Scanners

Manual / Guide · 2009

Uniden BCD396XT Digital Scanner — Complete Reference

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Uniden's complete operating reference for the BCD396XT handheld DynamicDMA scanner: supported trunking systems (Motorola, EDACS, LTR, APCO P25 Phase I and one-frequency trunking), programming systems, sites, groups and channels, Close Call, band scope, tone-out, GPS features, wired cloning, battery charging, and specifications. Uniden's download page serves this reference in place of a printed owner's manual.

Manufacturer
Uniden
System
BCD396XT
Author
Uniden
Year
2009
Type
Manual / Guide
Language
English
Pages
273
Credit
Uniden America Corporation (info.uniden.com)
  • scanner
  • digital scanner
  • uniden
  • bcd396xt
  • dynamicdma
  • p25
  • trunking
  • owners manual

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Uniden BCD396XT Digital Scanner — Complete Reference

BCD396XT The Complete Reference This document provides a complete reference to all menus, functions, and features of the BCD396XT Digital Trunk Tracker Scanner from Uniden. It is based on the Operation Specification that is used both as a guide to the software engineers for creating the scanner’s user interface and as a repository for the “final say” on how every feature and function is implemented. Some proprietary information has been removed, formatting has been modified, and extensive editing has been performed to make the text more readable. However, you will almost certainly find a handful of odd turns of phrases. Mostly, though, we hope that this reference work can help you better understand and use your BCD396XT. This document isn’t intended to be a guide for how to use your scanner…you’ll find that information in the Owner’s Manual…but rather a reference for all the things that the scanner does. Combined with the Owner’s Manual and the great resources available to scanner users online, you now have more information than ever on every facet of your scanner. © 2009 Uniden Corporation Fort Worth, TX All Rights Reserved. Thursday, May 14, 2009 1 Contents Feature Summary .............................................................................................................. 8 Band Coverage ............................................................................................................. 8 Channels ....................................................................................................................... 9 Memory Architecture ..................................................................................................... 9 Channel Memory Scan ................................................................................................. 9 Priority Scan .................................................................................................................. 9 Priority Plus Scan .......................................................................................................... 9 Search with Scan .......................................................................................................... 9 Scan Speed................................................................................................................... 9 Scanning Lockout ......................................................................................................... 10 Temporary Lockout ....................................................................................................... 10 Quick Keys .................................................................................................................... 10 Startup Configuration .................................................................................................... 10 Channel Alert ................................................................................................................ 10 Alpha Tagging ............................................................................................................... 10 Duplicate Input Alert...................................................................................................... 10 Number Tag .................................................................................................................. 10 Trunk Tracking .............................................................................................................. 10 Multi-Site System .......................................................................................................... 11 Control Channel Only.................................................................................................... 11 P25 One-Frequency Trunking ...................................................................................... 11 Priority ID Scanning ...................................................................................................... 11 Preemptive Priority ID Scanning ................................................................................... 11 Trunking Activity Indicators ........................................................................................... 11 Custom Search ............................................................................................................. 11 Quick Search................................................................................................................. 11 Frequency Autostore..................................................................................................... 11 Search Speed / Turbo Search ...................................................................................... 11 Search Lockout ............................................................................................................. 12 Search Key.................................................................................................................... 12 Service Search .............................................................................................................. 12 Broadcast Screen ......................................................................................................... 12 Attenuator...................................................................................................................... 12 Code Search ................................................................................................................. 12 P25 NAC ....................................................................................................................... 12 Volume Offset ............................................................................................................... 12 Thursday, May 14, 2009 2 IF Exchange .................................................................................................................. 12 Dropout Delay ............................................................................................................... 13 Weather and SAME Alert .............................................................................................. 13 Close Call® Frequency Capture .................................................................................... 13 Close Call Temporary Store ......................................................................................... 13 Tone-Out Sequential Decode ....................................................................................... 13 Location-Based Scanning* ........................................................................................... 13 Location Alert System*.................................................................................................. 13 Navigation Modes* ........................................................................................................ 13 GPS Compatibility* ....................................................................................................... 13 Wired Cloning................................................................................................................ 13 Band Scope................................................................................................................... 13 PC Control..................................................................................................................... 14 LCD and Keypad Backlight ........................................................................................... 14 Alert Tone Level ............................................................................................................ 14 Battery Low Alert........................................................................................................... 14 Battery Save.................................................................................................................. 14 Key Lock ....................................................................................................................... 14 Key Safe Mode.............................................................................................................. 14 Audio AGC .................................................................................................................... 14 Repeater Reverse ......................................................................................................... 14 Memory Backup ............................................................................................................ 14 Design ................................................................................................................................ 15 Controls and Keys.............................................................................................................. 16 Displays.............................................................................................................................. 21 LCD Design ................................................................................................................... 21 Icons .............................................................................................................................. 21 Dot Matrix ...................................................................................................................... 22 LCD Flashing Time ....................................................................................................... 22 Tones ................................................................................................................................. 23 General Tones .............................................................................................................. 23 Weather Alert Sirens ..................................................................................................... 23 Tones in Menu Mode .................................................................................................... 24 Selecting a menu item ............................................................................................. 24 Editing a name or a frequency etc ........................................................................... 24 Alert in Scanner Mode .................................................................................................. 24 Alert in GPS Mode ........................................................................................................ 24 Thursday, May 14, 2009 3 Alert for Point Of Interest ......................................................................................... 24 Alert for Dangerous Xing.......................................................................................... 24 Alert for Dangerous Road ........................................................................................ 24 Battery Low Tone .......................................................................................................... 24 Operation ........................................................................................................................... 25 Power On ...................................................................................................................... 25 Volume and Squelch Control ........................................................................................ 26 Volume Adjust Mode ................................................................................................ 26 Squelch Adjust Mode ............................................................................................... 26 P25 Condition Mode ................................................................................................ 27 State Transition Diagram ......................................................................................... 27 Menu Mode ................................................................................................................... 28 General Operations .................................................................................................. 28 Error Messages ........................................................................................................ 31 Top Menu ................................................................................................................. 32 Program System ...................................................................................................... 32 Program Site ............................................................................................................ 45 Program Group ........................................................................................................ 55 Program Channel ..................................................................................................... 59 Program Location ..................................................................................................... 67 Srch/CloCall Opt ...................................................................................................... 72 Search for... .............................................................................................................. 78 Close Call ................................................................................................................. 89 Priority Scan ............................................................................................................. 94 WX Operation........................................................................................................... 95 Tone-Out for … ........................................................................................................ 98 Wired Clone ............................................................................................................. 102 Settings .................................................................................................................... 103 SCAN MODE ................................................................................................................ 111 Display during Scan Mode ....................................................................................... 111 Startup Key Operation ............................................................................................. 111 Start Scanning.......................................................................................................... 111 Scanning Order ........................................................................................................ 113 Scanning Operation ................................................................................................. 114 Temporary System Hold .......................................................................................... 126 System Hold ............................................................................................................. 127 Quick System Select ................................................................................................ 127 Thursday, May 14, 2009 4 Quick Save for CTCSS/DCS/P25 NAC Data ........................................................... 128 Key Operation During Scan ..................................................................................... 129 SCAN HOLD MODE ..................................................................................................... 131 Display while in Scan Hold Mode ............................................................................ 131 General Operation.................................................................................................... 131 Hold on Conventional System ................................................................................. 135 Hold on Trunked System ......................................................................................... 135 Hold on TalkGroup ID from ID Search / ID Scan ..................................................... 136 Direct Entry .............................................................................................................. 136 Key Operation During Scan Hold Mode .................................................................. 139 PRIORITY SCAN .......................................................................................................... 142 Priority Scan ............................................................................................................. 142 Priority Plus Scan ..................................................................................................... 143 Key Operation During Priority Scan ......................................................................... 143 PRIORITY ID SCAN ..................................................................................................... 144 Priority ID Scan ........................................................................................................ 144 Key Operation During Priority ID Scan .................................................................... 144 SEARCH MODE ........................................................................................................... 145 Display during Search Mode .................................................................................... 145 General Operation.................................................................................................... 145 Service Search ......................................................................................................... 146 Custom Search ........................................................................................................ 147 Custom Search in Control Channel Only Mode....................................................... 148 Search and Store ..................................................................................................... 149 Quick Search............................................................................................................ 149 Key Operation During Search Mode ........................................................................ 151 SEARCH HOLD MODE ................................................................................................ 153 General Operation.................................................................................................... 153 Go to Quick Search Hold Directly ............................................................................ 153 Direct Entry .............................................................................................................. 153 Quick Save ............................................................................................................... 154 Key Operation During Search Hold Mode ............................................................... 155 CLOSE CALL MODE .................................................................................................... 157 Display during Close Call Mode ............................................................................... 157 Close Call Search .................................................................................................... 157 Close Call Only ........................................................................................................ 160 Close Call Hold ........................................................................................................ 161 Thursday, May 14, 2009 5 Close Call Auto Store............................................................................................... 161 CC Hit with Scan ...................................................................................................... 162 Direct Entry / Quick Save / Go to Quick Search Hold Mode ................................... 162 Key Operation During Close Call Only Mode .......................................................... 163 Key Operation During Close Call Hold Mode .......................................................... 164 WEATHER SCAN MODE ............................................................................................. 167 Normal Weather Scan .............................................................................................. 167 Weather Alert Scan .................................................................................................. 167 Weather (Alert) Scan Hold ....................................................................................... 168 Weather Alert Priority (WX Alt Priority) .................................................................... 169 Direct Entry / Quick Save ......................................................................................... 169 Key Operation During Weather (Alert) Scan Mode ................................................. 169 Key Operation During Weather (Alert) Scan Hold Mode ......................................... 170 TONE-OUT MODE ....................................................................................................... 172 Display during Tone-Out Mode ................................................................................ 172 Tone-Out Standby Mode.......................................................................................... 173 Tone-Out Search Mode ........................................................................................... 175 Tone-Out Hold Mode ............................................................................................... 176 Key Operation During Tone-Out Mode .................................................................... 177 GPS MODE ................................................................................................................... 179 Display Mode in GPS Mode ..................................................................................... 179 Location Alert Operation .......................................................................................... 181 Registration of Location Information ........................................................................ 184 Review Location Mode............................................................................................. 185 Key Operation During GPS Mode............................................................................ 187 BAND SCOPE MODE................................................................................................... 189 Scope Mode ............................................................................................................. 189 Search Mode ............................................................................................................ 190 Max Hold Search Mode ........................................................................................... 190 Hold Mode ................................................................................................................ 191 General Operation.................................................................................................... 191 Search Setting Parameters ...................................................................................... 193 Key Operation during Band Scope Mode ................................................................ 194 WIRED CLONE MODE ................................................................................................. 196 Confirm State ........................................................................................................... 196 Transferring State .................................................................................................... 196 Complete State ........................................................................................................ 196 Thursday, May 14, 2009 6 Error State ................................................................................................................ 197 Key Operation During Clone Mode .......................................................................... 197 KEYLOCK ..................................................................................................................... 198 KEY SAFE MODE ......................................................................................................... 199 Changed Key Operation in Key Safe Mode............................................................. 199 Key Safe Operation .................................................................................................. 200 Key Safe Message ................................................................................................... 200 MEMORY INITIALIZATION .......................................................................................... 201 BATTERY CHARGE ..................................................................................................... 202 Battery Type Select .................................................................................................. 202 Charging the Battery ................................................................................................ 202 OTHERS ............................................................................................................................ 205 AVAILABLE SYSTEM SETTINGS................................................................................ 205 System Settings ....................................................................................................... 205 System Option Settings ........................................................................................... 205 Site Settings ............................................................................................................. 206 Site Frequency Settings ........................................................................................... 206 Channel Settings ...................................................................................................... 207 TGID FORMAT FOR TRUNKED SYSTEM .................................................................. 208 FLEET MAP .................................................................................................................. 215 PRESET FLEET MAPS ................................................................................................ 216 WEATHER CHANNELS ............................................................................................... 217 CTCSS FREQUENCY .................................................................................................. 217 DCS CODE ................................................................................................................... 217 CEA2009-SAME EVENT CODE(ANSI/CEA-2009-A October 2005) ........................... 218 REMOTE COMMAND................................................................................................... 220 CTCSS/DCS CODE LIST ............................................................................................. 264 Thursday, May 14, 2009 7 Feature Summary Band Coverage Frequency (MHz) Modulation Step (kHz) Remark Lower Edge Upper Edge 25.0000 26.9600 AM 5.0 Petroleum Products & Broadcast Pickup 26.9650 27.4050 AM 5.0 CB Class D Channel 27.4100 27.9950 AM 5.0 Business & Forest Products 28.0000 29.6800 NFM 20.0 10 Meter Amateur Band 29.7000 49.9900 NFM 10.0 VHF Low Band 50.0000 53.9800 NFM 20.0 6 Meter Amateur Band 54.0000 71.9500 WFM 50.0 VHF TV Broadcast 2 – 4 72.0000 75.9950 FM 5.0 Intersystem & Astronomy 76.0000 87.9500 WFM 50.0 VHF TV Broadcast 5 – 6 88.0000 107.9000 FMB 100.0 FM Broadcast 108.0000 136.9916 AM 8.33 Aircraft Band 137.0000 143.9875 NFM 12.5 Military Land Mobile 144.0000 147.9950 NFM 5.0 2 Meter Amateur Band 148.0000 150.7875 NFM 12.5 Military Land Mobile 150.8000 161.9950 NFM 5.0 VHF High Band 162.0000 173.9875 NFM 12.5 Federal Government 174.0000 215.9500 WFM 50.0 TV Broadcast 7 – 13 216.0000 224.9800 NFM 20.0 1.25 Meter Amateur Band 225.0000 379.9750 AM 25.0 UHF Aircraft Band 380.0000 399.9875 NFM 12.5 Military Band 400.0000 405.9875 NFM 12.5 Miscellaneous 406.0000 419.9875 NFM 12.5 Federal Government Land Mobile 420.0000 449.9875 NFM 12.5 70 cm Amateur Band 450.0000 469.9875 NFM 12.5 UHF Standard Band 470.0000 512.0000 NFM 12.5 UHF TV 758.0000 787.9937 NFM 6.25 Public Service Band 788.0000 805.9937 NFM 6.25 Public Service Band 806.0000 823.9875 NFM 12.5 Public Service Band 849.0125 868.9875 NFM 12.5 Public Service Band 894.0125 960.0000 NFM 12.5 Public Service Band 1240.0000 1300.0000 NFM 25.0 25 cm Amateur Band Notes on Band Coverage:  You can edit the Modulation and Step for each band. The above table shows the factory default values.  Although TV bands are listed, the BCD396XT cannot decode Digital TV audio.  When you select “AUTO” for a channel or mode’s Modulation or Step, the above value is used (unless you’ve edited the Band Defaults). Thursday, May 14, 2009 8 Channels Dynamic – You can create up to 25,000 total conventional channels, trunked channels, and trunked system frequencies.  Channels in a conventional system contain a frequency.  Channels in a trunked system contain a talk group ID (TGID). Memory Architecture Absolute Limits: Systems 500 Sites Total 1,000 Sites/System 256 Channel Groups per System 20 Channels+System Frequencies 25,000 Channels per conventional 1000 system Channels per trunked system 500 Trunk Frequencies per Site 500-1000 (depending on total TGIDs stored in the system) Notes about limits:  The actual results will be limited by the first absolute limit you hit. For example, if you have created 1000 sites, you will not be able to create a new system even though you have created fewer than 500 systems.  You can check the % of memory used by using the menu. Channel Memory Scan The scanner can scan any combination of trunked and conventional systems simultaneously. Priority Scan The scanner checks conventional priority channels every 1-10 seconds (2 seconds default) when scanning a conventional system. Priority Plus Scan The scanner scans only the conventional priority channels. Search with Scan The scanner can do Service and Custom Searches along with system scanning. Scan Speed 100 Channels/Second (max) for conventional systems. Thursday, May 14, 2009 9 Scanning Lockout You can lock out any System, Site, Channel Group, Channel, or search frequency. Locked out channels are skipped (or ignored) during scanning. If a system, site, or channel group is locked, all channels belonging to it will be skipped during scanning. Temporary Lockout Sites, Systems, Channels, or Frequencies temporarily locked out are automatically unlocked when power is cycled. Quick Keys You can assign an SQK (System/Site/Search Quick Key) from 0-99. You can assign a GQK (channel Group Quick Key) from 0-9. Quick keys can be rapidly enabled/disabled from the keypad during scanning. Startup Configuration You can assign a startup configuration key to a system or search range so that it can be automatically locked out or unlocked during power up. Channel Alert You can set a separate audible/visual alert for each channel. Alpha Tagging You can assign an alphanumeric name to each System, Site, Channel Group, Channel, Location, Custom search range, SAME group, and Tone-Out. You can use 16 characters per tag. Duplicate Input Alert The scanner will alert you if an entered alpha tag, frequency, etc has already been used in the same system. Number Tag You can assign a unique number tag from 0-999 to each system and to each channel within a system. This tag allows you to rapidly tune to a specific channel. Trunk Tracking The scanner can track the following types of trunked systems:  Motorola Type I 800  Motorola Type II 800, 900, UHF, VHF  Motorola Rebanded  EDACS Wide, Narrow, SCAT  EDACS ESK (No ProVoice Decoding)  LTR  APCO P25 Standard, P25 One-Frequency Thursday, May 14, 2009 10 Multi-Site System All trunked systems can have more than one site. All sites in the system share the same Channel Groups and Channels. Control Channel Only Trunk Tracking can be achieved by entering only the control channels for Motorola and P25 systems. P25 One-Frequency Trunking The scanner can follow individual talk groups on P25 single-frequency systems that use both NAC and TGID’s for squelch control and user identification. ID Search and ID Store are available, just like on trunked systems. Priority ID Scanning Trunked channels can be assigned priority. When the scanner is monitoring the control channel, channels you tag as priority are given a higher priority over non-priority channels when they become active. Preemptive Priority ID Scanning For Motorola systems that have channel priority active on the system, if you flag a channel as priority and the system also has that TGID identified as a priority channel, the scanner will preempt any current transmission if the TGID becomes active. Trunking Activity Indicators The scanner shows all trunked activity when you hold on the control channel. Custom Search You can program up to 10 custom search ranges and either search them exclusively or include these searches when scanning. Quick Search If you hold on a conventional channel, you can start searching from the current frequency. If you hold on a trunked channel, you can quickly switch to ID Search mode. Frequency Autostore The scanner can automatically store frequencies found during a search. Search Speed / Turbo Search  100 Steps/Second in search mode (max, except for 5 kHz steps)  300 Steps/Second in search mode (max, 5 kHz steps)  Turbo mode automatically applies to 5 kHz step searches. Thursday, May 14, 2009 11 Search Lockout You can lock out up to 500 frequencies.  The limit of temporary L/O frequencies: 250  The limit of permanent L/O frequencies: 250  Locked out frequencies will be skipped in Search Mode or Close Call Mode.  You can review all locked out frequencies in Menu Mode. Search Key Search keys are short cuts to start searching for a single search range. There are 3 search keys (sr1 to sr3). Service Search You can search preset frequencies typically used by specific agencies or groups. The kind of Service Search is as follows: Public Safety, News, HAM Radio, Marine, Railroad, Air, CB Radio, FRS/GMRS/MURS, Racing, FM Broadcast, Military Air, Special Broadcast Screen Allows the scanner to ignore hits on Pager, FM, UHF TV, VHF TV, NOAA WX and custom band frequencies. Attenuator You can attenuate the incoming signal for channels that get interference from strong signal sources. You can set a global attenuator to apply attenuation to all reception. Code Search Rapid search for the CTCSS/DCS used during a transmission. The scanner does not detect or decode P25 signals if you are operating CTCSS/DCS Search. P25 NAC P25 Network Access Code (NAC) is used to provide selective squelch operation on channels. The scanner can also search for the NAC code that is being used on a P25 digital channel. Volume Offset Adjust the volume level for any channel from -3 to +3 steps to balance audio level. IF Exchange Switches the current frequency to use a different IF (intermediate frequency) for receiving radio signals to avoid interference. Thursday, May 14, 2009 12 Dropout Delay Controls whether the scanner pauses at the end of a transmission to wait for a reply. You can set the Delay time for each System. All Channels in the System share the same delay setting. You can also set the Delay time for Search, Close Call and Tone-Out. You can set the minus delay time. In that case, the scanner only stops on transmissions for the set duration, then automatically resumes. Weather and SAME Alert The scanner can alert to Weather Alert Tone, all FIPS or selected FIPS. Close Call® Frequency Capture The scanner can immediately detect and lock onto a transmission above threshold signal strength. Close Call Temporary Store The scanner s