BCD325P2/BCD996P2: Don't Understand

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Chappster

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My mother bought a new BCD996P2 scanner so she can listen to the local PD/FD. They joined Omaha's ORION (Omaha Regional Interoperability Network) last year so she can't hear them now. I have been trying to learn what everything is but I don't know where to start. I look at Fremont, Nebraska's information on this website and it has freq. shown there for Fremont but also says it joined ORION. Are those freq. the old freq. or are they the new freq. If you click on ORION, it talks about Fremont's Talkgroup. gives some DEC and HEX numbers, Mode, alpha tag and so on. Are they supposed to be loaded into the scanner? When I start to program the scanner it asks me standard trunk or one-freq trunk. Looked that up to see what that means but the description doesn't mean a hill of beans to me because I don't speak the jargon.

I've downloaded a trial version of some software but again, I don't understand what I need to fill out and what I don't. The software doesn't say it supports the 996P2. I don't want to spend money for something that might not work. If I became a premium member here, I don't know anything about the software to know what is needed or not. I've looked on youtube, people again explain it like I have been doing this for years. I haven't found anything that goes step by step explaining what's needed or what's not.

Can someone point me to something that is a basic entry level explanation of what everything is? I don't know what I don't know so it's frustrating trying to figure this out. Can this scanner be manually programmed with the ORION information for Fremont? What information from the ORION system is needed to manually program the scanner. Is there a flow chart somewhere that explains the hierarchy of systems, groups, and sites?
 

n9mxq

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If you had a premium subscriber account here it would be easy to import the info you want into the software from the database.. and then write the info to the scanner..

I'll look at the database and see if I can help with manual programming.
 

n9mxq

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If you can provide which software you're talking about, it should be easier.
 

hiegtx

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My mother bought a new BCD996P2 scanner so she can listen to the local PD/FD. They joined Omaha's ORION (Omaha Regional Interoperability Network) last year so she can't hear them now. I have been trying to learn what everything is but I don't know where to start. I look at Fremont, Nebraska's information on this website and it has freq. shown there for Fremont but also says it joined ORION. Are those freq. the old freq. or are they the new freq. If you click on ORION, it talks about Fremont's Talkgroup. gives some DEC and HEX numbers, Mode, alpha tag and so on. Are they supposed to be loaded into the scanner? When I start to program the scanner it asks me standard trunk or one-freq trunk. Looked that up to see what that means but the description doesn't mean a hill of beans to me because I don't speak the jargon.

I've downloaded a trial version of some software but again, I don't understand what I need to fill out and what I don't. The software doesn't say it supports the 996P2. I don't want to spend money for something that might not work. If I became a premium member here, I don't know anything about the software to know what is needed or not. I've looked on youtube, people again explain it like I have been doing this for years. I haven't found anything that goes step by step explaining what's needed or what's not.

Can someone point me to something that is a basic entry level explanation of what everything is? I don't know what I don't know so it's frustrating trying to figure this out.
Start with Trunking Basics - The RadioReference Wiki

For your specific scanner, BCD996P2: Easier to Read BCD996P2/XT Digital Scanner Manual

Is there a flow chart somewhere that explains the hierarchy of systems, groups, and sites
Uniden Scanners Systems, Sites and Groups - The RadioReference Wiki

Can this scanner be manually programmed with the ORION information for Fremont? What information from the ORION system is needed to manually program the scanner. ?
It can be manually programmed (see the Easier to Read manual linked above). However, it is much quicker and easier to use software instead. Using software, you can enter the information needed in a format that is more understandable than trying to step through multiple menus on the scanner itself. This also makes it easier to spot simple errors and omissions in data entry, so that they can be corrected.

FreeSCAN, by definition, is free, and will program your scanner. The scanner came with a USB cable, which is used to connect the scanner to the PC. FreeSCAN's user guide is also hosted in the RadioReference Wiki, see FreeScan User Guide - The RadioReference Wiki

Looking at your county (Dodge) for Fremont, I do not see a site listed in the county for ORION. Looking at the location map of the sites for the system, I suspect that the Fremont radio traffic would be carried on either the Cedar Bluffs site in Saunders County, and/or the Douglas County Simulcast site. Someone in the Nebraska State Forum might be able to confirm that. To ask in the Nebraska Forum, don't create an additional thread. Instead, click on the red triangle at the upper right corner of your first post, and in the box that comes up for the reason, ask that this discussion be moved.
 

Chappster

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Thanks for the replies, the software I downloaded was ARC-XT Pro for Uniden XT series. It was the only one that I saw that supported the BCD996P2. Freescan says "2.18 with experimental support for 996P2 & 325 (Updated Sep 15 2015)". That's why I didn't use that one.
 

hiegtx

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Thanks for the replies, the software I downloaded was ARC-XT Pro for Uniden XT series. It was the only one that I saw that supported the BCD996P2. Freescan says "2.18 with experimental support for 996P2 & 325 (Updated Sep 15 2015)". That's why I didn't use that one.
FreeSCAN does work. The software author may be involved in other things, and has not updated the program or website in quite a while.

However, if, at some point, you add the DMR upgrade, FreeSCAN will not work for that. ARC-XT or ProScan are the two that will allow DMR programming.

Also, bear in mind that ARC-XT Pro will cost just under $70, and the main difference between it and the Basic version ($39.95) is that the Pro version supports logging/recording & controlling via a pc. ProScan, at $50, does programming for a number of the Uniden scanners besides the 996P2, and recording/logging is included as well as remote control.
 

Chappster

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Thanks Steve,

I downloaded FreeSCAN and looked at it. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me because I don't know anything about this stuff. I can program a multimillion dollar USAF flight simulator, but I don't have any experience with this type of radio system. I get into the scanner select P25, it asked P25 Standard or P25 One Freq Trunk. Not a clue. I've watched the videos that JamesO posted and they help me understand a little, but I still don't know what data is needed. I've been hesitant to buy a premium account for that reason. I can get the information but how do I know what I need and what I don't need. In one of the videos JamesO posted, it's talking about FreeSCAN and he makes a comment that he had to select what he wanted and what he didn't want. I could buy the data but be stuck with useless information since I don't know what I need. I'm on the verge of throwing in the towel in and have my mother return the scanner but I don't want to do that. I'll see what I can figure out and go from there.

Thanks for the help.
 

diana8

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Thanks Steve,

I downloaded FreeSCAN and looked at it. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me because I don't know anything about this stuff. I can program a multimillion dollar USAF flight simulator, but I don't have any experience with this type of radio system. I get into the scanner select P25, it asked P25 Standard or P25 One Freq Trunk. Not a clue. I've watched the videos that JamesO posted and they help me understand a little, but I still don't know what data is needed. I've been hesitant to buy a premium account for that reason. I can get the information but how do I know what I need and what I don't need. In one of the videos JamesO posted, it's talking about FreeSCAN and he makes a comment that he had to select what he wanted and what he didn't want. I could buy the data but be stuck with useless information since I don't know what I need. I'm on the verge of throwing in the towel in and have my mother return the scanner but I don't want to do that. I'll see what I can figure out and go from there.

Thanks for the help.


Okay let's start with what is your overall goal. Is it to simply get the scanner programmed & working for you mother with out really wanting to learn the ins and out of the scanning hobby and how to optimize the scanner? If, so you have a couple options.

1.) You could simply hire someone to program it for you. ScanMaster has such a service (http://www.scannermaster.com/hometown_programming_mail_in_service_a/365.htm) or you might go to your particular state here on the forum and ask for recommendations in your local area.

2.) If you want to do-it-your self then I would look at the automatic import function that basically allows the software (FreeScan, ARCxt, etc) you when you purchase a premium membership here, to connect to the radioreference database. Which allow the software to import all the frequencies, talkgroups etc that you need. This is for FreeScan but ARC works in a similar manner -- if you go to this webpage (Screenshots - Sixspot Software) and go down to the paragraph above the third screen shot, it explains how the import function work. Basically you provide your user name and password for RadioReference, you select your country, state, county and what system you want to import. Then it will give you a choice of sites (i.e. towers located through out the county) and talk groups (law enforcement, fire, ems, etc) you would like to import. Click import and it will suck the information in to the software. After that you will need to then connect the scanner to the software and export what you have in the software to your scanner.

Now if you want to understand all the ins and outs, then I would suggest taking your time and going through the various wikis that have been suggested by various members.

Hopefully this helps. Feel free to PM if you have further questions, though I can't guarantee that I will get back to right away.
 
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ka3jjz

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Let's try starting from scratch. This article from our wiki contains links - always blue - to just about everything you need to get started. At the bottom, you will find links to the Easier to Read manuals, which most folks find to be better than the Uniden docs...

Program your DMA Scanner - The RadioReference Wiki

I would start slowly - try to program only 1 system and play around with it until you're comfortable. Backup your working version then add something else. If you mess up, you can then revert to the last working version

Mike
 

Chappster

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OK, an update, but first let me thank everyone that has tried to get me up to speed on this stuff. I appreciate all the time you all took to give me pointers, share links and to have the patience with me while I SLOWLY came up to speed. Not there yet, but because of you all, I'm getting there.

I did download the program, I got a Premium account and I was able to easily get that data to my mother's scanner. Easy as pie once I got the software to talk to the scanner... however, I'm still not sure I have what I should have for this area. That part I still don't have a clue. I pretty much included everything in this area, I did lock out things that I know she wouldn't care for using the L/O check box and figured that if she decides there are other things she doesn't want to hear I'll just update the database.

I did create a new system and added conventional groups for some of the local freq. that I don't think was listed. The only thing I don't know on the new freq. I added is if there is a tone or what the modulation is. I left it as no tone and auto mod for now. Not sure where I get that information from.

Thanks again for your help.

Gene
 

n9mxq

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Just set the Modulation for Auto, and the tone for scan. Once the scanner finds the right tone.. You can set it then.
 

n9mxq

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And if the freq he added isn't in the database here, it wouldn't be in the HP2.. so he'd still be in the same boat.
 
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