What is all this talk about "REBANDING" ???

[k2ns]

I am trying to make up my mind on buying a new scanner, and I see posts about "rebanding", and how some scanners are unable to be reprogrammed for this. What exactly is being rebanded ??? Who is moving where ??? I am interested in buying a Uniden BCD996T, but I read somewhere that it cannot be rebanded.


RON

 

[rdale]

Did you read the Wiki?

 

[ka3jjz]

The 996 will be supported, but just how that support will be delivered is yet to be determined.

As rdale implied, our wiki has an excellent article on the subject of rebanding here (anything in blue and/or underlined is a link)

http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Rebanding

73 Mike

 

[AB4BF]

Re: Rebanding

KA2IIA, Rebanding means the FCC has moved frequencies especially in the 800MHZ area to inhibit interference and crosstalk on closely banded frequencies (my take on it). Since the cellular companies have all gone digital and I'm guessing they also moved from the 800MHZ band to somewhere else, the FCC has "rebanded" the 800MHZ band to increase the availability of frequencies for public service. In other words, we got more frequencies to listen to on our scanners.
As for a Uniden Bearcat Digital 996 Trunking, yep, its rebandable, programmable and reprogrammable if the FCC should ever change things again. I love mine and I am going to purchase a GRE PRS 500 portable in the near future for to take with me on my travels. Give the RR Wiki a very good read and see what you might need. Remember a digital is going to cost at least $200 more than analog.
Happy Scanning!
Barry

 

[RKG]

Here is the real short version:

For whatever reasons, the frequencies available for public safety 800 MHz trunked use are being changed. Everything above 866 MHz is gone; some channels are added in the 851-854 range, and the balance of the "old" 851-861 range remains the same.

Issue is not the freqs per se, but rather how the trunked system identifies to radios in the field what channel to switch to. This is done by system that relates a "channel number" to a specific frequency. This relationship is coded into the firmware of subscriber radios (be they Motorola portables or consumer-type scanners.)

Under the "old" system, there were no "channel numbers" assigned to the new 851-854 freqs. As a result, you need to be able to change the "channel number" tables in a radio's firmware if any system you want to work will change to one of the "new" 851-854 frequencies, which generally means anyone who had an 866 or 867 voice channel before rebanding.

 

[zz0468]

To the OP: Rather than read a bunch of poorly informed posts here, with each individuals "take on it", read the wiki here for a good overview, and then check out http://www.800ta.org/ to hear it from the horses mouth. Then you will understand what rebanding is about. THEN... come back here and see what people recommend for a scanner.

 

[AB4BF]

Rebanding

Quote: Under the "old" system, there were no "channel numbers" assigned to the new 851-854 freqs. As a result, you need to be able to change the "channel number" tables in a radio's firmware if any system you want to work will change to one of the "new" 851-854 frequencies, which generally means anyone who had an 866 or 867 voice channel before rebanding.

I gotta ask: how did the old system number the freqs if not by channel number? What other way did it use or were the actual frequencies used as channel numbers? It was my understanding that the change came about from public service interfering with cellular and vice versa. I guess I'm confused, now.
Barry

 

[AB4BF]

Rebanding

FCC Provides Additional Guidance Regarding Waivers

On Tuesday, June 17, 2009, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released orders that addresses the interim and standard requests for waiver of the June 26, 2008 deadline. Please contact the TA if you have any questions.

Cue Twilight Zone music. I've lost a year somewhere.

 

[slicerwizard]

I gotta ask: how did the old system number the freqs if not by channel number? What other way did it use or were the actual frequencies used as channel numbers?

Rebanded Motorola systems use 12.5 kHz steps between 851 and 854 MHz. The standard and splinter systems that they replace used 25 kHz steps; you don't assign numbers to frequencies you don't use.

http://home.ica.net/~phoenix/wap/TRUNK88/Motorola Channel Numbers.txt