Help Setting Up New BCD996 XT

[Forz]

Hello folks,still pretty new here but have gotten so much info since joining.
I was really sick back in October 2010 and got ordered to bed rest and all of that crap which would last for quite some time so I decided that I needed some sort of hobby that didn't have a revolving door of payments to maintain it. So I remembered how much I enjoyed talking skip all over this country as well as other parts of the world so I ended up getting a couple of Cobra 148 GTL CB Radios along with a couple of mobile antennas and base antennas and set it all up.

Well,while talking on the CB there were periods of nothing'ness so I also remembered I enjoyed listening to the scanner so I pulled out my old Radio Shack 50channel analog manual programmable police scanner and looked up the local frequencies and programmed my scanner.
my neighbor was at the time the town's fire chief(I live in a small farm/cow-town)so I went to him to ask why i didn't seem to get much action on my scanner and he told me that things have changed since the early 1990's.

I couldnt afford a new scanner at the time so i just listened to what i could pick up with the EMT frequencies as well as the local airport and the planes coming and going.
Here it is 3 years later and i am now able to afford a new scanner so after a lot of research and asking around i bought the Uniden BCD 996XT and as i have been warned,they aren't like the old scanners.
Soooooo I am wondering if anyone knows of a good place i can read up on every aspect of this scanner and how to program it for my area and a couple of other areas that i frequent when i am working and also at friends' homes.

any info that would help me better understand my scanner and how to figure it out, would be very helpful.I thank you in advance for any advice-Forz/Scott

 

[ka3jjz]

Indeed they aren't like the old scanners - but this article from our wiki (blue text are links) will be a great place to start.

Program your DMA Scanner - The RadioReference Wiki

Go to the bottom of this article and download the Easier to Read manual for your radio. Don't bother with the Uniden mess....HTH...Mike

 

[teufler]

do you have access to a computer? if so, the Freescan software is free and it works . if not, programming the 996xt by hand is doable but it will be very slow. If you don't have a computer, perhaps you have a friend that does and you can program from their computer. Welcome to the Digital days of scanners and hours and days of tweaking you files.

 

[Forz]

do you have access to a computer? if so, the Freescan software is free and it works . if not, programming the 996xt by hand is doable but it will be very slow. If you don't have a computer, perhaps you have a friend that does and you can program from their computer. Welcome to the Digital days of scanners and hours and days of tweaking you files.

Yes,I have a nice little Lenovo that I bought a couple of months ago so it's pretty up to date itself. now where is this FreeScan software and how do I get it to operate my scanner and get it to allow me to use my scanner for what it was intended because I've had it for about a week now and have only scanned the 11meter band (only reason why I know that terminology is because I was and somewhat in to CB radios and what not).

but i am chomping at the bit here lol and it's driving me nuts not using this scanner.

 

[bravo14]

Here is the FreeScan software

https://sites.google.com/site/sixspotsoftware/downloads

 

[Forz]

i was also thinking about buying a 996XT compatible GPS unit if not then the Uniden puck that they sell. but i am curious if it does what i think it will.
will it set up the scanning of the area and systems that i want to listen to (local PD law/sheriff etc..)or will i still have some complicated brain teasing to go through.the info that i read about the Uniden GPS add-on just tells me briefly about the device and not what it will do when connected to the scanner.

sorry to be a pain in the ***,once i get up and running i should be pretty much all set. i really do appreciate the information. it's keeping my head from exploding!!!
Thank You's A TON-Forzi/Scott

 

[Forz]

was the serial cable supposed to fit in my computer because i have a serial port on my Lenovo but it's not anything like this 9pin and my port is also female as is the 996's cable end.

has anyone else programmed using a GPS and if so could you tell me how much programming the GPS did and what kind of support did you the owner have to give. meaning how much did you have to do other than connecting the GPS to the scanner because it seems like no matter what,there is a lot of confusing actions needing to take place forst

 

[JamesO]

was the serial cable supposed to fit in my computer because i have a serial port on my Lenovo but it's not anything like this 9pin and my port is also female as is the 996's cable end.

has anyone else programmed using a GPS and if so could you tell me how much programming the GPS did and what kind of support did you the owner have to give. meaning how much did you have to do other than connecting the GPS to the scanner because it seems like no matter what,there is a lot of confusing actions needing to take place forst

Most newer laptops do not not have Serial ports any more. The female DB9 port on your laptop is like a female DB15 if you look at it closely, it is an external monitor output port, not a serial port.

You need either a USB to serial adapter cable, or just purchase a USB programming cable for the 996XT.

Uniden Genuine USB 1 Cable Works on 396 246 330 996 BCT15XT | eBay

I would just purchase the USB programming cable rather than messing with a USB to Serial adapter cable.

 

[JamesO]

i was also thinking about buying a 996XT compatible GPS unit if not then the Uniden puck that they sell. but i am curious if it does what i think it will.
will it set up the scanning of the area and systems that i want to listen to (local PD law/sheriff etc..)or will i still have some complicated brain teasing to go through.the info that i read about the Uniden GPS add-on just tells me briefly about the device and not what it will do when connected to the scanner.

sorry to be a pain in the ***,once i get up and running i should be pretty much all set. i really do appreciate the information. it's keeping my head from exploding!!!
Thank You's A TON-Forzi/Scott

GPS will not be worth anything if you are not going mobile with the scanner.

You are kind of mixing up the HomePatrol idea with the 996?

The GPS puck will work, but you MUST have all the transmitter sites configured in the database.

Save your money for now, get the USB programming cable then search around for a cheap, used Garmin GPS18(X) that is a SERIAL GPS not USB. You can probably find one on ebay for around $40 or less if you are patient.

Again the GPS does work, but it requires that you have your scanner properly programmed and if you plan on using the 996 in a fixed location most of the time, the GPS does not help much.