BCT15 Headaches

Status
Not open for further replies.

sulk

Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
26
So I just gotta say I was really looking forward to the BCT15, and I ended up getting one today.

And for the life of me, I can't figure the thing out.

I have a Yaesu FT-60 that I used to scan and programmed it on the unit itself.

Once I got the BCT15, I started playing around with it, and I think I messed up something that I have no idea how to fix.

But I figured out I have to use bcTool, and its a pretty neat program, but the one thing that I can't figure out, is how do I specifically listen to one group, or system, or whatever they call it.

Let's say I want to just listen to my trunked police frequencies, or my VHF ham repeaters, what exactly do I do to do this.

I think it has something to do with Quick Keys, but they dont really seem to work for me, as as soon the radio turns on it will scan that range for a couple of seconds, and then move on to Public safety, News, Ham, etc etc.

Also, I was wondering if you can manually tune/scan. Lets say I want to tune to 147.430, and then go up in frequencies by turning the knob, or just scan up/down.

I realize that this radio is really powerful, so much so that I cant figure it out, and it doesnt help that the manual is useless on actual operation of the radio.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, and if you can't tell I've never had a scanner before, heh. Thanks
 

sulk

Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
26
Thanks, but I already read that, and I still didn't really see what I was looking for/when I tried to do it, it wouldnt work.
 

mkrubsack

Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2006
Messages
93
Location
Fresno, CA
Sounds like you might need to lockout a system, or two.

Press 'Menu', then select "Program System" by pressing in on the big silver knob, turn that same knob to the system you want to lock out, press the knob, then choose "Edit Sys Option" and you should see "Set Lockout" and select that.

It's easier with bcTool. Just check the lockout box, and upload the system to the radio.
 

radiopro52

Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2007
Messages
261
Location
North Alabama
You can assign a quick key to each system/group you create. I use FreeScan to program my BCT15 when alot of frequencies and inputting is involved, and it works well. I never used BCTool.

You can create a system using the scanner keys. Do this first to get comfortable using the scanners buttons and to get familiar with the menu. While scanning, press the menu key and press the knob on "program system". You'll see a list of all of the systems the scanner currently has. If you see any you don't like, you can delete them. To create a new system, simply select "new system", select the system type (conventional or trunking system) and then input the frequencies.

If you create a conventional system, you then have to create a group. After you create a group, you then can input the frequencies. You then have to assign the same quick key to the system and the group for it to work properly.

It may seem hard at first, but as you continue to use it, you'll adjust and then you'll appreciate the new memory system the BCT15 has.
 

sulk

Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
26
Mkrubsack, thanks for the advice, thats what I thought I had to do at first, but how can I lock out the preprogrammed systems? Like News, FM radio, etc.

When I go into that menu, I only can lock out my systems that I created using bcTool.

And radiopro, once I've created a quick key, should it only stay within that system range? I would assume as I turn the knob, it would cycle through each channel/trunked channel. Instead it will leave the system, and go into other things.

Also I would thing its simple, but can you do a simple VFO entry? like go directly for a certain frequency?
 
Last edited:

n2mdk

Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2007
Messages
2,450
Location
Ames, IA
To lockout the preprogrammed systems, press Func, scroll through the systems and lockout those you don't want.
 

radiopro52

Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2007
Messages
261
Location
North Alabama
You can assign multiple systems to a quick key, but to keep it simple I only assign one system/group to a quick key. To illustrate, I have my local police on quick key 1, Ham Repeaters on quick key 2, ect. Then I assign one trunking system to another quick key, and so on.

To assign a quick key, go to the menu, then program systems. Select a system you want to assign a quick key to, and press the knob. Then go to "edit sys option", and then "set quick key". Afterward, you have to assign the same quick key to the group. So press menu to go back to the system, then select "edit group". Select your group, and then select "set quick key". Now you should be able to press that number on your scanner to turn that system on or off while scanning.

Also, while scanning, what does the display currently look like? If you see things on the screen like PL, DT, HP, and BT, you can press the POL and HP buttons on the scanner to turn those off.
 

sulk

Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
26
Thanks a lot radiopro and n2mdk.

Through those couple of comments, I finally figured out what my problem was.

One of them was that I was doing a system startup, and then i redid some of the quickeys, after realizing you can have both systems and groups as quick keys.

My only question now is, I have a trunked system with a quick key, but whenever i press its quick key, i just get a beep, and it doesnt show up in the list of quick keys. So I can't add/remove it to what im currently listening to. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?
 

radiopro52

Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2007
Messages
261
Location
North Alabama
Thanks a lot radiopro and n2mdk.My only question now is, I have a trunked system with a quick key, but whenever i press its quick key, i just get a beep, and it doesnt show up in the list of quick keys. So I can't add/remove it to what im currently listening to. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?
Make sure you have the quick key assigned to both the trunking system and the site. It's just like the conventional, where both the system and the group have to have the same quick key.
 

sulk

Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
26
Thanks again.

I really really appreciate it.

Its such a steep learning curve, and then it seems so easy.

Now I just have to work out the few kinks that are bugging me.

Thanks again.
 

radiopro52

Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2007
Messages
261
Location
North Alabama
No problem. I had problems operating the BCT15 when I first got it. But once you play with it for a few days, and adjust to it's features and work around the menu, you'll be operating it like an expert.

A word of warning though. Some programming software can mess up your quick keys when you upload programming information back to the scanner. I know FreeScan does this to me. If it happens, just reasign the quick keys.
 

sulk

Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
26
I guess my last biggest question is how do you VFO on the bct15?
I really would like to go to specific frequencies.
 

mancow

Member
Database Admin
Joined
Feb 19, 2003
Messages
6,879
Location
N.E. Kansas
HOLD

Enter frequency xxx.xxxxx

HOLD

Whatever you enter will take on the characteristics of the channel that you held on prior to entering the frequency. DO NOT HIT ENTER, make sure you hit HOLD after you key in the frequency. Once you have it you can spin the dial and tune or hit HOLD again and free search up or down similar to a Radio Shack's TUNE mode.
 

sulk

Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
26
Thanks a lot mancow, the secret behind it is to put the . in, if you dont put it in you get a tgid error, which made me think it had nothing to do with vfo.

Thanks again, I can start enjoying my first scanner now : D
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top