Uniden BC785D

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ERADIO

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Just purchased one of these units on eBay without doing the proper research,can someone tell me if I could still program some p25 frequencies into this scanner and still listen to the frequencies even though it will no longer trunk?I’m looking to program some digital frequencies from the Little Rock area,any info would be greatly appreciated!
 

hiegtx

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Just purchased one of these units on eBay without doing the proper research,can someone tell me if I could still program some p25 frequencies into this scanner and still listen to the frequencies even though it will no longer trunk?I’m looking to program some digital frequencies from the Little Rock area,any info would be greatly appreciated!
As long as it has a functioning digital card, you could listen to conventional P25, though you cannot utilize the NAC codes (if any). It will not trunk track a P25 system, and cannot trunk track a rebanded system if custom tables are required.
 

03msc

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It might be a little useful but not really for AWIN or any of the newer stuff. But I think you knew that from the tone in your original message. Hopefully you got a good deal on it and it'll be useful to you in some way.
 

ERADIO

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Hey thanks for the comment! I do plan on keeping it although it may be of very limited use for AWIN. I really don’t know what they are worth but I paid $130 for it with the digital card on eBay.I just don’t know,if I did pay too much hopefully it wasn’t by much.But anyway thanks again for your comment I will most definitely hang on to it and use it for analog frequencies.
 

wbswetnam

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Hey thanks for the comment! I do plan on keeping it although it may be of very limited use for AWIN. I really don’t know what they are worth but I paid $130 for it with the digital card on eBay.I just don’t know,if I did pay too much hopefully it wasn’t by much.But anyway thanks again for your comment I will most definitely hang on to it and use it for analog frequencies.

You paid $130 for a twelve year old scanner? You paid way too much, I'm afraid. For only $5 more, you could have bought a Whistler 1065 digital scanner from Whistler's "Scratch and Dent" page, when they have some available: https://whistlergroup.com/collections/scratch-dent
 

ERADIO

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I was afraid of that,I’ll do my homework next time before I purchase another scanner.I will put it to good use though,I have already programmed some analog frequencies into it and have been listening to it these past few nights.Thanks for the comment and info my friend!
 

wbswetnam

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I was afraid of that,I’ll do my homework next time before I purchase another scanner.I will put it to good use though,I have already programmed some analog frequencies into it and have been listening to it these past few nights.Thanks for the comment and info my friend!

You're welcome. Keep in mind that AWIN (the statewide digital network used here in Arkansas) is undergoing a transition from P25 phase 1 to P25 phase 2. I suggest that if you buy another scanner, make sure that it is for both P25 phase 1 and 2. A new Uniden BCD325P2 costs about $350 new on Amazon. A better buy is the Whistler 1095, which includes DMR digital mode (for free, not a paid upgrade) which is commonly used in Arkansas, too. The Whistler 1095 runs about $330 to $350 on Amazon.
 

PMHEART6

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So you can't trunk track with digital on the bc785d?
What's the point of the card then?

I've been looking around was thinking about the Uniden BCD996P2 or Uniden BCD536HP HomePatrol (they are really piss poor about telling the difference between the two. I'd rather save $100. Ok wifi. And built in recording?

I then remembered I had the 785. And was going to use it, but today I noticed the mode in the system being d. I had it programed 10 years ago for edac. They are only p25 phase 1.

Kansas city.
 

PMHEART6

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P. S. Is there a model for the card? I'm not seeing one by putting in bc785d
 

W8RMH

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Digital conventional was just starting when that scanner came out. There was no P25 trunking yet.

The BCD996P2 is based on the old BCD996T. The 536 is a HP scanner, which has the entire database on a SD card.
 

hiegtx

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P. S. Is there a model for the card? I'm not seeing one by putting in bc785d
BCi25D is the card. Quick search only found this one listing.

Even with the card, the 785D is only going to work for conventional P25 frequencies, but no provision to enter the NAC. The scanner cannot handle some rebanded Motorola trunked systems, unless the frequencies hit a very specific pattern. Also, it cannot trunk track a P25 Phase I trunked system (even with the card) as it cannot decode the control channel. I have the handheld model of the 785D, a BC250D, with the card. Gathering dust right now, as most local systems in my area are formats the 250 cannot handle.
 

wbswetnam

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Digital conventional was just starting when that scanner came out. There was no P25 trunking yet.

Florida had a statewide P25 trunked digital system as early as 1996. The BC785D came out in 2003, I think, just as Florida changed over from its P25 system to encrypted ProVoice. I remember how disappointed I was when I bought a Radio Shack Pro-96 when it first came out, only to find out that I STILL couldn't monitor the Florida Highway Patrol.
 

UPMan

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I believe (but could be mistaken) that that system was a P16 system with some digital (P25) voice channels. Been a couple of decades, though.
 

INDY72

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Correct. The BC785D will not do true P25 trunking as it can not decode 9600 BPS baud Control Channel data.
 
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