Scan125 - for BC125AT & UBC125XLT

[Scan125]

I'm new to scanning (but not radios etc) and got a UBC125XLT scanner as a birthday present. Also I enjoy programming hardware (not that I'll claim to be an expert or brilliant at it) so just had to create a program.

For anybody who may be interest I've written a freeware program called Scan125.

The program can be found here: Scan125 Control Program

It meets my modest needs and may meet yours. I'm also open to suggested improvements (possibly like Radio Reference compatibility)

Nick

 

[ka3jjz]

Yes I'm quite sure that folks will want RR Web service capability. In addition it would, I suspect, help the newcomers if you were to warn folks that there were frequencies that the scanner can't copy because the mode isn't supported. Here in the US, there's a rise in uses of modes such as NXDN, MotoTrbo and P25 conventional frequencies that this scanner can't handle. This is indicated in our database in the MODE column, and it's likely you would be able to query on it.

Here are a few examples...

This listing contains several P25 frequencies. (Keep in mind that anything in blue is a link)

Federal Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

See the Bentonville listing on this page - it uses 'DMR' instead of 'TRBO' in the mode field - but the idea is the same

Benton County, Arkansas (AR) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

I can't put my finger on an example of NXDN frequencies at the moment but they'd be flagged with 'NXDN' in the mode column. I'm sure we have a few folks that can give you examples if / when you need them. The same could be said of D-Star amateur repeaters.

Telemetry ('Telm' in the mode column) would also not be receivable - see frequency 330.95 in this listing...

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?aid=1113

These systems are not receivable by this scanner, but if someone were to install a discriminator tap, there is software that can do it. So you'd probably not want to block them outright, but certainly a warning is appropriate.

This one might be a long shot, but it's worth a try - there is a popular freeware program for the Uniden DMA scanners called FreeScan. In it's many options, it has a utility called 'EZ Grab' that allows a user to copy data from any site that has it set up as a table or columnar data. This would be handy for getting freqs from amateur radio sites, for example. We have a description in the FreeScan user guide here...

Freescan EZGrab - The RadioReference Wiki

I wouldn't pretend to speak for Assaf, but who knows, you might be able to get a copy of the code and install it. If not, well, nothing ventured, nothing gained, as they say. His FreeScan forum is here...

FreeSCAN

GL wth your program - from your screen shots it looks interesting for 125 owners...Mike

 

[ka3jjz]

You might also consider import ability from ARC125 (BuTel's offering), Uniden's native software, and (if someone is so foolish as to use this POS) Scancat Lite Plus

With all that you should have a number of sources for places to go for frequencies...Mike

 

[Scan125]

You might also consider import ability from ARC125 (BuTel's offering), Uniden's native software...Mike

Thanks Mike

Looked at doing this but there is a big problem with Butel .RTS files.

I will NOT be able to support the import/export of Butel .RTS data files because of the following line in their file.

"file format is proprietary information of BuTel Software The Netherlands (c) 2008"

Basically the killer is the word "proprietary" which in IP legal speak means it is confidential and permission to use has to be granted. I don't think Butel will do this as I'm a free competitor to them.

Butel could have put this proprietary statement just to cover their arse should they need to, and I've no idea if they enforce their rights, but being a law abiding bloke (with my own Patents) I've no intention of stepping on anybody's turf.

Needless to say my data files just have a simple Copyright statement in them which means that their content is NOT proprietary and can freely read by human or machine. Reproduction / publish is a different matter but in reality this is not an issue as the format is specific to my program and why anybody would want to use my file data format in their own programs, which could severely limit their program's options and ability, is beyond me.

Question for anybody!

Can Butel ARC export data in CSV format? If so then if in the exported CSV file there is no "proprietary" statement (and I'm not sure why there would be) then I can use/import from that file instead of their .RTS file.

Needless to say if Butel to CSV is supported then somebody can supply/post and example CSV file.

Nick
I'll have to limit import/export to public domain sources of info.

 

[Scan125]

Ah Ha

All is not lost regarding Butel .RTS data file import.

Having spoken to a Patent Attorney file formats can not be protected via Copyright / Proprietary statements especially where program interoperability is concerned. You can have the Copyright / Proprietary statements in the files but using/reading the file formats in not a breach of Copyright.

This all stems from the SAS v's WPL legal case.

In summary:

In summary, the ECJ made the following findings:

The functionality of a computer program, including the programming language and the format of data files, constitutes the overarching ideas behind a program, rather than forms of expression of that program, and so are not protected by copyright.

Lots of other links/info available if one web searches SAS v's WPL.

Nick

 

[ka3jjz]

If it were a case of copyright infringement, then no software could use it as an import source - and FreeScan (for the Uniden DMA scanners) does, and I'm sure there are many others, too.

I am not a lawyer (nor do I play one on TV...) but from what I know about copyrights and proprietary information, if you tried to reverse engineer how the data was constructed, that may well be considered proprietary. However the data itself, I would think, is not - otherwise how could any software use it as an import source legally? Mike

 

[Scan125]

Thanks for your personal view Mike. Very much appreciated.

Every view/opinion be them good, bad or indifferent are extremely wanted and very valuable sources of information etc. AS LONG AS they are delivered with common sense, respect etc.

Good feedback (positive or negative) is how we can all progress and deliver better offerings and advice in the future.

Thanks a lot!

Nick

 

[Scan125]

You might also consider import ability from ARC125 (BuTel's offering
...Mike

Butel Import & Export now supported.

Will look at the others.

Nick

 

[Scan125]

I've spent quite some time looking into supporting RR Importing.

I was hoping to provide a direct import from the RR for premium account members but that is now not really possible unless the RR WDSL is updated to use/support UTF-8 encoding.

More info in my posts on the Database Discussion Forum.

I'll now switch to looking a RR CSV file support, which may be more popular anyway as web csv support is free.

Apologies to anybody in advance who were hoping for "premium" database support in Scan125 but for a free program it is not worth my time an effort to jump through coding hoops to access what should ideally be a more global WDSL UTF-8 service that is readily supported in current development tools.

RR CSV and I hope to provide a more generic CSV file support will eventually arrive but in the meantime I'm reverting to my Sound Recording functions which so many people have asked for.

Nick - Scan125 Author

 

[Scan125]

Version 1.4.0.0 of this program is now released.

Sadly RR Support is not yet available but auto logging (V1.3) and audio recording with functions like auto pause and auto split (V1.4) are now supported.

Scan125 Control Program

When Radio Reference update their premium service to support UTF-8 encoding I'll look at integrating RR support.

Meanwhile........ V1.4 is available for anyone who wants it.

Nick - Scan125 Author

 

[Scan125]

Scan125 V1.5.0.0 is now available.

Whilst I have not yet implemented "integrated" Radio Reference Premium Support I now supply a Scan125Convert utility that can be trained to read RRs free web based CSV file downloads.

For BC125AT owners there is a minor issue that I will address. and that is that the BC125AT has modulation mode NFM as opposed FM as in the UBC125XLT. NFM will be folded to AUTO which is compatible with both scanners.

As for integrated RR Premium Support this is still on hold till RR supports UTF encoding. ALSO I think it is fair to say that my BC125AT USA user base is a little thinner on the ground compared to my European/other user base and RR is very much US data populated and orientated. So for the time being I'm still looking to possibly support integrated RR Premium database access but this is no means guaranteed.

Meanwhile if you use Scan125 then hopefully the new added Scan125Convert utility will enable you to still use both RR and other CSV data files.

 

[Scan125]

Scan125 V1.7.0.0 is now available.

V1.6.0.0 was mainly dedicated to fixes.

V1.7.0.0 has fixed COM issues reported by just a handful of native Windows users. A side effect of the COM code changes is that Apple PCs/MAC running Windows are now getting long term connectivity without errors.

 

[Scan125]

Scan125 V1.8.0.0 is now available.

This latest releases now hopefully nails the last of the COM issues some MAC users were getting under VMware.

I would also like to point out / confirm the Radio Reference Direct Database Connectivity has not been implemented and is not very unlikely to be implemented. HOWEVER Radio Reference Web CVS file support is supported for those that wish to you them.

http://www.nick-bailey.co.uk\scan125

Nick - Scan125 Author