• To anyone looking to acquire commercial radio programming software:

    Please do not make requests for copies of radio programming software which is sold (or was sold) by the manufacturer for any monetary value. All requests will be deleted and a forum infraction issued. Making a request such as this is attempting to engage in software piracy and this forum cannot be involved or associated with this activity. The same goes for any private transaction via Private Message. Even if you attempt to engage in this activity in PM's we will still enforce the forum rules. Your PM's are not private and the administration has the right to read them if there's a hint to criminal activity.

    If you are having trouble legally obtaining software please state so. We do not want any hurt feelings when your vague post is mistaken for a free request. It is YOUR responsibility to properly word your request.

    To obtain Motorola software see the Sticky in the Motorola forum.

    The various other vendors often permit their dealers to sell the software online (i.e., Kenwood). Please use Google or some other search engine to find a dealer that sells the software. Typically each series or individual radio requires its own software package. Often the Kenwood software is less than $100 so don't be a cheapskate; just purchase it.

    For M/A Com/Harris/GE, etc: there are two software packages that program all current and past radios. One package is for conventional programming and the other for trunked programming. The trunked package is in upwards of $2,500. The conventional package is more reasonable though is still several hundred dollars. The benefit is you do not need multiple versions for each radio (unlike Motorola).

    This is a large and very visible forum. We cannot jeopardize the ability to provide the RadioReference services by allowing this activity to occur. Please respect this.

Scanner Power

Status
Not open for further replies.

BRFD-118

Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2009
Messages
26
I bought a Uniden BCT8 scanner for Christmas. I began to read the manual and saw that it said you should, "turn the scanner OFF before disconnecting power." I plan to mount the unit in my Toyota Tacoma. I would like it to where i can just turn the vehicle on and the scanner come on. Is their a special power wire that i need to get or a certain way i need to hook it up?

Thanks
 

Bucko

Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2005
Messages
1,024
Location
Marietta, Ohio
You could hook it to your Accessory switch ( Ignition switch feed for your stereo at fuse block) but doing this could mess up the programming of your scanner when you start your vehicle.
 

n0nhp

Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
773
Location
Grand Junction
Some of this is a manufacturer being over careful, the early microprocessor equipment reacted very poorly to low voltage and voltage spikes such as you get during starting. Granted I am a dinosaur and have had programmable scanners in my vehicles since the Bearcat 101 in the early 70s but I also like to err on the side of caution. Both my vehicles have a SPST switch mounted in the dashboard. All the auxillary gear goes through that switch. After the engine starts the switch is thrown, before the engine is shut off, the switch is thrown. If I am sitting in the car waiting for something to happen I can just flip the switch and have my entertainment without every buzzer and warning light on the dash telling me that I am abusing the vehicle.
Simple easy and becomes habit.
I also went down to the local two-way shop and got a GE fuse block to run the supply wire through. If I have to jump start my own or another vehicle from my vehicle I pop the cap off the fuse block, pulling the fuse and avoiding having the remotest chance of spiking my radios, It will save many times the cost of the fuse and block.



Bruce
 

BRFD-118

Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2009
Messages
26
Ok thanks for the replies, but i was on Kenwoods website and i saw a wire called a Ignition sense wire. What is this and would it help solve this problem.
 

n8emr

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Messages
498
Most modern vehicle do have a "engine running" line that is used to control the A/V items.. Check your stereo deck wiring and see if you have one.

If your refering to the kenwood 2 way radio ignition sense line then no thats not what you want.
 

BRFD-118

Member
Joined
Oct 31, 2009
Messages
26
well it sounds like the easiest thing to do is to just use the on/off switch on the unit. lol
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top