Need help with Uniden BCT8

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evilklown

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I have a uniden BCT8 I got a cable off ebay it goes from the back of the scanner into usb, well i am having a problem with it picking up the scanner i have it on and remote set on i used the software it came with and i downloaded ARC8 and it couldnt find it either. Can i not use usb dose it have to just be serial to serial? thanks
 

hastingsmedic

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Hmmmm

Well, if it was a Uniden Cable specifically for the BCT8 then I don't know.

If you are doing things like cloning, you have to make sure that it is a NULL MODEM cable, not just a straight cable. Perhaps this is your trouble?

Andrew
 

evilklown

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the cable i have is serial usb it fits in the back of the BCT8 just fine and then i put the usb in my computer but dosent notice it as BCT8 it just says usb device pluged in. i think its the cable but not to sure
 

STiMULi

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If the cable is a converter it needs a driver. The driver usualy needs to be loaded before the cable is connected for the first time.

Did you load a driver?
 

kingpin

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If you are using a USB cable, it's not going to identify the device connected to it as the BCT8. Make sure you have the correct drivers for your USB cable and when you are sure, check to see what com port it is assigned to in device manager. In the ARC8 software, setup the software using that comport the usb is on and you should be fine. I use a USB serial converter on my BCT8 here at work. Works fine. I use the Radio Shack USB serial cable.
 

evilklown

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i might just try to do serial to serial because my pro96 works just fine with it so i think i will just go that way so i dont run into anymore problems because no drivers even came with the cable so i am thinking it isnt going to work.
 

SamwiseVT

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I'm actually having the same problem. I have a Dynex serial to USB, and I have installed the drivers, but for some reason I can't program it in ARC8. It keeps saying "scanner not found" and "error 8020" when I attempt to read data from the scanner, but when I go to virtual control, I can control the scanner, but the virtual control screen doesn't work.
Any help would be greatly appreciated! I don't want to feel like I just blew $40.
 

kayi4cle

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I have a uniden BCT8 I got a cable off ebay it goes from the back of the scanner into usb, well i am having a problem with it picking up the scanner i have it on and remote set on i used the software it came with and i downloaded ARC8 and it couldnt find it either. Can i not use usb dose it have to just be serial to serial? thanks

If it's any comfort, because the BCT8 only has 250 channels and doesn't even have text tags, it's one of the easiest radios to quickly program by hand. I re-do mine once in awhile, and it only takes minutes. Hope you get yours up and running soon :)
 

N5DVC

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I'm actually having the same problem. I have a Dynex serial to USB, and I have installed the drivers, but for some reason I can't program it in ARC8. It keeps saying "scanner not found" and "error 8020" when I attempt to read data from the scanner, but when I go to virtual control, I can control the scanner, but the virtual control screen doesn't work.
Any help would be greatly appreciated! I don't want to feel like I just blew $40.

I have the same issue - the ARC8 manual clearly states that it DOES NOT SUPPORT USB-SERIAL converters:
"ARC8 does not support USB devices, use USB devices at your own risk."

"7.2.4 Serial/USB devices:
ARC8 does not support USB devices since the Uniden scanners only use
RS232. Use a serial port connection using a PCMCI or PCI option card. For USB
support contact the supplier of the converter, BuTel sells approved
USB<>serial converters."

They imply that THEIR cable might work though... I'm still looking for a way to trick it.
 

N5DVC

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Resolution - a converter that supports RS232C

After reading some documentation on voltage requirements to support RS232C communications in USB/Serial converters, I went out and bought the Radio Shack cable. Bingo. No other changes. In business. Looks like all converters are not created equal... I was using an eBay special (Sewell/Prolific) and it just wasn't up to spec. The RS cable was $40 though - ouch!
 

cdhecker

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Oct 30, 2010
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Heres Help !!

The Uniden BCT8 says you should be using a RS 232C Straight Interface Cable
 
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