often hear some good details about police or fire operations on private calls. I like the ability to lock out individual radio ID's in I-Call mode. I can lock out the non law enf. and non fire radios so I don't hear illiterate and non articulate public works employees calling their houses to argue with their wives.
- I like the ability to program ten different custom search ranges.
- The proprietary battery pack is not that much of a problem. I made my own pack by gluing together four 2300 mAh AA's and soldering wires to them to connect them in series. The connector was easy to find. I went to radio shack and they let me cut connectors off the dead cordless phone batteries that were to be sent in for recycling. It seems that it is a very common connector. I get 15 hours operation with the 2300 mAh batteries and I even made my own external charger that charges them in 3 hours.
- I like the ability to load one bank at a time in the scanner with the factory software that came with the scanner. If I need to make updates to one system, I need only to update one file instead of mulitples files that may contain that system.
- I like the way that the priority feature works with trunked systems. If the system is busy and I don't want to scan all the channels then I select one channel and turn on priority. I have a separate agency programmed into each scan list with the dispatch channel for each designated as the priority channel. This way I can listen to only the dispatch channels during times of peak system activity without having to lock out anything.
- I am glad that Uniden decided to make this one look more like a professional radio instead of the big yellow text plastic toy look of the BC 235.
- More choices for step size and bandwidth than GRE models.
On the other hand... Drawbacks:
- Somewhat more easily overloaded by cell sites that GRE scanners.
- Tone quality of the audio is still not quite as good as GRE but it is still better than previous models and is better than the new 246T.
- AGONIZINGLY SLOW tone search (however if you program a tone or DCS code into a channel it works very well at recognizing the tone with weak signals)
epfdtracktrunker said:
New? Its been out for over a year now :wink:
epfdtracktrunker
Member
Does it really matter how long its been out? I guess Im just calling it new because I just got one. Sorry If I confused anyone.
tazdog
Member
epfd,
I just picked one up last week also..
So far I love it..!!
Scott
I just picked one up last week also..
So far I love it..!!
Scott
kylev
Member
How much better is this scanner than the pro95 as far as sound quality? I find that the pro95 has not so good audio quality .
pa_vmedic
Member
Currently, I own both the Pro 95 and BC296D. The audio on the '96D is outstanding compared to 95. It is clearer and louder. Highly recommended
D
DaveNF2G
Guest
Funny, I just got a brand-new BC296D with intermittent squelch and very low audio. As both controls are on the same shaft, could this be a simple hardware fix? I don't really want to send it anywhere.
73 de Dave, NF2G
73 de Dave, NF2G
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