Uniden BCD996P2 Questions

[delitrium]

Hello! Sorry if the solution for this has been previously posted. I searched and did not find anything. Here's my issue:

I bought a BCD996P2 in 2016 and never used it. Recently found it, updated the firmware, got a subscription to RadioReference and started using FreeScan. Everything so far seems good.

I downloaded the freqs for the areas where I am most likely to be (Williamson County, Texas (TX) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference)

I have attached my FreeScan file to this post. I have attached an overview pic of my FreeScan screen.

At this time, I am only picking up traffic on one fire department dispatch frequency, and unable to pick up anything else on any other channel. (See RRFD.jpg attached). On very rare occasion it seems like it gets a hit on the RRPD stuff, but only for a second and no audio comes out.

I will note that my area uses the Greater Austin/Travis Regional Radio System (GATRRS). I know I am trying to scan some systems on that network that are closest to me.

Can someone let me know what I don't know? Am I missing something? Please let me know if I can provide any additional information. Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to provide.

 

[Sanscanman]

Hello and welcome to the group. There is nothing wrong with your scanner. you are just trying to monitor the one county on GAATRS, that the majority of users have chosen to enable encryption. Almost all Law enforcement Talk groups and Certain Fire Tac or EMS dispatch or tactical are encrypted communications and no scanner will allow you to listen to them.

 

[hiegtx]

Hello! Sorry if the solution for this has been previously posted. I searched and did not find anything. Here's my issue:

I bought a BCD996P2 in 2016 and never used it. Recently found it, updated the firmware, got a subscription to RadioReference and started using FreeScan. Everything so far seems good.

I downloaded the freqs for the areas where I am most likely to be (Williamson County, Texas (TX) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference)

I have attached my FreeScan file to this post. I have attached an overview pic of my FreeScan screen.

At this time, I am only picking up traffic on one fire department dispatch frequency, and unable to pick up anything else on any other channel. (See RRFD.jpg attached). On very rare occasion it seems like it gets a hit on the RRPD stuff, but only for a second and no audio comes out.

I will note that my area uses the Greater Austin/Travis Regional Radio System (GATRRS). I know I am trying to scan some systems on that network that are closest to me.

Can someone let me know what I don't know? Am I missing something? Please let me know if I can provide any additional information. Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to provide.

Being in Williamson County, your biggest issue is that virtually all of the law enforcement agencies are encrypted. (Sanscanman typed faster )


The capital E in the mode column indicates indicates that encryption is used full time. If, instead, there was a lower case e, that would signify that while encryption may be used, it is not used all the time. Uniden scanners are designed to skip encrypted transmissions, since they can't decode that radio traffic. Occasionally, you might see the scanner briefly pause on a talkgroup, such as Round Rock, before recognizing that encryption is in use, and the scanner moves on.

Note that while FreeSCAN imported the data as Mot Type II/P25, it really should be set as P25 Standard (Digital XT). That will not make a difference as to whether you hear any of the encrypted signals, but that is the correct setting for your 996P2. (The setting of Mot Type II/P25 was correct for the much older 396T, but the XT & P2 series scanners use the P25/digital XT setting.)

Looking at your file, I see you have a number of groups locked out. I presume that Putnam County may be a previous location for you. It does not hurt to leave it in, but locked out, but unless you plan to return to that area, on a visit, & want to retain the programming, I would simply delete it.

You have Austin PD & FD, as well as Travis County, in your first system, but unless one of those elements was in your county on official business, you would not hear them on the Williamson County site. Yes, you have them set as locked out, but there's no real advantage to having them included.

The Williamson County site is Simulcast, which can be an issue in itself. Here's a map pf the sites.


If you are very close to the site near Round Rock, you might not have a problem.

Since Round Rock PD, along with the other law enforcement agencies in Williamson County, are encrypted, you may want to add some of the Travis County agencies near you, in case they also respond to an incident in your part of the county. I would also suggest adding the TX DPS talkgroups, as well as the regional interop TGIDs. Should there be another severe weather event, such as last week's tornado near Salado, you might hear traffic on the interops, which almost certainly will be in the clear. Should you decide to add the interops, or some of the nearby Travis County cities, be sure to include one or more of their sites.

 

[delitrium]

Thank you both for the reply. Encryption was what I was afraid of.

I am on the county line between Williamson and Travis ... but the same symptoms (encryption) is impacting me.

I do go back and forth between here and Putnam (in Tennessee) and the next time I am back there, I will test that out.

I will continue to play around with this, but thanks again for the info. I appreciate it.

 

[delitrium]

My last question - If the letter "E" in the mode column means "encrypted", should I be able to hear those on the same GATRRS system if they have a "D" only in that column? I have not been successful thus far. Thanks for the help.

 

[hiegtx]

My last question - If the letter "E" in the mode column means "encrypted", should I be able to hear those on the same GATRRS system if they have a "D" only in that column? I have not been successful thus far. Thanks for the help.

If a talk group is labeled with only a D, then it has not been reported as encrypted and you would be able to monitor it. There are a number of unencrypted talk groups on GATRRS, so as long as you have the appropriate site programmed you should be able to listen.