Uniden Bearcat BCD996P2(Brand New) Manufactured In 2023

[tvengr]

And yes, P25 Threshold. I have it at (8) now, from AUTO mode. What happens as you drop it bellow (8) to (7) or (6), etc. ?

I would try setting it to manual and adjust the threshold for minimum decode errors. The best setting will vary from system to system and site to site. I recently worked with someone who found the best setting was 5 for his system.

 

[tvengr]

How are you setting P25 Threshold? If you are doing that in the sites in FreeSCAN, that doesn't work. The APCO Mode settings in FreeSCAN are a holdover from the 396T and 996T scanners where you could set the threshold in each site. That was done away with in the XT and P2 scanners. There is now only one setting for the entire scanner. You need to select that in the scanner menu under Settings. If you press the function knob and then the volume knob, you will be able to view the error rate. You should hold on one of the busy talkgroups.

 

[Bob1955]

How are you setting P25 Threshold? If you are doing that in the sites in FreeSCAN, that doesn't work. The APCO Mode settings in FreeSCAN are a holdover from the 396T and 996T scanners where you could set the threshold in each site. That was done away with in the XT and P2 scanners. There is now only one setting for the entire scanner. You need to select that in the scanner menu under Settings. If you press the function knob and then the volume knob, you will be able to view the error rate. You should hold on one of the busy talkgroups.

Hi tvengr- Thanks for reaching back out to me and happy Easter Sunday to you and your family.
I set the P25 Threshold in the menu under settings, so I have done that already. And I have also pushed the function knob and then the volume knob too before. Also, my scanner was done by a radio expert in Maryland remotely on AnyDesk.
Honestly, I just prefer my Uniden Bearcat BC365CRS much better, simple and easy to jump from one frequency to another and I just go on Broadcastify for P25 Westchester County Department Of Emergency Service are on that system and my Eastchester Fire District is analog on 453.675 for operations and 154.340 for tone out. Most big cities here in my county for fire are analog.
I am also with Breaking News Network based out of Midland Park, NJ too. I cover Westchester County, NY for them. The media pays us to get all major stories such as fires, auto accidents, airplane crashes, ect. So, it's free to me and it's on my Apple iPhone 14 PRO MAX.
I am aware that Baltimore County, MD is all P25, correct?

Bob

 

[seagravebuff60]

Thank you, Ronaldski and "seagravebuff", I'm sure you are a "Paid" firefighter and probably dislike volunteers (I'm New York State Exempt) and, I'll IGNORE your "dislike".

Well, I don't know what to say here without getting banned, but I'll say this.

You are DEAD wrong about me being a "paid firefighter who probably dislikes volleys". I have nothing but respect for all firefighters, regardless of whether they get a paycheck or not. I suggest you keep your remaining thoughts of who you think I am to yourself.

PS: It's not a "$389.99 piece of garbage." I should know, as I have five of them. I don't listen to P25 simulcast systems with them. And i will continue to buy uniden products.

 

[tvengr]

I am aware that Baltimore County, MD is all P25, correct?

That is correct! P25 Phase 1 simulcast. The Uniden SDS100/SDS200 scanners and Unication G4/G5 pagers are the only radios which will work at my home location due to simulcast distortion. I have similar simulcast problems in Harford County.

 

[seagravebuff60]

It struggles with P25 and yet I realize mostly everything is simulcasted here however, the METRO-25/MTA MRRS system on 700-800 MHz works perfectly EXCEPT Yorktown Police (just put in last night), instead of a GRP saying "3", and everything else has GRP 1-9. It just shows a star-what does that mean as Yorktown does not pick up at all.

You won't pick up Yorktown PD unless they affiliate with Zone 3 (Southern Westchester), which, for the most part, they don't.

 

[62Truck]

@Bob1955 if its showing a "*" that means you have that group off.

 

[K2KOH]

You won't pick up Yorktown PD unless they affiliate with Zone 3 (Southern Westchester), which, for the most part, they don't.

Actually, I’m in Putnam and I get YPD on Zone 2. Yorktown is closer to the Putnam simulcast.

 

[seagravebuff60]

Actually, I’m in Putnam and I get YPD on Zone 2. Yorktown is closer to the Putnam simulcast.

Yes, they are primarily on Zone 2. Zone 2 has subsites in both Putnam and Northern Westchester. They added an additional subsite in northern Yorktown for PD a week prior to when they switched and coverage has improved

 

[Bob1955]

There was someone in Connecticut who had the same issues last year with newer 996P2s. Sitting sided by side with an older one of the same model, the newer ones would not receive the same. Perhaps hardware changed during the Covid days?
I vaguely recall some FCC submissions for parts changes several years ago. Not sure if the 996P2 was involved

Just wanted to share some information on above model:
Either Uniden America Corporations quality has gone downhill or something else as I have FreeScan set up professionally in the above scanner and I can receive everything better on Broadcastify versus this $389.99 piece of garbage. I took the digital squelch threshold off "Auto" and moved it to "8". I'm using all quick keys and have everything in here from conventional analog, digital conventional, trunking on Westchester County Department of Emergency Services, METRO-25/MMRS system for my villages of Eastchester/Bronxville/Tuckahoe which works great, all other digital is worse than models manufactured in 2019. This is NOT good for ANY digital frequiences in Westchester County EXCEPT METRO-25/MMRS. I guess I need to purchase a SDS200 and send this back to the place of purchase.
Any help would be appreciated.
Happy Easter Sunday to all Radioreference.Com members.

Stay Safe,
Bob (KB2GQK)

It's all worked out and everything works 100% on Metro-25/MTA MRRS (Yorktown Police too) and guess what "seagravebuff60, I figured it all out myself.
I'm SMARTER than you think. Ha Ha

 

[tvengr]

It's all worked out and everything works 100% on Metro-25/MTA MRRS (Yorktown Police too) and guess what "seagravebuff60, I figured it all out myself.
I'm SMARTER than you think. Ha Ha

What was the solution?

 

[buddrousa]

So you will not share the solution?

 

[cg]

Maybe the solution was buying a SDS200?...

 

[Bob1955]

You won't pick up Yorktown PD unless they affiliate with Zone 3 (Southern Westchester), which, for the most part, they don't.

good morning, seagravebuff60-finally get rid of all of our heavy rain/thunderstorms last evening. Tons of work for Breaking News Network..tired of typing. lol
Everything is working 100% now and zone 3 (Southern Westchester) control frequencies had already programmed in previously.
What make it work MUCH better was the P25 Digital Squelch Threshold hold setting.

 

[Bob1955]

Maybe the solution was buying a SDS200?...

No, not needed cg.
Have a nice Thursday and tomorrow, T.G.I.F.

 

[Bob1955]

So you will not share the solution?

buddrousa- The solution was adjusting the P25 Digital Squelch Threshold.
I knew it had to receive Yorktown Police/TAC as my locals here: Eastchester/Bronxville/Tuckahoe 100% along with Harrison/Rye/Rye Brook/Port Chester Police are 100% with the BCD996P2.
Thanks guys and MUCH appreciated.
Have a great Thursday and upcoming weekend and hopefully, our region can get back together from yesterday mass destruction all over Lower Westchester County, NY as all I'm hearing right now are chain saws outside.

 

[BrianLoch]

So the issue is here you are trying to monitor simulcast systems in which it is well known that anything other then the SDS series or a unication will not always work with simulcast systems.

At the end of the day you bought the wrong tool for the job you're trying to do.

YMMV
I work for a center that uses a simulcast 800 P2 TDMA. Several of us use the 996P2. I purchased mine last month to replace my SDS-100. They work just as well for us and cost less. I was one of the SDS-100 fanboys and was deeply disappointed. I'm by no means saying there aren't issues anywhere else, just not here. I've even got an HP2 working with enough success to be usable approximately 90%. The HP2 works best with one CC programmed. Using the "hidden" menu to monitor error rate was pretty good for this particular model. However, YMMV. In the end it's trial and error. Our system is also tied in with 8 other counties for interoperability, with one using VHF. I wouldn't try to monitor distanced systems although. We have APX's and Unications for that.

 

[Bob1955]

Here is a FreeSCAN programming file for the Westchester County trunked system for you to try. Save the attached zipped file to your computer and extract. Open the extracted file with FreeSCAN and Upload Programming. You can try the P25 Threshold adjustment for your local area. Quick keys as follows:

WestchesterCo NY
SYSTEM QUICK KEYS:
1. Westchestr North (Site)
2. Westchestr South (Site)
GROUP QUICK KEYS:
1. WestCo Interop
2. WestCo Trunk Ops
3. WestCo Emerg Ops
4. WestCo Fire/EMS
5. WestCo Police
6. WestCo DOT/LLT

tvengr- I appreicate you but already have this in my computer in FreeScan from Dan Bowman, Uniden Bearcat Scanner Group on Facebook.
Us police/fire all stick together and I'm news media too.
Have a blessed Tuesday, buddy.

Bob (KB2GQK)

 

[Bob1955]

Here is a FreeSCAN programming file for the Westchester County trunked system for you to try. Save the attached zipped file to your computer and extract. Open the extracted file with FreeSCAN and Upload Programming. You can try the P25 Threshold adjustment for your local area. Quick keys as follows:

WestchesterCo NY
SYSTEM QUICK KEYS:
1. Westchestr North (Site)
2. Westchestr South (Site)
GROUP QUICK KEYS:
1. WestCo Interop
2. WestCo Trunk Ops
3. WestCo Emerg Ops
4. WestCo Fire/EMS
5. WestCo Police
6. WestCo DOT/LLT

tvengr- I have been playing around with the P25 Digital Thereshold adjustment but this new WCDES P25 system is a joke.

 

[Bob1955]

So in other words you're saying you have a 996p2 manufactured in 2019 and are able to bring in what the 2023 model struggles with?

Yes!