Official Uniden BC246T Scanner Thread

[vince48]

Admin0140434
All right, now enjoy your new scanner!

 

[kxrider11]

Cool thanks alot for the info.

 

[Admin0140434]

But did she have it programmed already when you got there ?

i only wish...

,,,and why couldn't this "nice lady" bring the package to you, or tell the UPS guy "this isn't me, you want so and so.."

she tried... i was still at work, so she said she was gonna try again tomorrow. also, she was not home when the UPS guy left it on her front door.





UPMan... congrats to you and your team, uniden really outdid themselves with this unit. cant wait for the digital one now. just want to say thank you for all the hard work you and the rest of uniden did. job well done... have a cigar!

 

[Admin0140434]

couldnt find this in the maunual... but maybe i missed it...

when scanning a TRS... if i dont program Icall ID's or Status bit ID's in the radio... do i have to be in ID search to hear these transmissions or can i be in ID scan and still hear them?

 

[EricCottrell]

Hello,

I was down at a local electronics store in Needham and noticed they had the BC246T for $260 plus MA Sales Tax. It was tempting but I will wait.

It did seem like a nice package. I have a Kenwood D7 walkie with Coaxial knobs like that and I had problems with the knob shaft breaking after drops. It seemed to hit the top knob both times. Fortunely it is a plug-in assembly on the D7.

73 Eric

 

[h8tdigitalradio]

couldnt find this in the maunual... but maybe i missed it...
when scanning a TRS... if i dont program Icall ID's or Status bit ID's in the radio... do i have to be in ID search to hear these transmissions or can i be in ID scan and still hear them?

Hello,

If you want to scan for Private Calls, you will need to be in ID Search Mode. If you want to scan for I-Calls or Private Calls while in ID Scan Mode, program a TG as i00000 for EDACS or 700000 for Motorola in a Group List.

HTH

73

Dave AKA The Tripzter :shock:

 

[cliffcor]

Re: 246T Is In My Hands ..

Wonder why the Scanner Master folks are getting units out slower then others. Just kinda disappointed that it won't arrive by the weekend I guess.

Due to a perfect storm of ship timing, holidays and weekends, it turned out that my Scanner wouldn't arrive until after Thanksgiving weekend. I was bummed. I know I could wait, but it was a brand new scanner model for goodness sake.

The ScannerMaster folks graciously agreed to 2nd Day Air ship another unit Monday so I'd have my new unit over the long 4-Day weekend. I'll then return the original conestoga wagon shipped unit when it arrives.

My thanks to Scanner Master for working with me on this.

Cliff

 

[Voyager]

couldnt find this in the maunual... but maybe i missed it...
when scanning a TRS... if i dont program Icall ID's or Status bit ID's in the radio... do i have to be in ID search to hear these transmissions or can i be in ID scan and still hear them?

Hello,

If you want to scan for Private Calls, you will need to be in ID Search Mode. If you want to scan for I-Calls or Private Calls while in ID Scan Mode, program a TG as i00000 for EDACS or 700000 for Motorola in a Group List.

HTH

73

Dave AKA The Tripzter :shock:

Uhhh... isn't there one too many 0s in that Motorola ID, Dave?

(70000)

Joe M.

 

[n5gqb]

246t LTR monitoring---dropping conversations?

I just programmed in one of the local 800 ltr systems in the 246t and I'm observing something that "might" be a problem. The radio at ramdon seems to "drop" a conversation and start scanning as if it stopped decoding the subaudible data stream. Also related is sometimes it takes several seconds of scanning thru the system before it locks onto an id already in progress. Signal strength is not a problem, no fading in or out, squelch is set accordingly and the LCN is correct and I am only scanning the one system.
I am comparing it to my 296d right now. The 296d will stop on a conversation and sometimes the 246t will be silent until several seconds later, sometimes it won't stop at all and sometimes they will stop at near the same time.
The 296 will hold the conversation and while on occasion the 246 will drop it and start scanning.

Anyway if any of you are into ltr scanning could you check things out on your end (with another ltr scanner beside) and see if you can duplicate the same thing I'm noticing?

I am not saying there is a problem with the 246, it maybe something at the ltr repeater site. However I would figure the 296 would act similairly.
I am under slight assumption that the subaudibable signalling gain (for lack of better words) is set to low (if even adjustable) on the 246 and also that the local ltr repeater sight has there gain turned downed low too. Possible the 296 gain threshold is set more sensitive thus holds the conversation. I know I'm getting sort of technical on the matter but for those of you that are hams or work with two way radios know what I'm talking about (you can turn down the pl (subaudible) gain pot on you radio so low that it'll no longer opens the squelch).

More listening is in order......

Sly n5gqb

 

[h8tdigitalradio]

Uhhh... isn't there one too many 0s in that Motorola ID, Dave? (70000)

Joe M.

Hello,

If I try to enter 70000 as an ID the radio says ERROR (or BAD TG). It will let me enter 700000. Motorola RID's are usually 6 digits DEC. Please correct me if I am wrong. I also see RID's as 6 digits when using Treport. Some clarification please. :? A Type I System is entered as i00000 while Type II is entered as 700000. All I know it works.

73

Dave AKA The Tripzter :shock:

 

[SCPD]

Re: 246t LTR monitoring---dropping conversations?

I just programmed in one of the local 800 ltr systems in the 246t and I'm observing something that "might" be a problem. The radio at ramdon seems to "drop" a conversation and start scanning as if it stopped decoding the subaudible data stream. Also related is sometimes it takes several seconds of scanning thru the system before it locks onto an id already in progress. Signal strength is not a problem, no fading in or out, squelch is set accordingly and the LCN is correct and I am only scanning the one system.
I am comparing it to my 296d right now. The 296d will stop on a conversation and sometimes the 246t will be silent until several seconds later, sometimes it won't stop at all and sometimes they will stop at near the same time.
The 296 will hold the conversation and while on occasion the 246 will drop it and start scanning.

I too noticed this only when "Close Call" . is enabled. Not a big deal to me anyway. Also watch out for the delay settings, set them to a miniumum this too made a difference.





Anyway if any of you are into ltr scanning could you check things out on your end (with another ltr scanner beside) and see if you can duplicate the same thing I'm noticing?

I am not saying there is a problem with the 246, it maybe something at the ltr repeater site. However I would figure the 296 would act similairly.
I am under slight assumption that the subaudibable signalling gain (for lack of better words) is set to low (if even adjustable) on the 246 and also that the local ltr repeater sight has there gain turned downed low too. Possible the 296 gain threshold is set more sensitive thus holds the conversation. I know I'm getting sort of technical on the matter but for those of you that are hams or work with two way radios know what I'm talking about (you can turn down the pl (subaudible) gain pot on you radio so low that it'll no longer opens the squelch).

More listening is in order......

Sly n5gqb

 

[n5gqb]

Thanks but close call is off. I ave just now disabled the data skip feature and lsitening some now to see if thhat makes a difference. I have entered in some other ltr systems (450mhz) and they seem to be doing fine, no dropping out and hanging right along with my 296d. So far it just seems to be this one ltr system that the 246t doesn't like tracking.
I'll report back later with more findings..

Sly n5gqb

 

[ScanWorcester]

When you HOLD, scrolling will step through all programmed channels. However, the GRP icons at the bottom of the screen do indicate the channel group assignment for the current channel, and scrolling steps through in channel group order.

Does this apply to TRS talkgroups? For instance, you could always scroll to an inactive talkgroup on Uniden's 780, 250, etc. Can you manually select an inactive talkgroup with the 246?

 

[rdale]

Yes

 

[tonguetie]

246t bct8

Just wondering if anyone knows of any forums for the bct8 not to take anything away from 246t but the bct8 is a awesome scanner and really never heard much about it has cc trunktracker lll cb radio scan id search as far as the alert goes iam in canad its geared more for states but 250 programable scanner awesome reception from this mobile base great accessories just a great scanner like i say not to take anything away from 246t i love uniden scanners just think this bct8 wow just never hear a thing about it if anyone cannot afford the 246t i recomend the bct8 any comments on bct8 or where i can read some coments on this scanner would be appreciated i just love scanning and these forum you guys a verry knowledgable. p;s thank you for your time.

 

[SCPD]

try turning off the close call. it tends to drop the audio when looking for activity.

bill simpson

 

[Landman]

Question for UPman

There is a sticker inside the battery compartment that says to use only alkaline or NiMH batteries. Will it damage the scanner if I use Energizer E2 lithium batteries as a backup when I am on the road and the NiMH batteries go dead? I understand that the lithium batteries put out a slightly higher voltage than alkalines, say 1.7 to 1.8 volts or so.

 

[baddandy23]

anybody else order form universal-radio .com? still waiting for mine...

 

[SCPD]

anybody else order form universal-radio .com? still waiting for mine...

Got mine from ScannersUnlimited on Wednesday and I live in Canada to boot. Glenn seems to be scooping the big guys.

 

[Voyager]

Re: Question for UPman

There is a sticker inside the battery compartment that says to use only alkaline or NiMH batteries. Will it damage the scanner if I use Energizer E2 lithium batteries as a backup when I am on the road and the NiMH batteries go dead? I understand that the lithium batteries put out a slightly higher voltage than alkalines, say 1.7 to 1.8 volts or so.

Should work fine, but make sure the switch is set to ALKALINE and don't try to charge them in the scanner. (even though the ALK setting disables the charging circuit)

For the cost of NiMHs (less than $10 for four [two sets] of top of the line cells), why risk using the LiONs?

Joe M.