BCT8 id-SCAN.... "List" or "Bank" display???

[kskarma]

First of all, I have several BCT-8 scanners, all set up with the same frequency scheme. All of them have 15 Trunking frequencies in Bank One...in positions One thru Fifteen. Then I have the Five "TG Lists" filled with the same Talk Groups.. One for State, Two for County, Three for Police, Four is Amb/Health and Five is Fire....
They all work fine, scan and stop correctly and display the right "3-5" or whatever is the active "List-Talk Group", just as they should....so....here is what I have not been able to figure out.....

SOMETIMES....when the BCT8 is in "ID-Scan" mode, the display will show a "B1" along with the scrolling 'id SCAN' message AND...at the top of the display, it will have the 'list' and the selected numbers of the 'list'...usually "12345", (I nearly always scan the full 50 TalkGroups that are in those lists.) When the 'list' is showing, I can "select/deselect" any of the 5 lists...or a combination of the 5, just as I expect.

Other times...or on one of the other BCT8's, it will NOT have the "B1" showing...nor will it have the 'list' on the screen...instead, it will have the more conventional "bank" along with the selected banks in service...again...all of this works correctly.... EXCEPT...I have yet to figure out how I get from the "B1 and list" display...to the 'bank' display and back again...!!!

I have read thru pages 30 thru 38 about 9,000 times...and I DO understand all of those instructions...but I still can't figure out which of my 'button pushing' sequences will get me from one 'display' to the other... I should say that at various times...like after programming a list...or 'something'....then the different BCT8's all have shown BOTH of the displays in question!!! (Just FYI...I have 2 BCT8's in the house and another in my car....I really like them...have used them for years...know my way around all of the features, etc...!! BUT this one thing has me stumped....!!) And yes....I have tried many sequences of the "PVT", the "TRUNK" and other buttons ....and if the 'secret' is there, I have yet to discover it...

Also....does anyone know for sure what the "B1" means? I have assumed it means the scanner is in "TrunkingMode" and "id SCAN" for BankOne....but I have not found that in black and white in the manual either... I would guess that those users who have Trunking set up in the other banks would at times see a 'B2'....or...."Bx" depending on the Active Bank....any info on this?

I would be very grateful (Although not enough to $hell out any actual dollar$!!) for any good help with this...Thanks in advance....

P.S. ..The Regency ACT-8 I started with NEVER gave me this kind of trouble...!!

 

[CLTX11]

From what I am gathering, a little hard to follow with it typed out, you need to hit the "data" button, this will toggle between the List and Banks.

If this is not what you are trying to do, let me know so I can try and re-read this and follow it a little closer.

 

[kskarma]

Thanks for your response.... The function of the 'Data' button is described on page 27 of the Owner's Manual. It's purpose is to let you skip over signals that are comprised of Data signals...teletype, pagers, remote alarms, etc. So...this has no effect on what I described. Just to verify that, I have just now tried that button....and...NADA.!!!

The closest the Manual comes to what I have outlined in my question, is shown on the bottom of page 33....and...that is exactly what I get SOME of the time. My puzzlement comes from not being able to 'toggle' between that display and the more conventional one that is like either of the ones on page 34.

 

[CLTX11]

When you are locked onto a freq the "data" button will engage the data skip. When there is no freq locked on and it is "scanning", hitting the data button will let you toggle between banks and list. For trunked systems it doesn't matter if they are talking or not, you can hit the data button to toggle between the list and banks.

 

[CLTX11]

Thanks for your response.... The function of the 'Data' button is described on page 27 of the Owner's Manual. It's purpose is to let you skip over signals that are comprised of Data signals...teletype, pagers, remote alarms, etc. So...this has no effect on what I described. Just to verify that, I have just now tried that button....and...NADA.!!!

The closest the Manual comes to what I have outlined in my question, is shown on the bottom of page 33....and...that is exactly what I get SOME of the time. My puzzlement comes from not being able to 'toggle' between that display and the more conventional one that is like either of the ones on page 34.

Go back and re-read page 27, at the bottom of the explanation of Data Skip, it says it does not work on trunking systems. I do not have the manual, looking at it on the net. I have not really used my BCT-8 much, had it 4 years and use 2 other scanners mostly.

I do not know how I know about pressing the data button to toggle between list and banks, I cannot find it in the manual but thats how I do it.

I have something in all 5 banks, each bank has something on at least list 1-3

Example of how mine is set up

Bank 1
List 1 - NRH Fire
List 2 Haltom Fire
List 3 Richland fiire

Bank 2
List 1 FW Fire
List 2 FW PD

Ok, say I am listening to just bank 1, itll show either bank 1 or List 1-3. I then hit "data" to select bank 2.

So now bank 1 & 2 or active. If I hit data again it will show B1 List 1-3, then when it goes to bank 2 to scan it will show B2 List 1-2. It will repeat this. If I want to only listen to Bank 2, I will then hit "data." Banks 1 & 2 will show up, I hit #1 to deactivate bank 1. Bank 2 will only show and I will hit "data" again to switch list between FW Fire or FW PD.


After re-reading your question, you are using nothing but trunking correct? Do you have anything programmed into any other banks besides bank 1?

 

[kskarma]

I have about all of the 250 possible 'storeable' locations filled with personal favorite frequencies of all types, VHF, UHF, AM (CB), 800 non trunking, etc... Only the first of the five banks has any trunking in it. The trunking that is in use here is Motorola Type 2...and those are in the positions 1 thru 15..with 16 thru 50 taken up with other local police/sheriff/emergency freqs. The remaining 4 Banks has a variety of frequencies, but NO trunking. So...my comments about the 'DATA' button were not meant to apply to trunked frequencies.

AND....today...I think I have 'broken the code'...at least for the configuration I have in my THREE identically programmed scanners...but, as the saying goes..."Your mileage may vary!"

What I have found is that whether I get to see the 'Bank' or the 'List' displaying depends on how I enter the 'id SCAN' mode. IF...I am scanning with the "Hwy" and "PVT" both activated...(and this works as it should...scanning any and all Talk Groups, not just the ones in my 'list'....as well as the many, many other services...AND THEN...if I go to 'id SCAN' mode by pressing the 'PVT' button...and then pressing the 'SEARCH' button..it will go to the 'vanilla' id SCAN....as it scans the list...but does NOT display the 'list' on the screen. Now....if at this point..while it is scanning the TG's....I press the "HOLD/RESUME" button...then I will get the "B1" and the alternating "Bank / List" displays... I have tried this now on all three of my BCT8'S....and am satisfied that at least for my configuration, this is a repeatable operation...and now....I can sleep nights...!!!

 

[CLTX11]

I have about all of the 250 possible 'storeable' locations filled with personal favorite frequencies of all types, VHF, UHF, AM (CB), 800 non trunking, etc... Only the first of the five banks has any trunking in it. The trunking that is in use here is Motorola Type 2...and those are in the positions 1 thru 15..with 16 thru 50 taken up with other local police/sheriff/emergency freqs. The remaining 4 Banks has a variety of frequencies, but NO trunking. So...my comments about the 'DATA' button were not meant to apply to trunked frequencies.

AND....today...I think I have 'broken the code'...at least for the configuration I have in my THREE identically programmed scanners...but, as the saying goes..."Your mileage may vary!"

What I have found is that whether I get to see the 'Bank' or the 'List' displaying depends on how I enter the 'id SCAN' mode. IF...I am scanning with the "Hwy" and "PVT" both activated...(and this works as it should...scanning any and all Talk Groups, not just the ones in my 'list'....as well as the many, many other services...AND THEN...if I go to 'id SCAN' mode by pressing the 'PVT' button...and then pressing the 'SEARCH' button..it will go to the 'vanilla' id SCAN....as it scans the list...but does NOT display the 'list' on the screen. Now....if at this point..while it is scanning the TG's....I press the "HOLD/RESUME" button...then I will get the "B1" and the alternating "Bank / List" displays... I have tried this now on all three of my BCT8'S....and am satisfied that at least for my configuration, this is a repeatable operation...and now....I can sleep nights...!!!

Sounds good, it gets a little confusing trying to follow all the numbers etc... for me. I am more of a hands on/visual person. Glad you have it somewhat figured out. I have not reprogrammed my BCT-8 in years. I just turn it on and listen now, I will have to "re-learn" it probably when I re-program it which is past due.