BCD396T/BC996T: Programming Digital Frequencies into BCD396T

[emsflyer84]

Hey all, just picked up a used BCD396t. I'm programming my location public safety using ProScan. Most of it is single frequency VHF digital. In the database each frequency has a NAC number assigned to it (ex: 826NAC). Is this like a PL tone for digital? In other scanners I've had, I had to add that info while programming. When using ProScan with the 396t, there is no where to enter that info. There is a spot for traditional PL tones, but nothing for NAC codes. Now, the scanner does seem to still be picking up those frequencies even without the codes. My issue is interference. I'm getting interference while using in my car on a lot of these digital frequencies and the scanner is locking onto them based on the interference. In the past when listening to only analog, any frequency that had a PL tone assigned was immune to the interference I'm talking about because the channel would not "open" unless it detected the PL tone, so the interference had no affect.

So, is there a way to enter the NAC info on this scanner? Could my interference issues be happening because I don't have that info programmed? Thanks!

 

[dave3825]

Nac is the equivalent to a CTCSS or PL tone. If there are other users sharing that frequency, you will hear everybody as opposed to putting in a nac for the agency want to listen to and just hearing that one agency. Not familiar with that scanner, so I do not know if it accepts a nac or not.

 

[doctordialtone]

So, is there a way to enter the NAC info on this scanner?

Not on that scanner.

There is no NAC option

 

[nessnet]

Is the system's SITE(s) you are trying to monitor simulcast??

 

[emsflyer84]

Nac is the equivalent to a CTCSS or PL tone. If there are other users sharing that frequency, you will hear everybody as opposed to putting in a nac for the agency want to listen to and just hearing that one agency. Not familiar with that scanner, so I do not know if it accepts a nac or not.

Is the system's SITE(s) you are trying to monitor simulcast??

No simulcast.

 

[dave3825]

If you have other p25 users on the same freq it could be annoying. If there are any nxdn or dmr users on those freqs, that’s going to suck. What kind of interference are you experiencing?

 

[BC_Scan]

Is the system's SITE(s) you are trying to monitor simulcast??

Most of it is single frequency VHF digital.

im trying to understand the interference you refer to , maybe try attenuator on freq in question
is it pager barf ? or ?

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

My issue is interference. I'm getting interference while using in my car on a lot of these digital frequencies and the scanner is locking onto them based on the interference.

Does the scanner operate normally when you turn the engine off or remove the scanner from your vehicle and listen elsewhere? Many sources of RFI can be generated from within vehicles. What's the antenna situation look like in/on your vehicle?

 

[emsflyer84]

im trying to understand the interference you refer to , maybe try attenuator on freq in question
is it pager barf ? or ?

It's weird, some if it sounds digital, some sounds analog. It comes and goes randomly, like a transmission would be coming through but it's just static noise.

 

[emsflyer84]

Does the scanner operate normally when you turn the engine off or remove the scanner from your vehicle and listen elsewhere? Many sources of RFI can be generated from within vehicles. What's the antenna situation look like in/on your vehicle?

No it seems to be acting the same regardless if I'm in the vehicle or not. Acting very strange. I have one digital frequency that seems to be coming in ok, but no others. They're all programmed the same way. I'll get pieces of transmissions that come in ok, then I won't hear the response. Or the scanner will lock onto a frequency like there is something being received on that frequency but I'll have no sound. Sometimes it stays locked on a frequency for 20 seconds or more like it's receiving but no sound coming through at all. Then it will start scanning again randomly.

 

[nd5y]

With my 396T if you are receiving mixed analog and digital on the same frequency, like dispatch in analog and mobile in digtial on a repeater with long hang time, it can behave like that. It can take several seconds for it to switch from digital to analog and you can miss transmissions.

You can go into the settings menu and mess with the P25 settings but that probably won't help. I was never able to fix it on mine. I think it is because of poor design.

 

[emsflyer84]

With my 396T if you are receiving mixed analog and digital on the same frequency, like dispatch in analog and mobile in digtial on a repeater with long hang time, it can behave like that. It can take several seconds for it to switch from digital to analog and you can miss transmissions.

You can go into the settings menu and mess with the P25 settings but that probably won't help. I was never able to fix it on mine. I think it is because of poor design.

Thanks for the reply. I'm also learning that some agencies are now using limited simulcast around here, so I might be out of luck with this unit here.

 

[ccc530]

Will the BCD396T work at all on the current Broward County TRS? If so, how to program the scanner? My first hurdle is that the 700 mhz frequencies show out of band. Thanks in advance.

 

[tvengr]

The Broward County system is P25 Phase 2 which the BCD396T cannot decode. The BCD396T is capable of Phase 1 only. It should take 700 MHz frequencies. Which ones show out of band?

 

[wtp]

764-776
794-806
and don't forget the decimal point.

 

[ve1sef]

I see there are some DMR systems in Central NH, Goffstown for example, which the 396T wasn't designed to receive.
Any chance you programed one of those in?