BCD325P2 Programming in McLennan County TX (Waco)

[str8up254]

I purchased the BCD325P2 earlier this year, and assumed everything went smooth with programming it as well using the proscan software. My computer crashed and I've reprogrammed with FreeScan. The local police, sheriffs, fire dept came in constantly in the first several months, but in the past month or 2, there's been a big decline in the amount of transmission I'm receiving. I don't know if it's the simulcast issue that I've been reading about with the BCD325P2, or if this area would be considered an area with simulcast issues.

Now in the past few weeks, the scanner hardly ever goes off anymore, and don't know if it needs to be repaired, if my programming is screwed up somehow since I'm now using FreeScan, or if I'm in an area with the simulcast issues for this particular scanner.

Whenever uploading my programming to the scanner, I get 1 error when it finishes, been seeing this error since I first used FreeScan to for my programming. "Caution possible issues sending bandplan. Unable to set WX".

I've saved the .996 file if someone is able to look it over for me to double check the programming I would really appreciate it!

My home zip code is 76708, only needing within my county (McLennan).

Thanks!

 

[Project25_MASTR]

In the last six months or so three new sub-sites have gone live in McLennan county with the last going live within the last month.

 

[hiegtx]

In the last six months or so three new sub-sites have gone live in McLennan county with the last going live within the last month.

Which would be the possible reason that the OP previously could monitor the system some time ago, with his 325P2, but no longer can.

I purchased the BCD325P2 earlier this year, and assumed everything went smooth with programming it as well using the proscan software. My computer crashed and I've reprogrammed with FreeScan. The local police, sheriffs, fire dept came in constantly in the first several months, but in the past month or 2, there's been a big decline in the amount of transmission I'm receiving. I don't know if it's the simulcast issue that I've been reading about with the BCD325P2, or if this area would be considered an area with simulcast issues.

Now in the past few weeks, the scanner hardly ever goes off anymore, and don't know if it needs to be repaired, if my programming is screwed up somehow since I'm now using FreeScan, or if I'm in an area with the simulcast issues for this particular scanner.

While the 325P2 is a good, easy to carry, portable scanner, it struggles with simulcast systems. Simulcast issues can be extremely location specific, to the point that by moving the scanner a few feet in one direction or another, you might be able to find a 'sweet spot' where it might work somewhat better. Remember that, in dealing with simulcast, in some cases "less antenna" (even to the point of using a paper clip) might improve your reception.

Whenever uploading my programming to the scanner, I get 1 error when it finishes, been seeing this error since I first used FreeScan to for my programming. "Caution possible issues sending bandplan. Unable to set WX".

That's a typical FreeSCAN error message that can be ignored. When you get an error message that a system is missing a band plan, that can also be ignored. For P25 trunked systems, the scanner gets the band plan information it needs from the control channel data.

I've saved the .996 file if someone is able to look it over for me to double check the programming I would really appreciate it!

Using File Explorer (aka Windows Explorer in some versions of windows), find your programming file, *.996, created by FreeSCAN. <Right><click> on the file to get a pop-up menu that allows you to create a compressed (zipped) file. The zip file can be attached to a post.

 

[str8up254]

Thanks guys! That's what I had started to look into after finding the majority of BCD325P2 users in similar areas experience.

Going to start looking into the SDS100 from here on out. My current scanner doesn't catch any live feed now and must find a replacement asap! Relieved to know that scanner doesn't need to be sent in to Uniden for repair now, lol!