I am not new to scanning, been programming scanners for years. However, I can't grasp this digital age. Can someone to me the range to which digital operates and how to program these frequencies into my scanner?
Digital signals operate on the same frequency ranges that normal analog signals do, they just use a different way to encode and modulate the signals. It's quite likely that an agency that operates on 154.980 MHz using a plain old analog signal finds a few bucks in the bank (well, quite a few) or qualifies for a grant and desides to go out and buy brand new radios. Their old frequencies happen to work fine for them coverage wise and they don't want to add any unnecessary expense for new antennas, tower crews, etc. and just upgrade their old frequency from analog to digital.
Let's say that they get a grant that has a qualification that it must be used for radios that use the P-25 standard (what we call a standard digital system). They buy a brand new repeater, new mobiles, new handhelds, and even new base station radios (it was a really nice grant!). They get their communications consultant to modify their existing license to add the necessary emission code(s) for legal P-25 operation on their old 154.980 MHz frequency. Once the new equipment is installed, folks are trained on how to use it they're ready to go. Finally the day is there for the switch-over and everyone turns off their old radios, turns on their new ones and poof they're now digital!
At that point, all the scanner listeners are mad because their old scanner won't work. Some folks are saying that they're now fully encrypted (possible, but not likely) and give up the hobby. Others plunk down the $500 or so for a new digital scanner, program in that 154.980 MHz as a standard P-25 channel and continue to enjoy their hobby as if nothing happened. Hopefully somebody will submit a change to RadioReference.com so the database can be updated to signal their transition from analog to P-25 digital on 154.980 MHz so others can easily know about the changes!
I have a Uniden BCT15X. I have searched and searched and can't find any answers or maybe they were staring right back at me because I don't know what I'm looking for.
Sorry, but you're one of those folks that will need a new scanner since yours won't handle digital signals. Be sure to check the database to veryfy that your folks moved to the P-25 standard and not one of the other digital modes scanners don't currently work on (MotoTRBO for example) or even have actually added encryption to their signals.
