new to BC246T

[bribed]

OK I have had my BC246T for a week now and have combed through all the on line resources to program it correctly. I live in Genesee County Michigan and am trying to get my scanner to monitor the trunked system correctly. I have downloaded the freqs and talk group id's from the website and loaded the scanner with them and even created a seperate system - loaded only the 2 control frequencies and am doing an id search. I get nothing.

I know this "newbie" question must be irritating to most of you - but I am at my wits end with this thing. Can anyone tell me what i am doing wrong? Are there settings I need to look at that may not be all that obvious?

The conventional channels i have programmed work fine - but anything trunked does not work at all. PLEASE HELP!! and please don't flame me

Thanks

Brian in Michigan

 

[hiegtx]

OK I have had my BC246T for a week now and have combed through all the on line resources to program it correctly. I live in Genesee County Michigan and am trying to get my scanner to monitor the trunked system correctly. I have downloaded the freqs and talk group id's from the website and loaded the scanner with them and even created a seperate system - loaded only the 2 control frequencies and am doing an id search. I get nothing.

I know this "newbie" question must be irritating to most of you - but I am at my wits end with this thing. Can anyone tell me what i am doing wrong? Are there settings I need to look at that may not be all that obvious?

The conventional channels i have programmed work fine - but anything trunked does not work at all. PLEASE HELP!! and please don't flame me

Thanks

Brian in Michigan

Brian,
The database comments for Genesee County indicate that most everything, except Flint City, is on the MPSCS trunked system. If that is the system you are trying to program, unfortunately the 246T is not going to do the job for you. It does a good job on analog trunked and conventional systems, but it will not work for digital. It's not a programming issue at all.

MPSCS is a digital only system. That's indicated by it's description as "System Type: Project 25 Standard" with the System voice described as "APCO-25 Common Air Interface Exclusive". To monitor this system, you'd need a digital scanner rather than the 246. For Uniden handhelds, that would be either the BCD396T, or it's discontinued predecessor the BC296D. In the Radio Shack (GRE manufactured) line, the Pro-96 is the digital handheld.

 

[bribed]

thanks

Thanks....that clears it up perfectly. I appreciate the time you took to look things up for me

 

[MarkWestin]

If you are trying to program in the following:

221 Genesee County Simulcast*,

then you are out of luck, because it is part of the "Michigan Public Safety Communications (MPSCS)" and is "APCO-25 Common Air Interface Exclusive", and "Project 25 Standard". This means that the system is using Digital information instead of Analog (FM) . If you need to listen to this system, my advice would be to look at the BCD996T (mobile/base) or the BCD396T (handheld) units. The BC246T is a very good scanner, but not if you need to listen to APCO25 Digital signals. If this is not the system you are trying to listen to, please disregard this reply and explain what "trunked system" you are trying to listen to

Mark

It appears that someone else replied while I was writing this.

 

[KC0UHS]

Thanks....that clears it up perfectly. I appreciate the time you took to look things up for me

My advice....Sell that 246 and get your money back, and buy or save up for a 396.

 

[mszerencsy]

Boca Raton and digital scanning?

I also own the bc246t and I want to monitor this system:

I was able to upload the system into my scanner with the butel software. But I don't hear a thing.

System Name: Palm Beach County
Location: Palm Beach, FL
County: Palm Beach
System Type: Motorola Type II SmartZone
System Voice: Analog and APCO-25 Common Air Interface
Sysid: 813A
Last Updated: Added a system news entry
Hits: 10909

Let me know if my scanner is capable of this?

From the looks of your last post about the other city, I am out of luck too?

You replies are greatly appreciated.. DO I need a new scanner?

Thanks!

 

[hiegtx]

I also own the bc246t and I want to monitor this system:

I was able to upload the system into my scanner with the butel software. But I don't hear a thing.

System Name: Palm Beach County
Location: Palm Beach, FL
County: Palm Beach
System Type: Motorola Type II SmartZone
System Voice: Analog and APCO-25 Common Air Interface
Sysid: 813A
Last Updated: Added a system news entry
Hits: 10909

Let me know if my scanner is capable of this?

From the looks of your last post about the other city, I am out of luck too?

You replies are greatly appreciated.. DO I need a new scanner?

Thanks!

If you wanted to monitor the entire system, yes, you would need a digital capable scanner, such as the BCD396T or Pro-96 (handhelds). If you could find a 'deal' on a good used BC296D, that would work as well. Base/mobile versions would include Uniden BCD996T, BC796D (discontinued, but still available from certain dealers), or in the Radio Shack (GRE) line the Pro-2096.

However, the system you list is a mixed mode system. The talkgroups marked in the database as mode "D" for 'digital' are not going to be monitorable by your 246, or any other non-digital scanner. (See the Palm Beach County Sheriff grouping for the examples I'm looking at.).

There are a number of other talkgroups on that system. Some are marked as "A", for 'analog', which you can receive. A much larger number are not tagged either way. Some might be digital. Obviously I'm too far away to tell one way or another. Program the system & add those groups not marked either way, along with any listed as "Analog". If one of the untagged systems just sounds like static or some other unintelligible noise, it's probably digital. Lock it out & remove it from your programming list at your earliest convenience.

If you find that there are enough analog groups to cover most of what you want to hear, then save your money for now, & keep your eyes open for a deal later on either a new digital scanner, or a clean used one. I've seen a couple of used 396's for under $400 either on Ebay or here on the forums. New price from dealers starts around $500. The new (from dealers) price on the 396 has held fairly steady since it's introduction last summer. The 396 comes with rechargeable batteries, ac adapter, & the pc programming cable (as did your 246). The Uniden software for the 396 is free for the full version. Butel software is available as well in Basic & Pro versions.

The Pro-96 is due to go on sale again, for $399, but that's witout software, ac adapter, batteries, or programming cable. Purchase those separately, & you start approaching the cost of a 396 at some of the lower cost online dealers.