I picked up a new to me BC796D for a good price as posted in a earlier thread http://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-scanners/171776-bc796d-good-deal.html. I think this is a really good scanner for my needs. Coming out of the early 90's models to this one is a bit of a jump in technology for me. So now I'm trying to do the trunking thing for my area Reading Trunking System, Reading, Pennsylvania - Scanner Frequencies and I'm a bit confused when it comes to how to program it in. I never had a "new" scanner that trunks so it's all greek to me. I guess what I'm asking is can someone teach me how to make it work? Trunking for dummies. I've read the manual so much that now I really don't understand it. If anyone that has or had this scanner could help me with the page I linked to my area I'd appreciate it. I'm sure it's easy to do for some of you but being a newbie on trunking it's not working out for me at the moment.
BC796D Trunking
- Thread starter scott71
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captclint
Mentor
Select a bank for the system…preferably one without any other channels.
From page 45 of manual
1. Select the trunk programming mode.
2:SCAN OPTION →2:TRUNK
2. Use the scroll bar to select the bank you want to program, then press E.
1:TRUNK TYPE →1:ON
45
3. Select Motorola Type 2 or digital Systems:
1:TYPE2/P25 800
4. Select the channel to store the information into.
2:TRUNK CHANNEL
Use the scroll bar to select a channel within the bank to store a system frequency, then
press E.
5. Store the channel information
1:FREQUENCY
Enter the frequency for the channel, then enter an Alpha Tag for the channel.
Repeat Steps 4 and 5 to store the rest of the frequencies for the system
For frequency, enter the red and then blue channels:
852.30000
853.32500
I would not bother with Talk Groups yet.
Go back and set for Control channel only
2:SCAN OPTION
2:TRUNK
Select the bank
:CNTRL CH ONLY
You are done. Now press scan, and then press and hold trunk. Select IDsearch, You may have to do this twice to select IDsearch.
When the scanner gets to the bank you selected, it will search for any/All talk groups. Once you are sure it is working, you can start to think about entering talk groups. I would run in IDsearch for a few days to get used to things.
Note: The note about Rebanding may require that you download the latest firmware for your scanner. See: what happens I would try without the firmware upgrade 1st. If it is not working, then you need to register your scanner with Uniden to get the firmware upgrade: http://www.uniden.com/my/Index.cfm?accessdenied=/my/downloads.cfm You must follow the instructions for upgrade EXACTLY.
From page 45 of manual
1. Select the trunk programming mode.
2:SCAN OPTION →2:TRUNK
2. Use the scroll bar to select the bank you want to program, then press E.
1:TRUNK TYPE →1:ON
45
3. Select Motorola Type 2 or digital Systems:
1:TYPE2/P25 800
4. Select the channel to store the information into.
2:TRUNK CHANNEL
Use the scroll bar to select a channel within the bank to store a system frequency, then
press E.
5. Store the channel information
1:FREQUENCY
Enter the frequency for the channel, then enter an Alpha Tag for the channel.
Repeat Steps 4 and 5 to store the rest of the frequencies for the system
For frequency, enter the red and then blue channels:
852.30000
853.32500
I would not bother with Talk Groups yet.
Go back and set for Control channel only
2:SCAN OPTION
2:TRUNK
Select the bank
:CNTRL CH ONLY
You are done. Now press scan, and then press and hold trunk. Select IDsearch, You may have to do this twice to select IDsearch.
When the scanner gets to the bank you selected, it will search for any/All talk groups. Once you are sure it is working, you can start to think about entering talk groups. I would run in IDsearch for a few days to get used to things.
Note: The note about Rebanding may require that you download the latest firmware for your scanner. See: what happens I would try without the firmware upgrade 1st. If it is not working, then you need to register your scanner with Uniden to get the firmware upgrade: http://www.uniden.com/my/Index.cfm?accessdenied=/my/downloads.cfm You must follow the instructions for upgrade EXACTLY.
Last edited:
Ok I have it programed and I am picking up traffic but it when it's scanning it will stop after a bit and say CNTRL CH ONLY not found. I'll assume I'm doing something wrong? Thanks for taking the time to clue me in. Once I get this in I think I understand how to do the talk groups, it looks like it's just a matter of entering the DEC number. I'll tackle that later.
captclint
Mentor
Sorry. I don't have any experience with that error. I would think if were due to rebanding, would not receive any traffic. If you don't get any other responses, you should probably try the firmware upgrade.
First you need the firmware to be updated.
Second, you need to enter in the Control Channels and pick CC only or enter in all the frequencies in the system.
You also need to enter a custom band plan.
chris
Second, you need to enter in the Control Channels and pick CC only or enter in all the frequencies in the system.
You also need to enter a custom band plan.
chris
A custom band plan is required if the system has rebanded to use the new "rebanding" channel plan.
The error message means that the scanner cannot detect a control channel on any frequency programmed for the system.
The error message means that the scanner cannot detect a control channel on any frequency programmed for the system.
ECHO3
Member
FWIW: The above information is generally correct. Make certain the bank is cc only and that all primary (red) and alternate (blue) ccs (if any) are programmed. I don't know what you want to monitor in Reading, but I think all but one of the police talkgroups are encrypted. You will not hear them. Also, I believe a few of the EMS and Fire talkgroups are in the analog mode and most in the digital mode. I don't think they are encrypted, but that may have changed.
Yes I'm just trying to monitor the fire & ems mostly. I never had a trunking scanner so I'm trying to learn how to set it up and listen. Right now I think I have the groups in that I want to listen to but when I scan it seems to just "hunt" for an I.D. and never really stops on any thing. Now if I have just the red & blue channels programed in on another bank and set it to scan it will stop when a transmission is going across. So maybe I'm still not getting it set up right. I thought it would be much easier than it is.
I have to get a cable to to hook up to my pc preferably one that has a usb plug on one end. So I can do the firmware update.
the RR database made mention of being rebanded. If it is you will need the new firmware and the custom table.
chris
chris
For a trunked system, you need to enter the frequencies and the channels (into the same bank). It sounds like you only entered the channels (talk group IDs). Without any frequencies, the scanner will have no ability to receive.
I do have 2 banks. One bank was just the frequencies because at the time I wasn't sure how to program the talk groups. I then made another new bank with the frequencies & talk group channels. That is the one that never seems to pick anything up. It just searches for the I.D. and never stops on any activity.
The bank that I originally programed just the frequencies will pick up traffic every so often.
Maybe I need to start over from scratch and missed something. If it were a rebanding issue would I even be able to pick up any traffic at all on the red and blue frequencies on this page Reading Trunking System, Reading, Pennsylvania - Scanner Frequencies.
And could anyone recommend a place to get a cable with the usb on one end. Most I've come across are only serial ends.
Sorry for sound so dumb with this but I never did trunking before so I need all the help I can get. Plus nobody that I know around me knows anything about this. The person I got the scanner off of never used the trunking part. He said it was complicated and gave up on it.
The reason you are hearing nothing is because all the frequencies have the new channel assignment and the radio is confused. Easily fixed by the updated firmware and some programming.
I will assume you have no serial port on your computer. You need a USB to serial converter. It is a basic item if you have an electronics store around, otherwise internet order. Once you get it, see if it works with your computer by trying to control the scanner if you have scanner software.
After that, you need to update the firmware. Go to the Uniden website below and follow the instructions for downloading it.
BC796DFirmwareUpdate < UnidenMan4 < TWiki
First install the firmware loader then do the update.
Next you program the system. Follow the instructions in the manual, but use Motorola Type II Custom. Then refer back to the website above under "Entering a Rebanding Table" for the Custom Band Plan to enter.
Continue with frequencies and talkgroups. If the Control Channel Only is confusing, just program in all the frequencies, there aren't that many.
Also, here is the RR WIKI page for the 796, lots of good info there.
BC796D - The RadioReference Wiki
chris
I will assume you have no serial port on your computer. You need a USB to serial converter. It is a basic item if you have an electronics store around, otherwise internet order. Once you get it, see if it works with your computer by trying to control the scanner if you have scanner software.
After that, you need to update the firmware. Go to the Uniden website below and follow the instructions for downloading it.
BC796DFirmwareUpdate < UnidenMan4 < TWiki
First install the firmware loader then do the update.
Next you program the system. Follow the instructions in the manual, but use Motorola Type II Custom. Then refer back to the website above under "Entering a Rebanding Table" for the Custom Band Plan to enter.
Continue with frequencies and talkgroups. If the Control Channel Only is confusing, just program in all the frequencies, there aren't that many.
Also, here is the RR WIKI page for the 796, lots of good info there.
BC796D - The RadioReference Wiki
chris
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