Official BCD996T Post Release Thread

[DaveIN]

I've been out of touch with scanner innovation until today! Lost my brother in January and just lost interest in state-of-the-art. I had my pro 97 on all along, as I took care of matters. I forgot many of these forums and without my brother's "late & great" motivation/insistance (that I miss so much), I fell out of the loop.

Now it comes as a nice surprise that this new scanner exists! This is a first in many years for me, as I used to pour over the scanner forums, keeping up with announcements and watching the launch of new scanners well in advance. Reading .pdf manuals for scanners that weren't even available yet (you're familiar!).

This is such a treat. Becoming aware of the 996t "after the fact." No anticipation. It's available! No rush. No pre-conceptions. What a welcome relief. Am I repeating myself?

I've never owned a digital scanner but this one is going to provide me a new and welcome education and experience. I think the 246T was the last I read about digital scanners. I know, FOR SHAME!

I've been through the first couple of pages of this thread and Scott's candid and superb review was a breath of fresh air. Not to put him on the spot, all the posts just by their nature, are great! I was always there during the pregnancies in the past! Now it's like coming home AFTER the baby's born.

Back to page... 4?

Thanks everybody for all the information! I'll catch-up to current before I submit any questions.

Andy

Steve [R.I.P.]

My condolences on the loss of your bro. Welcome back to the light. I hope you enjoy the scanning hobby all the more! Your going to love the new BCD396T and BCD996T digital scanners.

 

[Boomeranger]

My condolences on the loss of your bro. Welcome back to the light. I hope you enjoy the scanning hobby all the more! Your going to love the new BCD396T and BCD996T digital scanners.

Thank you Dave!

Are the 396t and 99t equals? I haven't begun to hunt the 396 threads.

Andy

 

[DaveIN]

You need to take a look at the Wiki:
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/BCD396T
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/BCD996T

It's a great place to find information about the 396 and 996.

 

[Boomeranger]

OK, I just reached "the end of the expanding universe" we call forums for the moment.

My 2nd question: What, no remote control?

Andy

 

[DaveIN]

OK, I just reached "the end of the expanding universe" we call forums for the moment.

My 2nd question: What, no remote control?

Andy

Why sure, you sould be able to control it from the web anywhere, once Butel has released Scanner over IP for the 996: http://butel.nl

 

[Go-24]

Ok, my 996 was on my doorstep when I returned home this evening - opening it up at this very moment.

From images I had seen I thought there was a rubber plug for the front serial connector? No?

WOW, whats up with the power conenctor? Doesn't anyone use a surge protector? That thing isnt fitting in any of mine, not unless have 2 empty spaces. hmph! Nice design if the prongs are turned 90d

=========
edit - WOW, the sound on this is so much better than my handhelds. Virtually no static where I get loads with the handhelds.

 

[b52hbuff]

Reverse tone burst decode.

http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showpost.php?p=143096&postcount=23

Does the 996 do this?

 

[epbernstein]

WOW, whats up with the power conenctor? Doesn't anyone use a surge protector? That thing isnt fitting in any of mine, not unless have 2 empty spaces. hmph! Nice design if the prongs are turned 90d

These work great:

http://www.improvementscatalog.com/Parent.asp?product=238359x&dept_id=1

 

[RFL]

Just got my 996 2 days ago.. Very Nice! ...and great forum too!

I have set the display to Low Green and within an hour or two it changes to High Green. It has now done this many times. The problem still occurs using either the push-vol or menu method of setting the display brightness/color.
I wonder if this is a SW or HW issue..
I am considering exchanging it for a new one..

Has anyone else run into this using the Low Green setting??
Thanks

 

[wm8s]

Mine does something similar (which could be said to be the same). Whenever I move it from place to place, it goes from bright green to dim orange. It's the "same" as yours, in that both our radios seem to be automagically bumping up one notch. I'm sure I'm not hitting the volume control every time it happens (one in four or five times I move it from the car to office to house?), but I suppose it's possible.

...R

 

[MacombMonitor]

My first one had the back light stop working completely after two days. No green, no orange, no dim, no bright, nothing. The LCD display itself was still working, and displaying information properly, but the back light was completely dead. No programing action would re-enable it. My dealer replaced the radio, and the new one has been working find...and it has not had any of the issues you're describing. So it sounds like you may have a defective one.

 

[RFL]

Wm8s,
Similar, but I am not moving mine and the display brightness is changing by 2 increments from Low to High. I have actually seen it happen without me touching the radio.

MacombMonitor,
I got mine from the same dealer as you.. Hmmmm.. if I decide exchange it, I think I will wait for the next batch to arrive first.
Do you stil have yours set on Low Green?

Looking for more replies.. I hope others will try the Low Green setting for a while to see if this occurs on other units..

 

[UPMan]

IIRC, the light setting is one if the parameters not saved in the event of a power loss (this state is saved if you turn off the scanner using the front control). Is it possible you are disconnecting power (not turning off the front control, but actually losing power at the rear jack)?

 

[garys]

I've noticed a random changing of the screen colors while powered on and mobile. The first few times I thought it was because I accidently pushed the power/volume/light switch while changing volume. The last time it happened without me touching it. Not frequen enough to be annoying, but a fix without returning the radio would be nice.

Gary

 

[RFL]

I have been mostly listening while reading the manual. My problem seems to occur when I am NOT touching the radio. The last two or three hours I have been trying different things and entering data and the display has Not changed.

 

[wm8s]

IIRC, the light setting is one if the parameters not saved in the event of a power loss (this state is saved if you turn off the scanner using the front control). Is it possible you are disconnecting power (not turning off the front control, but actually losing power at the rear jack)?

Possible, but not likely. Is the power-off-state-save routine run after the power switch is turned off (i.e., after the screen goes black)? If so, do you know how long it takes to complete? I'm probably "pulling the plug" within a few seconds after, but definitely after, turning the power switch to Off occasionally. If it takes very long, I might be interrupting it. It's just an annoyance, in any event.

One related comment (another nit)...

Both my 785 and my 996 came with power connectors (the coaxial ones) with the center pin WAY too close to the end of the insulating barrel, instead of slightly recessed as they should be. I have now fried both my pigtail AND my cig lighter plug after the center circuit contacted the case near the back-panel receptacle as I fumbled around to plug it in. (The antenna was already plugged in and supplied the DC circuit to ground on the case needed to pop the fuse.) In fact, I'm sitting in the Radio Shack parking lot right now going in to get a box of fuses... Arg. A recessed center contact would have eliminated this problem.

9,000 channels in 200 systems & 300 sites programmed... (All WV counties and the VA and KY counties that touch WV.. OH, MD, and PA still to go... Whew.)

...R

 

[Go-24]

These work great:

http://www.improvementscatalog.com/Parent.asp?product=238359x&dept_id=1

LMAO - I think Ill pass on those!

 

[CommLt]

IIRC, the light setting is one if the parameters not saved in the event of a power loss (this state is saved if you turn off the scanner using the front control). Is it possible you are disconnecting power (not turning off the front control, but actually losing power at the rear jack)?

Since a few folks have had problems with their power supplies, I wonder if those of you having lighting problems might have a power supply cycling through low voltage states? Could be another symptom of power supply problems.

Just a thought.

 

[ofd8001]

How big of an issue is it by not shutting of the switch before powering down the unit? I have my in the car on an ignition sense, and do not turn it off - just letting the ignition switch do the turning off for me. (I'm lazy and forgetful, so that's why it's a challenge for me to remember to turn off the switch first).

 

[wm8s]

UASD Bug report

UASD >
..Configuration Editor >
....Quick Keys, Search Keys

Go to the Group Quick Key Status control group, select a System File [I selected an LTR trunked system, if it matters], and disable several groups by clicking the Status field and making sure it's Disabled. Close the configuration editor. Return to the same system, and verify that the GQKs are, indeed still disabled. So far so good.

But I am unable to reverse this, i.e., to re-enable the disabled groups. When I click Disabled it changes to None, but leaving the system and coming back has them still Disabled. I also tried deleting the Status field, same result (GQKs still disabled). Anyone else care to try to reproduce this? Thanks.

...R