Just goy my BC780XLT - Excited! :D

[KJ6HCB]

Hey everyone - just now getting back into scanning after somewhat being out of it for the last few years. I worked at a radio equipment parts, sales and service company as sales manager for several years and recently have moved on from there to proceed with my own ventures... leaving a bit more time to scanning! Ive always had a radio around with me to monitor the local PD as I used to work with them on their radio system quite often, but not much beyond that. My equipment of choice was always Motorola 2 ways as thats what was always around and I had programming access to, but now Im brancing out into other gear.

Heres a quick shot of my BC780XLT I got in tonight, along with my Yaesu VX-5R (KJ6HCB) and Vertex VX-354. I have tons of other Motorola equipment around - MCS2000s, Spectras, Syntor X9000s, GM300s, Saber/Astro Sabers/System Sabers, HT1000s, but am mostly in the process of liquidating that stuff as Ive gotten rid of most of my /\/\ programming gear and its worth a significant ammount of $$

Ive also been starting to work with news outlets in the area as a freelance photographer and am going to throw a console back in one of my trucks with a few radios in it for that - Ill have a seperate thread on the vehicle install ( Probably will be 3 BCT15Xs along with some lighting equipment already installed and a Ham dual bander) .

Also not picutred is a BC560XLT I run for a dedicated feed here at RR monitoring SLOPD, SLOFD, CHP, CALFIRE and San Luis Ambulance. Going to seperate those into 2 different feeds off newer scanners with alpha tagging.

More updates soon, just wanted to get a post up with my new BC780... its awesome!

 

[Rt169Radio]

Looks nice,are those two radios on the left and right frs or gmrs radios?

 

[northzone]

The 780 was a great radio. The problem is they are now getting fairly old and the displays are going band (they fade out). You can no longer get the display from uniden and I have not been able to find another source. Maybe someone knows?

 

[stephend]

Bc780xlt

Hey KJ6HCB,

Looks nice. This is a nice scanner. I have one myself. I'm sure you
will enjoy it.

Stephen

 

[N8IAA]

Looks nice,are those two radios on the left and right frs or gmrs radios?

The silver radio (VX5R) is a dual band ham ht, the black radio (VX354) is a commercial uhf (by the color on the antenna).
HTH,
Larry

 

[gewecke]

Yep very nice indeed! I got mine several years ago. Now all you need is a uniden 996xt :wink: !!


73,
n9zas

 

[N8DRC]

Hello
The 780 is a great radio, I bought one new over 10 years ago and use it everyday, love it..

 

[KJ6HCB]

Thanks guys! Hit up the swap meet this morning and got a BC147XLT for $1! Also a Regency MX3000 for $5 - what a killer receiver! Its actually bringing in some distance CHP mobile units that my BC780XLT isnt getting with external antenna!

Going to try and hunt down a desk today that ive been looking for and get the shack area set up. More pics later!

 

[kruser]

The 780 was a great radio. The problem is they are now getting fairly old and the displays are going band (they fade out). You can no longer get the display from uniden and I have not been able to find another source. Maybe someone knows?

Really? This is the first I've read of a display problem with the 780.
I've owned one since darn near the day they were released and it spent much of its early life turned on 24 hours per day for years. It now runs at least 10 hours per day and my display is still as crisp (full contrast) as the day I bought it. Is it the backlights you are talking about? I've run mine at the medium setting mostly and turned off when I used to use it for logging only.

The only common negative comments I've ever read about the 780 are about reduced 800 MHz band sensitivity and the volume knob splitting in two.
Mine has been a great scanner throughout its life and I still think about buying another as they are great for logging with ProScan.

 

[gewecke]

Really? This is the first I've read of a display problem with the 780.
I've owned one since darn near the day they were released and it spent much of its early life turned on 24 hours per day for years. It now runs at least 10 hours per day and my display is still as crisp (full contrast) as the day I bought it. Is it the backlights you are talking about? I've run mine at the medium setting mostly and turned off when I used to use it for logging only.

The only common negative comments I've ever read about the 780 are about reduced 800 MHz band sensitivity and the volume knob splitting in two.
Mine has been a great scanner throughout its life and I still think about buying another as they are great for logging with ProScan.

Only great things to say about mine, plus it still has it's knobs intact,lol! :wink:

73,
n9zas

 

[tk353]

knobs are a problem I own 4 of them and lots of super glue.

 

[KJ6HCB]

What software do members here recommend to use to program the 780? My knob finger is getting tired, LOL!

Free is better, obviously

 

[tk353]

I still use E - Scanner software version 2.0 from Uniden but only works on windows 95/98/2000 and xp.

 

[KJ6HCB]

I have an XP computer I use just for radio stuff - is that a free program or available anywhere now? Sounds good to me.

 

[mkh]

I love my 780 and no problem with the display. I got it about 2 years ago at a ham swap meet for $5. Not a bad deal as I run it almost every day to monitor the Sheriff's office.

 

[KJ6HCB]

$5!!! What a killer deal!

As I mentioned earlier, got a BC147XLT for $1 at the swap meet earlier - some doofus took a soldering iron to it with the board still in the case trying to fix a broken power jack and failed. Some forethought (BARELY!) of removing the 3 screws to remove the board from the case, a few drips of solder, and good as new.

Went down to the local Radio Shack and to my astonishment talked with a guy about my age who really knew what was up with scanners and antenna adapters etc and got it setup with the Motorola to BNC adapter and a 90º desktop antenna, and then gave the setup to my buddy. Hes on his way home now to get it all setup and monitoring! It will be a vast improvement over his Icom IC-R2 being used inside the home.

Im using the program CC780 right now to program up the BC780XLT and it seems to be doing a great job. Still looking for a desk to get everything setup on and get some updated photos.

 

[WatnNY]

I have two of the BC780's and I love them. Great for trunked systems as long as you don't need P25, and they're great for MilAir.

Mike

 

[mkh]

Went down to the local Radio Shack and to my astonishment talked with a guy about my age who really knew what was up with scanners and antenna adapters etc and got it setup with the Motorola to BNC adapter and a 90º desktop antenna, and then gave the setup to my buddy. Hes on his way home now to get it all setup and monitoring! It will be a vast improvement over his Icom IC-R2 being used inside the home.

You are one lucky man. I went to Radio Shack on Friday and asked for a female SMA to SO239 adapter. The kid had no idea what I was talking about. I had to break it down and explain it. weird thing is that they actually had one ins stock.

 

[eorange]

What software do members here recommend to use to program the 780? My knob finger is getting tired

I use ARC780, but it is sadly out of support and flakes out with Windows 7. It's still usable, but I have to enter my key every time. It still worked OK with XP.

If I had to buy something now, I'd probably get ProScan, but it's pricey.

Don't know of any freeware, other than that Excel/DDE based software from a long time ago (long since forgotten the name).

 

[R1VINCE]

I use ARC780, but it is sadly out of support and flakes out with Windows 7. It's still usable, but I have to enter my key every time. It still worked OK with XP.

If I had to buy something now, I'd probably get ProScan, but it's pricey.

Don't know of any freeware, other than that Excel/DDE based software from a long time ago (long since forgotten the name).

eorange,
when you go to open ARC780, RIGHT click on it and "Run As Administrator". When the program opens up, enter your key again. From that point on, every time that you go to open ARC780, it will give you a popup that will ask you if you would like to run this program. Click yes - you shouldnt have to enter your keys anymore.