Best / Free Scanner Software?

[walterb]

Hi,

I’m pretty sure the best scanner software isn’t free, however I just bought a Uniden BCD996T and I already own a SC230 and am getting a BC780XLT. It seems Uniden isn’t content with charging me $500 for a scanner, but they also expect me to pay for the software to drive the scanner as well.
I was pretty happy with my ICOM PCR100 a few years ago, and am just now getting back in the hobby. ICOM actually provides the software to drive their scanners free of charge.
I guess what I’m looking for is scanner software that if I must pay for, I don’t have to buy a new copy for each of my scanners. Is their such a product ?

Thanks in advance.

 

[andrewccm]

LOL - Well Uniden doesn't make software, so I wouldn't blame them. (well they do give you their antiquated version via download that I don't care for at all).

I personally like ARC396 and ARC15 for my scanners... But I find myself using bcTool primarily for my 396. It works very well and is free. I would assume it would work very well for the 996 as well.

 

[walterb]

cool

thanks for the quick response.

Uniden seems to have a remedial download for the SC230, but limits the system names to "RACE" and "CONVENTIONAL". If you save the systems, then rename the systems, it seems to load into the scanner as the name you pick. A programming glitch that is actually beneficial to the user. If I could find something similar it would be good enough. Or If I could pay about $50 for something that was supported all the modern uniden scanners, and was able to download minor upgrades without cost, that would be fine too.

The BCTool seems interesting, I’ll check it out. Thanks for the tip.

 

[cpuerror]

Also checkout FreeSCAN

 

[lugoffman]

Also checkout FreeSCAN

Will this work for the bc296d and if so will it , when uploading to scanner automaticly set your digital settings such as ctcss , Ect.......

 

[walterb]

BCTool

I just downloaded BCTools and it read my SC230, I made some edits, and uploaded the data back to the scanner and it seemed to work great.

thanks for the help.

 

[andrewccm]

I just downloaded BCTools and it read my SC230, I made some edits, and uploaded the data back to the scanner and it seemed to work great.

thanks for the help.

You're welcome. I enjoy the logging and recording section of the app too..

 

[torontokris]

doesn't uniden include FREE software for the 996?
Its called uasd... So saying you paid $500 and Uniden expects you to pay more for software isn't true.

That being said I prefer ARC996.. You can try it out free for a limitied trial period

 

[ka3jjz]

Will this work for the bc296d and if so will it , when uploading to scanner automaticly set your digital settings such as ctcss , Ect.......

No, FreeScan (and its cousin, BCTool) are designed to work with the Uniden DMA scanners,of which the 296 is not one of them.

I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but all the software known to work with the 296 is linked in the wiki article...(anything in blue is a link)

http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/BC296D

While not free to fully register, to me ARC250 and ProScan seem the best choices; ProScan has an edge that it has its own client software for putting audio on the web, while BuTel has a seperate package for that purpose. Both can connect to the database and download data.

Take the time to learn what the capabilities are of the software you have (I'm pretty sure you have ARC250). It's a pretty decent package, frankly

73 Mike