BCD325P2/BCD996P2: Help progamming BCD996P2

[Durwood9687]

Hello,

I am in need of some help… scratch that, I’m in need of a lot of help programming my newly purchased Uniden BCD996P2 Scanner..

First let me say that I am a total and complete novice at this. This scanner is not your grandmothers scanner of yesteryear…. I had a Bearcat 210 back in the late 70’s and that was the last scanner I had. Not realizing the leaps and bounds these receivers have gone through technically since then I got a wild hair and decided to purchase this Uniden….OMG, you have to be a NASA certified astronaut to program it. I admit, I did try to program it. I got the FreeSCAN software and downloaded the files from RadioReferecnce.com for my county, then uploaded them to the 996P2 scanner, and I see them in the display but I don’t hear squat, nada, nothing, zilch.. I know, I know, RTFM….. I have read the manual.. and that left me even more confused.

So here I am… pleading my case before you, respectfully asking for help from the experts. This is sort of embarrassing to admit I can't do it. If someone does take pity on me and sends instructions on what I need to do, please do it in baby steps... Like, step 1, do this, step 2 do that, and please explain what each step is for, what it does… I want to learn about what Trunking is, and whatis involved in this trunking stuff… talks groups, ID’s everything.. I’m very confused and need help.

I live in Culpeper, Va, Culpeper County. I went to RadioReference.com and downloaded the Culpeper County Trunked Systems file for Fauquier/Culpeper/Rappahannock counties Project 25 Phase II. And then uploaded that to my scanner… But I don’t hear anything. I listened for hours.. nothing. I know I must be doing something wrong.. in the FreeSCAN app, after downloading the file I don’t change any of the parameters:



Questions:

What is Project 25 Phase II?

In the FreeSCAN App, what is [MOT2]?

What is [MP25]?

What are the individual [GRP]’s for?

I really do appreciate any and all help.. but remember please be as simplistic as possible.. don’t assume I know what you want me to do.. Thank you so much for any and all help offered.

D

 

[tvengr]

You may be experiencing simulcast distortion. If you attach your FreeSCAN programming file, I will take a look at it and check for errors. You will need to zip the file to be able to attach it. Click on Attach files and open the zipped file.

 

[nessnet]

Start with the basics - what is trunking?

How does trunking work? | Tait Radio Academy

Trunked Radio System - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics

 

[wtp]

Fauquier Simulcast
Culpeper Simulcast
and it could be that even if the radio is set up right, you might get nothing.
simulcast is where many sites send out the same thing and at the same time.
my county went to a 700Mhz simulcast system and my 396T, 396XT and 325P2 all had problems.
so the wife gave to OK to buy an SDS100 and we got everything on the first go at it.
you could try moving the radio around and do the rabbit ear antenna dance of over the air TV days.
with the 325 our best spot was in the corner of a window with a race antenna(1.5 inches) and horizontal.
best of lick hunting for the sweet spot.