First BCD396XT Has arrived, first look and discussion!

[scannersnstuff]

close call

i have a c.c. question.can close calll be set as a system in the 396xt ?. i looked thru the manual,and tried to set it up and can't.i did see an option for assigning a quick key number.if so,how ?. paul,many kudos on a great scanner. i will be the first to admit that i was skeptical about the sensitivity.it seem's pretty much improved.great digital decode,feature's,etc.

 

[UPMan]

Since Close Call can run concurrently with scanning (in CC Pri or CC DND modes) (unlike Spectrum Sweeper) there is no need to make it (to use those "other guys" term) a "scannable object." Just turn on the mode when you want it to make CC checks and it will make those checks every 2 seconds.

When you get a CC hit, the scanner automatically creates a temporary system called (IIRC) "Close Call Hits" that it then scans conventionally. In the Close Call "Hits with Scan" menu you can assign this system a SQK, Number Tag and lockout status (if it is locked out or if its SQK is disabled, it will not scan the hits). That system goes away when you cycle power, so if you want to permanently store the frequency, you'll need to do so in another system.

Hits with Scan lets the scanner continue to monitor hit frequencies even after you are no longer in the right conditions for the frequency to be captured as a Close Call hit.

 

[kayleesdad]

Fumble fingers does it again! Put in Mot II system worked fine, did a few range scans, worked fine. Hit something, all reception stopped. Did a reset (twice) to the defaults, all reception gone even in service searches and range scans. Broadcast screen on or off, doesn't matter. Must be something really obvious...I guess I better read the manual!

 

[kayleesdad]

Hey Upman, sorry to bother, but is there a an easy answer to this one:

Fumble fingers does it again! Put in Mot II system worked fine, did a few range scans, worked fine. Hit something, all reception stopped. Did a reset (twice) to the defaults, all reception gone even in service searches and range scans. Broadcast screen on or off, doesn't matter. Must be something really obvious...I guess I better read the manual!

 

[UPMan]

Not really. But, I might not be understanding the issue. If you press and hold WX for 2 seconds, the scanner should scan for a weather transmission. Assuming you can normally RX such signals from your location, that should quickly lock onto a weather channel and you should hear the audio. Does that work?

Or, is there some other symptom (like the scanner is displaying an odd message or something else). "All reception stopped" isn't enough to diagnose.

 

[kayleesdad]

holding "0wx" down gives a quick triple beep.

 

[UPMan]

Then you are in some other mode. What does the display look like?

 

[kayleesdad]

When system on quickkey 1 is off:

Scan Mode
Nothing to Scan
S0:*-------------
GRP________

When system on quickkey 1 is on:
Site 1-1 MOT
ID SEARCH ^
NFM
S0:1------------------
GRP------------------


I must have turned on or off something!



^ = up arrow

 

[UPMan]

http://www.radioreference.com/forums/uniden-scanners/141575-kayleesdad-issue-thread.html

 

[kayleesdad]

Yep, did all that with same result. CC is 860.2375 for pinellas county ridgecrest site, alwasy get from here.
Even when parked on known conventional channels (Tampa PD), nada. No noise at all until squelch is all the way down to the last click.

 

[UPMan]

Please follow up in the other thread (the point was to get a user-specific issue out of this thread).

 

[RoninJoliet]

I read a post from a new 396XT user that he chose P25 Standard to use for the ILL-Starcom 9600baud Motorola P25 system....His audio was choppy and lousy as he put it until he downloaded the Starcom System from this web site rr.com...In the pdf manual i downloaded for the 396XT on "New System" it only shows "P25 -select for P25 Standard Trunk or One Freqy System".. According to his post this was WRONG..On the 396t you would select "Motorola Type11 then P25, is this not the case on the new 396XT.....Thank You

 

[UPMan]

Not sure what you are trying to say, Ron, but here's the scoop:

Ill Starcom is a true P25 system. Starting with this generation of scanners, we've made P25 a "top level" type of system (not underneath Motorola) as it is not an exclusively Motorola system (other vendors are finally getting some installations out there. So, for such systems, you select the Site as P25, not Motorola.

For mixed-mode Motorola systems (P16), you would still pick Motorola, then Motorola Type II/800 as the site type.

 

[RoninJoliet]

Thank You Paul, i live here in ILL and will be putting in Starcom when my 396XT arrives and thats what i would choose as the "Site" type=P25 Standard Trunk, i got confused as his post remarks thats what he chose and had problems until he deleted his chosen Site and used the rr.com download of Starcom and it worked fine, i would think they were the same ...

 

[AD9O]

Hi all,

Glad to read the reviews and impressions of the new XT. I'm getting ready to order one. Had a quick question about keypad beeps. Does the new radio make different sounds when an SQK/GQK is turned on and off? How about when an item is locked out/unlocked? (with the 396 there is no differentiation).

I'm excited to see the ability to quickly jump to systems/channels if you have assigned numbers to them (this will improve the usability for blind users).

Any feedback that can be offered on the keypad beeps would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Tony

 

[daveharpe]

Slightly OT - Wiki for trunk

Hey guys,
I just picked up a 396XT and it's my first dive into digital trunking. Is there a good Wiki that provides an overview of all of the different digital and analog trunking systems out there?
Thanks,
Dave

 

[ofd8001]

I just got back to Louisville KY from a "speed trip" to Minnesota. Along the way I listened to the Indiana Safe-T system, the Illinois Starcom system and the Minnesota ARMER system. All of them were programmed using the Freescan software, importing the RR files.

All worked splendidly, I had set all the systems to P-25, however.

For some reason, the Louisville MetroSafe system (still in test mode), got initially programmed as a Motorola system. I did not receive anything - even a control channel signal strength. Once I changed it to a P25 system, I received the control channel just fine.

Upman - will Uniden be coming out with the USAD software anytime soon? (Be my luck it is out and I haven't seen it elsewhere).

 

[rvictor]

Hi all,

Glad to read the reviews and impressions of the new XT. I'm getting ready to order one. Had a quick question about keypad beeps. Does the new radio make different sounds when an SQK/GQK is turned on and off? How about when an item is locked out/unlocked? (with the 396 there is no differentiation).

I'm excited to see the ability to quickly jump to systems/channels if you have assigned numbers to them (this will improve the usability for blind users).

Any feedback that can be offered on the keypad beeps would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Tony

Tony,

I'm afraid that it makes the same sound for off as it does for on both as to the SQKs and the GQKs. Same result for the Temporary Lockout, Lockout, and Unlock.

73
Dick

 

[UPMan]

Hey guys,
I just picked up a 396XT and it's my first dive into digital trunking. Is there a good Wiki that provides an overview of all of the different digital and analog trunking systems out there?
Thanks,
Dave

Click "WIKI" at the top of this page. There are quite a few articles about the various types of trunked systems.

 

[KE4ZNR]

Tony,

I'm afraid that it makes the same sound for off as it does for on both as to the SQKs and the GQKs. Same result for the Temporary Lockout, Lockout, and Unlock.

73
Dick

Of course you can toggle the "Button Keypress Beep" on and off.
I usually leave mine off cause it annoys me.
Marshall KE4ZNR