Programming Uniden BCD996P2 for Lake County Indiana

[muzzhunter]

First of all, I'm completely new to this type of scanner. I have a BCD996P2 and I'm using Freescan software. I've installed the latest firmware on the scanner. I figured out how to import from RR and upload it to the scanner. everything seems to be stored in the scanner but I'm not receiving any audio from Lake County. I have been able to get audio from Porter county by uploading info, just not Lake county. I did see an error message during upload, no APCO band plan, but researched it and believe it is auto-populated, Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

[muzzhunter]

Sorry forgot to mention I attached the FreeSCAN file for review. Thank you!

 

[tvengr]

It is not necessary to load a band plan for almost all P25 systems. I understand that sometimes the wrong system type and site type are entered when you download from the database, but it was found to still work. I suggest changing the system type and site type to P25 Standard (Digital XT) to see if that makes any difference. If it still doesn't work, you are probably suffering from simulcast distortion. Lake County uses a 4 site simulcast system. Let me know if changing the system and site types makes any difference.

 

[west-pac]

I agree, likely a simulcast issue. I believe Porter county is simulcast also, but since you are outside of the simulcast towers you have a better chance of receiving it with a non-SDS scanner.

 

[muzzhunter]

Thank you, Tried the switch still nothing as of yet. if I hold the scan and use the knob to go to any of the group channels a message appears alternately on-screen finding ctrl chan. I don't know if that means anything.

 

[tvengr]

You appear to have all of the frequencies correct and P25 Standard (Digital XT) is the proper system and site type. If the scanner cannot find the control channel, that could be caused by the frequencies in the database being incorrect, which is highly unlikely. If anyone is receiving the Lake County system with the frequencies listed in the database, please feel free to jump in. Are you in Lake County? You could be out of range. The inability to find the control channel is a common indication of simulcast distortion which most likely is the problem. There are several things you can try. Turn on the attenuator. If you reduce the number of towers you receive, that can improve control channel decoding. The 4 towers in the system all transmit the control channel on the same frequency at the same time. The signals from each tower arrive at your scanner at slightly different times which degrades the ability of the scanner to properly decode the control channel. If you are using a rooftop antenna, disconnect it and use the scanner mounted antenna. A directional antenna pointed at one of the towers can help. You can also reorient and change the length of the scanner mounted antenna and move the scanner around the room. Simulcast distortion is very location specific. You may find a sweet spot where the scanner will work. Eliminate the voice frequencies and use only the control channel and 3 alternate frequencies. If you lose the control channel, the scanner will not have to search through all of the voice frequencies to find it again. All of the frequency information is carried on the control channel of a P25 system, so the voice frequencies are not necessary. I would also turn off the digital AGC. The AGC action can increase garbled audio problems when you have simulcast issues. Let me know if you have any luck.

 

[trido]

When I opened his file he did NOT have sytsem type set to P-25 std?
Had moto Type II

 

[tvengr]

When I opened his file he did NOT have sytsem type set to P-25 std?
Had moto Type II

I was told by an administrator that it will download from the database as Mot Type II/P25, but it will still work. I ran into this once before and questioned it. The proper system and site types are P25 Standard (Digital XT). In my previous post #3, I requested for him to change to P25 (Digital XT), but it still did not work.

 

[wtp]

not having that radio may not help, but but if i have it right you just can't change system type after setting it up.
you would have to set it up again.

 

[tvengr]

not having that radio may not help, but but if i have it right you just can't change system type after setting it up.
you would have to set it up again.

Using FreeSCAN, I was able to change the system and site types to P25 Standard (Digital XT) without losing the rest of the programming.

 

[muzzhunter]

Thank you all, for your input. Been working crazy hours and haven't had time to mess with the scanner. Hopefully I can try moving the unit around and see if I get anything. Again, Thank you all!

 

[Sdowns46360]

I lnow this message is a little old but make sure you are programming lake co. P2 system, Not the lake co. Talk groups from safe-t system. Lake co. Is on there own private system.