This is long, but don't freak out!
Good challenge lacking time and familiarity - but the 396xt is up for it. It may not be optimal, but you'll have fun anyway if you run out of contacts for programming.
Maybe give this some practice before you go, since you can always reset the scanner once you get to the track.
The goal here is to use the predefined racing service search. Once a number of interesting frequencies are stored, we'll scan the built-in Quick-Save system.
1) Reset the scanner so that it has NOTHING in it:
Press and hold 2,9,HOLD, and while holding all three down, hold down the power button. "All Memory Clear" will show up in the display, and then you'll be prompted with "Restore Pre-Program List". Enter NO (the decimal point).
2) You will now have a blank slate - "Scan Mode - Nothing to Scan" will appear.
3) Hit FUNC (top leftside button), then SCAN. This is activating the Search function in reality. "Quick Search?" prompt will show. Enter NO (decimal point).
4) Service Search will now be highlighted. Enter YES (E).
5) Use the knob to scroll to RACING and press YES (E).
6) You are now searching through Uniden's predefined racing frequencies.
7) If you come across noise or other junk that locks up the scanner, press L/O for lockout. If something interesting comes up, press HOLD. Press HOLD again to release it, and make it search again.
If for some reason, you don't see it searching either up or down, you can force it to do so by rotating the knob a click.
8) You can continue just like this for your visit if you desire. This is mere searching as opposed to scanning.
9) If you want to actually scan, and not search the entire racing spectrum, whenever you land on something interesting, just press YES (E). When you do, the prompt "Quick Freq Save?" will show. Press YES (E).
10). The frequency of interest is now saved into the Quick-Save system. Use the MENU key (lower left side button) multiple times to back out until you see that you are back into the RACING search. Continue searching, and each time you come across something interesting, perform step 9.
11) Once you have stored enough interesting frequencies, you can now scan them instead of searching the whole racing spectrum. Simple - just press SCAN. All the frequencies you previously saved during your search, are now being scanned in the only system that exists - the Quick-Save Conventional System. Use HOLD or L/O on these channels as desired. If you accidentally lock-out something interesting, don't worry - the lockouts are temporary - just power the scanner off and on again (normally that is, not the total reset procedure listed above) and the locked out channels will return.
It really looks / reads harder than it is in practice - but at least you can let your 396xt do some work and earn it's keep given the restrictions you are under!
