Uniden 250 Scanner with ARC 250 Basic software

[EJB]

Hello.
I just purchased the above mentioned scanner from a friend to go along with my Home Patrol 1.

I used to have a similiar scanner, the BCD296 that I used from 2004-7.

I still have the basic ARC250 software keys from way back.

Anyways; I tried to program two different systems in two separate banks.

In bank 1 I tried to install this system: Halton Region Trunking System, Halton Region, Ontario - Scanner Frequencies
Since this is a EDACS system I know that I have to enter in all the frequencies in the order it shows and program it as an EDACS system. I also know that I can only use one site per bank, in my case the site I choose was the Burlington site.

I also tried to enter in the Bell Fleetnet site for Charlton: Bell Fleetnet - Ontario Provincial Government Zone 1 Trunking System, Southwest Zone, Ontario - Scanner Frequencies

I entered in the configurations properly but, like the Halton EDACS system, it is not 'trunking' so to speak.

Now I might be a genius but I have a good deal of knowledge on how to program a good many scanners and I am sure that a few corrections that someone here can recommend will set me on the right path but it has been a long time since I had a scanner like this and I am stumped right now.

All the talk groups that I want to listen to are loaded in both systems and I have no trouble 'hearing' the control channels of both systeems. Both systems tonite were extremely active (horrible head on collision less than a mile away from me just off the Skyway) as I scanned the action on my Home Patrol and using Trunk 88.

So I hope that if I were to send my files to someone with a similiar scanner or who remembers what and how to do things might point out my errors and show me what to do.


If I managed to upload the file to this message can soneone take a look at it and help me out.
If it did not load I can send the file via email to anyone, PM me if you like.

Thanks in advance, Gotta work tomorrow and need some sleep.

Eric

 

[VE3RADIO]

Make sure its in trunked mode.. those things have a button to turn "on" trunking.. otherwise it will just scan conventional.

 

[fmon]

Eric,

I used Web Import and everything looks ok so you must have missed something in both banks if nothing is working.

Try my setup.

Bank 1 has 99 TG's and bank 2 only has 21 so you may need to edit to your needs.

 

[EJB]

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Eric,

I used Web Import and everything looks ok so you must have missed something in both banks if nothing is working.

Try my setup.

Bank 1 has 99 TG's and bank 2 only has 21 so you may need to edit to your needs.

Fmon: Thank you. I will look at it when I get home. The person I bought it from had set it up to listen to various systems and towers but I was not able hear any trunked systems. And the two systems I created look like the ones he made. WZ1: it might be that for some reasons I have to allow for the scanner to listen to the talkgroups I listed. Maybe I am missing something there, to allow for the t/g's I listed to be scanned. Its too bad. I used to be able to program this scanner so easily. ;z-(

 

[EJB]

Eric,

I used Web Import and everything looks ok so you must have missed something in both banks if nothing is working.

Try my setup.

Bank 1 has 99 TG's and bank 2 only has 21 so you may need to edit to your needs.

Frank: I loaded in your zipped file and it still doesnt work.
I am at a loss here; I have no idea why it is not working.
I set Halton to EDACS wide, checked to see if it matched your file and it wont trunk.

I also used the files that the person who owned this scanner before hand had; set to trunk and nothing.
I know there is activity on these systens because my other scanner works and T88 is busy.
Maybe if I make some screen shots and send them here, maybe someone will be able to see what f-d. up.

This really pisses me off, I used a 296D for over 3 years and programmed the hell out of it.

 

[EJB]

I hope now to up load some screen shots of what my programming looks like. If I dont f up here FMON, you will see that I loaded in your mem file for Halton in Bank 1 and created a Bell Fleetnet system for my local tower named Charlton


If anyone could point me in the right direction I would greatly appreciate it, now I am going to ride a excercise bike to burn off some of this negative energy.

 

[Forts]

What do you mean when you say it won't trunk 'so to speak'... What is it doing, just scanning conventionally? From the screenshots everything looks ok but it's been a while since I didn't anything with a 250. I ventured over to Michigan when the 250 first came out and found a radio shop that had them in stock. Paid somewhere around $600 for the radio and another $500 or so for the P25 card. Yikes!

 

[EJB]

What do you mean when you say it won't trunk 'so to speak'... What is it doing, just scanning conventionally? From the screenshots everything looks ok but it's been a while since I didn't anything with a 250. I ventured over to Michigan when the 250 first came out and found a radio shop that had them in stock. Paid somewhere around $600 for the radio and another $500 or so for the P25 card. Yikes!

Chris: It seems set up properly, I am not a novice at this kinda stuff but I have both my HP1 and Trunk 88 working side by side showing activity on the two systems I entered in. The 250 'sees' the control channel but there is no activity. While there are talkgroups chatting away on my other scanners this one is silent.

For some reason I have made an error with the talk groups? Did I enter these in wrong? Do I have to turn on the talkgroups I entered in?
I am at a loss. I feel like an idiot newbie.

 

[Forts]

From the screenshots everything looks ok. I wonder if I still have the arc250 file from my radio to look at. I'll see if I can dig it up.

Only this I can suggest at the moment is to do a factory reset (hold down MAN-2-9) while turning it on then reload your file. Maybe something is just hung up somehow.

 

[fmon]

I agree Chris, something weird with the scanner.

 

[EJB]

I agree Chris, something weird with the scanner.

Thats probably a good idea guys.
I was thinking of wiping it and starting fresh, I cant see anywhere a mistake with my files, Franks or the persons I bought it from.

I will say this though, I appreciate everyones help. It would have been seriously frustrating if this was my only scanner; I remember my first weekend when i got my 296, an entire new learning curve.

 

[EJB]

Finally some success

Well after wiping everything off the scanner and loading it again, then nothing...
Then I followed the instructions and did it by hand for Charlton. For whatever reason I was able to do everything, enter in the configurations, offsets, channels, etc the scanner itself would not let me search for talkgroups (I did not put in any) and would go back to scan mode again. And of course there was nothing to scan.

Now I was really confused.

So then I openned up the scanner and took the battery pack out. The seller told me that the batteries were old and needed replacing.

After taking the batteries out, voila, it would allow me to ID search the talkgroups that were on Charlton.

So I tweaked and then loaded in what I had entered in my hand on to ARC250 and then added in my talkgroups, making them easily from a excel file, loaded them and voila, they worked!

So I guess a battery pack can really f-up this scanner if it is weak or dead.
Who knew?

Thanks to Frank and Chris for your help.

Tomorrow I feel confident I can build more lists.

And maybe I will put my list of scanners and antennas in my sig

 

[Forts]

Wow! That's sort of bizarre. Glad you got it working though.

 

[EJB]

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Wow! That's sort of bizarre. Glad you got it working though.

Ya. Wierd to say the least. Now prgraming will be a breeze and I am curious to see how sensitive the radio is. The 396T was deaf and the HP1 is slightly better. FWIR, the 250 is more sensitive. Since I am surrounded by towers and antennas I hope it doesn't be beat up by intermod.

 

[Forts]

I always liked the 250.... My main beef with it was the huge audio imbalance between analog and digital audio. Analog was always so much lower. I would turn the radio up to hear EMS, then OPP would come on and just about deafen you. That alone was the main reason I jumped ship to the Pro-96.

 

[torontokris]

The 250/296 785/796 were much more sensitive on VHF Fleetnet compared to the newer 396/996 radios. Some people still prefer them and ask for the older radios just to trunk fleetnet.

Glad you got it working not sure how a battery pack can make a scanner not trunk... maybe just negative energy to the radio lol

 

[frankh]

handle those things with care or you will get the dreaded "card error"

 

[EJB]

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The 250/296 785/796 were much more sensitive on VHF Fleetnet compared to the newer 396/996 radios. Some people still prefer them and ask for the older radios just to trunk fleetnet.

Glad you got it working not sure how a battery pack can make a scanner not trunk... maybe just negative energy to the radio lol

I enjoyed my 296. It served its purpose well. The 250 I got is much more sensitive than my 396T. Like Forts I did not like the difference between analogue and digital comms.

 

[EJB]

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handle those things with care or you will get the dreaded "card error"

No card issues to worry about. This scanner did not come with a card. I still have issues with the scanner and trunking. I don't know why but I am still finding that I have turn it off and on to get it to "trunk.". My solution now is to leave it on all the time. I hate the battery packs that you need to run it.