Uniden Bearcat BCD996XT Scanner

[JimBobTerp]

Hi
I have a question for anyone that has already bought this scanner yet I know it is almost $500.00 but it is a good scanner Uniden Bearcat BCD996XT http://www.scannermaster.com/Uniden_Bearcat_BCD996TX_Police_Scanner_Radio_p/10-501360.htm cause it will Monitor the New Frequencies for the City of Bethlehem. So I wanted to know if it is easy to program anything in the scanner. I am getting one for X-Mas I got it in the mail yesterday. I just wanted to know if someone that owns this and already Monitoring the City Of Bethlehem and if it was easy to program the new frequencies in the radio. I can not wait to get my working. I have good things that is good good scanner.

Thanks

 

[brusso99]

i own this unit and its not easy at all to work it.. what country and state is behlehem in, i might beable to send you a file for freescan which is the free programming software.. this unit has useless instructions.

 

[sjlamb]

Exceptional choice. I've had one since they first came out and found it quite easy to learn to program and use. I would, however, recommend that before you actually get your hands on your new radio, that you download the free programming software from: ScanNow.org - The Home of FreeSCAN!

Then get yourself a premium membership to this site and go to the Database section and with the FreeScan Software, download these two frequency files:

Bethlehem Public Service Radio: Bethlehem Public Safety Trunking System, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania - Scanner Frequencies

Northampton County: Northampton County, Pennsylvania (PA) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

After your 99XT has been opened and setup, load the above frequency files into FreeScan and from there, upload to the scanner

Getting familiar with the FreeScan software and how to download from the RR database ahead of time will make programming and learning to use your new 996XT infinitely easier. The programming and use of the most current crop of scanners is quite different than with older models. These units are feature rich and have a noteable learning curve to get the most out of them. Most new buyers seem to master the basics in the first week or so of taking delivery. After a few weeks of use, most report that the unit becomes very intuitive for them and is the best scanner they've ever used.

You may also want to check out the PA section of this forum for more local advice and suggestions: http://forums.radioreference.com/pennsylvania-radio-discussion-forum/

 

[brusso99]

Here you go..

I made the file for your location to save you tons of headache and you dont have to pay for anything to get started..

1. Download Freescan, ScanNow.org - The Home of FreeSCAN!

2. Download the file i attached and unzip it..

3. Connect your scanner to the computer and set freescan to the port your scanner is on

4. open the .996 file i sent and then send it to your scanner, make sure you uncheck send scanner settings.

5. turn on / off what you want to hear as follows

press scan

press the number only on the keypad of the scanner

1 for Beth public system
2 north hp country
3 lehigh univ
4 for industral com
5 casino

if you want to hear just a group in a system like fire in the beth public system

make all systems off buy pressing the key number for that system till it says nothing to scan

press 1 for beth public

press function key (press knob in)

press 2 then 3 then 4 to turn off the other groups

dont forget to press the function key 2 then 3 then 4 to turn them back on, else you will not hear them again..

Thanks
Brett

 

[Robert721]

I guess I will try freescan also. I have Proscan but I am having a heck of a time programing Harris County(Texas). There is a Motorola system and a Motorola P-25 system on line. They are regional and multisite. Multiple counties and cities on both systems.

 

[JimBobTerp]

thanks for all the help but one more thing to I need to download this program I already have this cable Uniden USB Cable or do I need to download load it from ScanNow.org - The Home of FreeSCAN! and where u scroll down to where it says Drivers vista-prolific-chip-driver-for-serial-adapters.zip (1.8MB) also u think I will be able to pick up the Casino from my house in Palmer Twp also what frequencies do y have listed in Lehigh U or is that just the ID's ? also what is industral com ??? can u explain that to me? I will try to use your zip file but may i want to do it myself. So I hope u can give me a little bit more help again

James

 

[brusso99]

before you connect the usb cable you have to install the drivers. Download the Drivers right from the link you just posted..

Uniden USB Cable

Then connect the cable once you have installed.

All the frequencies in the freescan file i gave you are from the database for your area.

Northampton County, Pennsylvania (PA) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

you will see the trunk systems from that list at the bottom. I dont live in the area so i dont know what you will or will not get from your location.

 

[wobblyone]

hi
i have a question for anyone that has already bought this scanner yet i know it is almost $500.00 but it is a good scanner uniden bearcat bcd996xt Uniden Bearcat BCD996XT Police Scanner Radio cause it will monitor the new frequencies for the city of bethlehem. So i wanted to know if it is easy to program anything in the scanner. I am getting one for x-mas i got it in the mail yesterday. I just wanted to know if someone that owns this and already monitoring the city of bethlehem and if it was easy to program the new frequencies in the radio. I can not wait to get my working. I have good things that is good good scanner.

Thanks

i bought a bearcat bcd996xt in less than 3 months it was broke. Now i'm not so
sure it was a good scanner to buy.

 

[kb8rvp]

i bought a bearcat bcd996xt in less than 3 months it was broke. Now i'm not so
sure it was a good scanner to buy.

So what is broke. The scanner has a 1 year warranty and Uniden has a service department. I have the 396XT and 996XT and have had them running every day for a year no issues.

Mike

 

[KE4ZNR]

i bought a bearcat bcd996xt in less than 3 months it was broke. Now i'm not so
sure it was a good scanner to buy.

So you decide to bump an almost 2 year old thread to complain?
As another forum member asked what does "broke" mean?
What part of the radio is no longer working?
And what caused said part of radio to quit working?
Inquiring minds want to know....
Marshall KE4ZNR

 

[Jasper22011]

HI,
I am new to this BCD396XT, by Uniden, and would like to attempt to program my local area by hand I just cannot afford to spend several dollars for the usb, the scan software, and really want to become familliar with how to set up my scanner, the CD that came with it gives fair to veague instructions on how to do this....
would anyone know if there is a video or easy to interporate instructions on how to programm this scanner by hand?????