BCT15 upgrade

[Bear15]

Dusting the old BCT15 out of the closet, it feels obsolete and old now, looks like most is heading to APCO-25 now a day, can the discriminator tap still be use with PC/software to listen to APCO-25 signal? or to just upgrade to the BCD536HP?

 

[AA6IO]

Yes, you can use disccriminator tap and free software like DSD Plus to listen to P25. But BCD536HP a lot easier and great scanner. I own three of them.

 

[mciupa]

Dusting the old BCT15 out of the closet, it feels obsolete and old now, looks like most is heading to APCO-25 now a day, can the discriminator tap still be use with PC/software to listen to APCO-25 signal? or to just upgrade to the BCD536HP?

And not only P25, your area also has DMR and NXDN activity which will decode with DSD+.

I tapped a BCT15X last year, the hardest part was drilling through the metal chassis.

 

[Bear15]

I was doing a bit of research on this and I came up on this USB device, is this something that would work?
(Sorry admin for link)
http://www.nooelec.com/store/sdr/sdr-receivers/nesdr-mini-rtl2832-r820t.html


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SteveSimpkin]

Yes, you certainly can use a USB RTL-SDR radio as a scanner and much more. Be warned though that it can have a steep learning curve compared to a modern scanner.
The https://www.rtl-sdr.com/ site is your best reference for these radios.
The V3 version of the USB radio they sell can also tune below 26 MHz.
https://www.rtl-sdr.com/buy-rtl-sdr-dvb-t-dongles/

Getting started:
https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-quick-start-guide/

Tutorials for scanning:
TUTORIAL: Step by step RTL-SDR “$20 trunking police scanner” | RTL-SDR.Sceners.ORG
https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-radio-scanner-tutorial-decoding-digital-voice-p25-with-dsd/

 

[Bear15]

And not only P25, your area also has DMR and NXDN activity which will decode with DSD+.

I tapped a BCT15X last year, the hardest part was drilling through the metal chassis.

Yes I recall that part also, and DSD+ found it but not of lots of documentation on it, I fed the discriminator tap in my pc via audio innput but DSD+ keep on saying the following:

TCP connect error = 10061
[No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it]

not sure where to go from there, I'm googling this at 100/kph!

Thanks.

 

[mmisk]

the great free application called Unitrunker.

Thought I would mention the great free application called Unitrunker.
You can feed the control channel to Unitrunker from a disc. tap, or an SDR device, and Unitrunker can directly steer another sdr device that will follow the voice comms. Yes there is a bit of a learning curve but do not let that stop you from having a great deal of fun.

Another way is DSD+ Lots of info on RR

Have fun!!

 

[slicerwizard]

Yes I recall that part also, and DSD+ found it but not of lots of documentation on it, I fed the discriminator tap in my pc via audio innput but DSD+ keep on saying the following:

TCP connect error = 10061
[No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it]

not sure where to go from there, I'm googling this at 100/kph!

Thanks.

You're running a batch file designed for use with a dongle, but you're not using a dongle.

Just run DSD+.

 

[Bear15]

I did just that this morning as a quick test and it worked! Was mainly able to receive OC-Transpo wishing farewell to someone retiring, but most of the time it sounded like a robot and mostly garbled. A good positive start for the old bct15!

Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bear15]

Yes, you certainly can use a USB RTL-SDR radio as a scanner and much more. Be warned though that it can have a steep learning curve compared to a modern scanner.
The https://www.rtl-sdr.com/ site is your best reference for these radios.
The V3 version of the USB radio they sell can also tune below 26 MHz.
https://www.rtl-sdr.com/buy-rtl-sdr-dvb-t-dongles/

Getting started:
https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-quick-start-guide/

Tutorials for scanning:
TUTORIAL: Step by step RTL-SDR “$20 trunking police scanner” | RTL-SDR.Sceners.ORG
https://www.rtl-sdr.com/rtl-sdr-radio-scanner-tutorial-decoding-digital-voice-p25-with-dsd/

My initial question at this time is:
I only bought X1 Nesdr Smart that is running very well and would like to know if it is possible to use the BCT15 on the control channel to feed it's discriminator output into the Pc sound card input and let the NEDSR to change it's programmed channels via unitrunker, so DSD+ can play them.
looks like a daunting task!

Cheers.

 

[mmisk]

Unitrunker via the disc. tap.

Yes you can send the signal to Unitrunker via the disc. tap.

Also, Unitrunker shows your radio as being able to send control channel data directly via the USB cable.
Have you tried this yet? If this works it will free up your sound card for DSD use.

I do this with my GRE radio.

In addition to Unitrunker, you can also use DSD Fast lane application. It also follows DMR and NXDN talk groups.

Mike