Official BCD996T Post Release Thread

[ddpelpwb9tev]

Received it back!!!

Well it arrived 3:00 PM 12/9/06 works .. so far 6 days in shipment that even priority Mail would of been 2 days.. Oh well.. lets hope it sticks together I have my doubts

 

[skip39]

Uniden Scanner 996t

i just got my bcd996t set up in my room. let me tell you its the best scanner in the hobby right now. it beats any other scanner.
GOOD JOB UNIDEN, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
ryan o'donnell
scanning since around 1999

 

[Lexxx]

Hello

I'm considering the purchase of an additional scanner, the BCD996T, and understand this scanner has 2 computer port connections.

I actually stream one of my current scanner feeds over the internet and add "tags" to the stream from a BC898T, however, I cannot add those "tags" AND be connected to my scanner software at the same time (just one RS232 port).

Is it possible with the BCD996T and its two ports, to use one of the ports connected to a comm port for streaming (tag addition) purposes, and have the other connection for scanner program use? I have no interest in a GPS connection.

I'm certainly not up to speed with the latest scanner technology and streaming programs out there, but does anyone know if it is currently possible with the 996T to stream the "tags" as displayed on the scanner window over the internet without additional software used to associate frequencies and tag label in a winamp player for example?

For a couple of years now I've been using Simplecast, Icecast and a couple of other programs mentioned in this tutorial generously provided by Scott of http://www.scancapecod.us.

Any info appreciated

Peter
www.ykf.ca

 

[DaveIN]

No Peter, the 996 will only work with the front comm port active and a GPS unit connected to the rear port feeding data at the same time.

 

[jastx]

No Peter, the 996 will only work with the front comm port active and a GPS unit connected to the rear port feeding data at the same time.

Are you sure? I could infer from the section "Setting the Serial Port Speed" on page 58 of the Owner's Manual that both could be used by the computer, provided the correct cable was attached to the rear port.

 

[WB6AJE]

Listening to a Talk group with multiple SITES

I live in Orange, ca. There are about 8 different sites that I programmed into the 996 (Trunked system for OCFA). If I select a talkgroup to listen to, do I have to know which SITE I need to select? The talk group is duplicated for all of the SITES. (i.e. when spinning the dial, the site name appears on top of the display and the talkgroups below, it then changes to the next SITE name and the same talkgroups appear for that one also. Hopefully I didn't make this too confusing... Thanks

 

[ddpelpwb9tev]

you can use either port

Are you sure? I could infer from the section "Setting the Serial Port Speed" on page 58 of the Owner's Manual that both could be used by the computer, provided the correct cable was attached to the rear port.

you can program and control via the rear port. You need a null modem adator or cable as the port is set up for the GPS. but works great I do it all the time. Not sure why though in thebook it says that when/if you do a firmware update to use the front port only for that I am guessing the firmware updates would default tot he front and need to be set up again after firmware is updated.
Anyway you can certainly control and program etc from either port.
Dan

 

[DaveIN]

you can program and control via the rear port. You need a null modem adator or cable as the port is set up for the GPS. but works great I do it all the time. Not sure why though in thebook it says that when/if you do a firmware update to use the front port only for that I am guessing the firmware updates would default tot he front and need to be set up again after firmware is updated.
Anyway you can certainly control and program etc from either port.
Dan

However, it will not work with both ports at the same time other than with a GPS on the rear, which is what the question is. If you can get both ports to work at the same time, beyond just data in for GPS, then please let me know how your getting it to work.

 

[UPMan]

John:

All TGID channels are shared amongst all programmed sites for a system. If you press HOLD when listening to a channel, then the scanner will remain on the current site until you release HOLD. If you press HOLD, then scroll to a channel, it holds on the site control channel you were receiving when you pressed HOLD.

So, if you know that a particular channel is only active on a certain site, then you'll want to be sure that the scanner is receiving that site when you press HOLD.

 

[carlsbri]

996 Question

Just got my 996 for xmas. I am using it to scan the South Dakota TRS. I have everything programmed properly. I noticed that my signal meter seems to disappear for a split second while in both id scan and search mode. The meter on my 296 stays on constantly. Is something wrong? Also when compared to my 296, the 996 doesn't seem to pick up on the active talkgroups right away, sometimes it picks up in the middle of the transmission, and sometimes not at all. Is there a way to fix this?

Thanks for any info.

 

[W4UVV]

Multi-packet TRS Problem---Still No Fix From Uniden

Just got my 996 for xmas. I am using it to scan the South Dakota TRS. I have everything programmed properly. I noticed that my signal meter seems to disappear for a split second while in both id scan and search mode. The meter on my 296 stays on constantly. Is something wrong? Also when compared to my 296, the 996 doesn't seem to pick up on the active talkgroups right away, sometimes it picks up in the middle of the transmission, and sometimes not at all. Is there a way to fix this?

Thanks for any info.

No RS or Uniden digital scanner can process multi-packet trunked radio systems correctly. Uniden has known about this problem for approximately a year and still has not corrected the problem via a firmware or software fix. Reception results in what you may be experiencing, which is random partial or total missed comms. The Alaska and Virginia state's trs are multi-packet vhf trs and the lost comms are a significant reception frustation. See my post and reply from an Alaskan monitor from this past summer..Aug/Sep 06 on this RS and Uniden digital scanner problem. The problem is not a user programing error issue.

 

[UPMan]

What you are seeing is normal. After each "Hold Time" duration the scanner does some brief housekeeping, during which the SSM will drop to 0. You can change the interval by changing the system or site's "Set Hold Time" parameter.

 

[carlsbri]

No RS or Uniden digital scanner can process multi-packet trunked radio systems correctly. Uniden has known about this problem for approximately a year and still has not corrected the problem via a firmware or software fix. Reception results in what you may be experiencing, which is random partial or total missed comms. The Alaska and Virginia state's trs are multi-packet vhf trs and the lost comms are a significant reception frustation. See my post and reply from an Alaskan monitor from this past summer..Aug/Sep 06 on this RS and Uniden digital scanner problem. The problem is not a user programing error issue.

I am a bit confused. You make it sound as though no RS or Uniden scanner can properly track the system, but my 296 doesn't seem to miss a beat, when picking up the active talkgroups, whereas the 996 probably misses about 25% (maybe less) of them.

 

[suttles1972]

I just received my 996 via UPS today. I'll be going on a limited vacation to Myrtle Beach very soon. I understand that South Carolina uses a statewide Multi-Site trunking system. I have a Garmin Street Pilot 2620 for a GPS. My question is, can I use the Street Pilot with the 996 and utilize the site trunking feature?
Thanks in advance.

 

[UPMan]

Assuming you mean "utilize the location-based scanning feature" as site trunking does not require GPS.

Looks like "no." The GPS must have standard NMEA RS232C serial output. The 2620 looks to be USB output only (based on Garmin's web site).

 

[suttles1972]

Thanks for your reply

Assuming you mean "utilize the location-based scanning feature" as site trunking does not require GPS.

Looks like "no." The GPS must have standard NMEA RS232C serial output. The 2620 looks to be USB output only (based on Garmin's web site).

Thanks UPMan for your reply. And you are correct on the location based scanning feature. I'm very new at this feature and find it very exciting and look forward to using it during my trip to Myrtle Beach, SC. I am saddened though, that the Street Pilot is incapable of of being use for this location based function. However, this feature is very important to me, for I'm curious on it's functionality throughout the state of South Carolina. So I decided to purchase the Garmin GPS 18 PC OEM and straight connect it to the scanner. My only other concern will be on how to set up the coordinates to match the trunking sites in each city and county of SC. So if there's a site or a forum with this type of information that you or other RR members can refer me to, I would surely appreciate it. Thanks again and thanks in advance for whatever services you can provide.

 

[UPMan]

Unfortunately, it requires "brute force." Also, the coordinates you enter might depend on the type of site/system you are entering. For example, for a single-site city, you might enter coordinates/range to just cover the geopolitical area (even though the system can be heard from farther out) where the coordinates would be the center of the area rather than the tower location. For a multisite statewide system, better to use the site tower locations and a radius.

For site locations, you can click on a site in rrdb, then click on the license and you'll get a map of the tower site(s).

I actually go even further in subdividing for my local area...I create seperate multi-site systems for each patrol district, then create coverage for a patrol district using multiple overlapping "sites" that approximate the patrol assignment area. So, when I am in West Arlington I'm not listening to North Arlington calls. Required a lot of time with the mapping software plotting all this out.

 

[WB6AJE]

Multi-sites

John:

All TGID channels are shared amongst all programmed sites for a system. If you press HOLD when listening to a channel, then the scanner will remain on the current site until you release HOLD. If you press HOLD, then scroll to a channel, it holds on the site control channel you were receiving when you pressed HOLD.

So, if you know that a particular channel is only active on a certain site, then you'll want to be sure that the scanner is receiving that site when you press HOLD.

So if I decide to go to a certain TG, but don't recall which site it was active on, I would have to either scan until I found which site it was active on, or manually 'poll' each site to see if I could hear something. I guess I'm asking, because if somesome says 'Go to Red channel' and there are 10 sites in a system, I would also have to know which site the 'Red channel' can be heard on. correct??

Thanks for the reply.

John B
Remscan Products

 

[UPMan]

Well, if you hear someone on your current site say that, then the best chances are that the COMMS would also be on that same site (since that is where the user's radio is currently affiliated). Otherwise, if it is a geographically based group (like PD West) and there is a site in that area, the comms would almost certainly be on that site. Besides that, it would be just your best educated guess.

 

[ddpelp]

firmware update?

Upman I have a question and assume you may not be free to answer .. I have read serveral things on the 996 that people feel a firmware update might address. After I got mine back from Uniden repair I have to say it works great .. but I got to thinking is there any word on a firmware update? I know the 996 had not been out a long time but is there anything in the pipeline?
tnx for any info you can give...