Discriminator output

The Discriminator output from a scanner is the raw, unfiltered signal that a scanner produces before it is sent to the audio stage for output through the speaker -- also called the "baseband audio." This discriminator source is required for applications such as Trunker, T4Win, and UniTrunker. Most scanners must have a simple modification made to them to feed the discriminator output to Data Slicers, or in the case of UniTrunker, a soundcard.

Note that for providing a signal for ACARS decoding, a connection from an earphone or speaker output is all that's required. This is because ACARS runs at a much lower speed, and the discriminator is not involved in AM reception.

Internal Links

• Pro-93 Discriminator Tap
• Pro-95 Discriminator Tap
• Pro-96 Discriminator Tap
• Pro-2052 Discriminator Tap

External Links

These pages or links contain more information on discriminator taps for many brands and models of scanners, including older models

• Disciminator NL
• Mods DK
• RadioModifications Yahoo Group
• ScannerTech Yahoo Group
• SCANDATA.FAQ

Radio Shack Scanners

• PRO-97 tap instructions
  • IdaScan.com Discriminator Tap Mod page
  • Another page with discriminator tap information can be found here

Uniden Scanners

• BC-245 discriminator tap point
• BC-895 tap instructions
  • Text document from Greg Knox
  • JPEG of the location of the discriminator tap point
• BC-780 discriminator tap points
• BCD-396T tap instructions
  • NOTE: You must be a member of the BCD396T Yahoo Group to view this message
  • Discriminator Tap directions
  • Image of circuit board for discriminator tap

Internal Pages

• MODIFYING THE UNIDEN BC796D SCANNER FOR DISCRIMINATOR AUDIO OUTPUT
  • This procedure also works for the BC785D
• BC898T Discriminator Tap