396XT

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K8JGG

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Mar 9, 2013
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MI
Bought this new scanner and it is so over my knowledge. Just can't wrap my head around it. Almost did not want to post this message as many people have posted note about new people asking questions.

I have my new 396XT and I just want to program my state instead of the ALASKA that comes up. I would be happy with just starting there. I was able to program WX. I have read over the Easier to read manual and it is still way too much to process.

I disabled and it took me over 4 months to save for this unit, and I don't expect someone else to do my homework, I can use google and read, but I'm feel so lost. And frustrated.

I think I read on here that I should get a radio reference membership too?

Any comments would be appreciated. And how did you overcome this complicated mess.

John
 

mainetrunk

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Joined
May 29, 2011
Messages
1,564
Location
York county Me.
I just learned as I went-mistake after mistake, programming 800/935 mhz trunk systems, Never did a vhf trunk system before. To have a constant running freq, program a conventional system/ freq. Leave the Scanlist option be. If it runs on -.- for a startup key, after that put conv,or trunk systems in a scanlins from 1--99...You got 10 subbanks per scanlist..Best of luck
 

Blackink

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Nov 30, 2012
Messages
1,112
Location
Central Vermont
Bought this new scanner and it is so over my knowledge. Just can't wrap my head around it. Almost did not want to post this message as many people have posted note about new people asking questions.

You can try posting your questions here, in this forum> New User / Getting Started Forum. "The place for new users to discuss how to get started, and generally feel safe from the rest of the rabid technical community. If you just got your first scanner, this forum is for you."

Welcome to RadioReference.com and good luck with your scanner.

p.s. Don't be afraid to ask questions. That's what these forums are for.
 

kma371

QRT
Joined
Feb 20, 2001
Messages
6,204
Bought this new scanner and it is so over my knowledge. Just can't wrap my head around it. Almost did not want to post this message as many people have posted note about new people asking questions.

I have my new 396XT and I just want to program my state instead of the ALASKA that comes up. I would be happy with just starting there. I was able to program WX. I have read over the Easier to read manual and it is still way too much to process.

I disabled and it took me over 4 months to save for this unit, and I don't expect someone else to do my homework, I can use google and read, but I'm feel so lost. And frustrated.

I think I read on here that I should get a radio reference membership too?

Any comments would be appreciated. And how did you overcome this complicated mess.

John

Best bet is to download Freescan software (its free) and pay for the premium membership here.

that way all you would need to do is run the software, download the programming you want from the database here, then send it to your scanner. done. thats it.
 

K8JGG

Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2013
Messages
8
Location
MI
Ok

I have download the free scan already and got it to work on my laptop. My little 266 mhz with xp and free scan works, so now I guess it is time to get the membership and go from there. Thanks for the help.
John
 

K8LEA

Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2013
Messages
113
Location
Youngstown, OH
John:

Definitely Freescan or ProScan (I like the latter, but it ain't free). And the Radio Reference subscription.

When you select the systems in your area, INCLUDE the ones that you don't care about but are shared with the systems you do want to listen to. Locally, my Township's PD is sharing with another PD, their FD, and a major league Municipal Park. Then, after downloading the stuff into your program, manually lock out the stuff you don't want to listen to.

Then upload it to the radio, and hang on!

(You have to tell the radio to accept programming and what speed, from the port, and the program what COM port to use, and what speed. I think the 396 will just about handle anything available.)

Note, too, that you need a COM port on your PC to "talk" to the 396. Not everybody's got one anymore. There's supposedly a new programming cable available that uses USB, but RS's 26-183 seems to work well as a USB to Serial adapter for me, at least. Software - bet you haven't got a 3.5" disket reader either - is at RadioShack.com.

After that, then just play with it....

Regards,
 

K8JGG

Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2013
Messages
8
Location
MI
Yes I'm as new as the day is young on here. But thank you for all the reply's It has given me a boost to move ahead.
 

K8JGG

Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2013
Messages
8
Location
MI
Thanks to all who wrote

I have the cable and freescan loaded on my computer now It is on to the membership.

I will be getting someone to buy it once I hand them the money. thx
 
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
227
Location
London, Ontario, Canada
John

my email address is in my signature below, if you can email me your phone number i can have you scanning all the good stuff within the hour and give you some entertainment even before you get someone to buy your membership

steve
 

mvravr

Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2013
Messages
17
Location
Boston, MA
I was where you are three weeks ago. Freescan and the membership here did the trick. Once you transfer the data to the scanner, you are good to go. Press 'scan' and the machine does everything for you. Press hold. While it is scanning and then turn the knob to move up or down one frequency at a time.
 

noaim

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Aug 9, 2012
Messages
483
Location
Milwaukee, WI
Thanks to my new friend that got me started. It works...

Just wanted to say these scanners are nuts and pretty complicated I have had e 996xt for a while now and still don't know how to manually program it! The great thing is that a radio reference subscription is cheap and the software lets you load it right up! I still am learning new things here and there but listening is all set up and the software makes it easy. People on this forum can be mean once in a while but don't lt it steer you away from asking there is plenty of nice people on here that help out!


Sent from my iPad 4 using Tapatalk HD
 

N9NRA

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
Messages
857
I also got me a `396XT this year at Dayton, really love this unit :), HOWEVER, here`s some caveats, one, the radioreference service ya use with Freescan for some odd reason won`t (at least in my early experiments) support programming NAC codes, i could only get it to load PL and DCS (DPL) settings, intresting. Second, (again, in freescan anyways :)), the software seems to always wanna think i`m in the UK for some weird reason and it dosen`t seem to support saving your actual location (in this case the US, WI, tried mutiple times to get that to work correctly and finally just gave up). Othet than that and some other nagging bits i love this scanner. N9NRA
 

ka3jjz

Wiki Admin Emeritus
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Messages
25,361
Location
Bowie, Md.
Which do you have the 396T or the 396XT??? You have another thread about not seeing unit IDs (mentioning a 396T) and not being able to program NACs (it's a no-no to cross post the same thing to multiple forums, by the way)

The 396T does not support NAC programming, nor does it support Unit IDs. The 396XT does both. They have different capabilities. It's very important to be specific about things like this.

Mike
 
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