BC796D Trunking Fleetnet

[HUNTD]

Hi guys and gals,

I am lost again... I have a Bearcat BC796D and have forgotten how to program a Digital Trunk. Maybe someone can point out what I am missing. I have had this radio for a really long time (2005) and had it working at one point, but have just moved into a new house and am ready to put it up again. I haven't used the radio in a few years because I couldn't install the antenna at the previous location and suspect some of the Fleetnet frequencies may have changed since it didn't begin scanning when I turned it on with the old configuration.

I am running a Bearcat BC796D and have reset the radio to factory (held 2, 9 and Manual while powering on).

I am trying to program "Bell Fleetnet - Ontario Provincial Government Zone 2" using the Kinburn (MARTHN) tower number 07 just outside Ottawa.

The old CD that came with the radio doesn't seem to work with Windows 7 (cann't communicated with radio) so I downloaded and installed the ProScan trial. I created a new database and entered the following.

I have programed in the Control, Alternate and each of the audio channels. I have also programmed the Custom Frequency Table and a bunch of the Talk Group IDs. Motorola II VHF trunk type.

After programming, I press scan and remove all the banks with the exception of Bank 1 where I have programmed my trunk. The scanner does pick up air traffic so I know it's working. Additionally I see 3 bars of reception when tunned to the control channel. I have even tried Trunk ID Searching instead of just listing the talk groups.

Attached are the specific sections (Channels, Trunk Settings and Talk Groups) cut from the .xml file from the ProScan software.

I know I must be missing something. I appreciate any sugestions you may have.

Dave

 

[torontokris]

The file is too much for my eyes/matrix decypher so Ill ask questions

2 problems I see right away is

1) <Trunk>false</Trunk> ?????? I dont think that is right... was it programmed as a trunk system?
That seems to be under EACH channel. Not right. That leads to believe its a conventional channel.

2) Unless your using "control channel only" mode put the frequencies in ORDER as listed on radio reference... from what i see on the file you put in the control channel, then the alt, then the voice. They need to go in order. Just copy paste/ rearrange them into order and try and see if that works.

Put them in as below
141.37500 141.52500 141.73500 142.00500 142.21500 142.42500 142.72500 142.99500


Other questions in case others have problems with thier scanner.... or the above doesnt work
Are all LISTS on... press the DOT (.) to see the list #... it will be on the same line as the bank
When you put it in search do you hear analog channels like EMS? or nothing at all?
Are all 3 custom frequencys lists put in? I think i saw them in the file so thats ok

 

[EJB]

It has been close to five years since I had a scanner similiar to yours but I think you had to enter in all the towers frequencies. The control channel only option was ok for 800 mgh system but not for the Fleetnet types.

Outside of that I cant remember how to choose which system Fleetnet is but did you set the offsets and range and such foir Fleetnet?

It wont work if you dont.

 

[HUNTD]

Got It

I found a few problems...

I again reset to factory and followed the guide here and basically gave up on the ProScan software.

http://forums.radioreference.com/on...bility-radios-fleetnet-system.html#post129697

I also moved the antenna to a better location and am now getting 5 bars.

Between the two it is now working.

Looking back at the correct settings exported from the scanner after manually configuring it, you are correct. It now shows <Trunk>true</Trunk>.

A few other differences I noticed between manually entering and using the ProScan software are as follows

Incorrect ---> Correct
<Mode>AUTO</Mode> ---> <Mode>FM</Mode>
<Steps>AUTO</Steps> ---> <Steps>5</Steps>

Whether I had the frequencies (channels) out of order it didn't seem to make a difference, but I have corrected them anyways.

EJB, yes had added those.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[mikewazowski]

The Mode selection wouldn't have been a big deal.

The Steps would have possibly caused problems though.

Glad you got it worked out.

 

[EJB]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9300; en) AppleWebKit/534.8+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/6.0.0.526 Mobile Safari/534.8+)

I found a few problems...

I again reset to factory and followed the guide here and basically gave up on the ProScan software.

http://forums.radioreference.com/on...bility-radios-fleetnet-system.html#post129697

I also moved the antenna to a better location and am now getting 5 bars.

Between the two it is now working.

Looking back at the correct settings exported from the scanner after manually configuring it, you are correct. It now shows <Trunk>true</Trunk>.

A few other differences I noticed between manually entering and using the ProScan software are as follows

Incorrect ---> Correct
<Mode>AUTO</Mode> ---> <Mode>FM</Mode>
<Steps>AUTO</Steps> ---> <Steps>5</Steps>

Whether I had the frequencies (channels) out of order it didn't seem to make a difference, but I have corrected them anyways.

EJB, yes had added those.

Thanks,
Dave

Glad that it is working for you. I miss sometimes the 296/796 scanners. My 296 was pretty solid.