First BCD396XT Has arrived, first look and discussion!

[UPMan]

If a group of tone-outs have the same frequency, attenuation, and mode they will be "scanned" even on the XT. (Actually, it sits on that one frequency and cycles all matching slots through the display...when a tone-out occurs it checks against all matching slots for a match).

 

[GregFromOregon]

You too

Arg, this is so frusterating. I come on here, read these threads and get the urge to buy one (a difficult urge to ignore by the way) - then I walk away from my computer, financial reality sets in...
Then I come back online the next day and the urge comes back. It's a vicious cycle.

Glad to see I'm not the only one with this problem, and now it's biting at me more now that I've run over(with a Kenworth) my PRO-97.

 

[Eng74]

As soon as the IRS savings plan pays off I will be getting a new radio. Which one well that is still a work in progress.

 

[W4KRR]

NAC code display

I noticed when you enter a NAC code of 001 for example, it displays as "1" without the leading zeros. Is this what it should be doing? Does it just not display any leading zeros?

 

[DaveIN]

I noticed when you enter a NAC code of 001 for example, it displays as "1" without the leading zeros. Is this what it should be doing? Does it just not display any leading zeros?

The range in HEX is 0 to fff. So, yes that would be right.

 

[K5RYA]

If a group of tone-outs have the same frequency, attenuation, and mode they will be "scanned" even on the XT. (Actually, it sits on that one frequency and cycles all matching slots through the display...when a tone-out occurs it checks against all matching slots for a match).

I have two frequencies with different tones on my 996T and in Tone Out Standby mode it will go back and forth between the two. Is that not possible on the XT?

 

[UPMan]

Yes. The XT works exactly the same way.

 

[rickak]

Curious, does this new radio support smartzone patching? In other words if they patch TG 100 to TG 101, will you hear traffic if you are only scanning TG 100?

I am guessing not since the manual doesnt show the patch messages as formated messages in the CC dump section for P25.


Rick

Got mine today, and the answer is, unfortunately, it does not.

Definate improvement in P25 audio over the old 396 though.

Rick

 

[K5RYA]

Yes. The XT works exactly the same way.

From what I gathered from your first response it will only do so if the frequencies are the same. I have tried to get the XT to scan between the different frequenices in standby mode but I can't seem to figure it out.

Key Operation During Tone-Out Mode
Normal Mode
[Scroll Control] Knob
Turn this knob to change the channel. Then the scanner is muted if it releases the mute.
[Scan / srch] key
Press this key to go to Scan Mode.
[Hold / ] Key
In Tone-Out Standby Mode or Tone-Out Search Mode, press this key to go to Tone-Out Hold Mode and
release the mute.
In Tone-Out Hold Mode, press this key to go to Tone-Out Standby Mode or Tone-Out Search Mode, and
the scanner is muted.
[1 – 9, 0] key
Press this key to enter a frequency or a TGID for Direct Entry.
[. / no / pri] key
Press this key to input “i” for Direct Entry.
[E / yes / gps] key
Press this key to go to the channel menu at Tone-Out Settings.
[Menu] Key
Press this key to go to the Menu Mode at Top Menu.
[L/O] Key
This key will be ignored.

 

[kayleesdad]

What port or ports are used to send control channel data to a computer? Is an additional cable required other than the one supplied in the box? Or does that depend upon the decoding software? Thanks,

 

[W6KRU]

What port or ports are used to send control channel data to a computer? Is an additional cable required other than the one supplied in the box? Or does that depend upon the decoding software? Thanks,

Pro96Com is the only software I have experience with and it works with the cable supplied.

 

[kayleesdad]

Thanks!

 

[UPMan]

From what I gathered from your first response it will only do so if the frequencies are the same. I have tried to get the XT to scan between the different frequenices in standby mode but I can't seem to figure it out.

By "frequency" I meant the RF Frequency, not the audio tone frequencies. If the RF Frequency, Attenuation, and Modulation are all the same, then the scanner will check multiple slots.

Not sure what that list of key functions had to do with your question.

 

[kayleesdad]

How many control channels can the 396XT check before it starts losing parts of a converstation? It seems the gre/pro can only handle two or so when set to stationary (with "check all cc" enabled, maybe more without it enabled) and then it seems multiple systems are better. I only need to check two cc's here, but there are quite a few alternates I might want to throw in there. How long does the 396XT sit on a cc, and can the time be controlled? Thanks

 

[KE4ZNR]

How long does the 396XT sit on a cc, and can the time be controlled? Thanks

Depends on what you set the System Scan "Hold" setting to...you can set a value of 0-255 seconds.
Marshall KE4ZNR

 

[bonus1331]

Conventional DCS/CTCSS

Noticed when programming conventional channels with "all" rather than as analog/digital only, that there are no DCS/CTCSS codes showing on the scanner.
Are the codes being used, if programmed; or are they ignored unless you flag each channel analog only?

 

[UPMan]

The minimum dwell time on a control channel is about 1.5 seconds (average). This is how long it takes to receive a complete message on the control channel.

You only have CTCSS/DCS options on Analog Only channels (and NAC options on Digital Only channels).

 

[bwilborn]

Got my XT on Thursday and had everything transferred over from my T in about 10 minutes. A few small tweaks later and I was up and running on the new radio on the CO state DTRS system. Played with some of the new features last night but was too tired. I really like the multisite functionality...makes my configuration a lot cleaner.

-- B

 

[scannersnstuff]

o.k. call me anal. i know the explanation that paul gave for the rx.tone's on fire tone out being different some of the time. i got 2 hit's on the same tone.they were not even close. ? .

 

[bonus1331]

Backlight

I set certain TG's and conventional channels to an alert backlight color.
I'm finding that the alert backlight color timing expires before the transmission ends, which I would expect.
However, I'm finding that the alert color will then revert to the backlight color before shutting off.
So I will get a few seconds of blue (alert color) and then a few seconds of white (backlight color) before turning off.
I have the backlight set to "squelch".
Doesn't look to be a way to set the backlight color to "off" so that only the "alert" color is used.
I would assume everyone else is seeing this?