Uniden BCD 396XT help wthe a file

[baddogcaz]

I just recieved my Uniden BCD 396XT and have gone through some of it and have figured out how to program local fire departments that are just using frequencies and not trunking systems, but cannot seem to figure out how to program RCMP, EHS and other digital ID's. Does anybody out there have a file that covers all of Nova Scotia and my local area which would be Kentville/New Minas that covers RCMP for Nova Scotia EHS and others.
Thanks so much
(scanner dummy

 

[hfxChris]

Welcome to the forums!

Are you using any software to program your scanner, and if so which one? Freescan? Proscan? Or something else?

 

[baddogcaz]

yes I am using Freescan. I figured out how to put the frequencies in for our local fire departments and kentville police because they are not digital, but for the life of me I cant seem to understand how to program the digital part of it for the RCMP, EHS etc. I have used the 2 frequencies for the province wide repeater which is 860.23750 and the alternate which is 860.48750, so unless these are incorrect and I just dont understand how to do this correctly, but when I go in and do through the trunk tracking 2, I add these frequencies and then I add their ID code, but I know for a fact that it's not working because I had someone else here with a scanner which is totally different from the one I have and I thought I had this one programed with the RCMP, EHS etc, but as his radio was going off with the RCMP and EHS, my scanner was doing nothing. So this is why I have asked if someone out there had the hex file and they could have sent it to me and I could have loaded it and seen exactly how though freescan of what they entered and how they entered it because obviously im doing it incorrect.
thank you for your reply
darrin

 

[hfxChris]

What you're going to have to do is create a new trunked system in Freescan. Create it as a "Mot Type II/P25" system, and give it whatever name you want. Freescan will automatically create a site, which it calls Site 1 by default. Click on Site 1 and then click on the Trunk Frequencies tab, and enter the primary and alternate control channel frequencies of the nearest site, which in your case is the Blomidon site which as you said is 860.2375 (primary) and 860.4875 (alternate). Rename "Site 1" to something more meaningful, like Blomidon. Assign the site a System Quick Key (SQK) so you can turn it on and off using the keypad on your scanner.
Next you'll have to create groups for the talkgroups. Freescan has already created a group, called "TGID Group 1" by default (TGID = Talkgroup ID). In there you'll have to start talkgroup IDs from the database for whatever you want to listen to. Assign Group Quick Keys (GQKs) to the groups if you want to be able to turn them on and off using the keypad on your scanner. A common way to program would be to create separate groups for different agencies, so maybe a group for the RCMP, a group for EHS (Emergency Health Services), etc.
If you want to only listen to that which you've programmed, you will have to change the "ID Mode" from Search to Scan, which you can get to if you click on the system in the left hand column. If it's on Search mode, it will stop on all talkgroups, including those which you have not entered.

Now that that's out of the way, I've put together a no-frills Freescan config file, which is attached (you will need to unzip it)
It has a system created (called NS TMR), with a single site added (Blomidon).
Blomidon is assigned SQK 1
I have created 6 talkgroup groups:
RCMP (GQK 1)
EHS/Hospitals (GQK 2)
Fire (GQK 3)
NS-Misc (miscellaneous provincial talkgroups, GQK 4)
DNR (Department of Natural Resources, GQK 5)
DOT (Department of Transportation, GQK 6)

Have a look at it, see how it's programmed, and expand on it. You may want to add more groups, rearrange things, add some extra talkgroups, remove some of the ones I've added, etc. If you have any questions let me know.

 

[baddogcaz]

thank you so much for getting back to me, you dont know how much I appreciate this. the past several days have been driving me crazy trying to figure this out, and other than what I can see from the file I had a couple settings wrong, I was pretty close to it without me knowing, I so much appreciate your help. Thanks for the christmas present wish you a merry christmas and a happy new year, like I said thank you very much Chris, its greatly appreciated.
Darrin

 

[hfxChris]

Not a problem! The newer scanners definitely have a steep learning curve, I'm just glad that you're on the right track now!
Happy new year to you too!

 

[MIDTOWN]

Need help programming my new BCD996XT please!!!!!!

Hi Mr. hfxchris. I am a new member and I am having a similiar problem as another member (baddogcaz) had that you helped him with. I have a new Uniden BCD996XT and I am trying to program all the digital channels listed under the Aliant Trunked Mobile Radio System. I live in Pictou County and would like to hear all within this county and the surrounding counties of Antigonish and Colchester but have the whole province in my scanner with the option to listen as I travel frequently. I have downloaded the Freescan program although not familiar with it. I was going to try to download the file you sent baddogcaz into my freescan to see if I could get myself started somewhere but I could not open the file that needed to be unzipped? If you could send me a file similiar only with Pictou co. specs instead of Blomidon that a dummy like myself can open the I will give it all a shot! I'm new to Unidens and the digital world and would really appreciate the help from you or anyone who can. Thank You!!!!!!!!!

 

[hfxChris]

Hi MIDTOWN,
You should be able to open the file I sent, although you will need some sort of software to unzip it first, such as WinZip or WinRAR. The message board limits the sort of files you can attach, which includes Freescan files, however to get around that I put the file in a Zip archive, which is allowed.
If you can get that file opened, you can have a look at the way in which I created it for the Valley area, and then create a Freescan file appropriate for your part of the province. Give it a try.
Plus I'm on my way to bed, so I don't have the time right now to create a custom Pictou area file

Let me know how it goes.