Help! I'm not having much luck!

[wildlyoptimistic]

I recently bought a Uniden BCD 396T APCO 25 Scanner and I want to enjoy it but live in a rural area and when I use it on the road I have the same bad luck. I know it's me but I don't understand alot about programming the scanner correctly and when I put in all of the correct Freq. I don't get much. I paid good money for this to enjoy listening to Police , Fire, Military Air. I live in Weatherford Texas which is just west of Ft Worth. I can't even tune in local stuff. I need a guide or to buy something to help this along before it ends up on Ebay. Thanks in advance for all of your help. Dr. Patrick

 

[Highpockets]

I recently bought a Uniden BCD 396T APCO 25 Scanner and I want to enjoy it but live in a rural area and when I use it on the road I have the same bad luck. I know it's me but I don't understand alot about programming the scanner correctly and when I put in all of the correct Freq. I don't get much. I paid good money for this to enjoy listening to Police , Fire, Military Air. I live in Weatherford Texas which is just west of Ft Worth. I can't even tune in local stuff. I need a guide or to buy something to help this along before it ends up on Ebay. Thanks in advance for all of your help. Dr. Patrick

Is this the system you have programed in? Looks like Weatherford uses this now.

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=5636

 

[n2mdk]

Since your already a Premium Subscriber just get a copy of one of the software programs to program the scanner. FreeScan and BCTool are freeware and ARC396 is a purchase. Those programs will let you download the info straight from the database and upload it into the scanner.
FreeScan http://www.scannow.org/
BCTool http://www.bctool.org/
ARC396 http://www.butelsoftware.com/

 

[Highpockets]

Since your already a Premium Subscriber just get a copy of one of the software programs to program the scanner. FreeScan and BCTool are freeware and ARC396 is a purchase. Those programs will let you download the info straight from the database and upload it into the scanner.
FreeScan http://www.scannow.org/
BCTool http://www.bctool.org/
ARC396 http://www.butelsoftware.com/

If you have the programing cable.

 

[loumaag]

If you have the programing cable.

Programming cable comes with the radio.

 

[Highpockets]

Programming cable comes with the radio.

Thanks Lou, my mistake!

 

[af5rn]

Problem is, a lot of computers don't have a port that will work with the stock cable these days. So you may still be SOL.

 

[loumaag]

Problem is, a lot of computers don't have a port that will work with the stock cable these days. So you may still be SOL.

Whereas this is true, IMHO anyone in this hobby needs to have a USB -> serial adapter that works.

 

[JESSERABBIT]

Lou, I agree. I have a cable for a Kenwood radio that worked well on the old computer with it's serial port. The new computer does not have anything but usb ports. I got a usb to serial adapter and got it to work just fine. It took a while to figure out which port to assign it to on the new machine, but once that was done, it works like a champ.

 

[WayneH]

Moved to the Uniden forum...

 

[wildlyoptimistic]

Thank you all for your help. I do have the cable that will require the adapter so that will work fine. I was wondering out of the programs if any of you think there is a benefit to buying the ARC396? They have a base and a Pro version in jargan I'm not at all familiar with. Thank You all again for leading me down the right road. Also is there a reference for how to program for instance Ft Worth uses a Motorola Smartnet II but when I try to program I only get the options of P25, 800mhz standard, splinter 900mhz and uhf,vhf Thanks again for your help.

 

[blinddog50]

Arc396 has a demo version you can download for 30 days I think.
Tarrant Co. is analog so 800mhz standard should be what you need.

 

[torontokris]

I agree Ft Worth seems to be 800mhz standard

 

[torontokris]

see if this helps
http://myweb.cableone.net/marksscanners/330/330test.html#program moto system

 

[af5rn]

I agree Ft Worth seems to be 800mhz standard

He's fifteen miles west of Fort Worth in the next county. Parker County is on VHF-Hi with a brand spankin' new P25 system. Even those agencies not on the system are still on VHF-Hi. The Fort Worth-Tarrant County system is going to be pretty scratchy in Weatherford.