Uniden 396xt/996xt Starter Freescan Files NC

Status
Not open for further replies.

KE4ZNR

Radio Geek
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 21, 2002
Messages
7,254
Location
Raleigh, NC
IMPORTANT: The zip files below are current as of 8-20-2010. If you had earlier versions you might want to download the current Freescan files below.

I keep getting requests for a "starter" Central NC Freescan file for new Uniden 396xt and 996xt owners. The Zip file linked below has 2 files:

Link to "New XT Starter Files.zip"

--XTFreescanCentralNC8202010.996
--XTFreescanCentralNC8202010.xls (excel file with the layout of the above file).

Be aware that the Freescan file is designed to work specifically with the New Uniden 396XT and 996XT radios.
Freescan will mold this file to work with the older 396t & 996t scanners but I can not guarantee it will be as easy to use nor will the formatting stay the same due to differences between the old and new scanners.

With the below files new 396xt and 996xt owners will have pretty much every Wake County Public Safety agency available along with surrounding counties and KRDU Airport.

IMPORTANT: New Uniden 396xt and 996xt owners: Your radio comes preprogrammed straight out of the box with many trunked systems across the US including the State of NC VIPER project. I recommend erasing all of these systems. Here is how to do that:
1) Hold down the 2, 9, and Hold Keys while powering on the radio. It will let you know it is doing a memory clear.
2) when it asks if you want to reload the preprogrammed systems select NO.
3) Now your radio will be totally clear of all systems. Now use Freescan to load the attached files.

Also: Please Do NOT ask general Uniden related questions or general Freescan software questions in this thread. Select the correct forum below (Software forum, Uniden Forum) to ask your question.



Hope this helps you enjoy your new Uniden 396xt or 996xt in Central NC!
Happy Monitoring
Marshall KE4ZNR

Additional Resources:
Scannow.org (Freescan website)

Uniden Forum (where you ask general Uniden Questions)

Software Forum (where you ask general Freescan Questions)
 
Last edited:

bonus1331

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
979
Location
Newnan, Ga
Marshall, I would be willing to supply a Freescan file for the 396xt for the Charlotte metro.
Just didn't know if I should hijack this thread or start another sticky?;-)
Don't know if you would like to sticky a "Major NC City Freescan Files" thread.
 

bonus1331

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
979
Location
Newnan, Ga
Freescan and .csv files for Charlotte Metro area

Here are up to date files for the Charlotte metro area
 

Attachments

  • BCD396XT 080909.996.zip
    103.1 KB · Views: 369

Searay

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Apr 2, 2003
Messages
224
Location
York, SC
BC996T file

This is my 996 freescan file of the Viper system. All sites are there including site gps coordinates for every site. Just add the groups you want. Scanning with the connected gps is awesome. Faster scanning and overall more efficient.

Matt
 

Attachments

  • NC Viper.zip
    8.7 KB · Views: 432

N9WA

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
May 20, 2009
Messages
32
Location
Paducah, KY
HOLY COW!

Marshall - After reviewing your file, it's obvious that I have absolutely NO clue how to run my 396t!!

I may have to pay you to set me up a file like this one that includes Harnett/Lillington/Dunn and Cumberland/Fayetteville. Payment could take the form of either cash or lunch/dinner, as I work in RTP daily!

Thanks for all you do here,
David
 

freqgeek2

Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2004
Messages
33
Location
McHenry, IL
rockingham county

I am a Law Enforcement Officer from the Chicago area that will be traveling to Eden, NC (Rockingham County) to visit my parents and I was looking for some assistance in obtaining the local fire and police frequencies for that area. I would be loading the information onto a BCD396XT via FreeSCAN. Any information would be greatly appreciated..
 

Zagadka

Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2010
Messages
77
Location
Central NC, USA
Hey Marshall - Thanks for the excellent list. As an analog user, I'm picking through the XLS trying to discern which frequencies I might add. Would I be correct that all the frequencies that aren't marked AUTO in the "Modulation" column are analog? Also, what's modulation "NFM" and will it work in my PRO 164?
 
Last edited:

BCasto

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
351
Location
Morrisville NC
Taking the plunge - 396XT

How many of you around Raleigh have purchased the new 996XT and/or 396XT? My money is burning a hole in my pocket so now I think I am ready to take the plunge. I have 996T and a bunch of other analog systems. I like the 996T but it doesn' have enough memory for all the local VIPER TGs. Did you find that enough reason to plop down $500 for the newer XT model?

Marshall, thanks for building the FreeScan Central NC file. I suspect it is perfect in every way and will blow me away. I hope to have enough smarts to understand how you set it up. Any other advice from the proud new owners? -- BC
 

RMPDCOP

Member
Database Admin
Joined
Feb 5, 2006
Messages
351
Location
Nashville, NC
How many of you around Raleigh have purchased the new 996XT and/or 396XT? My money is burning a hole in my pocket so now I think I am ready to take the plunge. I have 996T and a bunch of other analog systems. I like the 996T but it doesn' have enough memory for all the local VIPER TGs. Did you find that enough reason to plop down $500 for the newer XT model?

Marshall, thanks for building the FreeScan Central NC file. I suspect it is perfect in every way and will blow me away. I hope to have enough smarts to understand how you set it up. Any other advice from the proud new owners? -- BC

BC, I am not in the Raleigh area but I am in Nash County. I have both the 396XT and 996XT. Both radios are awesome when it comes to multi-site trunking like VIPER. You basically can put all of Viper under one Quick Key.
 

KE4ZNR

Radio Geek
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 21, 2002
Messages
7,254
Location
Raleigh, NC
How many of you around Raleigh have purchased the new 996XT and/or 396XT? My money is burning a hole in my pocket so now I think I am ready to take the plunge. I have 996T and a bunch of other analog systems. I like the 996T but it doesn' have enough memory for all the local VIPER TGs. Did you find that enough reason to plop down $500 for the newer XT model?

Marshall, thanks for building the FreeScan Central NC file. I suspect it is perfect in every way and will blow me away. I hope to have enough smarts to understand how you set it up. Any other advice from the proud new owners? -- BC

Hey Brian,
Hope all is well. I hope the 396XT/996XT turned out to receive ok in NC considering I beta tested both of them prior to release :D:lol:

I should have updated Freescan files uploaded to this post later this evening once I get home and can read the current ones out of my radios.
Check back later tonight or tomorrow for the latest and greatest.
Thanks for the kind words!
Happy Monitoring
Marshall KE4ZNR
 

BCasto

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
351
Location
Morrisville NC
Taking the plunge

Thanks guys for the input. I haven't got the new scanners yet but am eager to. Marshall, I looked at your spreadsheet and am impressed. On my 996T, I listen to Viper Wake 1 Site, search mode, control channel only and get everything but the kitchen sink. I have set up quick keys for individual organizations but for the most part just listen to Viper Site 1 in search mode. I assume I can do the same after using your wonderful spreadsheet. Also, you have a mix of digital, analog, trunked and non trunked in your file. Are you happy scanning across several types at the same time? Right now, I have my 996T for Viper. I have a Pro-2053 for Cary, a 780XLT for Durham (analog only), and a 9000XLT for RDU air ops. I find it simpler to use a different scanner for the different organizations but am limited by having only 1 digital capable scanner. I use UAID and TrunkStar780. Any other suggestions for me? I use multiple scanner antennas from RS in the attic. Should I get an 800Mhz specific antenna for Viper?
 
Last edited:

KE4ZNR

Radio Geek
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 21, 2002
Messages
7,254
Location
Raleigh, NC
Brian,

Bear with me as I will type out random nuggets of info as they come to mind based off of your post:

--I tend to base my scanner layout based off of what works for me.
Which means it probably will not make sense to everyone else :D
Some of the quick tips from my radios layouts:
As far as quick keys for sites:

----Raleigh PD------
Site Quick Keys 1-6 match up with the 6 Raleigh PD city districts.
So Site Quick Key 3 is Raleigh PD East District (3xx Units) while Site Quick Key 6 is Raleigh PD Southwest District (6xx Units).
You might notice that as it stands now that only the Division Tac 1 & Tac 2 are unlocked and scanning in each site. That is so I can quickly jump to those TGs in a system. If I need to monitor Raleigh PD Dispatch TGs I just tap System Quick Key Zero "0" which only brings up the 6 RPD Dispatch Talkgroups.
One of the great features of the Uniden XT Line of scanners is the "System Number/Channel Tagging" Feature. With it I can quickly recall any of the Raleigh PD LE OPS Talkgroups.
All I have to hit is "455.#+Menu" and I am sitting on the LE OPS TG.
Example: Shooting little bit ago in Southeast Ral. Traffic moved to LE OPS 5. I hit "455.5Menu" and I am hearing RPD on LE OPS 5.

----------PS TAC & FD OPS TGs----------------
This is where the System Number Tagging feature shines again.
I can pull back any PS TAC channel by hitting "99.# Menu".
So if I hear a Structure fire call on PS TAC 18 I hit "99.18 Menu".
Same with FD OPS except they are "98.# Menu"

--------My Monitoring Habits--------------------
These days I live in West Raleigh and work in Durham.

When at home I usually use about 6-8 scanners at any one time.

My most used digital radios would be my 396XT, 996XT, A not yet released digital/analog radio, and a Pro 96 that only monitors Raleigh PD Dispatch.

My 396XT is my go everywhere with me radio. While at home in Raleigh I use it to monitor a wide range of analog+digital.

While I am at work in Durham I use the 396XT to monitor analog+digital on the Durham system and I also use it to monitor the 2 Durham VIPER sites (Cole Mill Rd & Camden Ave).

My 996XT usually stays home and is used to monitor Federal on VIPER and a wide variety of other local trunked & non-trunked analog plus digital systems.

I also tether both the 396XT & 996XT to my laptop and use them as trunked system decoding radios with programs like Trunk88 & Unitrunker.

As far as antennas: In most parts of Wake Co I only use a rubber duck or telescoping antenna. VIPER coverage is good enough that unless you are really wanting to do DX, you can get by with rubber duck/telescoping.

I also usually carry a Yaesu VX5-R Ham Tri-Bander that is an excellent VHF/UHF receiver.

Hope this helps!
Marshall KE4ZNR
 

BCasto

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
351
Location
Morrisville NC
Take the plunge

Marshall, your method of organization is very cool. Thanks for explaining it. It reallly is a good wayt to listen to only what you want to when you wan to. Thanks a bunch. Those new scanners have great capabilities.
 

JohnDistai

Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Messages
129
Hi Marshall,

Thanks for uploading the file. I see that there are many frequencies that I probably can't get due to distance, so I'm trying to remove them from the file to improve scanner performance. I see that many frequency sets have a set of rows for quick keys, latitude and longitude, range, etc. When I see the quick key and other information, does it pertain to the block of data above it or below it?

If I remove blocks of information from the XLS file, how do I know where to start deleting rows and where to stop?

When I save the modified file, do I save it as an XLS file, or do I change the suffix to .996?

Thanks!
 

KE4ZNR

Radio Geek
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 21, 2002
Messages
7,254
Location
Raleigh, NC
John,
The excel "xls" file is just for reference only. The .996 file is what you actually open up in Freescan and modify. Then you just write the modified .996 file to your 396XT/996XT using Freescan and you are golden :)
Hope this helps!
Marshall KE4ZNR

Hi Marshall,

Thanks for uploading the file. I see that there are many frequencies that I probably can't get due to distance, so I'm trying to remove them from the file to improve scanner performance. I see that many frequency sets have a set of rows for quick keys, latitude and longitude, range, etc. When I see the quick key and other information, does it pertain to the block of data above it or below it?

If I remove blocks of information from the XLS file, how do I know where to start deleting rows and where to stop?

When I save the modified file, do I save it as an XLS file, or do I change the suffix to .996?

Thanks!
 

JohnDistai

Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Messages
129
Okay, so just to be explicit, I save the modified XLS file as a 996 file and upload that?

Also, those blocks with the quick key and range information - Do they go before the frequency set or after it? What happens if I delete the frequencies and leave quick key information? Does that crash Freescan?

Thanks!
 

bobilly214

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
46
Location
Alamance County
Alamance and surrounding

Scanner Type: 396 and 996 XT
Software Program: FreeScan
County or Area in NC covered in file: Alamance and Surrounding
Quick Key #
1=Viper System
2=Burlington System
3=Conventional VHF/UHF
4=Duke Energy
5=Guilford Fire
6=Guilford EMS
7=Guilford Sheriff
8=Greensboro PD

I also have files that dont go over the 200 talk group limit for non XT scanners if anyone is interested.
 

Attachments

  • Freescan Nov 8 2010.zip
    13.6 KB · Views: 205
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top