Things I'd like to see in 396t - redux

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rfmonger

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Forgive me if some of this has been covered already.
After upgrading firmware, I didn't notice anything spectacular other than my unit now has an ESN, I am sure I'll notice the other improvements as I use my unit more.
Don't get me wrong, this is still my primary scanner & I like the 396t, I just would like to see a few more pro-features added - as seen in some other dedicated scanning receivers.
Either in form of updates or 3rd party developers' software.
This would really elevate the 396 above other handhelds.

I think CloseCall could use some improvements.
For starters, get rid of that pause/drop out every few seconds when CloseCall is on.

Allow for the Service Search bands/ranges to be modified! (at least via software).
This would give us extra search ranges.
I don't use this feature at all, but if I could edit these ranges, as in Custom Search, I would definitely use it more.

- Spectrum analyzer function/ability (at least via software).

- Ability to directly enter a frequency & tune to it without jumping thru hoops.
Right now, if I want to directly enter a conventional Freq via Keypad, it asks me to save it, go thru the menu system, QuickSave or whatever, yadda yadda...
Man, can I just enter the freq, hit enter & have the scanner tune to it?
This seems like such a basic function.

- Ability to see conventional frequency simultaneously with Alpha/name data.
i.e., say I am tuned to a conventional channel named "Police West 1", I wish I could see the actual frequency along with this, just like you can for a trunked system, it will show the TGI/System Name and in the lower right of display is the actual Frequency in small numbers. This would really be a plus.

Other notes,
I still really dislike the volume(data) knob/pot/encoder, the way it clicks loudly is really an annoyance & it just feels cheap.
If someone finds a suitable replacement that has soft detents instead of the loud clicking ones, let us know!
I wish they would have put a 2nd knob, even if a thumbwheel style on the side of the scanner too. This `one knob does it all` thing is not all that great, I personally prefer Dedicated Squelch & Volume pots.
 

KE5BCP

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rfmonger said:
- Ability to directly enter a frequency & tune to it without jumping thru hoops.
Right now, if I want to directly enter a conventional Freq via Keypad, it asks me to save it, go thru the menu system, QuickSave or whatever, yadda yadda...
Man, can I just enter the freq, hit enter & have the scanner tune to it?
This seems like such a basic function.
While scanning:
Hold
Enter frequency (using decimal)
Hold
 
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pogbobo

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rfmonger said:
I think CloseCall could use some improvements.
For starters, get rid of that pause/drop out every few seconds when CloseCall is on.

so you wouldn't mind paying for the extra hardware to have a second receiver in your scanner? cause thats about the only way to get rid of that drop out :):cool:
 

torontokris

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Close call Do Not Disturb gets rid of the drop out... its on the 996
Would be a good feature in a firmware upgrade or future versions of the 396
 

pyeman99

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pogbobo said:
so you wouldn't mind paying for the extra hardware to have a second receiver in your scanner? cause thats about the only way to get rid of that drop out :):cool:
often the cause of that drop out is when battery saver is on,I never us it.
 

Caesar

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not just for the 396, and i am not sure how complex it is, but i wish the radio could show radio id's like the motorolas (xts 2500's etc etc) of who is keying up...
 

rescue161

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I'll say it again,

1) MDC ID
2) Trunking Radio ID
3) Digital ID

All of the above will show the actual radios ID. I would definitely pay for those.
 

Viper43

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torontokris said:
Close call Do Not Disturb gets rid of the drop out... its on the 996
Would be a good feature in a firmware upgrade or future versions of the 396

There are hardware differences between the 396 and 996 which is why the 396 lacks some of the features of the 996.
 

Airdorn

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How about a button or key combination that will deselect all the group quick-keys EXCEPT the one you want to monitor....

So if you have 10 group quick keys defined and you hear an interesting conversation within a certain group, you could perform the key combination and all the other groups in the system are deselected instantly. The key combination again would restore them all.
 

jkahn

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Silver Spring MD
My big wish list

All of these suggestions are good, but the one I REALLY want to see is the ability to assign a 'priority' to a specific talk group ID or IDs like the conventional channels can.

I monitor Montgomery Co MD almost constantly, and will add MPDC and DC Fire when I go into the City. All of these are digital trunked systems.

When in DC, I listen to both PD and fire, but if I can assign a priority to the fire dispatch ID I woulddn't miss dispatches when PD is yabbering and locking up the scanner.

"Just a thought, not a Sermon!"
 

slicerwizard

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Viper43 said:
There are hardware differences between the 396 and 996 which is why the 396 lacks some of the features of the 996.
And you write that in response to a comment regarding CC-DND - which is a software only feature. No special hardware required, but you imply it. Which also implies that the GP (torontokris) wasn't making sense, which is not true.
 
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