ProScan: Official Software Thread

[ProScan]

ProScan Version 1.7 Build 2 includes the RadioReference Imports feature, improved Scanner Over IP, and bug fixes.

Supported scanners are the BCD996T, BC796D, BC785D, BC780XLT, BC296D, and the BC250D.

I'm thriving to make this the best Computer Aided Scanning program and suggestions are very much appreciated.

http://www.proscan.org/index.htm

Bob

 

[GTR8000]

Must of gotten it mixed up with something else.

Those six that I entered were the ones off the database.

That's where the confusions comes in................

Import the system from the RRDB using ProScan, upload programming to scanner, done.

 

[videobruce]

It's not that simple. Which is why so many of these are returned.

Well, now I lost communication with the scanner. I keep on getting "In use by this instance". I set the port to none, then set. I went back and tried again it cleared so I re-choose port 3, but it took me back to where I was before with the lame error message that's it is in use with itself. When I hit set again another message comes up to check if another software is using the port.

 

[GTR8000]

I'm not sure what the issue is. Are you suggesting that the EDACS system in the RRDB is incorrect? Or incomplete? Are you not receiving any voice traffic when you import the EDACS system into your scanner? Perhaps this is not so much a programming question, but a question about the system itself. If that is the case, then you really ought to start a thread in the NY forum asking for input from locals regarding the NFTA system.

 

[videobruce]

I wouldn't know, I never got anything close to that so far.

 

[videobruce]

As to those other NFTA frequencies, it wasen't here where I found more, but this will surfice;

RR Database Home

The most complete database of radio communications data

www.radioreference.com

 

[ProScan]

It's not that simple. Which is why so many of these are returned.

Well, now I lost communication with the scanner. I keep on getting "In use by this instance". I set the port to none, then set. I went back and tried again it cleared so I re-choose port 3, but it took me back to where I was before with the lame error message that's it is in use with itself. When I hit set again another message comes up to check if another software is using the port.

Make sure you don't have a loose or intermittent cable or ProScan running twice, trying to use the same comm port.

As to those other NFTA frequencies, it wasen't here where I found more, but this will surfice;

RR Database Home

The most complete database of radio communications data

www.radioreference.com

Those are conventional frequencies so don't mix those in with the EDACS system.
You can import those from the RR database using the ProScan Import RR function and it will create a separate convention system.

 

[videobruce]

I tried removing both ends of the cable and reinserting, even to a different USB3 port, thou off the same bus, it made no difference. I even disabled that com port in DM and re-enabled it, still the same.

 

[ProScan]

I tried removing both ends of the cable and reinserting, even to a different USB3 port, thou off the same bus, it made no difference. I even disabled that com port in DM and re-enabled it, still the same.

Power cycle the scanner then see what happens. Ensure no other app or another instance of ProScan is trying to use comm. port 3 at the same time.

 

[videobruce]

Here is where I'm at now;

I did power cycle it once before. I also rebooted the PC. I'm running Win 7 Pro on a USB3 MB port if that matters. There is only 1 instance of the program running (good point).

What's the next step from the 3rd pic? Somehow I think that's the problem.

I just checked DM and now it shows the Uniden port as Com 5.

 

[ProScan]

Here is where I'm at now;
View attachment 106956View attachment 106957View attachment 106958
I did power cycle it once before. I also rebooted the PC. I'm running Win 7 Pro on a USB3 MB port if that matters. There is only 1 instance of the program running (good point).

What's the next step from the 3rd pic? Somehow I think that's the problem.

I just checked DM and now it shows the Uniden port as Com 5.

Pic#3 tells me that the scanner is not communicating. Power cycle the scanner again but don't reboot the computer. You may have rebooted the computer AFTER you power cycled the scanner. The scanner always needs a power cycle AFTER a computer reboot if ProScan or any other app has the comm. port open. That's because of a flaw in the driver to scanner communications.

{Disregard} I see you got it working

 

[videobruce]

We were typing at the same time...............
Well, I changed the port to #5 now and it worked.

BUT;

I managed to find the NFTA listings and unchecked what I didn't want. Uploaded it to the scanner checking that 3rd choice about NOT deleting anything in the scanner. Now I wound up with nothing, it deleted all the manual entries in the scanner and whatever was sent there even when it showed that it was sent. I'm left with a 'Nothing to Scan' message apparently Unidens BSOD (death sentence).
I even retrieved those entries I sent back to the software.

What did I do wrong?

 

[ProScan]

We were typing at the same time...............
Well, I changed the port to #5 now and it worked.

BUT;

I managed to find the NFTA listings and unchecked what I didn't want. Uploaded it to the scanner checking that 3rd choice about NOT deleting anything in the scanner. Now I wound up with nothing, it deleted all the manual entries in the scanner and whatever was sent there even when it showed that it was sent. I'm left with a 'Nothing to Scan' message apparently Unidens BSOD (death sentence).
I even retrieved those entries I sent back to the software.

What did I do wrong?

Are you sure they are deleted in the scanner? Can you download from the scanner to ProScan and see what's there.

 

[videobruce]

The manual entries are gone. I did manage to find the upload under Menu. If it's there, why the Nothing to Scan message?
I tried to get it to scan the upload, but I can't figure out how to do that. Is this a bug about wiping out any internal memory when one does a upload?
I did download from the scanner and the only thing is what I uploaded.

Lost communications again. The only port available is Com 1 thou DM still shows Com 5. The Com Port screen only shows Com 1. I power cycled the scanner, but no change.


Tried again, Com 5 came back and I have communications again, for how long is anyone's guess.

 

[videobruce]

How can I add frequencies manually entered using the software vs using the keypad on the scanner?

 

[ProScan]

Is this a bug about wiping out any internal memory when one does a upload?

Not that I know of. I just tested using the 3rd option and it did not wipe out the existing systems in the scanner. I just checked the code and the systems are not deleted when using the 3rd option. It's suggested to download the systems from the scanner before uploading.

Lost communications again. The only port available is Com 1 thou DM still shows Com 5. The Com Port screen only shows Com 1. I power cycled the scanner, but no change.

Was the Device Manager showing Com 5? The ProScan Comm. Port window gets the available comm. ports from the OS.

Tried again, Com 5 came back and I have communications again, for how long is anyone's guess.

Try wiggling the cable to see if the virtual display goes blank.

 

[videobruce]

Well it wiped out around 40 channels.
DM showed a Com 5 instead of the former Com 3. It somehow skipped over Com 4.
Wiggling the cable does nothing.

Ok, how about the dreaded Nothing to Scan message? This single trunk group entry, why don't I see and hear it???

How about manually enter frequencies using the software so thy can be saved first? Frankly, I didn't even know one could do that in the radio since I don'rt remember ever reading such in either manual including the so called "easy" version.

 

[ProScan]

Ok, how about the dreaded Nothing to Scan message? This single trunk group entry, why don't I see and hear it???

A few causes such as missing site group/s with frequencies, missing TGID group/s and system set to ID Scan, SQK assigned to the site and not enabled, etc.
See the Uniden 2-tier DMA section in this link Nothing to Scan checklists

How about manually enter frequencies using the software so thy can be saved first? Frankly, I didn't even know one could do that in the radio since I don'rt remember ever reading such in either manual including the so called "easy" version.

Very basic steps:
1. Open or create a new ProScan database by going to the menu Database - New or Open
2. Click the Add - System menu item (Red color menu) then choose the system type.
Conventional systems
3. Click the Add - Group (Frequencies) menu item (Red color menu)
4. Click the Add - Channel (Frequencies) menu item (Red color menu)
5. Enter the frequency
6. Do steps 4 & 5 for the other frequencies
Trunking systems
3. Click the Add - Site (Frequencies) menu item (Red color menu)
4. Click the Add - Channel (Frequencies) menu item (Red color menu)
5. Enter the site frequency
6. Do steps 4 & 5 for the other site frequencies
7. Click the system node
8. Click the Add - Group (TGIDs) menu item (Red color menu)
9. Click the Add - Channel (TGIDs) menu item (Red color menu)
10. Enter the TGID
11. Do steps 9 & 10 for the other TGIDs
12. Save the database
13. Upload to the scanner

 

[videobruce]

Does it matter if the radio is powered up when one connects the USB cable, or is it better if the cable was connected first, then powered up? Trying to prevent the last disaster if possible since I don't know what caused it.

Regarding the Nothing to Scan, To get the bigger picture, when I use the database and grab a trunk listing as I did and send it to the radio, isn't the whole purpose that ALL the requirements as far as settings etc have already been set so it's basically ready to receive?

 

[ProScan]

Before I respond to you reply, does it matter if the radio is powered up when one connects the USB cable, or is it better if the cable was connected first, then powered up? Tring to prevent the last disaster if possible since I don't know what caused it.

The order of plugging in the USB cable or a scanner power cycle doesn't matter. The only time it matters is if the computer reboots while the comm. port is opened then the scanner needs a power cycle afterwards or the USB cable needs to be inserted.

{edit} You may want to check your computer power saving mode. Perhaps the USB port is going to sleep somehow. I don't use that mode so I can't offer assistance in that area. I'm thinking that would be like the computer reboots in that the power is lost at the USB port. There is a communication problem between the BCD996PT2 scanners and later models using the Uniden driver. The problem is if any software has the port open and the computer reboots then the scanner needs to be power cycled or the USB cable needs to be reinserted. A workaround is using the rear DB-9 port along with your own USB to serial adapter and a null modem cable.

 

[DudleyG]

videobruce --- reading your posts, I don't see anything about you assigning a QUICK KEY to the trunking system and/or the conventional systems you are entering. If you don't assign a quick key to the entry, by default it has NO quick key and thus won't get scanned. On the screen on the scanner, you should see two rows at the bottom. One starts with S0: and the other with GRP. If there are all "-" (dashes) in those rows, that means that you don't have any QUICK KEYS defined and thus the scanner doesn't have anything to scan.

When you import the trucking system, if you highlight the name of the trucking system in the left column (or tree), there is a box just to the right where you assign a system quick key. Pick any key from 1 thru 9 for the system. Then assign a GRP key to the entries below within the trunking system. Once you do that, you will then see either the numbers or an "*" (asterisk) associated with that entry on the scanner screen. If the number is there, it will get scanned. If there is an asterisk in the position, push the corresponding key 1 thru 9 to enable the entry to be scan.

I would probably help if you could post a picture of your scanner screen so people can see things like I am describing.