Uniden Bc895xlt Trunk Tracker Scanner Manual

							2. Presshto move to the next higher
frequency
— or —
3. Press
ito move down to the
previous frequency.
Note:You can also use the Rotary Tuner to move to other frequencies, just make sure thatFREQ
is selected before turning the dial.
4. PressSto resume searching.
Data Skip
A scanner will normally stop on any transmission it receives. This means theBC895XLTwill stop
on data signals and unmodulated transmissions. You can automatically skip many of these types of
transmissions during searches.
1. Press
dto activate the data skip
feature.
Thedindicator appears on the
display.
2. Pressdagain to cancel the data skip
feature.
Thedindicator disappears
from the display.
When data skip is active, your scanner may pause momentarily on an unwanted signal but will
resume searching in 2 or 3 seconds.
Channel Skip
If a particular channel continues to interrupt search scanning, it is possible to set your scanner to
skip the frequency.
To skip a frequency, press
L.
Note:You can program up to 20 skip
frequencies. The 21st skip frequency
entered causes the first skipped
frequency to unlock.SCAN
MANUAL
PRI             TRUNK              DATA
L/O DELAY CTCSS
12
4
75
8
03
6
9
E
31 
						

							Storing Search Frequencies
You can quickly store any frequency you find during Search.
1. Press
m.
2. Using your keypad, enter the lower
frequency of your search range. For
example, enter 155.000 MHz.
3. Press
i.
4. Using your keypad, enter the higher
frequency of your search range. For
example, enter 157.000 MHz.
5. Press
i.
6. Press
S.
7. Press
hwhen the scanner stops at
the frequency you want.
Note:You can presshto step up a frequency, or pressito step down a frequency.
Press and hold either key to rapidly step through the frequencies. You can also use the
Rotary Tuner to step through frequencies, just make sure
FREQis selected before turning
the dial.
8. Presseto store the frequency in the
channel flashing on your display
— or —
Send the frequency to another channel.
For information about sending a
frequency to another channel, see
Transferring a Programmed Frequency
on page 18.
9. Pressmorsto cancel Search.
10. Repeat steps 6 through 8 for all the
Search frequencies you want to store.
32 
						

							CTCSS Operation
Your scanner is equipped with a Continuous Tone Control Squelch System (CTCSS) which allows
squelch to open only when the tone you have programmed with a specific frequency is received
along with a transmission. When using CTCSS, consider the following:
You do not have to use CTCSS tones while scanning.
You cannot enter CTCSS tones in the AM Air Band.
If you have more questions about CTCSS, seeWhat is CTCSSon page 5.
Programming a Channel with a CTCSS Tone
1. Select a channel you want to program.
2. Enter a frequency.
a. Use your keypad to enter the
frequency you want.
b. Then press
e.
3. Press
K, and then presse.
IfCTCSSMode is already selected, then
only press
e.
4. Enter a tone.
a. Use your keypad, Rotary Tuner, or
handito select the tone.
b. Then press
e.
Note:If you make a mistake while entering a tone with you keypad, press.twice and enter the
tone again. If you’re using the Rotary Tuner, make sure that
FREQis selected.
5. PressKto cancel the CTCSS Mode.
The CTCSS indicator and displayed tones
are turned off but not deleted.
SCAN
MANUAL
PRI             TRUNK              DATA
L/O DELAY CTCSS
12
4
75
8
03
6
9
E
a
b
33 
						

							Searching for CTCSS Tones
You can use the CTCSS Tone Search Mode to determine if the frequencies in your area are
broadcast with associated tones. You may find frequencies which do not have a tone associated
with them. This may be because CTCSS tones are not being transmitted or because digital
encoded tones, sometimes called DCS, are used and your scanner does not recognize these.
Using CTCSS Tone Search While Scanning
1. Presss.
2. To determine if a stored frequency has an
associated CTCSS tone, press
m
when your scanner stops on a channel.
3. Press and hold
Kuntil you hear two
short beeps.
CTCSSdisplays and begins flashing, and
the scanner starts searching for an
associated CTCSS tone. All 38 tones are
checked if the transmission is long
enough. If there is a break before a tone
is identified, then your scanner starts
searching where it left off when the
transmission begins again.
If a CTCSS tone is found, the tone begins
flashing in the display.
4. Press
eto program the tone with the
frequency stored in the channel.
5. Repeat Steps 1 – 4 to search for tones
associated with other stored frequencies.
SCAN
MANUAL
PRI             TRUNK              DATA
L/O DELAY CTCSS
12
4
75
8
03
6
9
E
34 
						

							If you want to program tones for several stored frequencies, follow these steps:
After you program a CTCSS tone with a stored frequency, the CTCSS Tone Search Mode
is canceled. The
CTCSSindicator remains on but does not flash. To activate the CTCSS
Tone Search Mode again, press and hold
Kuntil you hear two short beeps.
If you decide to cancel the CTCSS Tone Search Mode while scanning, press and hold
Kuntil you hear two short beeps and theCTCSSindicator turns off.
You can select the CTCSS Search Mode before pressings. Simply, press and hold
Kuntil theCTCSSindicator begins flashing, and then presss.
When your scanner stops, the CTCSS Tone Search begins immediately. If a tone is found
before the transmission ends, press
eto program the tone with the frequency stored in
the channel.
Using CTCSS Tone Search While Searching
1. Set a Search Range.
For information about setting a search
range, see Setting a Search Range on
page 30.
2. PressS.
3. Press and hold
Kuntil you hear two
short beeps.
CTCSSbegins flashing in display.
The scanner starts searching for an
associated CTCSS tone when it stops on
a transmission. All 38 tones are checked
if the transmission is long enough.
However, if you press
h, and there is
break before a tone is identified, the tone
search starts where it left off when the
transmission begins again.
SCAN
MANUAL
PRI             TRUNK              DATA
L/O DELAY CTCSS
12
4
75
8
03
6
9
E
35 
						

							4. If a CTCSS tone is found, the tone begins
flashing in the display.
5. Press
eto program the tone with the
frequency stored in the channel.
— or —
Send the frequency with its associated
tone to another channel.
For information about sending a
frequency to another channel, see
Transferring a Programmed Frequency
on page 18.
6. Repeat Steps 2 – 4 to search for tones
associated with other frequencies in the
search range you set in Step 1.
If you want to program tones for several frequencies during your search, follow these steps:
After you program a frequency and a CTCSS tone into a channel, the CTCSS Tone Search
Mode is canceled. To activate the CTCSS Tone Search Mode again, press and hold
K
until you hear two short beeps.
If you decide to cancel the CTCSS Tone Search Mode while you are searching for
frequencies, press and hold
Kuntil you hear two short beeps and theCTCSSindicator
turns off.
Changing a CTCSS Tone
1. PressKto activate the CTCSS mode.
2. Select the channel you want to change.
3. Press
e.
The CTCSS tone begins flashing.
36 
						

							4. Enter the new CTCSS tone using your
keypad or the Rotary Tuner.
If you make a mistake while using your
keypad, press
.twice and enter the
tone again, or if you’re using your Rotary
Tuner, make sure
FREQis selected.
5. Presseto change the CTCSS tone.
Erasing a CTCSS Tone
1. PressKto activate the CTCSS mode.
2. Select the channel with the CTCSS tone
you want to erase.
3. Press
e.
The CTCSS tone begins flashing.
4. Press0or use your Rotary Tuner to
select
000.0
If you choose the wrong key, press.
twice, or if you’re using your Rotary
Tuner, make sure
FREQis selected.
5. Presseto erase the CTCSS tone.
The CTCSS tone is removed, and the
CTCSS icon remains on.
CTCSS Tone Frequencies (Hz)
000.0Þ67.0 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
136.5 141.3 146.2 151.4 156.7 162.2 167.9 173.8 179.9 186.2 192.8
203.5 210.7 218.1 225.7 233.6 241.8 250.3
Ü000.0
37 
						

							Trunk Tracking
YourBC895XLTis designed to track Motorola Type I, Type II, Type IIi, Hybrid,SMARTNET™, and
PRIVACY PLUS™ analog trunking systems*, which are extensively used in 800 MHz communication
systems. When tracking these types of systems, you may want to remember these important points:
Your scanner defaults to monitor Type II systems; however, you can change this if the
system in your area is different. (The types of systems are discussed below.)
Your scanner cannot track an 800 MHz trunked system and scan frequencies in
conventional mode at the same time.
The frequencies for many of the 800 MHz public safety systems are listed in the
TrunkTracker™: National Public Safety Trunked System Frequency Guideincluded with
your
BC895XLTscanner.
*Motorola,SMARTNET, andPRIVACY PLUSare trademarks of Motorola Inc.
Types of Trunking Systems
Trunking systems divide a few frequencies among many different users, but the way that each
system does this is slightly different. There are really two basic types which are important when
using your
TrunkTracker™scanner. These are usually referred to as Type I and Type II systems.
One important distinction between these two systems is the amount of data transmitted by each
radio when its push-to-talk button (PTT) is pressed. Every radio in a trunked system is assigned a
unique ID so the central site computer can identify it when it’s used. Both Type I and Type II
systems place radios (or radio users) into groups, called talk groups, and these talk groups are also
assigned unique IDs. Some radios have access to only one talk group, while others have access to
many talk groups. Which talk group(s) each radio can access is called the radio’s affiliation(s).
In a Type II system, when someone uses their radio, only the radio ID is transmitted when PTT is
pressed, whereas in a Type I system the radio ID and its current affiliation are both transmitted
when PTT is pressed.
Why the difference? Type II systems are slightly more advanced because the central computer
maintains a database which is used to determine each radio’s affiliation(s). Changes to a Type II
system are easier than Type I because the system manager only need update the database instead
of reprogramming individual radios.
Another difference between the systems is that Type I systems are arranged in a Fleet-Subfleet
hierarchy. For example, it’s possible for a city using a Type I system to designate 4 Fleets, each
with 8 Subfleets. Their fleets might be the Police Department, the Fire Department, Utilities, and
Administration. The Police may decide to further divide their fleet into subfleets such as Dispatch,
Tactical Operations, Detectives, North, South, East and West Side Patrols, and Supervisors. All the
available police radios would then be assigned to one of the police subfleets. Determining the exact
Fleet-Subfleet hierarchy for a particular area is referred to as Fleet Map Programming.
The disadvantage of a Type I system is that when PTT is pressed, the brief burst of data must
contain the radio’s ID and its Fleet and Subfleet. This is three times the amount of data a Type II
system radio sends, and as a result Type I systems usually accommodate fewer users than Type II
systems.
Even though there are many Type II systems, Type I systems are still in use. There are also Hybrid
systems which are a combination of both Type I and Type II. Your scanner defaults to monitor
Type II systems, but it’s possible to select a Preprogrammed Fleet Map or create a Custom Fleet
Map for your area.
38 
						

							Setting the Squelch
Since Squelch is automatically adjusted in trunking mode, it isn’t necessary to manually adjust the
squelch control while trunk tracking. However, the squelch setting you select before you begin trunk
tracking can affect how fast your scanner acquires the data channel, and, in some instances, the
squelch setting can prevent your scanner from acquiring the data channel at all.
Set
SQUELCHin this position before
selecting a trunking bank.
Note:You can change this recommended
setting, if necessary, to provide better
performance in your area.
Programming Trunking Frequencies
Before you start programming your scanner to track a trunked system, consider the following:
You can only program one trunking system in each bank of your scanner.
Trunking frequencies must be entered while in the Trunking Programming mode.
If you’re in the Trunking Programming mode, you cannot select channels in other banks.
For example, if you are programming Bank D, you can only select channels 91-120 with the
Rotary Tuner or using the
horikeys.
The first step in tracking a trunked system is storing the frequencies in one of the 10 available banks
in your scanner.
1. Press and hold
t.
You will hear two beeps, andBANKand
TRUNKwill begin to flash in the display.
2. Choose the bank you want to trunk track.
For example, press
B.
3. Use the keypad to enter a frequency for
the trunked system.
For example, enter856.2625, or enter a
frequency of the system you’re going to
track.
Then press
e.
Note:To clear a mistake while entering a frequency, press.twice, and start over.
SQUELCH
VOLUME
SCAN
MANUAL
PRI             TRUNK              DATA
L/O DELAY CTCSS
12
4
75
8
03
6
9
E
39 
						

							If you enter a non-800 MHz trunked
repeater output frequency, an error
message displays for two seconds and
then the scanner resets.
4. Press eithermorhto select the
next channel in the bank.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all frequencies
have been entered.
6. Press
Sto begin searching the bank
you’ve programmed.
Note:You will see the frequencies
quickly displaying as your scanner looks
for the data channel which controls the
system.
Searching a Trunked Bank
Before you Search a Trunked Bank with your scanner, consider the following:
You can only trunk track one bank at a time.
Usetto toggle between the conventional and the trunk tracking modes.
Pressdwhile in the Trunk Tracking mode to review which bank is currently in use. The
appropriate bank icon will flash at the top of the display for 5 seconds.
If you have programmed frequencies for a trunked system in one or more of the 10 available banks
and you are in conventional mode, follow these steps to begin trunk searching:
1. Press
t.
The bank indicators begin to flash.
2. Use the alpha keys to select the trunked
bank you want.
For example press
B.
Note:You will see the frequencies
quickly displaying as your scanner looks
for the data channel which controls the
system.
40