Uniden Bc895xlt Trunk Tracker Scanner Manual

							Once the data channel is acquired, the
scanner begins trunk tracking. Talk group
ID’s, which represent different service
groups, begin to display.
3. Presstagain to return to
conventional scanning mode.
While searching, you won’t know exactly who the IDs are assigned to until you listen awhile or until
ID lists are available in frequency guides or on internet sites. However, it usually only takes a few
minutes to figure out police, fire, and emergency medical personnel. Other IDs may take some time,
but determining who each ID represents is half the fun of
TrunkTracker™.
ID Hold Mode
During Search mode, you can hold on an ID without entering it into memory.
1. Press
hwhile in Search mode.
2. Use the keypad to enter the ID you want.
3. Press
hagain.
HOLDflashes in the display.
4. PressSto return to Search mode.
Note:The ID Hold mode works in Scan List mode, and the steps are the same; however,SEARCH
doesn’t appear in the display.
41 
						

							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
Lwhen the
ID displays.
The ID is locked out, and the next active
ID displays. You can lockout up to 100
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 45.
Restoring a Single ID
To unlock a single ID, follow these steps:
1. Press and hold
Luntil you hear two
short beeps.
2. Use either the Rotary Tuner or the
h
orito select the ID you want to
unlock.
3. Press
L.
The ID is unlocked and the next locked ID
displays.
4. PressSto return to the Search mode.
42 
						

							Restoring all IDs
To unlock all locked out IDs at once, follow these steps:
1. Press and hold
Luntil you hear two
short beeps.
2. Press
eto unlock all the IDs at once.
Note:If you unlock all the IDs, then the Scan List Memory mode displays. Presssto
scan the IDs stored in your Scan Lists or press
Sto return to the Search mode. For
information about Scan Lists, see page 45.
3. PressSto return to the Search mode.
Searching Tips
ID Delay Mode
Use theYkey to select the Delay mode if it’s not active. This mode holds an ID for 5
seconds while you wait for a reply. Other groups may use the system, but your scanner will
only look for the ID in the display.
Note:If you consistently miss responses while in ID Delay mode, you may need to change
the default system type or change the fleet map you’re using.
Hold Mode
Presshto hold on a particular ID in the display. This is where the trunk tracking effect
is really noticeable. You can hold a specific talk group, such as fire department on-scene
operations, no matter which frequency the group uses.
43 
						

							ID Monitor Mode
If you press and holdSuntil you hear two short beeps, you will select the ID Monitor
mode.
SEARCHbegins flashing in the display, and all active talk group IDs begin to display in
succession. You won’t hear conversations in this mode, but this is an excellent way to
determine which talk groups are the most active.
Note:Locked out IDs display during ID Monitor mode with theL/0icon turned on.
Channel Activity Indicators
TheBC895XLThas 30 Channel Activity Indicators to visually display a trunked system’s activity
when you select delay, hold, scan etc. 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 on your
scanner’s display. The way in which the Activity Indicators display provide you with information
about the system you’re tracking.
nThe indicator which remains on, even
when there is no traffic, represents the
frequency being used as the data channel.
nIf an indicator turns on and you don’t hear
a conversation, then the channel is
probably being used for a telephone
interconnect call or a private call. These
calls are not monitored by your scanner.
nThe indicator which flashes when an ID
displays represents the frequency being
used by the talk group.
nIf you’re holding on an ID which isn’t
active, the activity indicators will turn on
and off as other groups use the system.
44 
						

							Scan Lists
Each bank of yourBC895XLTcan be a trunk tracking bank, or it can be a conventional scanning
bank. When you designate a bank as a trunking bank, your scanner sets up 5 Scan Lists (A –E),
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 50 IDs for each trunk tracking bank (500 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 A for police IDs, List B for fire department IDs, List C for emergency medical service IDs, etc.
Once IDs are stored in lists, you can scan them like you scan conventional frequencies. You can
program your scan lists either manually or during trunking search mode.
You can use the VFO Tuner to scroll through the IDs in your scan lists.
Programming Scan Lists Manually
1. Select the Trunking bank you want.
2. After the scanner begins trunk tracking,
press
m.
3. Use either the Rotary Tuner or the
h
andito select the Scan List location
you want to program. For example, select
the second memory location in the first
scan list.
4. Enter the Type II ID you want to store,
and press
e.
—or—
To enter a Type I ID:
a. Enter the fleet number.
b. Press
..
c. Enter the subfleet number, and
press
e.
Note:If the trunking bank is set to monitor Type II systems, you cannot enter Type I IDs. To
clear a mistake while entering an ID, press
.twice, and start over.
5. Pressmorhto select the next
Scan List location.
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							6. Presssto begin scanning the lists
you have programmed.
If you haven’t programmed any IDs,SCAN
displays but your scanner cannot stop on
an active conversation.
7. To remove a Scan List from active
scanning, press the number of the Scan
List on your keypad.
The Scan List indicator turns off, and the
IDs in that list are not scanned.
Note:One Scan List must always be active. If you try and deactivate all the Scan Lists,
Scan List A will automatically be active.
8. To restore a Scan List to active scanning,
press its number again.
9. Press
Sto return to Trunk Tracking
Search mode.
Programming Scan Lists During Search
To select a Scan List location and store an ID during Search mode, follow these steps:
1. When your scanner stops on an ID you
want to store, press
p.
2. Use either the Rotary Tuner or the
h
orito select the Scan List memory
location you want, then press
e.
3. Press
Sto return to Trunk Tracking
Search mode.
46 
						

							To let your scanner automatically store an ID in an available Scan List location, follow these steps:
1. Press
ewhen your scanner stops on
an ID you want to store.
2. Press
Sto return to Trunk Tracking
Search mode.
Deleting a Stored ID
To delete a stored ID:
a. Press
0.
b. Then press
e.
47 
						

							Fleet Map Programming
If you have programmed a trunk tracking bank and selectS, you will see user IDs display on
your screen. Since your scanner defaults to monitor Type II systems, most if not all IDs appear as
even numbers. However, if you notice an even mix of odd and even user IDs, for example 6477,
2560, 6481, 6144, 1167, etc., then you are probably monitoring either a Type I or Hybrid system.
See
Types of Trunking Systemson page 38.
You may also notice that you’re missing responses when you hold on an active ID. Unlike Type II
systems, Type I/IIi systems require a Fleet Map that sets specific Fleet-Subfleet parameters. It’s
easy to select a Fleet Map for your scanner; what isn’t always easy is selecting or programming a
map that matches your particular area.
There are 16 preset Fleet Maps listed in the appendix that you can choose, and these are usually a
good place to start when setting up a Type I/IIi trunk tracking bank. If you choose a preset map and
still have difficulty following complete conversations, then you’ll have to program your own Fleet
Map.
Selecting Trunking Programming Mode
To change the system type which your scanner monitors, you must be in the Trunking Programming
mode. To select this mode, follow these steps:
If you are in Conventional Scan mode:
1. Press and hold
t.
You’ll hear two short beeps andBANK
andTRUNKwill begin to flash in the
display.
2. Select the trunking bank you want to
program.
If you are in Trunking Scan mode:
1. Press
tto return to conventional
mode if you have been monitoring a
trunking bank.
2. Press and hold
tuntil you hear two
short beeps.
You’ll hear two short beeps, andBANK
andTRUNKwill begin to flash in the
display.
3. Select the trunking bank you want to
program.
48 
						

							Selecting a Preset Fleet Map
1. Select the Trunking Programming mode
and the bank you want to change.
2. Press
d.
3. Use
horito chooseE1.
4. Press
d.
5. Use
horito choose the map
you want. For example,
E1P2.
6. Press
e.
The scanner exits the Trunking
Programming mode, acquires the data
channel, and begins searching using the
preset map you chose.
Note:You will now begin to see Type I Fleet-Subfleet IDs. For example, 100-12, 100-9,
000-12, 400-8, etc. See User Defined Fleet Maps in the Appendix for more information
about Type I IDs.
How do you know if the preset map is correct? You’ll have to listen to see if you’re following
complete conversations. If not, you should try another preset map.
Programming a Fleet Map
You may want to read User Defined Fleet Maps in the Appendix before programming a fleet map. It
contains a detailed explanation of Scanner Fleet Map Programming, as well as a table listing the
Fleet Map Size Codes.
1. Select the Trunking Programming mode
and the bank you want to change.
49 
						

							2. Pressd.
3. Use
horito chooseE1.
4. Press
d.
5. Use
horito chooseUSr.
6. Press
d.
7. Use
horito select the size
code for the first block.
8. Press
e.
The next available block displays.
9. Repeat Steps 7 and 8 until you have
selected a size code for each block.
For specifics about each size code, see
Fleet Map Size Codes in the Appendix.
10. PressS.
The scanner exits the Trunking
Programming mode, acquires the data
channel, and begins searching using the
map you’ve programmed.
50