Nebraska statewide on Uniden BCD-396t

[hilgerone]

I'm wondering if I can program the Statewide system into a 396t? I'd like to listen in to my local Sheriff's dept. We have some used statewide system radios in our apparatus but I just can't justify spending Fire Dept money to get myself a handheld radio to listen in to their day to day comms. So I dug out this old scanner to see if I can make it work. I can't find a programming cable for it so I'd have to try to enter it manually I guess. I used to be pretty scanner savvy but I fell behind the last dozen years and P25 stuff is Greek to me. Thanks!

 

[doctordialtone]

I'm wondering if I can program the Statewide system into a 396t?

Why not?

Here's a link to the "Easier to Read" manual.

Easier to Read BCD396T/UBCD396T Digital Scanner Manual

Also, you could use FREEScan to help you program it.

Sixspot Software - Downloads

FreeSCAN To install FreeSCAN, download and install the .MSI file. For differences between versions and important operating information, see the release notes. This version supports the the SC230, BC246T, BR330T, BCD396T, UBC3500XLT, BCT15, BCD996T, BC346XT(C), BCD396XT, BCT15X, and BCD996XT

sites.google.com

Any of the groups labeled DE are encrypted so you won't receive them.



Good luck!

 

[tvengr]

I don't see a site listed for Butler Co on the state system. You will have to use the frequencies of the closest site in an adjacent county. Butler Co law enforcement is on talkgroup ID 52500. To program: Menu>Program System>New System>MOT>VHF Band>Confirm? Yes. Edit the name and enter the frequencies. Edit Sys Option>Edit Band Plan. Enter the Base Frequency, Step, and Offset for each Band Plan. If you need any help with the system or how to enter the group and talkgroup, please let me know. I am going to start a thread asking which site to use. I assume you are in David City.

 

[hiegtx]

I'm wondering if I can program the Statewide system into a 396t? I'd like to listen in to my local Sheriff's dept. We have some used statewide system radios in our apparatus but I just can't justify spending Fire Dept money to get myself a handheld radio to listen in to their day to day comms. So I dug out this old scanner to see if I can make it work. I can't find a programming cable for it so I'd have to try to enter it manually I guess. I used to be pretty scanner savvy but I fell behind the last dozen years and P25 stuff is Greek to me. Thanks!

You can find the programming cables at several online sources. The USB-1 cable has a male USB connector, for your PC, at one ind, and the specific non-standard end to plug into your scanner at the other end.

Among other sources, available at Bearcat Warehouse and HRO.

While you can indeed program your state's system into the 396T, remember that for the 396T, you can only have one site per system. So, if you want three sites, say for your immediate area and adjoining counties, you would create three separate systems, one for each site, with the same talkgroups in each system. The later model scanners, such as the 396XT, does allow for multi-site programming.

 

[hilgerone]

I don't see a site listed for Butler Co on the state system. You will have to use the frequencies of the closest site in an adjacent county. Butler Co law enforcement is on talkgroup ID 52500. To program: Menu>Program System>New System>MOT>VHF Band>Confirm? Yes. Edit the name and enter the frequencies. Edit Sys Option>Edit Band Plan. Enter the Base Frequency, Step, and Offset for each Band Plan. If you need any help with the system or how to enter the group and talkgroup, please let me know. I am going to start a thread asking which site to use. I assume you are in David City.

Yes David City. Thanks so much for your help to this point.

 

[hilgerone]

Thanks to everyone for their replies. I'm going to see if I can get this to work.

 

[hilgerone]

I don't see a site listed for Butler Co on the state system. You will have to use the frequencies of the closest site in an adjacent county. Butler Co law enforcement is on talkgroup ID 52500. To program: Menu>Program System>New System>MOT>VHF Band>Confirm? Yes. Edit the name and enter the frequencies. Edit Sys Option>Edit Band Plan. Enter the Base Frequency, Step, and Offset for each Band Plan. If you need any help with the system or how to enter the group and talkgroup, please let me know. I am going to start a thread asking which site to use. I assume you are in David City.

On the Nebraska State radio information page, I see 3 VHF bandplan frequencies listed near the top of the page. Do I use one of those or do I use a frequency that is listed further down for the site that I am closest to? The 2 sites I believe they use are 67 Saunders and 73 Polk.

And will I need to enter a new bandplan for each site?

 

[autovon]

Enter the frequencies for the site you want to use. You don't need to do the band plan at the top of the page.

 

[ORION_NE]

On the Nebraska State radio information page, I see 3 VHF bandplan frequencies listed near the top of the page. Do I use one of those or do I use a frequency that is listed further down for the site that I am closest to? The 2 sites I believe they use are 67 Saunders and 73 Polk.

And will I need to enter a new bandplan for each site?

You don't need to program a band plan just the control channels (red and blue frequencies). The scanner will "download" that info from the control channel.

 

[ORION_NE]

I can send you a file for free scan with the SRS and local counties programmed in it.

 

[hilgerone]

I can send you a file for free scan with the SRS and local counties programmed in it.

I don't have a programming cable unfortunately. I'll give it a try manually. If I botch it I'll just order a cable and take you up on your generous offer. However it may be quicker to just drive to Dodge!

 

[hilgerone]

So under program system I used MOT and P25 then named it Cedar Bluffs. I then went to SET FREQUENCIES and entered the 4 frequencies listed for that site. I then entered the EDIT GROUP and put in the group number for Butler Co. Sheriff. Is that all I need? Then to add Polk county do I go back and add a second system?

 

[autovon]

You don't even need to put anything in the group if you don't want to. As long as the radio is in SEARCH, not SCAN, anything that is passed by the tower will show up on your radio. If I remember right, if it's in SCAN, only the talkgroups you have programmed will show up.
If you do want to put the talkgroups in the group, you will have to do that for each site you program.
Since you're programing manually, you may just want to put program the 2 nearest sites and leave the talkgroups alone.

 

[doctordialtone]

If I remember right, if it's in SCAN, only the talkgroups you have programmed will show up.

That's correct.

ID SCAN scans only the TGID's you entered.

ID SEARCH scans every TGID.

 

[tvengr]

You don't need to program a band plan just the control channels (red and blue frequencies). The scanner will "download" that info from the control channel.

You are correct! For some reason I was thinking it is a Motorola Type II system. After you select MOT as the System Type, select P25. There is no band plan required. Using FreeSCAN with the 396T, the System Type is Mot Type II / P25. The Site Type is Mot P25/P25 Standard. The P25 Standard (Digital XT) system type is used on the XT and P2 scanners.

 

[tvengr]

I got a response on the other thread saying that Cedar Bluffs (Saunders Co), Humphrey (Platte Co), and Osceola (Polk Co) are the closest sites. You can set up 3 trunked systems with the same talkgroup for law enforcement on all 3. Assign a quick key to each system so that you can easily toggle them on and off. What is the firmware in your scanner (Menu>Settings>See Scanner Info>Firmware Version)? The latest version is 3.02.02.

 

[hilgerone]

I got a response on the other thread saying that Cedar Bluffs (Saunders Co), Humphrey (Platte Co), and Osceola (Polk Co) are the closest sites. You can set up 3 trunked systems with the same talkgroup for law enforcement on all 3. Assign a quick key to each system so that you can easily toggle them on and off. What is the firmware in your scanner (Menu>Settings>See Scanner Info>Firmware Version)? The latest version is 3.02.02.

1.11.03 So not very current!

 

[tvengr]

Do you have the BC_VUP firmware updater? I have both the updater and the firmware scn file.

 

[hilgerone]

Do you have the BC_VUP firmware updater? I have both the updater and the firmware scn file.

I don't have a cable unfortunately.

 

[hilgerone]

Okay so what I have is 3 P25 systems set up. 1 for each of the nearest 3 sites. I entered all 4 listed site frequencies into each system. I did not include any specific groups on any system. When I exit out of programming it shows that it is ID SEARCHing all 3 systems. Does this sound like I have entered what I need? I am pretty sure that in my metal shop I'm not going to pick anything up so I will hook it up to my base antenna when I go into the house shortly.