Official BCD996T Prerelease Thread

[DaveIN]

Same as the picture on the WIKI:
http://radioreference.com/wiki/index.php/BCD996T

"BCD996T (Preliminary) - Click image to view in full"

As is my avatar...

 

[Voyager]

Intersting, not saying you are wrong, but Gommert mentioned that the concept was silver and the working prototype is black (as is the BCT-15).

http://radioreference.com/forums/showpost.php?p=205413&postcount=1

How is that saying he is wrong? The case is the LAST thing you worry about on a prototype. You get the guts working first, then make the 'expensive' cases for the unit rather than wasting money on the case while you are changing things.

The black looks, to me, unfinished (literally - lacking paint). When the rest is ready, they will put a finish on the case.

It's like designing a car. If you are still changing the body, are you going to paint and clearcoat it? Why would you go to that expense if you are likely to have to paint it again? The paint is the LAST step in the design process.

Joe M.

 

[rescue161]

Silver just looks cheap to me. Make mine black please.

 

[CommRX]

Silver just looks cheap to me. Make mine black please.

I agree fully. Color WILL be a deciding factor for me. Painted silver electronics scratch easily, and the shine wears off eventually to a dull gray with spots. I wish Paul would chime in on this, as I have the money in hand if it is to be black. If not, I'll buy that new black nikon camera I want. It really shouldn't be that hard to make two colors either, Sony does it for their electronics. At least that would satisfy most everyone, from reading past posts. I really like the prototype on the CES pictures in black better than the prototype on Unidens website. I would personally prefer the black non-lighted buttons (like the 246) over the backlighted ones (396T) for longevity purposes. I push hold / scan alot!
Everyone has their opinion on color, and that is okay. I just won't buy one if it is silver.

 

[fmon]

Silver just looks cheap to me. Make mine black please.

Put me down also.

 

[bonus1331]

Either color

I'll take either color. I'm more excited about the first base/mobile with the dynamic memory than anything else. Along with the first change in style since the 780/785/796.

 

[Quint6]

Please Make Mind Black too.

The Blacks Looks Better, The Silver/Gray just's Looks Cheap !

 

[hotdjdave]

Black

When making plastic, it is actually less expensive to make black than to make a metallic silver (or other metallic-looking color). Making a different color is merely a matter of adding pigment to the batch (the plastics normally are pre-colored in the form of tiny chips of polymer and mixed in with the base (white or black plastic chips), along with fillers and strengtheners), unless it is a coating added afterwards, which is even more expensive.

Black coloring seems to last much longer and more resistant to staining and conceals scratches much better. And as a previous person posted, when metallic color is added as a coating (which seems to be the case in smaller electronics like a scanner), the coating wears off in the common rubbing or wear areas of the unit and reveals the base color of the case (dull grey, black, or other color). Black is also much easier to cover up if a blemish or scratch happens. Black paint or other marking material (e.g. Magic Marker) matches pretty much any color of black, just get the texture right (flat vs. gloss)...not so with metallic colors.

Black seems to be the more prevalent color in higher-end or more professional radio equipment as well. Probably for the reasons mentioned above.

I would go for a metallic color if it actually was a metallic material, such as titanium or something. Besides that, BLACK would be my choice, BLACK!

 

[5O]

Who Cares?

I don't care what color it is.What ever color it is it is going to be sweet!

 

[jpjohn]

Antenna Connection

I don't think I have missed it, but does anyone know what type of antenna connection this unit will have - SMA, BNC, etc?

 

[DaveIN]

My stab at it, based on previous Uniden Bearcat Base/Mobiles, is that it will be BNC.

 

[Voyager]

My stab at it, based on previous Uniden Bearcat Base/Mobiles, is that it will be BNC.

It better be BNC. Making up jumpers with SMAs on the end is a PITA, and I've found SMAs work loose when in a mobile environment.

Joe M.

 

[UPMan]

BNC is correct.

 

[Voyager]

BNC is correct.

Thank youi, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Joe M.

 

[safetyobc]

Thank youi, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Joe M.

I second that! Even though I probably won't get one of these for a few years.

 

[radio10-8]

Uniden 996T and LTR? Anyone in the know?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

According to http://www.rigpix.com/bearcat/bcd996t.htm

6000 dynamic memories. CTCSS/DCS. "Close Call" RF capture technology.
GPS-enabled for location-related scanning. When a GPS-unit is connected, it
can also alert at areas of special interest, such as dangerous intersections,
school zones or general points of interest (fixed speeding cameras anyone?).
Tracks Motorola I, II & IIi, EDACS ---->>>>> and LTR <<<<<-----

Will probably be released spring 2006 with an indicated price tag at about $850.00

 

[DaveIN]

If you are asking if it will track regular LTR, then yes it will. Trunktracker IV means it will track Motorola analog, EDACS analog (Wide, Narrow, and SCAT), Regular LTR, and APCO-25 digital.

 

[4phun]

Today I added the GPS locations for the general geographic center of each of the 161 Georgia counties to the WIKI page for the BCD996T Lat-Lon. I selected a radius of 20 miles which is around 1250 square miles of coverage per county.

http://www.radioreference.com/wiki/...Every_Georgia_County_for_BCD996T_Conventional

Also added considerably more data in the following

5 GPS Center of Every Alabama County for BCD996T Conventional
6 GPS Locations of Airports and Heliports in Alabama for BCD996T
7 GPS Center of Every Georgia County for BCD996T Conventional

8 GPS Locations of Georgia Public Safety Trunking Systems for BCD996T
data is now accumulating for entry in the above location

9 GPS Locations of Airports and Heliports in Georgia for BCD996T
10 GPS Center of Every Mississippi County for BCD996T Conventional

I am also thinking about sharing data for Tenneesse, Kentucky, North and South Carolina, and possibly Florida if anyone is interested in this type of data. Those are the states I travel in while working so they interest me.

Florida is sort of useless to do since a BCD996T would be illegal to use iwhile mobile when you would want the GPS features of the BCD996T.

I could do the whole USA if someone donated a free BCD996T for all that work.

 

[MACKBOLAN05]

small feature

There is one small feature that would be useful if added to the BCD996T, if possible, and that would be to have a channel automatically find the modulation for the programmed frequency, there are quite a few milair freqs that I monitor that swing from fm to am frequently and it is a pain to have to switch the mode on the channel each time.

 

[4phun]

After looking at the new Uniden software for the BCD996T and rereading this thread and the WIKI page, I still have a question about memory useage. Do GPS non radio 'systems' each count towards the 400 system limit in the 996T?

What I am asking is if I programmed in 200 speed traps (DANGEROUS ROAD) and photo radar locations (DANGEROUS XING) plus 50 alert locations where one would see nude sunbathers (POI) would I have only 150 slots left for actual radio systems or do these non radio locations actually count as channels?

Actually I see no setting for a non radio system other than to add a location to the database so I do not see quick kys or group selections for these locations.

Also different conventional channels can not be given a location, you have to group them into a conventional system and give that a location and radius.

What is a "LocationSystem" ?


LocationSystem,NUDE,ROAD,,,
LocationSystem,a,XING,,,
LocationSystem,c,XING,,,