Uniden "New" BCT8 Scanner question

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215ax

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Oct 12, 2006
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I have just purchased a new BCT8 trunk scanner and am having a prolem getting it to "id" scan... I have all the programming done, but it seems it doesn't want to scan the control frequencies only in CC Only mode. I can get the thing to scan but will not go into the "id" scan mode. It says that all you have to do is press the PVT button when in trunk mode, but it doesan't seem to help..,. Is signal strengh a reason??? as I read the manual a hundred times already :>( ..
thanks

Paul
PEI, Canada
 

okccsi

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I have had this problem as well, but instead chose to use my 785D for ID scan mode and normal trunk mode for the BCT8.

I would like to hear a good response on this one.

OKC CSI
 

215ax

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BCT8 id problem

Strange thing is that I had the friggin thing working for a bit then accidentialls hit "a button" on the scanner and it stopped, but no idea what I did.. cant get it back..I am pretty sure that everything is programmed properly and it scans ok but no "id" scan message on the display like there should be.
Paul
 

duckbird

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215ax said:
I have just purchased a new BCT8 trunk scanner and am having a prolem getting it to "id" scan... I have all the programming done, but it seems it doesn't want to scan the control frequencies only in CC Only mode. I can get the thing to scan but will not go into the "id" scan mode. It says that all you have to do is press the PVT button when in trunk mode, but it doesan't seem to help..,. Is signal strengh a reason??? as I read the manual a hundred times already :>( ..
thanks

Paul
PEI, Canada

Try this
1. Press and the trunk button for 2secs
2. Press the Bank number then press E
3. Using the up arrow, go to #4 OFF ON and press E
4. You should now see OFF or ON. IF you see OFF, press 4
5. Turn the radio off then back on again

Note: Make sure the scanner is in Trunking Mode
In the upper left hand area of the scanner, you should see
Trunk M
PVT
 

215ax

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Oct 12, 2006
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Bct8

OK, this scanner is going to drive me crazy. If someone would be so kind as to reply to this with the "exact" procedute for setting up a bank I would be forever grateful..
I have tried to do it this way.
1. Press the Trunk button and select the bank you want to choose
2.Select the trunk type ( mine is Type 1)
3 Enter the control frequenceis in the bank.
4 Tell the scanner to scan only the COntrol Frequencies with Plan1
5 Program in the Trunk Groups
6 Set up the fleet map
Make sure you are in trunk mode and press PVR
It says in the book that the squelch setting is critical and should be half way

I think that's about it..but the thing reacts differently and seems slow to pick up the id scan on the display when scanning. I realize that signal strength is more important in trunk tracking than in conventional scanning but if I have a poor signal i will not see the "id" in the scanning mode.
Please help
Thanks!!!!!!!!
Paul g
Canada
 

Tweekerbob

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Here are two things you can try:

1. Ensure you have the correct Fleetmap programmed in.

2. Signal strength. Yes, it is necessary to have a good signal coming in. You can hit TRUNK so that "TRUNK" disappears from the display. Scroll through the channels so that you can hear the control channel for yourself and judge the strength of the signal. If it's cutting in and out, try lowering the squelch just a bit and see if that helps. Take the BCT-8 mobile and travel closer to the system (or site) of interest to see if that makes a marked difference.

3?? Did you program in the correct TalkGroup IDs?? Maybe try search mode...

Ryan
 

okccsi

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I remember now what I did to fix it. Well, I don't but I will explain. I had hit a button, and screwed up all that ID crap. I remember reading the manual online and finding a solution in the "list" function. Something along those lines is where I found the fix.

Sorry for the vagueness.

OKC CSI
 

215ax

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Oct 12, 2006
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Programming trunk

Thanks for the replies;

I took the advice of going mobile here and went to the local airport ( one of the highest areas around here) and was able to receive EMS trunking channels in Control Channel mode. IT seems that the signal strenght in the trunking system is weaker than in the other channels that I am used to listening to as most of the Police here are on the 406. area. Does anyone have a recommendation for a outside antenna that maybe I can gain some reception with. I am still a little bit confused when viewing the display as even thought I leave trunking mode and lock out a bank, when I go back to trunking mode the bank # still shows up in the display. S L O W L Y I think I am getting to the problem that I am having. Also in the manual it says that squech settings are "critical" for trunk tracking. Are they referring to having it set too high or too low as they recommend it right in the center and I would normally just set it to so that it would scan without stopping on the strongest signal..
Anyway.. thanks again
Paul
 

sacscan

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Sep 17, 2005
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Sacramento, CA
I have found that once you are done programming and the scanner has acquired the control channel, you need to press 'SRCH' to get it to scan only the ID's programmed into scanlists. The scanner starts out in ID Search mode after programming.

Pressing 'SRCH' toggles between ID Search and ID Scan.
 
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