Actions

Programming the BCT-8

From The RadioReference Wiki

Trunking Programming

Program the Control and Voice Frequencies

  1. Press and hold TRUNK for a couple of seconds to enter Trunk Programming mode.
  2. Use the number pad to choose a bank number (1, 2, 3, 4, or 5) where you want to store this trunk. If you haven't done any trunk programming before, use bank 1 (press the 1 key). If you already have something programmed into your other banks, choose a new bank number. Remember you can only store one trunk per bank.
  3. Press the up arrow until you find what system type you want. See the chart below. Then press the E button.
  4. Prog F will appear on the scanner display. Press the E button again. The display will show 1 000.0000.
  5. Using the keypad, type in the first frequency, then press E.
  6. Press the up-arrow button. The display will show 2 000.0000.
  7. Using the keypad, type in the next frequency, then press E.
  8. Continue untill all are entered. You must enter ALL the frequencies for a given system
  9. This scanner is compatible with the following Trunking System Types and System Voices used in the RadioReference Database, of course you must verify that the scanner will cover the appropriate frequency range:


System Type Screen Display
Motorola Type I1 E1
Motorola Type I Rebanded 4 E1-Cus
Motorola Type IIi Hybrid 1 E1
Motorola Type II E2-800
Motorola Type II Rebanded 4 E2-Cus
Motorola Type II Smartnet E2-800
Motorola Type II Smartzone E2-800
Motorola Type II Smartzone Omnilink E2-800
Motorola Type II VHF 2 E2-Hi
Motorola Type II UHF 3 E2-UHF
EDACS Standard (Wide) Ed
EDACS Standard Networked Ed
EDACS SCAT Ed SCt
LTR Standard Lt
Notes
  1. Requires the use of a fleet map
  2. 136-174 Mhz. Requires the use of a custom table.
  3. 406-512 Mhz. Requires the use of a custom table.
  4. Requires the newer 1.60 firmware and entry of a custom table. See the Entering a Rebanding Table section of the BCT-8 Firmware Update article on the Uniden twiki. This type should cover the majority of Motorola Type 2 systems that are rebanded.

Custom Tables

  • If you have selected E2-Hi or E2-UHF as the system type;
  1. Use the up or down key to select base , then press E.
  2. Use the keypad to enter Configuration Block Number 1
  3. Use the keypad to enter the Base Frequency, then press E.
  4. Press the up arrow key and select for entering the Spacing Frequency.
  5. Use the keypad to enter a new Spacing Frequency, then press E.
  6. Press the up arrow key and enter the OffsetChannel (usually 380).
  7. Repeat these steps for Blocks 2 and 3 if needed.


System Voices
  • Analog
  • For those systems listed as Analog and APCO-25 Common Air Interface , this scanner will only copy those talkgroups that are listed with a mode of A. Anything with a mode of D (digital) will not be copyable. Anything with an E in the mode field is encrypted, and no scanner can copy these.
  • This scanner is not compatible with any system marked APCO-25 Common Air Interface Exclusive. These systems require a digital trunktracker to successfully copy. This scanner is also not compatible with the following system types;

Programming Talkgroups

  1. Press HOLD/RESUME while in the trunked bank. "Prog F" appears on the display. Press the up arrow. Prog id appears on the display.
  2. Press the "E" button.
  3. Begin entering the talkgroup IDs you're interested in.
    1. For EDACS systems, use the decimal key in place of the dash. This is for entering talkgroups in the Agency-Fleet-Subfleet (AFS) format. For example; punch: 02 decimal 126, for 02-126.
  4. Press E to set the talkgroup. Press the Up arrow.
  5. Key in the next talkgroup, hit E to set then the Up arrow to proceed to the next one
  6. Repeat this procedure until you have entered all the talkgroup IDs you are interested in.
  7. To begin scanning, press the scan button. The scan button on the BCT8 is actually the Search button.
  • If you see "Bx SCAN id" scrolling across the display, you are NOT in the proper scan mode. Press the scan button until you see ID SCAN to scan only the id's you put in or to just SCAN to scan all the talk group id's.

thanks to Bullmax for the above