BC125AT: new user; search finds nothing at all

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mlevin77

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I'm new to this so maybe I'm making a basic error somewhere. I bought a Uniden BC125AT. I screwed on the included antenna, and turned it on. I hit Search, and it ran through everything across all 9 banks, and found (stopped at) only 1 place, with some noise and clicking. I live in a pretty crowded part of the country (suburb of Boston) - surely there's a lot of transmissions going on - what am I doing wrong that it doesn't find anything??

Also, when I hit "scan", it says "All channels locked out" - don't know if that's related?
 

Haley

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Hit function then search. Then hit a number------try number 6 , thats civil air (airport, planes ect.) . You should get something with that for sure. When you hit SCAN, I assume you have nothing programmed in, thats why there is nothing to scan. Mike
 

N8IAA

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I'm new to this so maybe I'm making a basic error somewhere. I bought a Uniden BC125AT. I screwed on the included antenna, and turned it on. I hit Search, and it ran through everything across all 9 banks, and found (stopped at) only 1 place, with some noise and clicking. I live in a pretty crowded part of the country (suburb of Boston) - surely there's a lot of transmissions going on - what am I doing wrong that it doesn't find anything??

Also, when I hit "scan", it says "All channels locked out" - don't know if that's related?

The 125AT does not come with any programmed frequencies in the 10 Banks.
There is software and firmware upgrades available on the Uniden website. You will need the USB cable to download upgrades via the software.
Then you can put in the frequencies from the RR database into the software, or, you can plug them into the scanner by hand.
Read the manual and learn about you scanner.
Larry
 

mlevin77

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Ok thanks. I read the first part of the manual and just decided to try it - I thought I could simply scan all possible frequencies until it found something. I guess I'll have to read the whole thing and program via PC before listening to anything.
 

ka3jjz

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Another thing to consider - what are you using for the antenna? If you're just using the duckie that comes with it, well, a good rule of thumb on these antennas is the lower in frequency you go, the less efficient they are. Combining that with any obstructions between you and a particular target, the chances of hearing anything on a search become far less.

You *might* get some close-call type hits if you are fairly close to a transmitter - say, like in a Walmart or similar- but outside of that - well, as they say back home - fuggedabotit (forget about it)

Mike
 

mlevin77

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Yep, I was using the flexible antenna that comes with it. I thought I'd play a little before buying a different one. But I guess that's in the near future. I will check this forum for antenna FAQs, I'm sure someone has put together a guide for choosing improved antennas.
 

mlevin77

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The 125AT does not come with any programmed frequencies in the 10 Banks.
There is software and firmware upgrades available on the Uniden website. You will need the USB cable to download upgrades via the software.
Then you can put in the frequencies from the RR database into the software, or, you can plug them into the scanner by hand.
Read the manual and learn about you scanner.
Larry

Is the (purchased) software on Uniden website better than the freeware bcTool? I tried running bcTool with my scanner connected via its USB cord and it says "no serial ports could be found". Am I doing something wrong or can bcTool not work with USB? Also weird is that on the Uniden download page, I don't see one for my scanner - what I see is

Scanners:
BC245XLT BC246T BC250D BC296D BC780XLT BC785d BC796D BC895XLT BC898T BC95XLT BCD396T BCD996T BCT15 BCT8 BR330T SC230 USB-1 BC246TUASD BC898TSS BCT15UASD BR330TUASD ES200DL SC230UASD


I'm also trying to download the RR database to upload it, but all I find is the Excel file - is that the format these software packages expect or am I not seeing the actual database (because not a premium member)?
 

ka3jjz

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I don't believe bcTool works with this scanner (it is a standard bank scanner, not DMA)...which may be part of the problem. Maybe you messed up the memory structure so that the radio thinks that all channels are locked.

And since you're not a premium subscriber, I would expect that would be the reason you can't download from the database (apart from the strange fact that most Uniden supplied software doesn't work with the RR import)...there are 2 packages apart from the Uniden one for that scanner, and right now ARC125 is the only one that has the RR import capability. The Uniden package and Scan125 don't (at least, not yet)

I would blank the radio and start afresh. Use the standard 3 finger salute...Mike
 
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mlevin77

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> Maybe you messed up the memory

I doubt it - I haven't done anything yet, not programmed by hand nor uploaded anything.

> And since you're not a premium subscriber, I would expect that would be the reason you can't download from the database

does this mean I can't get the database at all (as a file to import manually), or just can't do the thing where the software downloads it directly from the RR server?

> 2 packages apart from the Uniden one for that scanner,

am I right that the Uniden ones need to be purchased, and if so, any benefit over ARC125?

thank you!
 

ka3jjz

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I never use Excel for programming, so I would not know about that. I do know that ARC125 has the capability of going to the RR Web server so you can grab freqs from that when you're a premium subscriber - if it were me, that alone would be a significant difference over Scan125 and the Uniden software (both of which, I think, lack this capability). Unless Nick is planning to add that capability in his software (Scan125),. that's the way I would go.

I'd write him and ask before plunking down any green stuff...Mike
 

N8IAA

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> Maybe you messed up the memory

I doubt it - I haven't done anything yet, not programmed by hand nor uploaded anything.

> And since you're not a premium subscriber, I would expect that would be the reason you can't download from the database

does this mean I can't get the database at all (as a file to import manually), or just can't do the thing where the software downloads it directly from the RR server?

> 2 packages apart from the Uniden one for that scanner,

am I right that the Uniden ones need to be purchased, and if so, any benefit over ARC125?

thank you!

The BC125AT_ss is free software from Uniden.
ARC125 is not. I purchased ARC125 so that I could import from the RR database. It also is easier to understand then the Uniden version. The USB cable that comes with the scanner not only is used to power the scanner, but to program it. You do need the Uniden software to upgrade the firmware in the scanner.
HTH,
Larry
 

bigcam406

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my advice,read the manual.secondly,since its just a conventional scanner with no trunking abilities,try programming your areas frequencies by hand.its the best way to get familiar with your scanners functions by doing this.i own a BCT15AT as well,and its a great little scanner.
 

licenseguru1

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Also, when I hit "scan", it says "All channels locked out" - don't know if that's related?

I've been searching everything, looking for an answer "that actually works" to this problem.

Using Func+ L/O does not permanently unlock anything. No matter what I do, when I hit the Scan button, I get that dreaded message.

WTF can I do to fix this Scan Mode All Locked!?
 

UPMan

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Have you programmed channels? Are the banks(s) the channels are in enabled? Are the channels unlocked?
 

Scan125

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The Uniden package and Scan125 don't (at least, not yet)

Regarding Scan125 I did look at supporting RR database files but had all sorts of issues due to the XML code page being used.

However Scan125 can use the RR csv files using the Scan125Covert Utility. Scan125Convert allows you to read any CSV file based on a simple profile selection to select in which CSV column the various frequency, tag names, and modulation are located.
 

Scan125

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Unless Nick is planning to add that capability in his software (Scan125),. that's the way I would go.

I'd write him and ask before plunking down any green stuff...Mike

Scan125 indirectly supports CSV files by using Scan125Convert.

I'm just about to release a new version (V1.3.0.0) which specifically supports the Uniden UBC125XLT, BC125AT and UBC126AT scanners.

Up until now Scan125Convert did not like mode NFM and changed it to AUTO. This was because for some daft reason Uniden chose to use FM instead of NFM in the UBC125XLT scanner which can only handle Narrow FM and has no Wide FM capability.

Because of this I suspect BC125AT users who use Scan125 probably tried the Scan125Convert utility and annoyingly had NFM changed to AUTO (although nobody ever contacted me about this :) )
 
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