BC898T best software?

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WX9RLT

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What is the best BC898T software? Cheaper the better

I am currently using the uniden software, full version.


But i am looking for a program if possible to download the freq from RR, and upload em into my scanner that way. The uniden software is unable to provide this feature.
 

ka3jjz

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This question is kinda moot - there are only 2 I know of that actually support the 898 that are worth anything; Scan Control and ARC898 from BuTel. Neither, AFAIK, have the RR import feature (at least it's not listed on the ARC898 page). However the WebCatcher (BuTel) and the Data Grabber (Scan Control) basically have the same purpose in that they copy data from a web page (RR in this case) and put it into the software editor (the Data Grabber is only set up to work with RR - there was a time when Ken was trying to make it work with other data sources but that effort was abandoned).

Between the two of them, there is a slight edge to Scan Control if you have one or more of the scanners besides the 898 and want to be able to work with those scanners in a single program. It also has a migrate tool to allow you to import data upward from one model to another. For example, it's possible to upgrade the data from an 898 to a 396XT. However, you cannot use the tool to go downward - in this case from a 396XT to a 898. That requires dumping the contents to a .csv file and re-importing (and there are tools for that).

I'm not fond of the editor - it's very 1980's type klunky to me, but it does work for most people. I used to use it, but since going to XP, it continually crashes on me, so I've left it behind.

By the way, I don't have an 898, just presenting some facts here

73 Mike

[edit] By the way, if you have Excel, you can use that as an interface between RR and it, then use Excel to copy/paste into EScanner. This article explains the procedure...

http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Excel_Copy/Paste_Special_to_Software
 
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ChiefBillB

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An addition to the very comprehensive reply from ka3jjz: At one point I had three 898T units running as part of a professional surveillance operation, and I found the Virtual Control feature in the BuTel software indispensable. In fact, when I recently upgraded to a BCD396XT I stayed with Butel, and I had the scanner programmed, up, and running in less than in hour.
 
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