mindyandshelly
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Hello I just bought the BCD996T and am new to this. Can you please fill me in on what I need to know. Any advice would be appreciated. I am a complete beginner!! Thank-you ahead of time!!!
Just bought BCD996T whaat do I need to know?
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ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
This article from our wiki has numerous links that will help - note that anything in blue is a link...
Program your DMA Scanner - The RadioReference Wiki
Mike
Program your DMA Scanner - The RadioReference Wiki
Mike
It would help to know your approximate or nearby location so we can help you get it set up.
Programming a large trunked system on a modern scanner isn't an easy undertaking for raw beginners. Better is to start out with simple duplex freqs like most Fire or Medcom freqs.
Programming a large trunked system on a modern scanner isn't an easy undertaking for raw beginners. Better is to start out with simple duplex freqs like most Fire or Medcom freqs.
mindyandshelly
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Thank-you I live in Tujunga California. Any help is greatly appreciated.
mindyandshelly
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Thank-you ka3jjz!
Bct996t
First, don't get frustrated like I did ! 40 + years in the radio hobby and a scanner..... You have lot'sa help right here on RR ! First, recommend you go check the RR, Easier to Read manual at:
Easier to Read BCD996T/UBCD996T Digital Scanner Manual
The on disc, Uniden manual which came with my '996XT is really not that helpful. I suspect you're in the same situation.
Enjoy and don't let it frustrate you !
First, don't get frustrated like I did ! 40 + years in the radio hobby and a scanner..... You have lot'sa help right here on RR ! First, recommend you go check the RR, Easier to Read manual at:
Easier to Read BCD996T/UBCD996T Digital Scanner Manual
The on disc, Uniden manual which came with my '996XT is really not that helpful. I suspect you're in the same situation.
Enjoy and don't let it frustrate you !
mindyandshelly
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Thank-you
I havn't received it yet, just getting ready. The one I bought is used and comes with the manual but no cd. Do I need the cd?
I havn't received it yet, just getting ready. The one I bought is used and comes with the manual but no cd. Do I need the cd?
ad5kl
Member
Setup your Quick Keys. It will save you a bunch of grief.
Use Freescan to program - free download. Get a sub to Radio Reference so you can download the frequencies with Freescan & you'll be scanning quickly.
Use Freescan to program - free download. Get a sub to Radio Reference so you can download the frequencies with Freescan & you'll be scanning quickly.
The CD
The CD is, IMHO not helpful to the new user. Its confusing and does not lead you to understand the radio, how it interfaces with a trunking system and how to set the radio up properly. Use the link on RR and save yourself some grief.
Perhaps, down the road, someone might burn a copy of theirs for you.
The CD is, IMHO not helpful to the new user. Its confusing and does not lead you to understand the radio, how it interfaces with a trunking system and how to set the radio up properly. Use the link on RR and save yourself some grief.
Perhaps, down the road, someone might burn a copy of theirs for you.
mindyandshelly
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subscribe?
How do I subscie to rr? By the way I really appreciate all the help!
How do I subscie to rr? By the way I really appreciate all the help!
russellmaher
KC1ANC
On the RR home page, follow the blue bar to the end category "ABOUT". On the drop down menu, click on "Our Premium Services" and that will take you to the page with all the info you need.
Welcome to RR, glad to have you aboard!
Russell
Welcome to RR, glad to have you aboard!
Russell
Well here you go: www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?ctid=201
I don't know the details of your area but that should get you started.
Say you wanted to listen Fire for the San Gabriel Valley dispatch: just enter in "470.4125" then press HOLD. It's just a duplex freq so it's not like manually programming a Motrola trunked system.
Depending on what you'd like to do, you may want to get a better antenna for your device, preferably a roof type setup if it's just going to be a home/work/whatever and good mobile antenna if it's going in a vehicle. Stock antennas aren't worth much.
Other frequencies you may want to look at are the LA Air Traffic Control and so forth. I'd recommend you start simple until you figure out what you're interested in and go from there. The device itself does have built-in banks for stuff like HAM, Air, TV, FM and so forth. I don't know how the TV band works nowadays since the switch to digital. (Not like it's going to be that useful....)
As for programming software I used freeSCAN to get my freq database organized, because I like how it organizes the systems by quick-key. With that in mind I could set up the span of trunked systems and conventional systems in an alphabetical, logical (to me hehe) fashion. However for general edits and mucking about I use bcTool. Both are free but bcTool is a lot more (since I last used it) polished than freeSCAN. I have not used any of the paid scanner apps but if I had a scanner bank and discriminator taps I would.
You really want to use a programming application to help you get it programmed. Manually setting up all the freqs, Talk group IDs and alpha tags for a large trunked system like San Diego could be considered a form of torture...
It does help if you have a USB adaptor plug instead of RS232, but there are plenty of PL2303 RS232 to USB adaptors around.
A really good idea is start learning the basics of radio. Stuff like frequency, AM vs FM, CTCSS/DCS, P25, trunked system basics, duplex versus simplex, behavior of HF versus VHF versus UHF, simulcast, repeater basics, "sites" also known as "zones", and so forth will really help ease the learning curve. They aren't necessary but are pretty useful tidbits to know and understand your scanner better. You don't have to be an expert of the caliber CNN would call up if Vancouver* is having issues with their radios and needed "someone who seems like they know what they are talking about" but it just helps a lot. Just like if you were working with electronics it helps to know all the fundamental properties of all the components...you don't need to be a master EE, just enough to make it work well.
As always, chime in here and there are plenty of experts here who can help you out.
*: I was told by someone that Vancouver is having massive problems with their PS band to the point where sometimes they just call in via cell phones as the coverage can sometimes be real spotty. I took one look at the DB to see if they were using UHF for urban areas and guess what? Still using VHF....well, there's part of your problem...
I don't know the details of your area but that should get you started.
Say you wanted to listen Fire for the San Gabriel Valley dispatch: just enter in "470.4125" then press HOLD. It's just a duplex freq so it's not like manually programming a Motrola trunked system.
Depending on what you'd like to do, you may want to get a better antenna for your device, preferably a roof type setup if it's just going to be a home/work/whatever and good mobile antenna if it's going in a vehicle. Stock antennas aren't worth much.
Other frequencies you may want to look at are the LA Air Traffic Control and so forth. I'd recommend you start simple until you figure out what you're interested in and go from there. The device itself does have built-in banks for stuff like HAM, Air, TV, FM and so forth. I don't know how the TV band works nowadays since the switch to digital. (Not like it's going to be that useful....)
As for programming software I used freeSCAN to get my freq database organized, because I like how it organizes the systems by quick-key. With that in mind I could set up the span of trunked systems and conventional systems in an alphabetical, logical (to me hehe) fashion. However for general edits and mucking about I use bcTool. Both are free but bcTool is a lot more (since I last used it) polished than freeSCAN. I have not used any of the paid scanner apps but if I had a scanner bank and discriminator taps I would.
You really want to use a programming application to help you get it programmed. Manually setting up all the freqs, Talk group IDs and alpha tags for a large trunked system like San Diego could be considered a form of torture...
It does help if you have a USB adaptor plug instead of RS232, but there are plenty of PL2303 RS232 to USB adaptors around.
A really good idea is start learning the basics of radio. Stuff like frequency, AM vs FM, CTCSS/DCS, P25, trunked system basics, duplex versus simplex, behavior of HF versus VHF versus UHF, simulcast, repeater basics, "sites" also known as "zones", and so forth will really help ease the learning curve. They aren't necessary but are pretty useful tidbits to know and understand your scanner better. You don't have to be an expert of the caliber CNN would call up if Vancouver* is having issues with their radios and needed "someone who seems like they know what they are talking about" but it just helps a lot. Just like if you were working with electronics it helps to know all the fundamental properties of all the components...you don't need to be a master EE, just enough to make it work well.
As always, chime in here and there are plenty of experts here who can help you out.
*: I was told by someone that Vancouver is having massive problems with their PS band to the point where sometimes they just call in via cell phones as the coverage can sometimes be real spotty. I took one look at the DB to see if they were using UHF for urban areas and guess what? Still using VHF....well, there's part of your problem...
Last edited:
mindyandshelly
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- Aug 22, 2008
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- 31
Thank-you
You guys are great. Lots of help and making my confidence rise!! I am intimidated but feel much better with all the help from you guys. Thanks soo much. I have another question. When I receive the scanner will it be easy or hard for me to be able to tell if it is operating properly?
You guys are great. Lots of help and making my confidence rise!! I am intimidated but feel much better with all the help from you guys. Thanks soo much. I have another question. When I receive the scanner will it be easy or hard for me to be able to tell if it is operating properly?
I'm sorry I'm a little confused by your question.
"Operating properly" is a highly dynamic description. The scanner could be operating correctly, but the signals could be too far away to register anything except faint...let's just call it "indications" when the squelch is turned all the way down. Or it could be working correctly except you get "crosstalk"* because of location. There are a handful of circumstances and situations where the scanner itself is working perfectly fine but is influenced by various factors such that it "doesn't work right".
Since this could end up being a lengthly span of verbiage, I think I should terminate this monologue by stating that if there is anything unusual about the operation of the device, chime in here and we can go from there. As long as you aren't trying to set up something like San Diego's multi-site system on your first go, your learning curve will be a bit steep unless you have prior knowledge but not intolerable.
My 396T was the first scanner I had and I had to learn a lot but now that it's all set up it's pretty much GTG. A key principle is smart, logical organization of the systems and groups instead of a big mish-mash. I could probably shuffle my system files so you can peek at them in bcTool (or simply upload to your device, but I wouldn't recommend that without my system map) and see how I did it. It may not be the best way, I'm sure there is a couple of changes I could make that would make it better, but it's a way, not the way. "The" way will depend on your preferences, location, and many other variables.
*: I first personally noticed this on the top of a local hill to see what I could pick up and compare the WSMA-881 antenna to the stock duck. A local weather broadcast (162.475MHz) on the ridge about 50km to the north-east was interfering with some frequencies and as such I could hear the WX broadcast in the faint background over the other frequency. I picked up Monterey County CHP from that hill, the base traffic only. As for the stock duck, well heh...There's a time and place for it, but yeah...
"Operating properly" is a highly dynamic description. The scanner could be operating correctly, but the signals could be too far away to register anything except faint...let's just call it "indications" when the squelch is turned all the way down. Or it could be working correctly except you get "crosstalk"* because of location. There are a handful of circumstances and situations where the scanner itself is working perfectly fine but is influenced by various factors such that it "doesn't work right".
Since this could end up being a lengthly span of verbiage, I think I should terminate this monologue by stating that if there is anything unusual about the operation of the device, chime in here and we can go from there. As long as you aren't trying to set up something like San Diego's multi-site system on your first go, your learning curve will be a bit steep unless you have prior knowledge but not intolerable.
My 396T was the first scanner I had and I had to learn a lot but now that it's all set up it's pretty much GTG. A key principle is smart, logical organization of the systems and groups instead of a big mish-mash. I could probably shuffle my system files so you can peek at them in bcTool (or simply upload to your device, but I wouldn't recommend that without my system map) and see how I did it. It may not be the best way, I'm sure there is a couple of changes I could make that would make it better, but it's a way, not the way. "The" way will depend on your preferences, location, and many other variables.
*: I first personally noticed this on the top of a local hill to see what I could pick up and compare the WSMA-881 antenna to the stock duck. A local weather broadcast (162.475MHz) on the ridge about 50km to the north-east was interfering with some frequencies and as such I could hear the WX broadcast in the faint background over the other frequency. I picked up Monterey County CHP from that hill, the base traffic only. As for the stock duck, well heh...There's a time and place for it, but yeah...
I'm sorry I'm a little confused by your question.
"Operating properly" is a highly dynamic description. The scanner could be operating correctly, but the signals could be too far away to register anything except faint...let's just call it "indications" when the squelch is turned all the way down. Or it could be working correctly except you get "crosstalk"* because of location. There are a handful of circumstances and situations where the scanner itself is working perfectly fine but is influenced by various factors such that it "doesn't work right".
Since this could end up being a lengthly span of verbiage, I think I should terminate this monologue by stating that if there is anything unusual about the operation of the device, chime in here and we can go from there. As long as you aren't trying to set up something like San Diego's multi-site system on your first go, your learning curve will be a bit steep unless you have prior knowledge but not intolerable.
My 396T was the first scanner I had and I had to learn a lot but now that it's all set up it's pretty much GTG. A key principle is smart, logical organization of the systems and groups instead of a big mish-mash. I could probably shuffle my system files so you can peek at them in bcTool (or simply upload to your device, but I wouldn't recommend that without my system map) and see how I did it. It may not be the best way, I'm sure there is a couple of changes I could make that would make it better, but it's a way, not the way. "The" way will depend on your preferences, location, and many other variables.
*: I first personally noticed this on the top of a local hill to see what I could pick up and compare the WSMA-881 antenna to the stock duck. A local weather broadcast (162.475MHz) on the ridge about 50km to the north-east was interfering with some frequencies and as such I could hear the WX broadcast in the faint background over the other frequency. I picked up Monterey County CHP from that hill, the base traffic only. As for the stock duck, well heh...There's a time and place for it, but yeah...
"Operating properly" is a highly dynamic description. The scanner could be operating correctly, but the signals could be too far away to register anything except faint...let's just call it "indications" when the squelch is turned all the way down. Or it could be working correctly except you get "crosstalk"* because of location. There are a handful of circumstances and situations where the scanner itself is working perfectly fine but is influenced by various factors such that it "doesn't work right".
Since this could end up being a lengthly span of verbiage, I think I should terminate this monologue by stating that if there is anything unusual about the operation of the device, chime in here and we can go from there. As long as you aren't trying to set up something like San Diego's multi-site system on your first go, your learning curve will be a bit steep unless you have prior knowledge but not intolerable.
My 396T was the first scanner I had and I had to learn a lot but now that it's all set up it's pretty much GTG. A key principle is smart, logical organization of the systems and groups instead of a big mish-mash. I could probably shuffle my system files so you can peek at them in bcTool (or simply upload to your device, but I wouldn't recommend that without my system map) and see how I did it. It may not be the best way, I'm sure there is a couple of changes I could make that would make it better, but it's a way, not the way. "The" way will depend on your preferences, location, and many other variables.
*: I first personally noticed this on the top of a local hill to see what I could pick up and compare the WSMA-881 antenna to the stock duck. A local weather broadcast (162.475MHz) on the ridge about 50km to the north-east was interfering with some frequencies and as such I could hear the WX broadcast in the faint background over the other frequency. I picked up Monterey County CHP from that hill, the base traffic only. As for the stock duck, well heh...There's a time and place for it, but yeah...
mindyandshelly
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thank-you
Thank-you very much I appreciate the advice. Being that it is used I just want to make sure it works correctly.
Thank-you very much I appreciate the advice. Being that it is used I just want to make sure it works correctly.
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