BCD396T/BC996T: BCD996T First time programming.

[F6twistersrwindy]

Hey. I have a BCD996T that has been half reprogrammed No trunking added just local frequencies. I want to start from scratch but I have never programmed a scanner or used one. Ive read the manual. I understood most of it. My question is, I am using windows 11 laptop and I need advice on what programming software to use. I want to be able to add updates easily as they come out. User friendly to because I have never done this. Also I'm having a brain fart understanding Uniden I-Call. The manual said it is to pick up local one on one comunications. What is that? Then I read from google saying I-Call is the same as the CloseCall feature. I thought Closecall was picking up emergencies close to home? I using this as a base unit only. All advice welcome. I'm just starting. 🙂

 

[F6twistersrwindy]

If you listen to the playlist it’s only a couple seconds delay. You’re able hold onto any talkgroup on the playlist.
You’re also able to access the archives and listen to past transmissions. I also have a FreeScan file for NWORPSS if you decide to try and program your 996

TY. I'm going to use the proscan software when i program the scanner. Is that a file i can dl from rr ?

 

[GILLIG40]

No it’s one I made with FreeScan back in 2022. There are quite a few people on here that can help you make up a proscan file. I have proscan but I haven’t used it all that much.

 

[F6twistersrwindy]

No it’s one I made with FreeScan back in 2022. There are quite a few people on here that can help you make up a proscan file. I have proscan but I haven’t used it all that much.

Ok. Excuse my dumb here lol what is a proscan file?

 

[ka3jjz]

The file ProScan creates when you store all the data you want to send too the scanner. I don't know what the file extension would be- other ProScan users can help you with that

Mike

 

[F6twistersrwindy]

The file ProScan creates when you store all the data you want to send too the scanner. I don't know what the file extension would be- other ProScan users can help you with that

Mike

Ohhhh ok. So its what I will gather as far as what i want to listen to & how I want it organized?

 

[Enforcer52]

Freescan files have a .996 extention, Proscan files have a .txt extension. You can not use a Freescan file with Proscan or vice versa, the headers within the files is different.

 

[F6twistersrwindy]

If you listen to the playlist it’s only a couple seconds delay. You’re able hold onto any talkgroup on the playlist.
You’re also able to access the archives and listen to past transmissions. I also have a FreeScan file for NWORPSS if you decide to try and program your 996

OK. Thank you so much for offering. I'm going with Proscan though & I just seen on here that the 2 softwares cant be mixed.

 

[tvengr]

OK. Thank you so much for offering. I'm going with Proscan though & I just seen on here that the 2 softwares cant be mixed.

If you take the offer of the FreeSCAN file to program the scanner, you can download the scanner into ProScan once it is programmed and you will have it in both FreeSCAN and ProScan. That is an easy way to convert files.

 

[K4EET]

@F6twistersrwindy, when you get ProScan, or even the Uniden Sentinel software, the FIRST thing you want to do is READ the scanner’s current programming information and save that file in a safe place. That way, you will have the current programming if you ever need to go back to it.

Then you can create your own programming however you like. As you create the new programming, save that file under a different name so as to not overwrite the file you saved in the first paragraph. But I’m sure you know all about how to organize files on your computer. 😃

<edit> Now that I think about it, the Uniden software to program your scanner may not be called Sentinel. Can someone correct me if I’m wrong. TIA!

 

[F6twistersrwindy]

@F6twistersrwindy, when you get ProScan, or even the Uniden Sentinel software, the FIRST thing you want to do is READ the scanner’s current programming information and save that file in a safe place. That way, you will have the current programming if you ever need to go back to it.

Then you can create your own programming however you like. As you create the new programming, save that file under a different name so as to not overwrite the file you saved in the first paragraph. But I’m sure you know all about how to organize files on your computer. 😃

Yes Ty. Unfortunately the scanner was only half programmed. I took it to be programmed but it got messed up. I posted a video of what the scanner was doing and and someone replied

"It looks like he did not program the Quick Keys for you to easily turn things off, nor programmed the OhioMarcsIP Trunking System and just programmed you a bunch of Conventional frequencies that are hardly ever used"

So here I am lol

 

[K4EET]

Yes Ty. Unfortunately the scanner was only half programmed. I took it to be programmed but it got messed up. I posted a video of what the scanner was doing and and someone replied

"It looks like he did not program the Quick Keys for you to easily turn things off, nor programmed the OhioMarcsIP Trunking System and just programmed you a bunch of Conventional frequencies that are hardly ever used"

So here I am lol

Not to worry. All of us here are ready to help you program your scanner. Don’t hesitate to ask…

 

[F6twistersrwindy]

Not to worry. All of us here are ready to help you program your scanner. Don’t hesitate to ask…

Thank you. I'm currently waiting for my pc to be delivered then I can get moving on this 😃

 

[GILLIG40]

I’m pretty sure that’s the way Jerry programmed them. He didn’t want to confuse people. Mine was always set to ID search . I didn’t even know what ID scan was until I started looking at these threads.

 

[GILLIG40]

If it only has conventional frequencies on it, then it wouldn’t have the simulcast distortion that you will get on NWORPSS. I think someone messed with it. Jerry wouldn’t have just programmed Conventional Frequencies in it.

 

[F6twistersrwindy]

I’m pretty sure that’s the way Jerry programmed them. He didn’t want to confuse people. Mine was always set to ID search . I didn’t even know what ID scan was until I started looking at these threads.

Oh. No. This was last week. It worked after Jerrys cb shop. But this guy last week left out everything that the scanner needed to connect or something.
This is the reply from someone who saw the video I positedof the scanner endlessly searching.

"It looks like he did not program and Quick Keys for you to easily turn things off, nor programmed the OhioMarcsIP Trunking System and just programmed you a bunch of Conventional frequencies that are hardly ever used"

 

[tvengr]

"It looks like he did not program the Quick Keys for you to easily turn things off,

Here is a PDF file which will answer all of your questions about using quick keys. Print it out and save it for your reference.

 

[wtp]

squelch set to 2 ?

 

[F6twistersrwindy]

squelch set to 2 ?

I tried every level. Yep

 

[wtp]

2 is best.
15 and they might be standing next to you.

 

[F6twistersrwindy]

2 is best.
15 and they might be standing next to you.

🤣🤣🤣 Ty