Uniden Bc246t Trunk Tracker Scanner Owners Manual

							51
Other Settings
•19200 bps  The  baud rate is set to 19,200 bps.
•38400 bps  The baud rate is set to 38,400 bps.
•57600 bps  The baud rate is set to 57,600 bps.
Cloning the Scanner
To clone (copy) data from one BC246T scanner to another 
BC246T scanner, you must first connect the scanners to 
each other using the included connection cables and a 
DB9 null modem adapter and DB9 gender changer 
(neither included), available at most computer stores. 
Then you must set one scanner as the master (source) 
and the other as the slave (destination).
Plug the smaller end of each of the included connection 
cables into Remote on the right side of each scanner. 
Then connect the other end of the cables together using 
the null modem connector and gender changer.
Then set up both scanners.
 
J 4 Xfer Information J E J
Clone J E J 4 
•Master  This will be the master (source) scanner.
•Slave  This will be the slave (destination) scanner.
(Master scanner) Clone Master Press SCAN Key 
J E 
(Slave scanner) Clone Slave Press SCAN Key 
J E J
When you are ready to clone the scanner, press Scan on 
the slave scanner first, then on the master scanner. 
The master scanner checks the connection between the 
two scanners, then transfers its data to the slave scanner. 
When the transfer is complete, Complete appears on both 
scanners. If the transfer did not work, Error appears on 
the master scanner.
Menu
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Programming Radio Systems
Programming Radio SystemsYour BC246T comes preprogrammed with the major 
analog systems used in the 25 most populous counties in 
the US. However, to get the most enjoyment from your 
scanner (especially if you do not live near one of these 
counties), you must customize the programming for your area.
To edit an existing system, use the menu to navigate to 
the system setting you want to change. This section 
assumes you are programming a new system.
Programming radio systems is completed in two major 
steps. Dont skip either step!
1. Plan the system.
2. Program the system into your scanner according to 
the plan you prepared in Step 1.
To make planning easier, planning worksheets are 
included in the back of this manual for each system type. 
Copy the worksheets (or download this manual from the 
Uniden America Corporation website and print extra 
sheets), then use them to plan out how you will program 
the scanner.
Important! Before you start programming your 
scanner, make sure the batteries are fresh or fully 
charged. If the scanner loses power while you 
program it, its memory might be corrupted which will 
require you to reinitialize it (see “Initializing the Scan-
ner ’s Memory” on Page 49). All information 
programmed in the scanner, including 
preprogrammed systems, might be lost.
General Notes
• You can store up to 200 systems.
• Trunking systems can have up to 200 channels each. 
The number of conventional system channels you 
can have is limited only by the amount of scanner 
memory remaining.
• You can store up to 20 channel groups per system.
• Total channels are limited to about 2500.
• Channels that have text tags use more memory than 
those that do not. If you use a text tag for every 
channel, total channels are reduced from 2500 (1600 
is typical).
Programming Radio Systems
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Programming Radio Systems
Programming Conventional Systems
 J Program SysteM J E 4 
New System J E  J Conventional J
E J Confirm? J E
The scanner creates an empty conventional system, with 
a default name of System nnn       C.  nnn increments 
as you add new systems. C indicates that this is a 
conventional system.
Refer to the appropriate section to set system-wide 
options:
• See “Editing the System Name” on Page 63
• See “Editing the System Quick Key” on Page 63
• See “Setting System Lockout” on Page 64
• See “Setting the System Hold Time” on Page 64
• See “Setting the Channel Delay Time” on Page 65
• See “Setting Data Skip (Conventional Systems Only)” 
on Page 66
• See “Deleting Systems” on Page 71
• See “Copying Systems” on Page 71
• See “Entering/Editing Conventional Channel Groups” 
on Page 53
Entering/Editing Conventional 
Channel Groups
To enter channels in a conventional system, first set up a 
channel group (or groups) to hold the channels. Then, 
enter the channel and channel parameters in the group(s).
Setting Up a Channel Group
4 J Edit Group J E   J 
4 J New Group J E
The scanner creates a group with a default name of 
Group nn. nn increments by one for each new group you 
create within a system.
Menu
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							54
Programming Radio Systems
Refer to the appropriate section to set group-wide 
options:
• See “Entering/Editing the Group Name” on Page 71
• See “Setting the Group Quick Key” on Page 72
• See “Deleting Groups” on Page 73
• See “Setting System Lockout” on Page 64
• See “Entering/Editing Conventional Channels” on 
Page 54
Entering/Editing Conventional Channels
4
 J Edit Channel J E   J New Channel J E J 
Input Frequency
Enter the frequency for the channel, then press E. Then, 
refer to the appropriate section to change a channel 
setting:
• See “Editing the Channel Name” on Page 73
• See “Setting Channel Priority (Conventional Chan-
nels Only)” on Page 74
• See “Setting Channel Alert” on Page 75
• See “Deleting Channels” on Page 78
• See “Copying/Pasting Channels” on Page 79
To program another channel within the same group, press 
, then repeat the above.
To create another channel group and enter more 
channels, press   four times, then proceed from “Set-
ting Up a Channel Group” on Page 53.
Programming Motorola Systems
 J Program SysteM J E 4 
New System J E  J MOT J E
Next, rotate the scroll control to select the type of 
Motorola system you want to program, then press E.
Menu
Menu
Menu
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Programming Radio Systems
•800MHz Standard - Use for 800 MHz systems that 
use the standard band plan
•800MHz Splinter - Use for 800 MHz systems that use 
the splinter band plan (typically near international 
borders)
•900MHz Band - Use for 900 MHz systems
•VHF Band - Use for VHF systems
•UHF Band - Use for UHF systems
Next, refer to the appropriate section to set system-wide 
options. For most settings, you can accept the default. 
However, for the items in bold, you must enter 
information in order for your scanner to scan the system.
• See “Editing the System Name” on Page 63
• See “Editing the System Quick Key” on Page 63
• See “Setting System Lockout” on Page 64
• See “Setting the System Hold Time” on Page 64
• See “Setting the Channel Delay Time” on Page 65
• See “Setting ID Scan/Search (Trunked Systems 
Only)” on Page 65
• See “Setting the Base Frequency/Step/Offset (Motor-
ola UHF/VHF Systems Only)” on Page 66 (must be 
set up for VHF or UHF systems)
• See “Editing the Fleet Map (Motorola Systems Only)” 
on Page 67 (must be set up for Type I systems)
• See“Setting the Motorola Status Bit (Motorola Sys-
tems Only)” on Page 67
• See “Setting the End Code Operation (Motorola Sys-
tems Only)” on Page 68
• See “Setting I-Call (Motorola and EDACS Systems 
Only)” on Page 68
• See “Setting Emergency Alert (Motorola and EDACS 
Systems Only)” on Page 69
• See “Setting Control-Channel Only (Motorola Sys-
tems Only)” on Page 70
• See “Setting System Lockout” on Page 64
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Programming Radio Systems
• See “Reviewing Locked Out Frequencies” on 
Page 89
• See “Setting System Attenuation (Trunked Systems 
Only)” on Page 70
• See “Deleting Systems” on Page 71
• See “Copying Systems” on Page 71
• See “Setting System Frequencies” on Page 56
•See “Entering/Editing Motorola Channel Groups” 
on Page 56
Setting System Frequencies
SET FREQUENCIES J E
4 New FREQUENCY J E 
Input a system frequency, then press E.
To enter additional frequencies, press  , use the scroll 
control to select New Frequency, then repeat the above.
Note: If you select Control Channel Only mode (see “Set-
ting Control-Channel Only (Motorola Systems Only)” on 
Page 70), you only need to enter the frequency(s) that 
can be assigned as the control channel. Most frequency 
lists usually indicate which of the frequencies are the 
control channel frequencies. Otherwise, you must enter 
all of the frequencies.
Entering/Editing 
Motorola Channel Groups
To enter channels in a system, first set up a channel 
group (or groups) to hold the channels. Then, enter the 
channel and channel parameters in the group(s).
Setting Up a Channel Group
4 Edit Group J E 4 New Group J E
The scanner creates a group with a default name of 
Group nn. nn increments by one for each new group you 
create within a system.
Menu
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Programming Radio Systems
Next, refer to the appropriate section to set group-wide 
options:
• See “Entering/Editing the Group Name” on Page 71
• See “Setting the Group Quick Key” on Page 72
• See “Deleting Groups” on Page 73
• See “Copying Systems” on Page 71
• See “Entering/Editing Motorola Channels” on 
Page 57
• See “Setting I-Call (Motorola and EDACS Systems 
Only)” on Page 68
Entering/Editing Motorola Channels
4 
Edit Channel J E
4 New Channel J E J  Input TGID
Enter the Talk Group ID for the channel, then press E.
Notes: 
• Motorola Type 2 Talk Group IDs are entered as 
5-digit numbers.
• Motorola Type I Talk Group IDs are entered as two 
numbers separated by a hyphen. Use the decimal 
point to enter the hyphen.
• To enter an I-Call ID, press , then enter the ID. 
The  appears as an 
i when entering the ID, but it 
appears as a seven ( 
7) when it is active on a Type 2 
system.
Then, refer to the appropriate section to change a 
channel setting:
• See “Setting Emergency Alert (Motorola and EDACS 
Systems Only)” on Page 69
• See “Editing the Channel Name” on Page 73
• See “Setting Channel Alert” on Page 75
• See “Setting Channel Lockout” on Page 78
• See “Deleting Channels” on Page 78
• See “Copying/Pasting Channels” on Page 79
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Programming Radio Systems
To program another channel within the same group, press 
, then repeat the above.
To create another channel group and enter more 
channels, press   three times, then proceed from 
“Entering/Editing Motorola Channel Groups” on Page 56.
Programming EDACS Systems
 J Program SysteM J E 4 
New System J E  4 EDCS J E
Next, rotate the scroll control to select the type of EDACS 
system you will program, then press E.
•WIDE - Use for wideband EDACS systems
•NARROW - Use for narrowband EDACS systems
•SCAT - Use for EDACS SCAT (Single Channel 
Autonomous Trunking)
When the scanner prompts Confirm?, press E to accept 
the settings. The scanner creates an empty EDACS 
system, with a default name of System nnN       E. 
nnN increments as you add new systems. The E indicates 
that this is an EDACS system.
Next, refer to the appropriate section to set system-wide 
options. For most settings, you can accept the default. 
However, for the items in bold, you must enter 
information in order for your scanner to scan the system.
• See “Editing the System Name” on Page 63
• See “Editing the System Quick Key” on Page 63
• See “Setting System Lockout” on Page 64
• See “Setting the System Hold Time” on Page 64
• See “Setting the Channel Delay Time” on Page 65
• See “Setting ID Scan/Search (Trunked Systems 
Only)” on Page 65
• See “Setting I-Call (Motorola and EDACS Systems 
Only)” on Page 68
• See “Setting Emergency Alert (Motorola and EDACS 
Systems Only)” on Page 69
Menu
Menu
Menu
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Programming Radio Systems
• See “Setting the EDACS ID Format (EDACS Systems 
Only)” on Page 69
• See “Reviewing Locked Out Frequencies” on 
Page 89
• See “Setting Channel Attenuation (Conventional 
Channels Only)” on Page 77
• See “Deleting Systems” on Page 71
• See “Copying Systems” on Page 71
• See “Setting System Frequencies” on Page 59
• See “Entering/Editing EDACS Channel Groups” 
on Page 59
Setting System Frequencies
SET FREQUENCIES J E J 
4 J NEW FREQUENCYJ E
Input a system frequency, then press E. The scanner then 
prompts you to enter the LCN for the entered frequency. 
Enter the LCN, then press E.
To enter additional frequencies, press  , scroll to New 
Frequency, then repeat the above.
Note: The scanner only accepts a single frequency and 
no LCN for SCAT systems.
Entering/Editing EDACS Channel Groups
To enter channels in a system, first set up a channel 
group (or groups) to hold the channels. Then, enter the 
channel and channel parameters in the group(s).
Setting Up a Channel Group
4 J EDIT GROUPJ E J
4
 J NEW GROUPJ E
The scanner creates a group with a default name of 
GROUP nn. nn increments by one for each new group you 
create within a system.
Next, refer to the appropriate section to set group-wide 
options:
Menu
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Programming Radio Systems
• See “Entering/Editing the Group Name” on Page 71
• See “Setting the Group Quick Key” on Page 72
• See “Deleting Groups” on Page 73
• See “Editing the Channel Name” on Page 73
• See “Setting Group Lockout” on Page 72
Entering/Editing EDACS Channels
4
 J Edit Channel J E J 
4 J NEW ChannelJ E J Input TGID
Enter the talk group ID for the channel, then press E.
Notes: 
• If you have selected to use AFS format for talk group 
IDs (the default), press   to enter a hyphen.
• To enter an I-Call ID, press , then enter the ID.
• If you omit the fleet and/or subfleet, the scanner 
treats these fields as wildcards.
Note: Press   to enter a hyphen.
Then, refer to the appropriate section to change a 
channel setting:
• See “Editing the Channel Name” on Page 73
• See “Setting Channel Alert” on Page 75
• See “Setting Channel Lockout” on Page 78
• See “Deleting Channels” on Page 78
• See “Copying/Pasting Channels” on Page 79
To program another channel within the same group, press 
, then repeat the above. To create another channel 
group and enter more channels, press   three times, 
then proceed from “Entering/Editing EDACS Channel 
Groups” on Page 59.
Programming LTR Systems
 J Program SysteM J E 4 
New System J E  J LT J 
E J Confirm? J E
Menu
Menu
Menu
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