Programming 396xt for Bell Mobility Radio's Fleetnet system

[Bullmax]

I am trying to follow Mike_Oxlong's post but I believe its only for the 396t scanner. My 396xt does not have VHF band option so this is as far as I have gotten on these instructions. Is there another post for the 396xt programming?

Thanks for any help!

 

[mciupa]

It may be easier to purchase a premium membership here at RR , download Freescan, and import all of the systems you want from the database while you have the premium.

It's too daunting a task to do manually.

 

[brockvillefreq]

Hey bullmax I have the same scanner now to program it :
1. go to '' program settings'' .
2 .''new system''
3. pick " MOT" cause they are running off of the p25 system (don't pick p25)
4 go to "edit site"
5. "edit band plan" then choose "custom" band plan 1 input lower-141.0150 input upper 143.9850 set offset to 380 + polarity set spacing to 15.00khz. band plan 2.input lower-151.7300 input upper152.5100 set offset to 579 + polarity set spacing to 15.00khz. band plan 3. input lower-154.3200 input upper 156.2250 set offset to 623 + polarity set spacing to 15.00khz.
6.go back and to "set frequencies" and type in the control channels for your area
7. set modulation to auto and you should be good to go.
P.S don't forget to go into "edit system options" and choose ID scan and select ID search

 

[mciupa]

Now teach him how to enter alpha tags for the display.

 

[torontokris]

bullmax send me your email address I'll send you my file (since you bought it off me).
I should have put a file in the scanner so you just opened it up and away you go

 

[Bullmax]

Now teach him how to enter alpha tags for the display.

mciupa, maybe you could?

 

[pokey]

Trying to program my 396xt for Fleetnet zone 1 using radioreference download but it only lets you program 20 groups per system and it has 39. How have people done it? Separated into different systems? Can you change the groups?

Thanks

 

[davidmc36]

Trying to program my 396xt for Fleetnet zone 1 using radioreference download but it only lets you program 20 groups per system and it has 39. How have people done it? Separated into different systems? Can you change the groups?

Thanks

I only really use the groups that are nearest me. If I want to travel to an area that has groups I don't have programmed, I just set up another system and put the groups that are local to that area in it. Or just put it on ID search when I am in that area.

You don't have to have all the separate groups that are in the database either.

You could combine the TG ID's from say MTO Maintenance into one group on your scanner. They all have different Alpha Tags anyway so you will always know who is talking.

 

[pokey]

I only really use the groups that are nearest me. If I want to travel to an area that has groups I don't have programmed, I just set up another system and put the groups that are local to that area in it. Or just put it on ID search when I am in that area.

You don't have to have all the separate groups that are in the database either.

You could combine the TG ID's from say MTO Maintenance into one group on your scanner. They all have different Alpha Tags anyway so you will always know who is talking.

How do I dump all the talk groups in using just one group...or can I?

 

[davidmc36]

How do I dump all the talk groups in using just one group...or can I?

You can have 500 TG ID's per trunk system and you can split them up between 20 Groups however you like.

How are you downloading the stuff from the database? Software or CSV?

 

[pokey]

Not,sure what cvs is but I am downloading info from radioreference site to freescan and then I imagine at some point into arc 396xt

 

[davidmc36]

Well in either FreeScan or ARC you can change what groups the ID's are in before you load them in the scanner.

Just a note, you don't need both FreeScan and ARC, one or the other does pretty much the same thing. You can get your systems from RR and then change them around how you want them and load them to the scanner.

 

[pokey]

Ok thanks. The box that you see when you load from this site......the box on the left has the sites and the of on the left has the groups.....which only 20 are allowed out of the 38 listed for fleetnet. By unchecking all of them, does that mean that the talkgroup I'd's do not get loaded to freescan, or do they automatically all get loaded when you enter all the sites in the box to the left? To me it doesn't make sense that the radio will hold 500 talkgroups but yet you can't select them all in this box....and all of them combined are under 500. Unless I'm missing something....thank you for your patience!!

 

[ka3jjz]

Not,sure what cvs is but I am downloading info from radioreference site to freescan and then I imagine at some point into arc 396xt

I have to laugh every time I see this - 'CVS' is a popular drug store chain (although I can understand why you would need to go to a drug store after this exercise ) - 'CSV' stands for comma separated values, a very common file format that is generated by Excel and many other applications.

You can download a CSV version of this system and manipulate it to your needs - but then you can do that in FreeScan, too...Mike

 

[davidmc36]

Ok thanks. The box that you see when you load from this site......the box on the left has the sites and the of on the left has the groups.....which only 20 are allowed out of the 38 listed for fleetnet. By unchecking all of them, does that mean that the talkgroup I'd's do not get loaded to freescan, or do they automatically all get loaded when you enter all the sites in the box to the left? To me it doesn't make sense that the radio will hold 500 talkgroups but yet you can't select them all in this box....and all of them combined are under 500. Unless I'm missing something....thank you for your patience!!

If you uncheck the groups you will not get them, you will only get the sites.

I have never used freescan but installed it a few minutes ago to have a look. When I tried a download it showed me in red that I had 36 Groups when it is 20 max. I went a head an hit Import anyway and it asked me if I wanted it to try and compress the ID's into 20 groups. I did it twice and when I said no to compressing it shows there are 291 TG ID's. When I said yes to compressing it shows 445 TG ID's. Not sure how they are organized but it looks like it grabbed more when asked to compress. You should be able to play around with the ID's and move them into other groups but I don't really know much about the program. I see some of the Groups only have one or two ID's in them.

 

[davidmc36]

....You should be able to play around with the ID's and move them into other groups....

Yeah, I was just playing around and you can cut and paste ID's from one group to another. Use control+left click to select multiple ID's, then cut and paste to move them around.

You could also easily download the system twice or more (using a slightly different name for each) and only select certain groups each time. Tailor each system to the type of stuff you want to listen to and/or the sites you want to tune to.

 

[trancefreak99]

advice

Im not sure if this is the sticky you followed but I followed this when learning how to use my 996xt and its written for the 396xt. I found it very easy and straight forward.

"Programming your Uniden 396XT etc for Bell Fleetnet "
http://forums.radioreference.com/ontario/207493-programming-your-uniden-396xt-etc-bell-fleetnet.html

Once you follow this and program a site or few and a few groups and TGID's using the front display it really helps you visualize and understand what is required to get fleetnet programmed properly. It really cements the basic fundementals and after that everything is so easy to understand .

I dont have a premium subscription and quickly learned that to program the entire fleetnet(just zone 1) would wear my scanner knob/ buttons out as well as my hand.

So I downloaded Freescan which I highly recommend after programming a site or two in manually thru scanner. It is also very straight forwardly laid out and best of all its free. It really lays all the scanners options/settings out nicely so you can see everything it can do very easily without fumbiling though the menus.

you will be able figure it out and program a few sites again very quickly and will realize it is much easier and much much faster.

But still to program the entire fleetnet zone 1 all sites and TGID's took me along time to do in freescan manually inputting everything from this site since I dont have a premium subscription.

If you want I would be willing to send it to you. (took me alot of time). But it works flawlisly and I get lots of entertainment from it Just Pm me or post here and Ill email it to you.

But if you really want to learn and understand everything your scanner has to offer i would follow my earlier advice.


Oh and another really aweome easier to read manual for 996xt is here
Easier to Read BCD996XT Digital Scanner Manual

I post this because I know the 996xt and 396xt are very very similar (mobile/base bieng the only or main difference I believe. But all the features/menus/options are exactly the same or very close I believe)

 

[jonesyxvii]

How do I dump all the talk groups in using just one group...or can I?

Use FreeScan and do the import from RR twice. On the first import, select 20 of the 38 groups. Remember which ones you didn't select.

On the second import, deselect the sites (you got them the first time around) and select the 18 groups you didn't import the first time around. Also, change the name that will be assigned to the system (box in the bottom left corner).

You should now have two systems in FreeScan that combined contain all the sites and groups for Fleetnet. You can now copy and paste individual talkgroups — or whole groups of talkgroups — to arrange them however you want. (Paste them into the system that has the sites in it.)

I chose a simpler way of doing this when I programmed my 396XT and 996XT. I did the import from RR twice. The first time I left all sites selected and selected only those groups that are digital (OPP, MNR, and a few others I can't remember right now). The second import I left all sites selected and this time chose only those groups that are analog (MTO, EMS). So now I have Fleetnet split in two: one digital system and one analog.

The point is, you sometimes have to think creatively in order to be able to import everything for large systems like Fleetnet. The limitations of the scanners can be overcome if you a) download only what you want to hear or b) reorganize everything to fit your own needs.

Hope that helps,

Rob

 

[pokey]

Makes sense. I think I am finally figuring it out. Thanks all!!!