Uniden Bc246t Trunk Tracker Scanner Owners Manual

							11
Introduction
29.7-49.990 10 NFM VHF Low Band
50.0-54.0 20 NFM 6 Meter 
Amateur Band
108.0-
136.975025 AM Aircraft Band
137.0-
143.987512.5 NFM Military Band
144.0-
147.9955NFM2 Meter 
Amateur Band
148.0-
150.787512.5 NFM Military Land Mobile
150.800-
161.9955 NFM VHF High Band
162.0-174.0 12.5 NFM Federal 
Government
216.0-224.98 20 NFM 1.25 Meter Amateur 
Band
400.0-
405.987512.5 NFM Miscellaneous
406.0-
419.987512.5 NFM Federal Land Mobile
420.0-
449.987512.5 NFM 70 cm 
Amateur Band
450.0-
469.987512.5 NFM UHF 
Standard Band
470.0-512.0 12.5 NFM UHF TV Band
806.0-
823.987512.5 NFM Public Service Band
849.0125-
868.987512.5 NFM Public Service Band
894.0125-
956.000012.5 NFM Public Service Band
1240.0000-
1300.000025 NFM 25 cm 
Amateur Band
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Feature Highlights
Feature HighlightsGeneral
Close CallTM RF Capture Technology - you can set the 
scanner so it detects and provides information about 
nearby radio transmissions. See “Using the Close Call 
Feature” on Page 86 for more information.
Dynamically Allocated Channel Memory - your 
scanner ’s memory is organized so that it more closely 
matches how radio systems actually work, making it easier 
to program and use your scanner and determine how 
much memory you have used and how much you have left.
Preprogrammed Systems - your scanner is 
preprogrammed with over 400 channels covering police, 
fire, and ambulance operations in the 25 most populated 
counties in the US. A complete list of the scanner’s 
preprogrammed systems is in “Preprogrammed Systems” 
on Page 119.
Quick Keys – You can set the scanner so you can select 
systems and groups by pressing a single key. This makes 
it easy to listen to or quickly lock out those systems or 
groups you don’t want to scan.
Pager Screen – You can set the scanner so it ignores hits 
generated by common pager frequencies while using the 
Close Call or search features.
Ten Service Searches - frequencies are preset in 
separate public safety, news, amateur radio, marine, 
railroad, air, CB radio, FRS/GMRS, racing, and special 
searches, to make it easy to find specific transmissions.
Lockout – You can lock out any system, group, 
frequency, or channel while scanning. If you lock out a 
system or group, any channels belonging to that system 
or group are also locked out.
You can lock out up to 200 frequencies. The scanner 
skips locked-out frequencies while using the Close Call 
feature or while searching.
CTCSS and DCS Squelch Modes – prevent 
interference from stations not using the mode you select.
Feature Highlights
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Feature Highlights
Dropout Delay – You can set whether the scanner 
pauses at the end of a transmission to wait for a reply. 
You can set the delay time for each system you scan, and 
while searching and using the Close Call feature.
Attenuator – You can set the scanner ’s attenuator to 
reduce the input strength of strong signals by about 18 dB 
received by the scanner.
Repeater Reverse – You can set the scanner so it 
switches to the input frequency on a conventional 
repeater system.
Channel Alert – You can set the scanner so it alerts you 
when there is activity on any channel you specify.
Memory Check – Lets you see at a glance how much 
total memory is left.
Frequency Step – Lets you select a frequency step 
(5, 6.25, 7.5, 10, 12.5,15, 20, 25, 50 or 100 kHz) for man-
ual mode and chain search mode. The scanner’s auto 
step feature lets you set the scanner so it automatically 
chooses the correct step.
Quick Recall – Lets you quickly select a specific channel 
by choosing the system, group, and channel.
Scan/Search Delay – You can set the scanner so it 
remains on a frequency up to 5 seconds after the last 
transmission to wait for a possible reply. 
Text Tagging – You can name each system, group, 
channel, talk group ID, custom search range, and SAME 
group, using up to 16 characters per name.
Unique Data Skip – Allows your scanner to skip 
unwanted data transmissions and reduces birdies. 
Duplicate Frequency Alert – Alerts you if you try to enter 
a duplicate name or frequency already stored in the 
scanner.
Memory Backup – If power is lost or disconnected, the 
scanner retains the frequencies you programmed in its 
memory. 
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Feature Highlights
21 Bands – Includes 21 bands, with Aircraft and 800 MHz.
Note: The scanner’s frequency coverage is not continuous 
and does not include the cellular telephone band. 
Trunk Tracking
Trunk Tracker™ Operation – Follows conversations on 
analog Motorola, EDACS, EDACS SCAT, and LTR 
trunked radio systems. The scanner can scan both 
conventional and trunked systems at the same time.
Control Channel Only Scanning – If the scanner is set 
to scan Motorola trunking frequencies, you can set it so it 
scans using only control channel data. You do not have to 
program voice channel frequencies into memory in this mode.
Weather
Weather Search – Lets your scanner receive your local 
NOAA weather transmission.
SAME Weather Alert – Lets your scanner alert you when 
a SAME weather alert is transmitted on a NOAA weather 
channel. The scanner also displays the transmitted alert 
type. This helps you quickly find out about severe 
weather in your area and lets you avoid false alarms.
Search
Service Search – Lets you quickly select and search the 
scanner ’s preprogrammed frequencies.
Custom Search – Lets you program up to 10 custom 
search ranges. You can search any of these ranges 
simultaneously.
CTCSS/DCS Search – Lets the scanner search for CTCSS 
or DCS tones. You can identify up to 50 CTCSS tones 
and 104 DCS tones. 
Quick Search – Lets you search from the currently-tuned 
frequency if you are searching a conventional system.
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Feature Highlights Auto Store
Frequency AutoStore – Automatically stores all active 
frequencies within a system you select. 
Talk Group ID AutoStore – Automatically stores all new 
talk group ID’s into a system you select. 
Priority
Priority Scan – Priority channels let you keep track of 
activity on your most important channel(s) while 
monitoring other channels for transmissions. 
Priority Plus – You can set the scanner so it scans only 
the priority channels 
Backlight and Power
LCD Back Light – Makes the display easy to see in dim 
light. You can adjust the back light so it turns on when you 
press a key, when squelch breaks during a transmission, 
or manually.
Low Battery Alert – The scanner alerts you if the 
batteries need to be recharged or replaced.
Battery Save – You can set the scanner so it reduces the 
amount of power it needs if there are no transmissions.
Key Controls
Key Lock – You can deactivate the scanner ’s keys to 
help prevent accidentally changing the scanner’s 
programming.
PC Control and Cloning
PC Control – You can transfer programming data to and 
from your scanner and your personal computer, and 
control the scanner using a computer. This helps you find 
frequencies listed on the Internet and load them into the 
scanner.
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Feature Highlights
Clone Mode – You can clone all programmed data, 
including the contents of the scanner’s memory, menu 
settings, and other parameters from one BC246T 
scanner to another BC246T scanner.
About This Manual
The screen displays used in this manual are 
representations of what might appear when you use your 
scanner. Since what you see depends on the frequencies 
and user ID’s for your area and the settings you select, 
you might notice some differences between what is in this 
manual and what appears on your scanner. 
How the Scanner’s Controls Are 
Represented in This Manual
To help navigate the scanner ’s menus, the steps shown in 
this manual show the displays you see and the keys you 
press or control you operate to get a desired result.
This example shows you how to use the scanner ’s menu 
to edit an existing system name. It shows you the key to 
press () to select a menu option and the option you 
see (Program System) when you press  . It also 
instructs you to turn the scroll control (shown as 
4) to 
view a series of choices then select one choice (Edit Name).
 
J Program System J E  4 J
Select the system J E 4
4
 J Edit Name J E J System Name
To get the most from this manual, review the contents to 
become familiar with the basic functions available. 
If you are new to scanning or trunk tracking, be sure to 
read “Understanding Scanning” on Page 18 for a quick 
background on the technology. The first thing you’ll need 
to do is install batteries in the scanner. Then you need to 
connect the included antenna to the scanner. 
See “Setting Up Your Scanner” on Page 30 if you need 
any help doing this.
Menu
Menu
Menu
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Feature Highlights
Entering Text
To enter a letter, turn the scroll control until the 
character you want appears, To enter a number, press a 
number key. To enter a decimal point, press  . 
To move the cursor to the left, hold   then press /4 
or rotate the scroll control to the left. To move the cursor to 
the right, hold   then press 6/ or rotate the scroll 
control to the right.
To clear a character, press No twice. To clear all 
characters, press No 3 times.
To accept an entry, press E or press down on the scroll 
control.
Func
Func
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Understanding Scanning
Understanding ScanningThis section provides you with background on how 
scanning works. You don’t really need to know all of this 
to use your scanner, but some background knowledge 
will help you get the most from your BC246T. 
Understanding the Scanner’s Memory
Your scanner’s memory is organized in an architecture 
called Dynamic Allocated Channel memory. This type of 
memory is organized differently and more efficiently than 
the bank/channel architecture used by traditional scanners. 
Dynamic Allocated design matches how radio systems 
actually work much more closely, making it easier to 
program and use your scanner and determine how much 
memory you have used and how much you have left.
Instead of being organized into separate banks and 
channels, your scanner’s memory is contained in a pool. 
You simply use as much memory as you need in the pool to 
store as many frequencies, talk group ID’s, and alpha 
tags as you need. No memory space is wasted, and you 
can tell at a glance how much memory you have used 
and how much remains.
With a traditional scanner, when you program it to track a 
trunked system, you must first program the frequencies. 
Since you can only program one trunking system per 
bank in a traditional scanner, if there were (for example) 
30 frequencies, the remaining 70 or so channels in the 
bank are not used and therefore wasted. Also, since 
some trunked systems might have hundreds of talk 
groups, you would have had to enter those types of 
systems into multiple banks in order to monitor and track 
all the ID’s.
What is Scanning?
Unlike standard AM or FM radio stations, most two-way 
communications do not transmit continuously. Your 
BC246T scans programmed channels until it finds an 
active frequency, then stops on that frequency and 
remains on that channel as long as the transmission 
continues. When the transmission ends, the scanning 
Understanding Scanning
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Understanding Scanning
cycle resumes until the scanner receives another 
transmission. 
What is Searching?
The BC246T can search each of its 21 bands and up to 
10 bands together to find active frequencies. This is 
different from scanning because you are searching for 
frequencies that have not been programmed into the 
scanner. When you select frequency bands to search, the 
scanner searches for any active frequency within the 
lower and upper limits you specify. When the scanner 
finds an active frequency, it stops on that frequency as 
long as the transmission lasts. If you think the frequency 
is interesting, you can program it into the scanner’s 
memory. If not, you can continue to search. 
What is CTCSS/DCS?
Your scanner can monitor systems using a Continuous 
Tone Coded Squelch System (CTCSS) and Digital Coded 
Squelch (DCS) system, which allow squelch to open only 
when the tone you have programmed with a specific 
frequency is received along with a transmission. 
CTCSS and DCS are subaudible tone signaling systems 
sometimes referred to as PL or DPL (Motorola’s trade-
marked terms for Private Line and Digital Private Line 
respectively). CTCSS and DCS are used only for FM 
signals and are usually associated with both amateur and 
commercial two-way frequencies. These systems make 
use of a special subaudible tone that accompanies a 
transmitted signal.
CTCSS and DCS are used for many purposes. In many 
cases, CTCSS and DCS are used to restrict access to a 
commercial repeater, so that only those units, which 
transmit the correct tone along with their signal can “talk” 
to the repeater.
CTCSS and DCS are also used in areas that receive 
interference where there are several stations with output 
frequencies close to each other. When this occurs, you 
might hear multiple communications on the same 
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Understanding Scanning
frequency. The stations might even interfere with each 
other to the point where it is impossible to clearly receive 
any of the stations. A scanner equipped with CTCSS and 
DCS (like your scanner) can code each received 
frequency with a specific CTCSS or DCS frequency. 
Then, when you receive multiple signals, you only hear 
the transmission with the CTCSS or DCS tone you 
programmed. If you do not receive the correct tone with a 
signal, the scanner’s squelch remains closed and you 
hear nothing. 
You can search for the following CTCSS frequencies and 
DCS codes.
CTCSS Frequencies (Hz)
DCS Codes (Octal)
  67.0   69.3   71.9   74.4   77.0   79.7
  82.5   85.4   88.5   91.5   94.8   97.4
100.0 103.5 107.2 110.9 114.8 118.8
123.0 127.3 131.8 136.5 141.3 146.2
151.4 156.7 159.8 162.2 165.5 167.9
171.3 173.8 177.3 179.9 183.5 186.2
189.9 192.8 196.6 199.5 203.5 206.5
210.7 218.1 225.7 229.1 233.6 241.8
250.3 254.1
023 025 026 031 032 036 043 047
051 053 054 065 071 072 073 074
114 115 116 122 125 131 132 134
143 145 152 155 156 162 165 172
174 205 212 223 225 226 243 244
245 246 251 252 255 261 263 265
266 271 274 306 311 315 325 331
332 343 346 351 356 364 365 371
411 412 413 423 431 432 445 446
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