BCT8 Computer Control Software?

[Giezr]

I'm decently new to scanning and I'm looking to buy a scanner to hookup to my computer for computer control and recording.

What I want to do is leave my scanner on while I'm at work/asleep/not listening and have it record what goes on onto my computer. Now I don't want to record everything but there are several freqs I want to record. Some of them I have programmed in my scanners and never hear anything on them. I don't need to listen to anything trunked or digital for now.

The problem with this is I don't know what software will support recording multiple freqs. and keeping track of which recording is of which freq. Does anyone know which software program could do this? Also I'm not for sure on the BCT8 so if you want to suggest another (cheap) scanner my ears are open.

Any help and or suggestions would be appreciated.

Giezr

 

[ka3jjz]

It's a good thing that you're not interested in digital - the BCT8 won't do that, anyway and digital trunktrackers are very expensive...

Anyway there are 2 possibilities - one free, the other is somewhat costly. IDTracker (free) and Trunkstar Pro. I haven't heard much about the Trunkstar product, tho. If no one replies here, perhaps a question on the BCT8 Yahoo Group is in order.

You can find links for the software I mentioned above, plus hints as to how to hook up the scanner to the soundcard here

(Just so you know - anything is blue is a link....) 73s Mike

 

[MacombMonitor]

Now I don't want to record everything but there are several freqs I want to record. Some of them I have programmed in my scanners and never hear anything on them. I don't need to listen to anything trunked or digital for now.

The problem with this is I don't know what software will support recording multiple freqs. and keeping track of which recording is of which freq. Giezr

I don't think the BCT8 supports this function of selectable sound recording on a per frequency/channel bases.

The higher-end Unidens, such as the BC780-XLT, BC296D, BC796D, and BCD396T have this ability.

There is a really nice scanning recorder software package called; Scanner Recorder, that is free. It would be about your best solution. Just do a L/O on the Banks and Channels you don't want to record during a particular session.

Scanner Recorder: http://www.davee.com/scanrec/

 

[ka3jjz]

While the BCT8 doesn't do this with firmware, you can do it with software. The selections I gave in my last message will do the trick, tho how well Trunkstar Pro does it, I haven't heard anything about as yet. 73s Mike

 

[MississippiPI]

BCT-8 recording

As a former TV news assignment editor I would suggest you exercise caution when and if you record scanner traffic. I would ask myself a couple of questions--why I am recording it; is is legal; who will have access to it. There may be local or state laws that limit or even prohibit this, might want to check nefore getting yourself in trouble.

 

[MacombMonitor]

While the BCT8 doesn't do this with firmware, you can do it with software. The selections I gave in my last message will do the trick, tho how well Trunkstar Pro does it, I haven't heard anything about as yet. 73s Mike

Cool! I didn't know that. I've used Trunkstar-780 before, but it was a long time ago. My bad!

 

[ka3jjz]

No sweat MM. In fact, you might be interested to know that the free utility IDTracker will work - and yes, record, if your soundcard can keep up - on all 3 scanners you have listed in your sig. Not all at the same time, of course (hi) 73 Mike

 

[Giezr]

Thanks for all of the replies. I really like the look of Trunkstar software. Too bad it costs 125 dollars. They have a screenshot showing exaclty what I was trying to describe, where it records multiple frequnecies from one scanner and saves which recording is which frequency.

From reading the IDTracker website I can't tell if their software does this or not? I'm at work at the moment so I will go home and download it and play with it tonight, even though my scanner is yet to be ordered (still decideing) I might be able to figure out the answer I am looking for.

Giezr

 

[ka3jjz]

Giezr, the best way to go - short of downloading it, and after all it is free, so you wouldn't lose much - is to drop Dave Hitchner an email and ask. He's usually pretty responsive.

73s and GL..Mike

 

[fireman_dude]

Beleive it or not, I use the most simplified caveman way of scanner recording there is on the market. A $39 voice activated digital tape recorder. I run a line from the headphone jack on the scanner to the mic jack on the recorder. Bear in mind, the quality is lousy but it serves its purpose for what I use it for, and there is no scanner control at all.

 

[ka3jjz]

Nothing wrong with that, dude....but there would be no way to mark what recording was for what frequency if you were scanning (the same can be said of using a utility like Scanner Recorder, which is free, and doesn't have limitations on tapes....). It's fine for monitoring just one freq. 73s Mike