BCD396T

[misterhornet]

I am looking to upgrade to a BCD396T from a Pro29 (yes I know that's archaic). I live in Volusia County, FL and am often in DC. Any reason not to get it as I have read up on it and it looks like an awesome scanner ? Thanks.

 

[DPD1]

Looks good to me too... I just wish it was a little more beefy. With all the features, it would be nice to have more direct access buttons. And the case looks a little flimsy... Just kind of a psychological thing I guess, when you're spending that much.

Dave
-DPD Productions - Custom Scanner, MURS, & GMRS Antennas-
http://eje.railfan.net/dpdp/

 

[misterhornet]

Well, I just ordered it from ScannerMaster. I can't wait til it gets here next Tuesday !!!

Dan

 

[rescue161]

It's actually built very well, not flimsy at all.

 

[DPD1]

It's actually built very well, not flimsy at all.

OK, thanks... Maybe it's the way it looks in photos... It just seemed like things were getting a little light after the SC series. I do like the 296 though. I actually prefer radios to be bigger like that. But that's just a personal thing.

Dave
-DPD Productions - Custom Scanner, MURS, & GMRS Antennas-
http://eje.railfan.net/dpdp/

 

[mciupa]

I am looking to upgrade to a BCD396T .. Any reason not to get it ?

Well, since you asked .....

I'm going to post this link and run like Hell ! :shock:

http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=28540

 

[flyingwolf]

I am looking to upgrade to a BCD396T from a Pro29 (yes I know that's archaic)

Hey now dont knock the 29. Have one sitting here scanning through the MURS/FRS/GMRS.

Does a very good job. Never crashes. Has been on for about 9 months straight. Still runs like a dream.
Besides I can pick up the weather on nearly all NOAA channels on that radio while none of the others in my house can get more then one faint signal.

It may be old but its well made.
Hell it even survived me taking it apart when I was 13 lol.

 

[misterhornet]

LCN

What is an LCN and how does it relateto programming on the 396 ? Also, on large systems, such as statewide sytems, do you have to put in the frquencies for the area you're in and will it work outside that area or do you have to put it all freqs for all systems ? Becaseu you would already have all the talkgroups in the system which youre in. THanks for answering.

 

[KE5BCP]

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/wiki/index.php?title=LCN

 

[misterhornet]

So what information do I put in the scanner for LCN ? Just 1, 2, 3, etc ... for each freq or do I put in other info as well ? And where do I find the number to assign or RR.com or is it just random ?

 

[Voyager]

So what information do I put in the scanner for LCN ? Just 1, 2, 3, etc ... for each freq or do I put in other info as well ? And where do I find the number to assign or RR.com or is it just random ?

You put the correct LCN number in for the LCN - they can be in any order as long as they are correct. They are chosen at the time the system is installed. There is no particular LCN for a particular frequency. They are unique to each system. RR is a good start, as are local scanner web pages.

Joe M.

 

[misterhornet]

so basically all you have to do is enter each frequency in the order in which it is presented on RR.com if i get this right ? Thanks for answering. I am new to trunktracking and have a lot to learn and therfore a lot of questions.

Also, for large systems, such as state police, do you have to put in all the freqs for the whole state or just the freqs from the towers in your area. If you only put in the freqs in your area, can you still listen to it when you leave your area and go to another part of the state ? Also, can you listen to channels not in your area if you have them programmed in ?

4 more days until my 396T arrives !!

 

[loumaag]

so basically all you have to do is enter each frequency in the order in which it is presented on RR.com if i get this right ? Thanks for answering. I am new to trunktracking and have a lot to learn and therfore a lot of questions.

That is not what Joe said. He said you have to associate the LCN with the correct frequency. Since we are talking about the BCD396T it doesn't matter the order they are put in, just so long as the LCN is associated correctly. Here on the RR Database, if a trunking system requires frequencies to be associated with a LCN the LCN will be presented as a small number just in front of the frequency in the list. For an overkill example of what I mean, take a look at the RACOM System, a mulit-state EDACS Standard system. One of the advantages of the Dynamic Memory in a 396T (unlike the traditionsl "Bank Based" memory configuration of a standard scanner) is that you can ignore the blanks in an LCN order, indeed you can ignore the order altogeher as long as the LCN is associated with the correct frequency.

 

[misterhornet]

Thanks for the answer. So on a network like the one posted, if you only program frequencies for one site, can you still listen to the whole network or just the local area ? If you travel to another part of the state would you have to program a new site or just use the one in your local area ?

 

[loumaag]

Thanks for the answer. So on a network like the one posted, if you only program frequencies for one site, can you still listen to the whole network or just the local area ? If you travel to another part of the state would you have to program a new site or just use the one in your local area ?

On trunking system networks, normally traffic on any particular site is carried only for units and talkgroups affiliated with that site. We are talking about active units (not scanners, which are passive) like real radios. Take a look at the RR Wiki and particularly the sections dealing with trunking for further understanding of how trunking works.