Hey guys,
I started scanning about 25 years ago with a 4 crystal scanner from radio shack, since then I have owned two portable programable analog scanners that I learned to use through reading Police Call, and trial and error. Recently I found one out in the garage, and decided to turn it on and see what I could find out there. I noticed I could here a small amount of volunteer EMS but not much of anything else. A little research revealed that my area of Hampton roads, VA (Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake) have all switched over to digital systems. So I made the jump and bought the BCD396XT, Despite its learning curve, I was able to hand program Virginia Beach, and Portsmouth P25 systems, but everything I read said that using the data cable and FreeScan made it so much simpler. Well after I learned to hand program it, and I still really don't understand the Quick keys to well, I decided to try the data cable to more easily identify my tags. But now after I import other city frequencies using the cut and paste, my scanner says it is scanning but it never stops on anything. the only way I can make it work is to revert back to the original .996 file that I saved before I started making changes. Is there someplace I can go to get .996 files of others that have successfully identified and programmed their scanners for my area? Or is there somebody out there that can help me decipher what it is that I am doing wrong, or just show me some tips that make it easier.
The cut and past thing seems easy enough, but it it doesn't work after I load it in there, what good is it?
Jack
I started scanning about 25 years ago with a 4 crystal scanner from radio shack, since then I have owned two portable programable analog scanners that I learned to use through reading Police Call, and trial and error. Recently I found one out in the garage, and decided to turn it on and see what I could find out there. I noticed I could here a small amount of volunteer EMS but not much of anything else. A little research revealed that my area of Hampton roads, VA (Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake) have all switched over to digital systems. So I made the jump and bought the BCD396XT, Despite its learning curve, I was able to hand program Virginia Beach, and Portsmouth P25 systems, but everything I read said that using the data cable and FreeScan made it so much simpler. Well after I learned to hand program it, and I still really don't understand the Quick keys to well, I decided to try the data cable to more easily identify my tags. But now after I import other city frequencies using the cut and paste, my scanner says it is scanning but it never stops on anything. the only way I can make it work is to revert back to the original .996 file that I saved before I started making changes. Is there someplace I can go to get .996 files of others that have successfully identified and programmed their scanners for my area? Or is there somebody out there that can help me decipher what it is that I am doing wrong, or just show me some tips that make it easier.
The cut and past thing seems easy enough, but it it doesn't work after I load it in there, what good is it?
Jack
