Question Regarding BC 796 D

[Alain]

Hello All!

Can anyone tell me how many ID lockouts the scanner will permit? I'm almost ready to purchase one, as the "lockout bank" in my 895 XLT is full with 30, as more and more of San Diego talkgroups become digital.

Many thanks for taking the time to respond!

Alain

 

[mr_hankey]

i believe it's in the manual...

something like 200?

 

[pitcockm]

Each bank on the 796d has 100 talkgroups. You can lock out 99 of those talkgroups per bank.

 

[eyes00only]

Is this also true with the 296D? I think there are 10 banks of 100.
Ten banks doesn't seem very good, assuming you would put one agency per bank. In my area (Denver), I use over 10 banks in my old Pro94. I'm asking because I still can't decide what to buy, the 296D, or the Pro96. I must have a HT (handheld), and I HATE BATTERY PACKS, ie the 296D.

Jerry

 

[kikito]

Each bank on the 796d has 100 talkgroups. You can lock out 99 of those talkgroups per bank.

The BC796D and BC296D have a separate memory area for Lockouts. Like a previous poster said, I think it's 200 and they can be different from what you have programmed and tagged in the banks. In other words, with the BC796D/BC296D you can have 100 talkgroups programmed in your bank and an additional (and different) 200 talkgroup lockouts. That's why to see the full list of lockout TG's you either need to hold down the L/O button until it beeps or go to the menu option of "L/O ID Review". Of course, if you do have the TG already programmed when you lock it out, then it'll show up on your main ID list also with a small "L/O" in the top right corner.


The Pro-96, in contrast, shares the same memory for lockouts and programmed talkgroups. On the Pro-96, as soon you lockout a talkgroup it'll add it to your banks if it's not there, therefore limiting the number of programmed TG's and lockouts combined per bank to 150.

 

[eyes00only]

Kikito

Your post makes the 96 sound worse than the 296, but doesn't the 96 have A LOT MORE BANKS to start with than the 296? I may be wrong, but have been trying to decide between the two for a couple of months. I just have to keep stating that I hate battery packs.

Jerry

 

[kikito]

Kikito

Your post makes the 96 sound worse than the 296, but doesn't the 96 have A LOT MORE BANKS to start with than the 296? I may be wrong, but have been trying to decide between the two for a couple of months. I just have to keep stating that I hate battery packs.

Jerry

I have both but I'm an avid fan of the Pro-96 and is one of my all-time favorite scanners. Didn't mean to make the Pro-96 sound bad, just stating the facts as I know them.

One of the many ways the Pro-96 shines is in not using the proprietary batteries like you mentioned. It doesn't exactly have more banks but it does hold more TG's per bank (150 versus Uniden's 100) as long as you fill them all up and run in "closed mode" like many people do or don't have to lock out anything. Plus with the Pro-96 you get the V-Folders which virtually gives you 11 saved "personalities" to load your scanner with. Think of it as having a minituare PC integrated in the Pro-96 that you can use to save and load different setups of the total contents in it. The Pro-96 also has MUCH better audio by far.

The display and keypad lighting (in my opinion) is better and brighter. The instant PL/DPL decoding is another plus.
Last but not least, the reception is much better compared to the BC296D in my area (I mostly monitor VHF/UHF stuff).

I would say that if you don't care about LTR, I-Calls and computer control then get the Pro-96. Also remember that if you're going to use it for a 9600 P25 system, neither brand can do I-Calls on those.

You can play it safe with the Pro-96 since you can return it within 30 days if you're not satisfied....

There's more comparison details in this thread in case you haven't seen it:

http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=12413

 

[jpm]

more channels

i really don't understand the more chan issue. on my digital scanners i use the most four talk groups per bank with is the many departments i monitor on the trunked system. the other day i visted a firedude friend of mine and they only use the same amount of ids in their banks four, no i'm not golfing either. i just don't get it i want twenty ids in a bank. who is going to use twenty ids in one bank. makes no sense. well i'm off the soap box.

 

[jpm]

more channels

i really don't understand the more chan issue. on my digital scanners i use the most four talk groups per bank with is the many departments i monitor on the trunked system. the other day i visted a firedude friend of mine and they only use the same amount of ids in their banks four, no i'm not golfing either. i just don't get it i want twenty ids in a bank. who is going to use twenty ids in one bank. makes no sense. well i'm off the soap box. and the battery issue i don't understand why one would use a pocket scanner for a primary scanner, i use the 250d just back and forth to work and it lasts for a week. my major scanning is with mobiles and if i'm on the road the mobile goes in the blwazer.

 

[kikito]

Re: more channels

i really don't understand the more chan issue. on my digital scanners i use the most four talk groups per bank with is the many departments i monitor on the trunked system. the other day i visted a firedude friend of mine and they only use the same amount of ids in their banks four, no i'm not golfing either. i just don't get it i want twenty ids in a bank. who is going to use twenty ids in one bank. makes no sense. well i'm off the soap box.

I used to feel the same way UNTIL my state went to a Statewide digital system and in the past year alone I've logged close to two hundred talkgroups already and that's not even a third of the expected future use. Of course, about half of that gets used regularly but still, is nice to be able to program and tag as much as you can for when you need it.

 

[BoxAlarm187]

Re: more channels

i just don't get it i want twenty ids in a bank. who is going to use twenty ids in one bank.

Guess it just depends on your interest in different users on the system, and the size of the locality. For example, the county that I work for has the following for fire/EMS operations:
- Fire Dispatch
- Fire "Chit-Chat"
- 10 Tac channels
- Fire Training talkgroup
- Fire Marshal's Office talkgroup
- 5 fire/police shared talkgroups
- 7 special operations talkgroups

There's 26 TG's right there, all in one bank.

A neighboring department, who shares the same system, uses 22 TG's for fire/EMS on a regular basis, and again, I have all of these loaded into one bank.

The ability to lock out lots of TG's can be an issue for some of us!

 

[BoxAlarm187]

Re: more channels

and the battery issue i don't understand why one would use a pocket scanner for a primary scanner, i use the 250d just back and forth to work and it lasts for a week. my major scanning is with mobiles and if i'm on the road the mobile goes in the blwazer.

You and I are lucky enough to do that, but not everyone on the board can afford multiple scanners, espically when you're talking about the digital variety. That being said, some people also just prefer handhelds over mobiles!

 

[eyes00only]

kikito

Thanks for the feedback. I have read & reread every post on the 296 & 96.
I'm about 80% sure the 96 will win. The only main, and BIG BUMMER, is the I-Call thing. Also, where I live the they have a statewide system, and Denver has approx. 170 tg's in their PS own system, not including their other system for public works, buildings etc. This is a wild guess, but were talking about maybe 600 talkgroups. Then there a few large suburbs that have their own system. Maybe someday I'll try to get a better count of the Denver area tg's.
There are a sh*t load.................................lol.

Jerry