New and back in it.

[ebelew]

I've been out of the scanner hobby for a few years. I've got a couple of BCD996XT's and research tells me these won't work in the new systems.

So the question would be what do I do with these? What's recommended I should go to?

Base or handheld.
Morgan County, AL

Glad to be back

 

[radiopro52]

Mostly everything in Morgan County is on the A.I.R.S. network. It's a P25 Phase II system but all talkgroups in this area are Phase I so you should be able to hear everything on your BCD996XT. If you wish to upgrade your scanner I would recommend a SDS100 for handheld or an SDS200 for base/mobile.

 

[ebelew]

So I should be able to listen to most everything on the XT through Talk Groups?

Thanks for the quick reply. I've got to dive back into the learning phase again.

 

[hiegtx]

I've been out of the scanner hobby for a few years. I've got a couple of BCD996XT's and research tells me these won't work in the new systems.

So the question would be what do I do with these? What's recommended I should go to?

Base or handheld.
Morgan County, AL

Glad to be back

As radiopro noted, for the time being, your 396XT would work for your county agencies. While, at some point, your county may upgrade to use P25 Phase II, but until that happens, the 396XT can still be used.

Your neighboring county, Limestone, appears to be all conventional, not on AIRS at all.

So I should be able to listen to most everything on the XT through Talk Groups?

Thanks for the quick reply. I've got to dive back into the learning phase again.

Your 396XT will work for any talkgroup on AIRS that is Phase I. That is indicated by the D in the mode column. Talkgroups elsewhere on the system, that use Phase II, are noted with a T in the mode column. While none of your county's TGIDs show to be encrypted, you can recognize those that are by an E next to the D or T mode indicator. An upper case E means full time encrypted, and a lower case e indicates that a talkgroup is encrypted only part of the time.

 

[ebelew]

Mine's a 996XT not a 396XT. Will this make a difference in your explanation?

 

[ebelew]

Mostly everything in Morgan County is on the A.I.R.S. network. It's a P25 Phase II system but all talkgroups in this area are Phase I so you should be able to hear everything on your BCD996XT. If you wish to upgrade your scanner I would recommend a SDS100 for handheld or an SDS200 for base/mobile.

I guess I could sell these two and get a new SDS200

 

[radiopro52]

I guess I could sell these two and get a new SDS200

A cheaper alternative to the SDS200 is the BCD996P2. It's similar to the BCD996Xt but is able to decode Phase II incase we ever upgrade to it, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. It can also be upgraded to receive DMR, NXDN, and ProVoice like the SDS200.

 

[ebelew]

A cheaper alternative to the SDS200 is the BCD996P2. It's similar to the BCD996Xt but is able to decode Phase II incase we ever upgrade to it, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. It can also be upgraded to receive DMR, NXDN, and ProVoice like the SDS200.

So bottom line would be to keep the BCD996XT and learn to program the TalkGroups that I need and then I could use P25 Phase II and listen/monitor on them?

 

[radiopro52]

So bottom line would be to keep the BCD996XT and learn to program the TalkGroups that I need and then I could use P25 Phase II and listen/monitor on them?

You can keep the 996XT for now and it will work, but if we ever do get upgraded to Phase II then it would no longer work and you would have to upgrade your scanner.

 

[tvengr]

I've got a couple of BCD996XT's

What programming software are you using?

 

[ebelew]

What programming software are you using?

It's been so long ago, I'm not sure. "FreeScan" Or something like that. I'll be starting from scratch so I got to find my cable and get some software.
Suggestions?

 

[tvengr]

Here is a FreeSCAN file for Morgan Co to get you in business. Save the attached zipped file to your computer and extract. Open the extracted file with FreeSCAN and Upload Programming. Highlight Erase All Systems & Settings. Start Upload. You will be able to toggle the 4 sites on and off one at a time to determine which work best by pressing 1, 2, 3, and 4 on the keypad. Pressing 5 will toggle the conventional highway patrol system on and off. Quick keys as follows:

Morgan Co AL (Trunked)
System Quick Keys:
1. AIRS Decatur (Site)
2. AIRS Trinity (Site)
3. AIRS Laceys Spr (Site)
4. AIRS Falkville (Site)
Group Quick Keys:
1. Morgan Co Law
2. Morgan Co Fire
3. Morgan Co EMS
4. Decatur Fire
5. Decatur Police
6. Hartselle Fire
AL Highway Patrol (Conventional)
System Quick Key: 5

 

[ebelew]

Here is a FreeSCAN file for Morgan Co to get you in business. Save the attached zipped file to your computer and extract. Open the extracted file with FreeSCAN and Upload Programming. Highlight Erase All Systems & Settings. Start Upload. You will be able to toggle the 4 sites on and off one at a time to determine which work best by pressing 1, 2, 3, and 4 on the keypad. Pressing 5 will toggle the conventional highway patrol system on and off. Quick keys as follows:

Morgan Co AL (Trunked)
System Quick Keys:
1. AIRS Decatur (Site)
2. AIRS Trinity (Site)
3. AIRS Laceys Spr (Site)
4. AIRS Falkville (Site)
Group Quick Keys:
1. Morgan Co Law
2. Morgan Co Fire
3. Morgan Co EMS
4. Decatur Fire
5. Decatur Police
6. Hartselle Fire
AL Highway Patrol (Conventional)
System Quick Key: 5

I really appreciate this. Thanks

 

[MDKramerAL]

Does Hartselle, Priceville, and Trinity Police dispatch over Morgan County Sheriff Dispatch?

 

[radiopro52]

Does Hartselle, Priceville, and Trinity Police dispatch over Morgan County Sheriff Dispatch?

They are dispatched over the Metro police net, TGID 32017.

 

[morganAL]

Priceville & Somerville are on the Sheriff TG (32100). Hartselle, Falkville & Trinity are on PD NET (32017)

 

[Metrofire31]

I, too, have a 996XT and there are plenty of conventional (VHF, UHF) agencies around Alabama. If you travel at all, your 996XT (same as 396XT) can still receive alot, e.g., Alabama State Troopers, Alabama Forestry, and counties like Chambers, St. Clair, Blount, Elmore, just as examples. But if you do switch, I've also got a 996P2 (325P2 is the handheld version).

Metrofire31
WREX563
Auburn-Opelika

 

[hiegtx]

Mine's a 996XT not a 396XT. Will this make a difference in your explanation?

No difference (I entered the incorrect model, but there is no difference).