BCT15X: No download P25 files

[W8ARR]

If I am posting this to the wrong forum, let me know. I have a Uniden BCT15X scanner. I'm having problems with it. I thought I would plug it in and hear lots a good stuff. This is the first scanner I've ever owned. Ok then, I downloaded the FreeSCAN application and downloaded files from RadioReference. It will download the convential to the scanner but not the trunked station. The files are Motorola P25. I've tried several times with no joy. My other issue is that thr scanner will stop at a transmitting station but I cannot hear anything. Is it posible that station is encrypted?
Thank you in advance if your help.

 

[pro92b]

BCT15X cannot decode P25; it is an analog only scanner so there is no benefit to downloading P25 to this scanner.

 

[UPMan]

P25 is a digital mode. The BCT15X is not a digital scanner. FreeScan is probably not sending the P25 system or channels to the scanner because it knows that the scanner is not capable of receiving them.

If you did manage to get some P25 channels in the scanner, anyway, then when the channel has a transmission, the scanner will stop on the channel but you will either hear nothing or undecoded "hissing" noise.

 

[W8ARR]

So I paid 140 for a piece of crap scanner - will be selling it shortly.Also, this will be the last Uniden scanner I will buy. It should make it plain on the box, it is analog so 99% of the stuff you want to listen to it will not play.

 

[UPMan]

Well, actually $140 is a pretty good price for the BCT15X, which is a very nice scanner for all things not digital.

 

[jonwienke]

So I paid 140 for a piece of crap scanner - will be selling it shortly

It's not a piece of crap. The 15X is a perfectly good scanner for its intended purpose--monitoring analog AM and FM radio traffic. You failed to verify whether it was the proper tool for your intended purpose before you purchased it. If you want to hear P25 digital trunking, you need a 325P2, 996P2, HomePatrol-2, BCD436, or BCD536.

 

[phask]

No you paid 140 for a very fine, capable ANALOG scanner.

I would think tat being a Ham operator you would be aware of transmission modes, and read the descriptions.

It will do fine for monitoring all Ham modes except DMT also fine for Rail and Air.

 

[ka3jjz]

Now now, phask, not every ham understands what P25 is and how it's used....

Hardly a piece of crap - it's a great analog scanner, and from what I've heard, a pretty decent milair scanner too.

Starting with section 1.3, this article from our wiki will tell you what scanners are compatible with P25 systems;

APCO Project 25 - The RadioReference Wiki

To better inform yourself, you might want to spend some time looking at the database for your area and see precisely what is available in the way of trunking in your area. I would also touch base with the MONIX group (as well as post in our Ohio forum) and talk about exactly what you want to hear. There's no better resource than scannists local to you (and there are more than a few hams too.;.)...Mike

 

[SteveSimpkin]

Your anger with Uniden is misplaced. You should be angry with yourself for not doing even the slightest bit of research to see what type of scanner you needed for the area you live in. There are still quite a few areas in the U.S. that an analog scanner would be all you need.

 

[W8ARR]

Thank you all for your gentile responses. I guess I did not do my homework when selecting a scanner but I still maintain that the box should be plainly marked that the scanner is ANALOG only!

 

[UPMan]

With limited real estate on the box for feature listings, putting what features a product does not have doesn't even begin to fly.

 

[jonwienke]

Thank you all for your gentile responses. I guess I did not do my homework when selecting a scanner but I still maintain that the box should be plainly marked that the scanner is ANALOG only!

The box is plainly marked with the transmission modes and system types the 15X is capable of receiving. It is ridiculous to expect the box to list features and modes the scanner does NOT have, as that would cause an additional round of complaints regarding "false advertising", and there simply isn't room for such information.

 

[kmi8dy]

It's you that is to blame, nobody else

the only one you have to blame is you yourself. you did not investigate, you did not read any information, hell you did not even ask questions to anybody. and you certenlly did not even go to radio reference after paying the membership fee all my uniden scanner digital boxes does say either digital or p25 info on the box. in my opinon you just blew everything off and bought a scanner that pleased your monitary expenditure amount, and you THOUGHT it would work. keep the scanner and go out and buy a uniden bcd996p2, i have two of them. easy to program. keep the other for all other vhf / uhf systems, and there are hundreds of them, if not thousands of them.

 

[KevinC]

Asked, answered, closed.