Uniden Bc780xlt Trunk Tracker Scanner Owners Manual

							33 The Service Search feature allows you to toggle through the following ten preprogrammed
services. The frequencies selected for these services are the most commonly used around
the U.S.
• 1: PUBLIC SAFETY• 6: RAILROAD
• 2: NEWS• 7: AIR
• 3: TV  BROADCAST• 8: CB RADIO
• 4: HAM RADIO• 9: FRS
• 5: MARINE• 0: SPECIAL(frequencies)
1. Press 
SRCHfor 2 seconds. the display indicates 
as illustrated.
2. After a 3 second delay, searching begins for the first
preprogrammed service – Public Safety (initial
setting).
3. If you want to skip a frequency, press 
SRCHto start searching immediately.
4. To change the searched service, use s, tor VFOafter pressing SRCHfor 
2 seconds.
Note: • You can not change such settings as delay, during a service search.
• The channel number corresponding to certain services will appear when a
frequency within the search is active.
• You can enter one of the Service Search frequencies into Channel Memory by 
pressing 
Ewhen holding on one of the frequencies.
• Special Frequencies are low-power, itinerant, FRS, splinters and other frequencies
which are commonly used at special events and other locations and may or may 
not be licensed.
5. To exit from the service search mode, press 
MANor SCAN.
During the search of one of the preprogrammed services, the lower display line will indicate
the service that you are searching. To stop the search, press 
HOLD/s.HOLDappears in the
display. Press 
HOLD/sor LIMIT/tto move up or down one programmed frequency, or press
SRCHto resume scanning.
Service Search Skip
You can set the scanner to skip the frequencies unwanted during service search. 100
skipped frequencies are programmable.
1. To skip over a frequency, press 
L/Owhen stopping at the
frequency you want to skip.
2. To cancel a skip during search, press 
HOLD/s, 
tune in the desired frequency using s, tor VFO,
then press 
L/O.
To restore all skipped frequencies, press
L/O
for 2 seconds.
Service Search
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Weather Channel Search
To hear preprogrammed NOAA weather channels:
1. Press 
WX.
Note: • It’s possible to receive more than one weather broadcast in your area. If the
broadcast sounds weak or distant, press 
SRCHto look for a closer station.
• Press 
HOLD/sif you want to stop searching (WX hold mode).
NWR-SAME Alert
In addition to the conventional weather broadcasts, your BC780XLT is compatible with
NWR-SAME weather alert. When the scanner receives NOAA’s Specific Area Message
Encoding (SAME) coded weather emergency signal, it sounds the alert tone with specified
message. You must program your FIPS code to identify the Specific Area where you are
located.
1. While receiving a weather channel or at the WX hold
mode, press 
WXto activate this feature. The ALT 
icon displays.The audio is muted but the scanner is
still actively waiting to detect the coded SAME
emergency warning signals.
2. When the unit receives a warning signal, it shows a
message with the alert tone defined. (For NWR-
SAME Event Code, see the table in the Appendix.)
3. To deactivate, just press 
WXor it is automatically canceled when the channel is changed.
Testing the Alert Siren
To test and recognize the difference between the types of alert sirens, perform the 
following steps:
1. During WX hold mode, press and hold the 
PRIkey until you hear the 
Statement Alert siren.
ALTappears on the display and the 
Statement, watch, warning sirens sound alternately.
Note: The samples of the each alert siren only last for a few seconds. You may need to 
listen to each siren several times to be sure you recognize the different sirens and 
tones. The sirens continue to sound rotating through the samples until you silence 
the test.
2. To stop the test, press any key.
Make sure you can hear the siren in all areas that you would need to. If not, optional
accessories can be purchased to ensure that you are alerted for emergency broadcasts.
See your dealer or local electronics store for accessories. DO NOT USE THE EARPHONE
TO LISTEN TO THE TEST. DAMAGE TO YOUR HEARING COULD OCCUR.
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Programming FIPS Code
The 6-digit Federal Information Processing System (FIPS) codes established by the National
Weather Service (NWS) must be programmed in your scanner. These codes specify an
emergency and the specific geographic area (such as county) affected by the emergency.
1. At the WX hold mode, press and hold 
WXfor 2 seconds.
2. Select the desired memory number (F1-F15) 
using sor t.
3. Enter FIPS code using the keypad.
4. Press 
E.
5. To exit from this programming mode, press 
WX.
––– OR –––
1. Press twhen F1 is displayed or swhen F15 is displayed.
2. Press 
E. The scanner is now set for ALL FIPS mode.
3. To cancel this ALL FIPS mode, enter individual
FIPS code again.
Note: • To cancel the entry, press  .
• To obtain the FIPS code for your area, contact the NWS toll free 
at 1-888-697-7263.(1-888-NWR-SAME) or visit their website
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/indexnw.htm
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							36
Trunked Systems
Your BC780XLT is designed to track three major types of trunked radio systems. These
systems are described here.
vMOTOROLA - Including Type I, Type II, Hybrid, SMARTNET, and Privacy Plus.
Motorola systems are widely used by public safety and business users. Most are on
the 800 MHz band, and recent systems are appearing on other bands.
vEDACS - Including Wideband 9600 baud, and Narrowband 4800 baud systems.
Wideband systems are mostly on the 800 MHz band, and are used by public safety,
utilities, and business users. Some systems are used on the VHF and UHF bands.
Narrowband systems are used in the 935-940 MHz band, many by utilities.
(See page 49)
vLTR - These systems are mostly for business users, and found on the UHF, 
800 and 900 MHz bands. (See page 52)
For details on the operation and programming for all of these systems, see pages 36-58.
When tracking these types of systems, remember these important points:
• Your scanner defaults to monitor Motorola Type II systems; however, you can change this
if the system in your area is different. (The types of systems are discussed below.)
• The frequencies for many of the trunked public safety systems are listed in the
TrunkTracker National Public Safety Trunked System Frequency Guide included with your
BC780XLT scanner. Frequencies sometimes change, check with www.trunktracker.com.
• If you have internet access, you can visit www.bc780xlt.com, www.trunktracker.comor
www.bearcat1.com/free.htmfor current news and frequency information about Trunk
Tracking Scanning.
*Motorola, SMARTNET, and PRIVACY PLUS are trademarks of Motorola Inc. EDACS is a registered
trademark of the Ericsson Corporation. LTR is a registered trademark of E.F. Johnson Company.
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							37
Programming and Receiving 
Trunked Systems
Programming Trunking  Frequencies
The first step in tracking a trunked system is storing the frequencies in one of the 10
available banks in your scanner. Remember that you can only store one trunking system in
each bank.
Important: If you are programming an EDACS or LTR trunked system, you must enter the
frequencies in a specific order. Check the frequency guide included with the
scanner for the frequencies in your area. For additional frequencies, check the
websites listed on page 5.
1. Press 
MENU.
2. Press s or tto select TRUNK DATAand then 
press 
E.
3. Press s or tto select the bank no. and then press 
E.
4. Press sor tto select the TRUNK TYPEand then
press 
E.
+ Remember!You can also use the VFOcontrol for scrolling. Also instead of pressing
E, you can press the VFO/SELECTcontrol or press the SELECT/MUTEkey.
5. Choose the system you want to track using the
keypad, sor tand then press 
E.
4. To exit from this mode, press 
MENUrepeatedly.
5. Select a channel using the keypad and then press 
MAN.
6. Enter a frequency for the trunked system using 
the keypad.
For example, enter 
867.8375(Type 2) or enter a
frequency you are going to track.
No. LCD display Icon Trunking Type Special requirements
1 Type 2 800 M Motorola Type 2 800 MHz
2 Type 1 M Motorola Type 1 a. Must program a fleet map.
3 Type 2 900 M Motorola Type 2 900 MHz
4 Type 2 UHF M Motorola Type 2 UHF b. Must program base, spacing,
5 Type 2 VHF M Motorola Type 2 VHF frequency and offset channel.
6 EDCS WIDE E EDACS Wideband 9600 baud c. Must program frequencies
7 EDCS Narrow E EDACS Narrowband 4800 baud in exact order 
8 LT L LTR and location.
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+Important!
7. Press 
TRUNKfor 2 seconds.
A tone sounds, and 
E, M, or Licon appears on the
display according to the system selected.
Note: • To clear a mistake while entering the frequency,
press  (decimal key) repeatedly until the
display is cleared.
• If you enter a frequency which is out of the
system’s trunking range, a distinctive beep
sounds and 
ERRORappears on the display.
Selecting Trunking Programming Menu Mode
To change the system type which your scanner monitors, you must be in the Trunking
Programming menu mode.
To select this mode, follow these steps:
1. Press 
MENU.
2. Press s ortto select TRUNK DATAand then 
press 
E.
3. Select the bank you want to program using s, tor
VFOand then press 
E.
+ Remember! You can also use the VFOcontrol for scrolling. Also instead of pressing
E, you can press the VFO/SELECTcontrol or press the SELECT/MUTEkey.
Selecting Trunking  System Type
1. Select TRUNK TYPEusing s, tor VFOand then
press 
E, SELECTor VFO.
2. Select the system type you want to program
using s, tor VFOand then press 
E, SELECT
or VFO.
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Setting the Squelch
For trunked reception, a good setting for the SQUELCHcontrol is in the center of the range
with the red marker pointing up. See the illustration.
If set too high (CCW) in some cases it could prevent your scanner from
locking to the control channel reliably. If set too low (CW) it will slightly
delay finding the control channel. The best setting is the same as for
conventional reception, and is not critical.
Receiving Trunked  Systems
When you have properly programmed all the frequencies for a trunked system, you can
receive the system several different ways. You will find that Search, Hold, Lockout, Scan and
Manual are all similar to conventional scanning.
vTRUNKED SEARCH lets you hear all system talkgroup activity (unit-to-unit I-Calls
may be received as well). This is the best way to get started.
vID HOLD works with Search mode to let you quickly freeze reception on an
interesting transmission. Or you can manually specify a talkgroup with DIRECT
ENTRY ID HOLD.
vID LOCKOUT works with Search to exclude talkgroups that you dont want to hear.
vID SCAN lets you receive only those talkgroups that you store in Scan Lists.
vMANUAL lets to selectively listen to a talkgroup in your Scan Lists
When receiving EDACS systems, remember that Unidens AFS talkgroups give you powerful
flexibility. In a few keystrokes, you can specify a single talkgroup, a fleet, or an entire agency
in all the above modes. Read the section EDACS Reception to understand how this works.
Trunked Search
Once you have programmed all the frequencies for a trunked system, SEARCH will let you
immediately start hearing transmissions. It is suggested you try SEARCH mode first.
1. Press 
SCAN, and select the bank(s) you wish to receive, just as you select banks in
conventional scanning.
2. Press 
TRUNKto enable trunked reception. The radio will seek and acquire the trunked
system control channel. The scanner will now be in MONITOR mode. You will hear the
control channel and see active talkgroups on the screen. You will not hear the voice
transmissions in MONITOR mode.
+Hint:MONITOR mode is an excellent way to observe system activity and determine
which talkgroups are most active. Locked-out IDs display during MONITOR mode.
3. Press 
SRCHto begin searching and receiving. You will hear talkgroups and see them on
the screen.
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							40 Talkgroups display differently in Motorola, EDACS and LTR systems. You should read the
appropriate parts of this guide to understand the formats.
The bottom line of the display indicates the Bank and the type of trunked system you are
monitoring. You can change this to display a bank tag by using the System Menu.
Regardless of the system, you wont know exactly who you are receiving until you listen for
awhile, or refer to frequency guides or internet sites such as www.trunktracker.com.Of
course, figuring out who each ID represents is half the fun of TrunkTracking.
Later, when you learn more about a system, you will want to store lists of talkgroups.
Then you can scan specific agencies and users, and use the many other features your 
radio provides.
ID Hold and Direct Entry ID Hold Mode
Just like in conventional Search, HOLD lets you pause ID Search on an interesting
transmission without storing the talkgroup into memory.
If you hear an interesting ID during SEARCH mode, and want to continue listening to it --
• Press 
HOLD/sto stop the search.HOLDappears in the display.
If you want to listen to a specific ID, while in HOLD --
• Use the keypad to enter the ID you want and press 
HOLD/s.HOLDappears in the display.
If you want to stop holding --
• Press 
SRCHto return to Search Mode.
ID Lockout
Like conventional scanning, it’s possible to lockout unwanted traffic. This is particularly
important in trunked systems because in many areas, water meters, door alarms, traffic
signals, and other mechanical devices are assigned IDs just like other users. Also some
departments scramble or encrypt their communications, and you may want to lock out these
unintelligible broadcasts.
To lockout an ID, press 
L/Owhen the ID displays.
The ID is locked out. You can lockout up to 200 IDs.
Note: If you lockout an ID in Search mode, it is also locked out in Scan List mode.
Conversely, if you lockout an ID while in Scan List mode, it is locked out in Search
mode. For information about Scan Lists see page 42.
EDACS BLOCKOUTis a powerful form of ID LOCKOUT that can be used only with AFS
and EDACS systems. This feature lets you lock out entire Agencies or Fleets, not just
individual talkgroups. Using ID BLOCKOUT you can, for example, prevent Search from
stopping on any of hundreds of talkgroups in the Utilities agency. You can do this with just a
few keystrokes. To use ID BLOCKOUT just enter the Agency- part, or the Agency-Fleet part,
of the talkgroup code and press 
L/O. For example, to Blockout Agency 4 in Trunk Search,
press 
HOLD/s, 04,  (decimal key), and then L/O. For other ways to use partial AFS entry,
be sure to read the section EDACS Reception.
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Restoring Locked-out IDs
To unlock a single ID, follow these steps:
1. Press 
MENU.
2. Select TRUNK DATA- BANK NO.- L/O ID REVIEW
using s, tor VFOand pressing 
E, SELECTor VFO.
3. Select the locked out ID you want to unlock using sor t.
4. Press 
L/O. The ID is unlocked and the next locked ID displays.
To unlock all locked out IDs in a bank at once:
1. Press 
Einstead of L/Oin step 4 above.
2. To exit from this mode, press 
MENUrepeatedly.
Channel Activity Indicators
The BC780XLT has 30 Channel Activity Indicators to visually display a trunked systems
activity. You’ll always know which frequencies are in use and how much communication traffic
is occurring.
Each frequency you program in a trunking bank corresponds to an activity indicator at the
top of your scanners display. The way in which the Activity Indicators display provide you with
information about the system you’re tracking.
• The indicator which remains on, even if when there is
no traffic, represents the frequency being used as the
data channel.
• If an indicator turns on and you dont hear a
conversation, then the channel may be used as a
telephone interconnect call (some systems) or a
talkgroup that has been locked out.
• The indicator which flashes when an ID displays
represents the frequency being used by the talkgroup.
• If youre holding on an ID which isnt active, the 
activity indicators will turn on and off as other groups
use the system.
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Scan Lists
Each bank of your BC780XLT can be a trunk tracking bank and it can be a conventional
scanning bank. When you designate a bank as a trunking bank, your scanner sets up 10
Scan Lists, which are simply lists used to store your favorite IDs. Each list can contain up to
10 IDs, so you can store a total of 100 IDs for each trunk tracking bank. (1000 if you use all
banks as trunking banks!)
Scan Lists help you organize the trunking system users into categories.
For example, you might use List#1 for police IDs, List#2 for fire department IDs, List#3 for
emergency medical service IDs, etc. Once IDs are stored in lists, you can scan them like you
scan conventional frequencies and you can lock out any one (and up to 9) of the 10 scan
lists by pressing the corresponding numeric key. When an ID is active, the scan list number
icon into which it is programmed will flash in the display (when the LIST icon is also active –
see below). You can program your scan lists either manually or during trunking search mode.
SELECTKey
Use the SELECTkey while trunking to toggle between viewing the active Banks and the
active Scan Lists. To see which is currently active, check the display for either the 
BANKor
the 
LISTicon.
Check the web site www.trunktracker.comor www.bearcat1.com/free.htmfor a complete
list of talkgroups for your area that you can program into your Scan Lists.
Programming ID Scan Lists Manually
1. Press MAN, the lowest available ID list number appears on the display.
2. Use 
HOLD/sand LIMIT/tto select the Scan List
location you want to program.
For example, select the third memory location in the
fifth scan list.
Note: You can also use the keypad to input directly.
3. Enter the Type II ID you want to store, and press 
E.
––– OR –––
To enter a Type I ID:
a. Enter the block number and fleet number.
b. Press .
c. Enter the subfleet number, and press 
E.
––– OR –––
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