Instant Gratification (Almost)

[bobbybeachbum]

Just got my 396T this evening. My first trunking scanner, actually my reintroduction to public safety scanning since my AR8000 was rendered obsolete a few years ago. I was a little intimidated by all the hype so I put some time into downloading and studying the manual as well as the that of ARC 396 before it arrived. Time well spent. If you want to avoid a lot of pain and suffering get ARC 396 (which links to radioreference.com) and donate to this site so you can download and program to your hearts desire with a few mouse clicks. Piece of cake. I'm very impressed, w/ my Diamond RH77CA it's kickin' butt. Can't wait till spring break. Wish the serial cable was a little longer for the virtual control so I could set the scanner higher but it's OK.

 

[MacombMonitor]

You can get a RS232 serial cable extension. It has a DB9 male on one end, and a DB9 female on the other end. With good quality cable, you can go up to 150 feet as I recall.

 

[bobbybeachbum]

You can get a RS232 serial cable extension. It has a DB9 male on one end, and a DB9 female on the other end. With good quality cable, you can go up to 150 feet as I recall.

Maybe if I'm a good boy I'll get one in my Christmas stocking.

 

[kb2vxa]

Hi Bobby and all,

I use a Uniden BC796D with ARC250 and a Rat Shack USB adapter cable since the serial port is in use by my packet radio TNC. Using this database and other sources I much prefer to do my own programming, the software makes it and control a snap like you said.

One suggestion, copy the (name).mem file to a temporary location and change the extension to .bak, then move it back into the data folder. Keep it updated by repeating the process each time you change the programming so if you should ever screw up the memory file all you have to do is delete it and change the backup you created to .mem and you've lost nothing.

"Maybe if I'm a good boy I'll get one in my Christmas stocking."

Oh oh oh, I'm Anti Claus. I come around right after Santa and collect all the presents and coal. Then I deliver it all to the Nazis living at the South Pole. OH OH OH!

 

[bobbybeachbum]

Thanks for the tips, KB2VXA.
The ARC396 Manual cautions about using USB converters but if you've had success maybe I'll give it a try.
Anyone else have experience w/ these?

 

[bassmkenk2508]

I have ARC250 for my BC250D and I bought a converter a long time ago, hooked it up and somehow the program said it cannot work using a serial-to-USB converter.
I wonder if it could detect such a cable or if was a generic message because it senses a connection but not a proper 'signal' (or something to that effect)...

But nonetheless, it didn't work (for me at least)

 

[Spleen]

The application must be able to talk to the Windoze drivers for the converter which has to be able to talk to the device in question. Any breakdown in that "conversation" will result in a non-working interface.

 

[bwhite]

Who knows, maybe Uniden & RS will hear about this "new thing" called USB and actually use these cables before too many more years pass. U standing for Universal.....that way those with multiple (newer) scanners won't need multiple cables.

 

[Al42]

Who knows, maybe Uniden & RS will hear about this "new thing" called USB and actually use these cables before too many more years pass. U standing for Universal.....that way those with multiple (newer) scanners won't need multiple cables.

It's an old discussion.

Since USB->serial converters are cheap, and serial->USB converters are almost nonexistent (and not cheap), no scanner manufacturer will willingly lose a large part of its customer base by telling them that, in order to use a computer with the new scanner, they'll have to buy a new computer.

ANY USB->serial converter will work with any serial-port scanner ... if the driver is correctly written.

So far we know that the RS, Belkin F5U409,Aten (with the latest driver) and a few others do.

And, no, the software can't tell what hardware is attached to the virtual serial port it talks to, unless some masochist specifically writes software to check on it - which there's no use for in scanner control (or programming) programs.

 

[csuh13]

Since USB->serial converters are cheap, and serial->USB converters are almost nonexistent (and not cheap), no scanner manufacturer will willingly lose a large part of its customer base by telling them that, in order to use a computer with the new scanner, they'll have to buy a new computer.

Couldn't they just buy a USB card? That's like $20 for a desktop, or $40 for a laptop... Problem solved!

 

[PhilJSmith67]

Couldn't they just buy a USB card? That's like $20 for a desktop, or $40 for a laptop... Problem solved!

Amen...

One year ago I would have agreed with the prior post that no scanner mfr would create a scanner that requires users to upgrade their computer; in fact, I think there's is a post out here somewhere with my name on it saying so. But, technology changes SO quickly.

Stores are stocking USB cards for NINE BUCKS (try Fry's, or just go to NewEgg.com), and they truly are plug-and-play. I just bought one with five USB 2.0 and two Firewire ports for $19 incl. S&H, added it to my ancient 300 MHz Intel PC (circa 1998), and as fast I could unscrew/rescrew the cover and reboot, it was working.

Most laptops at least have USB 1.1 (which is all we need here), and PCMCIA cards to add USB 2.0 to any laptop are < $20. They're so cheap to make you can't even find a newly-manufactured USB 1.1 card anymore -- They are all USB 2.0.

As far as the USB-serial converters go, I bought a Belkin unit that is labelled to work only with PDAs, yet it works OK with my PRO-95. But, it's bulky. I would much prefer being able to connect a single USB cable, assuming the software talks directly to USB and not through some crappy COM emulator driver. My Nokia phone works that way and I absolutely HATE it!

 

[bwhite]

For the price of some of these cables you can buy the USB card for your old PC.
So, we're going to keep the connectors on the scanners in the dark ages to accommodate those with old PCs ? Doesn't sound like a sound argument. Again, I don't want a drawer full of cables, one for each scanner. The argument may be old but the logic is unsound.

 

[MikeyC]

I've been using an Aten U232 Serial->USB adapter for a couple years now with a variety of scanners (PRO-92, BC245, BC296, BC246T, BC396) and it works like a champ The only thing I've run into is that the 246 (and I assume the 396) didn't like the drivers that came with the device a couple years ago. Visiting the site and grabbing a new driver solved that!

Now if I could only get an adapter with XP64 or Vista drivers I'd be set!

 

[bwhite]

Joe Average shouldn't have to do all that Mike, (chasing down drivers and all).
Newer scanners ought to have newer features like USB.
Shouldn't have to put 15 year old ports on a new device.

 

[Al42]

Couldn't they just buy a USB card? That's like $20 for a desktop, or $40 for a laptop... Problem solved!

Couldn't you just buy a USB->serial converter? That's like $20... Problem solved!

It works both ways, and saves Uniden from having to develop a USB driver.

 

[Al42]

Joe Average shouldn't have to do all that Mike, (chasing down drivers and all).
Newer scanners ought to have newer features like USB.
Shouldn't have to put 15 year old ports on a new device.

USB ports need drivers for the devices. RS-232 ports don't. You can't provide a USB device and expect it to work out of the box with any USB port anyone decides to create - there will be problems, as we've all seen over and over with various USB devices.

Since a scanner doesn't need 400 MB/s, it doesn't need a USB port - a slow old RS232 port runs faster than the fastest scanner.

 

[bobbybeachbum]

I decided that if it ain't broke don't fix it and decided against the USB converter and spent $15 (!) for a 6 foot serial cable at Radio Shack.

 

[footsurg]

Thanks for the tips, KB2VXA.
The ARC396 Manual cautions about using USB converters but if you've had success maybe I'll give it a try.
Anyone else have experience w/ these?

I am using ARC396 just fine with a USB to serial converter. The converter I am using came from the palm USB kit. All I needed to do was install the drivers from the palm site and select Com4. It works like a charm for both ARC396 and the USAD software.

 

[JoeScan]

It's an old discussion.

Since USB->serial converters are cheap, and serial->USB converters are almost nonexistent (and not cheap), no scanner manufacturer will willingly lose a large part of its customer base by telling them that, in order to use a computer with the new scanner, they'll have to buy a new computer.

ANY USB->serial converter will work with any serial-port scanner ... if the driver is correctly written.

So far we know that the RS, Belkin F5U409,Aten (with the latest driver) and a few others do.

And, no, the software can't tell what hardware is attached to the virtual serial port it talks to, unless some masochist specifically writes software to check on it - which there's no use for in scanner control (or programming) programs.

It may be an old discussion but I'm very new here (and the hobby). I'm still shopping for a first serious scanner.

I can't believe that these state-of-the-art digital trunking scanners are still using slow, error-prone, rs-232 interfaces. ??? Most everything I own (for several years now) have either had USB 2.0 or Wi-Fi interfaces. My TV remote control has USB and it only works the way I want if I can hook up to the internet... I'm shocked that this 'high tech' scanner market is so retarded... It is truly giving me serious doubts about going on from here. Regards.

 

[bwhite]

JoeScan,
We're on the same page.
My point is that people shouldn't have to diddle & twiddle with a lot of settings and cabling.
A UNIVERSAL cable enabling NEW scanners to talk to NEW computers is the way to go.
There shouldn't be the need for seeking drivers and the like, whatever software you buy should have USB drivers that will work with whatever radios it supports and the various windows o/s's that the software puports to support, just like other perhiperal devices you purchase and plug in via USB; perfect example, my Digital Camcorder. I furnished Windows XP and a USB cable, they furnished the rest including software with drivers.