Official BCD996T Post Release Thread

[scannerfreak]

Wouldn't it be just like the BCD396T, press FUNC and tap the Scroll/Volume knob twice to get to those settings?

Yep, Sure is Thanks!

 

[KC1UA]

Bingo! What was messing me up was that the scroll knob and volume knobs are not one and the same on the 996T. I should have figured that one out....oh well, I never claimed to be the fullest beer in the six pack.

Here is the procedure for tweaking AGC for P25 Reference Gain and P25 Res Time for the BCD996T.

1. Power on the 996T while pressing the HOLD/RESUME button. The display will rapidly flash between red and green. The display will then appear as normal.
2. Press in the function knob. WHILE THE F IS FLASHING IN THE UPPER LEFT OF THE DISPLAY, press the volume knob ONCE.
3. The text "P25 RES TIME" appears in the bottom line of the display, with +0 next to it.
4. Rotate the scroll knob to adjust the setting. -7 was the recommended setting for the 396T.
5. Once set to the desired level, press the scroll knob.
6. Press the scroll knob again, and while the F is flashing, rotate the knob. P25 REF GAIN now appears, also with a +0 to the right of it.
7. Rotate the scroll knob to adjust the setting. +3 was the recommended setting for the 396T.
8. Once set to the desired level, press the scroll knob.

I can already tell you I like the sound better after doing this. If it matters, all of the P25 I listen to is conventional, not trunked.

P25 RES TIME and P25 REF GAIN appeared to be the only two accessible settings using this hidden feature. It appeared that these settings would remain on the display until the scanner was restarted, so I did so and went back in again to ensure that the settings held, which they did.

Thanks, Kikito and UPMan. I knew someone would give me the boot in the behind that would make it work. I just overlooked something simple.

 

[kikito]

oh well, I never claimed to be the fullest beer in the six pack.

That's OK, as long as it's cold and drinkable.....

 

[n4voxgill]

Galls Police Supply has a dash mount for the eTrex GPS, see it at

http://www.galls.com/style.html?assort=general_catalog&style=AP518

 

[ofd8001]

GPS Question

I know the unit is still new to folks and working around the GPS part may constitute a learning curve.

I looked at the pre-loaded stuff and saw a latitude of 445812.79 for a system. However in the RR reference database, this system's latitude was shown as 44.97381. The numbers are different as is the decimal point's location.

So what's the best one to use?

 

[fmon]

445812.79N is in degrees/min/sec while 44.97381N is decimal degrees. Minneapolis is a close example of both.

 

[UPMan]

To convert Decimal Degrees to the DDDMMSS.sss format, see the converter at this link: http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/bickel/DDDMMSS-decimal.html

The 445812.79N can be read as 44 Degrees, 58 Minutes, 12.79 Seconds North Latitude.

I've added this to the Wiki

 

[Go-24]

Here is the procedure for tweaking AGC for P25 Reference Gain and P25 Res Time for the BCD996T.

WOW, already tweaking? Just for personal preference or for corrections?

I had thought - at least according to scanner freaks recent post that the 396 AGC issues had all been cleared up with the 996 - hmph.

 

[scannerfreak]

WOW, already tweaking? Just for personal preference or for corrections?

I had thought - at least according to scanner freaks recent post that the 396 AGC issues had all been cleared up with the 996 - hmph.

They are. As Paul stated, He doesn't need to use the "hidden" settings, as his works fine w/o it. This is my case as well. I went ahead and tweaked it anyway and there really isn't a huge difference. I was happy with it before I tweaked the RES and Gain. The data blurp before transmissions is not there.

However, I have been noticing If you have the scanner loud enough, or use headphones, you can clearly hear a little volume spike occasionally in digital comms. Nothing to complain about, though it is there.

 

[KC1UA]

Personal preference. It sounds better to me. I'm not complaining about the radio. At least the option exists to do so. I simply provided the step by step if anyone is so inclined.

Your mileage may vary. Comments indicate that this is already the case.

WOW, already tweaking? Just for personal preference or for corrections?

I had thought - at least according to scanner freaks recent post that the 396 AGC issues had all been cleared up with the 996 - hmph.

 

[KC1UA]

I just added my promised "mini-review"...which due to my incomprehensible rambling and "moidering of duh Queen's English" actually spread to two parts...

http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38839

 

[teebee]

Cable

My 996 will be here tommorrow morning. I will be ready to upload the files. Problem is my laptop does not have a serial only USB. Where can I get a serial to USB converter that will work. I once tried one from RS that never worked. Does RS carry a different one that will work. Thanks

 

[SeniorBasic819]

I used one from wal mart that worked

 

[UPMan]

And, of course, the Uniden USB-1 would work. :*)

 

[W1PC]

Multiple Sites with a Conventional System

I've searched the manual and can't seem to find out how to enter multiple sites for a conventional system. In the UASD software, the Site Settings tab is greyed out. Can anyone point me in the right direction. Thanks.

 

[garys]

I think you only need multi site for trunking.

Gary

 

[W1PC]

My town has only conventional systems for PD, FD and EMS and, like most political areas, is not a circle. I was looking to set up multiple circles for GPS coverage of the system. Can you only do that if you have a trunked system? Discussion about the GPS feature led me to believe that I could do it with both conventional and trunked systems but it wasn't totally clear.

I know I could set up multiple conventional systems with different GPS coordinates to obtain the coverage I need but that seems like a waste of memory. It would also require me, I think, to come up with different names for the different sites for the same system since I don't think I can have multiple systems with the same name.

 

[loumaag]

My town has only conventional systems for PD, FD and EMS and, like most political areas, is not a circle. I was looking to set up multiple circles for GPS coverage of the system. Can you only do that if you have a trunked system? Discussion about the GPS feature led me to believe that I could do it with both conventional and trunked systems but it wasn't totally clear.

I know I could set up multiple conventional systems with different GPS coordinates to obtain the coverage I need but that seems like a waste of memory. It would also require me, I think, to come up with different names for the different sites for the same system since I don't think I can have multiple systems with the same name.

If your area is only conventional, why do you need to set multiiple systems? Set up the one with an area large enough to cover your area of interest. Since it is conventional, there is already other factors that keep you from receiving the wrong signals on a specific frequency (PL, Freq. coordintion, etc.)

 

[W1PC]

If your area is only conventional, why do you need to set multiiple systems? Set up the one with an area large enough to cover your area of interest. Since it is conventional, there is already other factors that keep you from receiving the wrong signals on a specific frequency (PL, Freq. coordintion, etc.)

Maybe I don't. That's what I'm trying to figure out.

My town is basically a narrow rectangle. If I set the site with a radius large enough to cover the long ends of the rectangle, I will have coverage extending way beyond the short ends. I'd like the 996T to stop scanning the system when I go beyond the town limits in all directions. With a trunked system, it would be easy to do. Perhaps it's just not possible with conventional systems.

 

[safetyobc]

Maybe I don't. That's what I'm trying to figure out.

My town is basically a narrow rectangle. If I set the site with a radius large enough to cover the long ends of the rectangle, I will have coverage extending way beyond the short ends. I'd like the 996T to stop scanning the system when I go beyond the town limits in all directions. With a trunked system, it would be easy to do. Perhaps it's just not possible with conventional systems.

Set it up as different systesms. Same frequencies, different GPS coordinates.