Official BCD396T Discussion Thread (Post-release)

[Al42]

Re: audio quality p-25

Well, hopefully all this audio "issues" can be taken care of by "tweaking" the firmware. I think it should be very possible.... :wink:

It sounds as if they have to decrease the AGC attack time. That may be firmware, it may be hardware (an R/C value). Maybe it could be made user adjustable. Paul?

 

[pro92b]

Use Counter.exe - you can control the timing and don't have to connect up a counter. You can have it set to 0.2 seconds and still get a tenth place reading.

I dunno, maybe my sound card is poor, but I have never been able to get high accuracy from counter.exe. I have seen other reports of problems similar to mine with counter.exe. If you have a real counter, it would be prudent to verify what counter.exe reads before relying on it to log hundreds of tone sets.

 

[Al42]

I think someone asked in the pre-release thread if the 396 went to 11. Paul mentioned that Uniden only made 10 louder. The comments may be for another scanner since the 396 goes to 15!!!! 73 Eric

What do you mean by "went to 11"?

Volume control 1-11, since 10 isn't loud enough. It was a joke.

 

[LEH]

Garys,

Your comment
Another gripe is not being able to alternate between Alpha Tag and Frequency or TG number. Every trunk tracker from the 245 on has had this, but it's been dropped. Unless I missed it, you either get Alpa or Numeric, but you can't get the radio to alternate them automatically.

As I have only loaded a few alpha tags so far. I value my fingers and wrist and I'll wait for the software. There is a combination of keys, Func-5 (see page 46 of the manual).

 

[garys]

Func+5 toggles, but it's manual. Unless of course I made a mistake. I'm still reading the manual and playing around with various functions.

I too am eager for software. I've tried both the 246UASD and ARC246 programs, since they're likely to be somewhat similar to the 396 software. Maybe it's because I've used the Butel software so much, but ARC246 seems much more straightforward than the 246UASD program.

I'll use whichever comes out first because this scanner is going to be very tiring to program manually.

Gary

 

[troymail]

Interesting.... I wonder if in Tone Out Detect it will display the freq. of the actual tones being received on the channel???

Actually, when in standby, it shows the two tones it is watching... it's
the same in detect mode - the only difference is you can "hear" the
dispatch - in alert/monitor mode, your don't hear anything unless
the tones are tapped out (I assume - since it doesn't work for me).

[/quote]

 

[RADIOGUY2002]

Apco25

Apertinily I'm not to close to monitor with standard antenna. With external antenna its is possible that i would rx it better. However, after reading some posts I was programing it wrong. because of the common air interface. Meanwhile I stuck tring to firgure out how to turn on two tone mode, the instruction manual is to breif for me to understand. Call me slow, but that how I feel when it comes to certain concept in this scanner.

I looking to program in the mabas two tone,
Plectron Codes, how do I go programing that.
1082Hz at 1.5 seconds
701 Hz at 3.5 seconds

Any idea's

As far as TSA, I need to program as falt apco25, or just program normaily.

 

[DaveIN]

Re: Apco25

Apertinily I'm not to close to monitor with standard antenna. With external antenna its is possible that i would rx it better. However, after reading some posts I was programing it wrong. because of the common air interface. Meanwhile I stuck tring to firgure out how to turn on two tone mode, the instruction manual is to breif for me to understand. Call me slow, but that how I feel when it comes to certain concept in this scanner.

I looking to program in the mabas two tone,
Plectron Codes, how do I go programing that.
1082Hz at 1.5 seconds
701 Hz at 3.5 seconds

Any idea's

As far as TSA, I need to program as falt apco25, or just program
normaily.

Did you try 1082 in Tone A and 701 in Tone B?

 

[Voyager]

There are only a couple of things not to like. First, since there aren't channel numbers or ID lists, there's no way to do direct channel entry. I suppose that will be manageable if you keep the systems small enough.

You will get used to hitting HOLD then hit the func-scroll to scroll through the systems, and release func to scroll through channels. Hint: If the channel you want is near the end of your list, scroll to the NEXT system and scroll back through the channels.

You can also use the recall function to select the system, group, and channel. (FUNC-7)

You can scroll through systems really fast.

Joe M.

 

[Al42]

What I need to find is an M3-.5 X 10 flat head machine screw. The round head screw tends to get caught when I try to take it off. The clip also spins

Try a couple of star washers, an external one between the scanner and the clip, an internal one under the screw head.

 

[Jay911]

Re: 396 Fire Tone Out - Not working?

I read somewhere that any of the tone pairs on the same frequency
will alert as long as you're monitor/standing by... is that true?
Or do I have to be sitting on the exact station/tone pair...?
(the manual says it should work)

Also - information for my local system says there is no "tone gap"
(I read that as ZERO). The 396 doesn't let you go to 0 -- 1 ms is
the shortest....

I am neither a 396 owner (yet) nor connected with its design, but this is what I have gleaned from the posts I've seen in this and other forums..

The first part I quoted is a feature of the new firmware, which I don't believe is shipping with the radio yet. I believe UPman said the firmware update would come out at the same time or near to the release of the control/programming software (this or next week).

The second part is something that will also be addressed in the new firmware, I'm led to believe. Tone gaps will no longer be required to be programmed. Like your local system, all the tones in my area have no gap between them - and until the discussion came up here, I wasn't aware that there were any, anywhere that did that. Every tone group I've heard outside of the ones on Emergency! (which aren't supported in the 396 anyway) have had no gap at all, and are either 1sec-3sec (A-B) or 8sec (long B/long C).

My professional radio requires nothing more than the two tone frequencies in Hz (or reed code). It will detect them and alert me if less than 1 sec-3 sec is heard, as well.

 

[ronmchandler]

I was having the same problem described above with a programmed P25 system pausing only a split second with audio and then it immediately started scanning again without stopping. I read the tip to re-program the system as a MOT system, which I did, and this too solved my problem, even though I don't understand why.

Question: When the scanner picks up a transmission on this system previously setup as a P25 system changed to a MOT system, it shows on the display that it is a P25 signal. So, how do you know whether to program the system as a true P25 system or a MOT system. On my Pro-2096, the same system is a P25 digital signal setup as such, and works fine, as it should.

I don't understand how Uniden has this setup. Or, maybe I don't understand how to tell whether a system is true P25? All the data I gathered to program this system (the local utility company) said it was a P25 system. The transmission is definitely digital. Then why do I program it as a MOT system and not a P25 system on the 396?

I'm stumped!!

 

[loumaag]

I don't understand how Uniden has this setup. Or, maybe I don't understand how to tell whether a system is true P25? All the data I gathered to program this system (the local utility company) said it was a P25 system. The transmission is definitely digital. Then why do I program it as a MOT system and not a P25 system on the 396?

It really is not difficult. First, get it out of your head that a APCO-25 system is a Motorola anything, it is not. Also, get it out of your head that a Motorola system is a P-25 system, it is not. Motorola Type II systems may use P25 CAI modulation, but so can any conventional channel. The key for the system type (as far as trunking goes) is what kind of control channel does it have? If it has a Motorola 3600 CC, it is a Motorola system. If it has an APCO-25 9600CC it is a P25 system.

Uniden's only error (and is shared by GRE) is that they continue to reference true P25 systems with Motorola instructions. What the manuals should say is APCO-25 and Motorola Type II as a heading for parts of the scanner that share some things or break APCO-25 off a seperate section in the manuals.

 

[ronmchandler]

Okay, I see now what happened. RR database shows the utility company as a MOT Type II system with "system voice" as APCO 25. I assumed that meant it was a true P25 system. Obviously, it is not. It is, as another post mentioned, a hybrid MOT system with P25 voice. That explains why it would not work in true P25 setup mode, but shows the signal as a P25 signal on the display in MOT mode.

I think I have it now!! Maybe this helps others like me who didn't know there was a combination system such as this. I love the hobby but technically, I am still a learner. I love this forum because it helps figure out problems like this that I could have never figured out on my own. Thanks RR!!

 

[ronmchandler]

How do you re-program a system from one type to another without deleting the system and starting over? i.e., say you entered a system as a MOT system and want to change it to EDACS.

 

[Llwellyn]

Re: 396 Fire Tone Out - Not working?

trimmed

...

The second part is something that will also be addressed in the new firmware, I'm led to believe. Tone gaps will no longer be required to be programmed. Like your local system, all the tones in my area have no gap between them - and until the discussion came up here, I wasn't aware that there were any, anywhere that did that. Every tone group I've heard outside of the ones on Emergency! (which aren't supported in the 396 anyway) have had no gap at all, and are either 1sec-3sec (A-B) or 8sec (long B/long C).

Ours (I'm in the same county as Troy) are 1 second - 1 second with no gap. Was a bugger trying to make the chart. :lol: I'm glad that the gap won't be required to be messed with at all after the upgrade. Makes it easy for programming toneouts on the fly if you are so inclined.

 

[Voyager]

Okay, I see now what happened. RR database shows the utility company as a MOT Type II system with "system voice" as APCO 25.

By jove, I think he's got it! 8)

Yes: Look at the SYSTEM TYPE, not the voice channel type.

Joe M.

 

[LEH]

AI42

I thought about washers, but the clip has a recesss for the flat head and that allows the screw head to be flush with the clip. I do appreciate the thought.

As an aside for the other comments on the provided clip. Like BNC vs SMA, there are people who will like one or the other. I personnally do not like the big bulky clips. I made my comment when I first got the scanner. Here is a compact radio, one that I could put in a pocket, and the depth of the scanner is more than DOUBLED, yes, DOUBLED by the post and clip. Give me a break. I would have expected something like this on the PRO96 or the 296, a larger scanner. Not a compact model.

Carrying the scanner in my hand with the post and/or clip is difficult and uncomfortable. I checked the bulge under my T-shirt when I went out to ride my bike with the 246 and the 396 attached to my belt. The 396 protruded prominantly (SP) .

So for those who like the big clips, fine. For those of us who don't like it here is a possible alternative. Maybe someone will know where to find a clip like the tape measure that will fit better.

I want to be able to wear the scanner on my belt, but not with that monstrosety that came with it.

 

[whsbuss]

How do you re-program a system from one type to another without deleting the system and starting over? i.e., say you entered a system as a MOT system and want to change it to EDACS.

Don't think you can. You have to delete the system then recreate it under the new parameters.

 

[garys]

You will get used to hitting HOLD then hit the func-scroll to scroll through the systems, and release func to scroll through channels. Hint: If the channel you want is near the end of your list, scroll to the NEXT system and scroll back through the channels.

Joe M.

I missed the FUNC+Scroll thing, thanks. Yes, that does speed things up.

Gary