BR330T New User Acceptance Testing

[JohnnyStar]

Well, after researching for a week I've ordered a BR330T as my first
scanner. Thanks to all who have posted info on this group; it's been
very worthwhile reading and helped me make my decision.

It's coming over to the UK from the US and should be here very soon -
fingers crossed!

There is a 2 week window whereby I have to return faulty goods to the
vendor.

My question follows ...

Since this is my first scanner and I've never actually held one before
I have no idea on how to make sure everything that is supposed to be
working is actually working.

Obviously, I'm hoping to charge up some batteries and turn it on to be
greeted by a nice orange glow but past that I'm in the dark.

I've already started reading a PDF manual and some user guides but
there's a lot to take in.

Do you guys know of any recurrent bugs that I should check for and if
so, how to check for them? Hopefully, the incorrectly polorized screen
thing wont be an issue for me and the dodgy sound rattle that some
people have reported has been resolved by now.

Is there any standard user test that a person with a new scanner
should do to make sure all the frequencies/bands/channels are working?
I'm based in North West London - NW2 - if that helps any.

Anything that you can think of that the 330 is supposed to do but
might theoretically have been stopped from doing, either by damage in
transit or from a bloke in the Uniden factory rushing the unit to skip
off home early on a Friday, will be greatly appreciated.

I'm looking forward to getting to grips with this machine but realise that it will be some time down the road before I'm using it in an advanced fashion; just want to know all the bells and whistles are working for when I reach that point.

Cheers,

Jon

 

[Napalm]

Basically, as long as it turns on, receives stuff ok, then I'd say it's working.

 

[fuzzymoto]

It has a lot of features to test depending on your area. It took me weeks to try even most of the features and even months later there are things I still am just getting to. If I were you I'd test the basics and the things that are most important to you. Other things will take time...for example testing Close Call assumes there is a close call you can pick up.

It's a great scanner. Assuming it doesn't get wiped in transit you'll love it.

 

[rdale]

But I've never heard of a scanner that only has some of its features working when you turn it on. There's really nothing you need to "test" other than it receiving some frequencies.

 

[Napalm]

Don't forget, all of the trunktracking stuff is useless over here. I think there are only a couple of nets in the whole country that can be "decoded" using the BR330. They're probably in London. Even those are being phased out in favour of Airwave.

Close call is easily tested with your own handheld or transmitter. Just don't key it up too close to the radio

 

[morfis]

Don't forget, all of the trunktracking stuff is useless over here. I think there are only a couple of nets in the whole country that can be "decoded" using the BR330. They're probably in London. Even those are being phased out in favour of Airwave.

Close call is easily tested with your own handheld or transmitter. Just don't key it up too close to the radio

Not quite true. USAF operate at least two nets here that it can track. Some areas of the Met plod are still using Smartnet but they are being phased out. There are another couple of Smartnet users in the midlands/south.

 

[JohnnyStar]

Many thanks for all your comments.

It seems that as long as it turns on and glows then everything should be OK. That's good news as I don't know my arse from my elbow when it comes to scanners yet!

Looking forward to learning it as I go along.

Cheers,

Jon

 

[Napalm]

Not quite true. USAF operate at least two nets here that it can track. Some areas of the Met plod are still using Smartnet but they are being phased out. There are another couple of Smartnet users in the midlands/south.

Picky

I don't live anywhere near London or EGUL/N so I've never even bothered