BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page i
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page ii
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page iii Contents Introduction ...........................................................................................1 Front View ............................................................................................2 Icon Display ..........................................................................................3 BC250D SHORTCUTS.........................................................................4 Important Notice ..............................................
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page iv Service Search Skip .......................................................................44 NWR-SAME Alert ...........................................................................44 Testing the Alert Siren ....................................................................45 Programming FIPS Code................................................................45 Digital and Trunked Systems .............................................................
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 1 Introduction The BC250D is a state-of-the-art Digital Capable radio with TrunkTracker III and automatic scanning capabilities. It can store frequencies such as police, fire/emergency, marine, railroad, air, amateur, and other communications into 10 banks of 100 channels for a total of 1000 channels.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 2 Front View 11 12 1 13 2 14 3 4 5 CH/ FRQ HOLD/ MAN 6 RSM SCAN SERVICE SEARCH MENU/BACK TRUNK 7 8 9 10 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 L/O REVERSE SELECT . E 22 23 Antenna Connector Speaker Display DC Power Jack Hold/Manual/Channel/Frequency Key (HOLD/MAN) Scan Key (SCAN) Menu/Back Key (MENU/BACK) Lockout Key (L/O) Light/Keypad Lock Key ( / ) Decimal/Reverse Key ( .
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 3 Icon Display ICON P L /O DESCRIPTION Priority Channel Indicator Lock Out Mode Indicator Scan/Search Direction Indicator SRCH Chain Search Mode Indicator SRVC Service Search Mode Indicator SCAN Scan Mode Indicator ID SCAN ID SEARCH C M L E P25 AM,FM WFM,NFM ID Scan Mode Indicator ID Search Mode Indicator Channel Type Conventional Type Trunk Type Morola Tracking Type LTR Tracking Type EDACS Tracking Type Digital Communications P25: APCO Project 25 Receiving Mode Indic
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 4 BC250D SHORTCUTS MENU/ BACK 3 2 1 MENU/ BACK MENU/ BACK 3 1 1 MENU/ BACK 1 3 3 2 3 1 1 3 9 1 2 the neat entry Programming. MENU/ BACK 3 4 1 MENU/ BACK Rotate the VFO control to enter the text and using RSM or HOLD/MAN to move the cursor. After the text is entered, press E (for example; replace the frequency on channel 5 to 155.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 5 BC250D SHORTCUTS To set up a system for trunk tracking, select a bank, then enter the trunk type. MENU/ BACK 6 1 CHAIN SERCH E 1 select bank SEARCH MENU/ BACK 2 2 E 1 1 Then enter the trunk type you want to track. Press E . MENU/ BACK E 1 CHAIN SERCH 2 select range To change the alpha tag on the specific search range of frequencies that you set, do the following: E 1 To begin searching between the Range press SEARCH .
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 6 Important Notice • This scanning radio has been manufactured so that it will not tune radio frequencies assigned by the FCC for cellular telephone usage. The Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, as amended, makes it a federal crime to intentionally intercept cellular or cordless telephone transmissions or to market this radio when altered to receive them.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 7 Terminology What is Scanning? Unlike standard AM or FM radio stations, most two-way communications do not transmit continuously. The BC250D scans the Frequencies you have programmed into the Scanner’s channels until it finds an active frequency. Scanning stops on an active frequency and remains on that channel as long as the transmission continues. When the transmission ends, the scanning cycle resumes until another transmission is received.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 8 frequency so another talkgroup can use it. Sharing of the available public service frequencies, or trunking, allows cities, counties, or other agencies to accommodate hundreds of users with relatively few frequencies. Following a conversation on a trunked system using a scanner is difficult, if not impossible.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 9 Feature Highlights • Trunk Tracking – Follow VHF High Band UHF 800/900MHz trunked public safety and public service systems just as if conventional two-way communications were used. • Digital Capable – With the APCO 25 Digital card (BCi25D) installed, you can monitor supported project 25 systems. • Multi-Track – Track more than one trunking system at a time. Scan conventional and trunked systems at the same time. • 1000 Channels – Program one frequency into each channel.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 10 • PC Programmable – Allows you to easily program all frequencies and Trunking Talk Groups into your BC250D through Uniden’s E-Scanner software running on your PC. – For more information on E-Scanner Programming software visit our website at scanner.uniden.com. • Turbo Search – Increases the search speed to 300 steps per second. This applies only to transmission bands with 5 kHz steps. • Text Tags – You can customize your scanner by storing text tags (up to 16 characters).
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 11 Where to Obtain More Information Before using your scanner, you must program frequencies into available channels. The Betty Bearcat Frequency Guide lists typical frequencies used around the U.S.A. and Canada that you may program into your new scanner. To obtain frequency information for your area, contact one of the following: • Bearcat Frequency Hotline (937) 299-0414 (Hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 12 Included with Your Scanner Package If any of these items are missing or damaged, immediately contact your place of purchase or Uniden Customer Service at: (800) 297-1023, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Central Time, Monday through Friday.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 13 Setup Installing the Battery Pack 1. Open the cover. 2. Connect the battery pack connector observing the correct polarity. 3. Replace the cover and press down until it clicks into place. Charging the Battery Pack Use the AC Adapter/Charger to power the BC250D from an AC outlet. CH/ FRQ RSM HOLD/ MAN SCAN SERVICE SEARCH You can use your scanner while the battery charges.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 14 Flexible Antenna Attach the flexible antenna to the antenna connector. Beltclip The beltclip is designed to fit snugly on the back of the scanner. Line up the four arms on the beltclip with the four tabs on the scanner and slide the beltclip into place, as shown on the right. Listening Safely To protect your hearing, follow these guidelines when you use an earphone or headphones. • Do not use the earphone to listen to the WX alert siren test.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 15 Basic Operation Turn the Scanner On Turn the VOLUME control clockwise out of the detent position. The scanner automatically starts scanning. Since there are no frequencies programmed in your scanner initially, you may not receive any signals. Once you set the squelch and program some frequencies, you will begin hearing conversations regularly. Note: If you turn the scanner on when the optional APCO card is not installed, APCO P25 CARD NOT INSTALLED appears on the display.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 16 Next you must program some frequencies (page 26). It is recommended that you read the next part "Understanding the Menu System" because it will assist you in accessing and understanding many of the features. Later in a section called "Additional Features", you will find explanations on how to disable the keypad acknowledgement tones, mute the audio, change the appearance of the display and other general features.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 17 • ID Search mode/ID Search Hold mode MENU MODE 1:SERVICE OPTION 2:SCAN OPTION 3:SYSTEM OPTION Menu Description and Numeric Keypad Equivalents Below are the Menu screens and a brief description or purpose of the feature. 1:SERVICE OPTION Service Search menus are preprogrammed services used around the U.S. 1:WEATHER 1:MONITOR When you select this mode, the preprogrammed NOAA weather channel begins to activate. 2:ALERT You can set NWR-SAME weather alert to 1:ON or 2:OFF.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 18 You can program up to 10 search ranges. The first time you program a range you will need to do so through the Menu. After the first time you can program a range as you do on most any other scanner, using the numeric keypad or VFO control. Use this Menu item to select the search range that you want to program. You can program range 1 through 10, one at a time. For each of the ranges, the following options can be modified.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 19 5:TONE DATA The default mode is 2:OFF. This means that you will receive all transmissions on any frequencies that are active within your search range(s). By selecting CTCSS or DCS you can set the radio to receive only a particular subaudible tone to be received during your search. You can also lockout a particular CTCSS or DCS tone. You may wish to do this if you want to search a range but not hear transmissions on any frequency that has a particular subaudible tone.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 20 To do so you must have the SQ Mode in the System Menu set to Tone SQ. You can also program a subaudible tone easily by pressing the E key in Scan Hold mode after programming a frequency. This will bring up the Tone Data menu without having to navigate the Menu. By doing this you will receive all transmissions on the frequency, regardless of the subaudible tone, except the one which you have locked. Any transmissions with that tone will not be received.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 21 7:MODE Default Auto receive modes are also programmed into memory. AM for aircraft and CB bands, for example. All frequencies (other than audio TV broadcast) above 400 MHz are received in NFM mode which helps prevent adjacent channel interference. You can change the default settings on a per-channel basis with this Menu item. 2:TRUNK Choose the Trunk bank. The following options are available for the selected trunk bank only. Repeat using a different trunk bank, if necessary.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 22 can then do the following: 1. Program ID number 2. Set an alpha tag 3. Assign a Beep Alert to the ID. Whenever that ID is active, you will hear three beeps at the start of the transmission. 4:DELAY You can set a delay for a trunk system on a bank by bank basis. The delay time is 2 seconds, and this setting can not be changed. 5:ID LIST TAG Assign an alphanumeric tag to any or all of the 10 Scan Lists for the system.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 23 ON. In Search mode, with I-CALL ON, you will hear both talkgroup calls and I-CALLs. You can also set I-CALLs to I-CALL ONLY during which you will monitor only I-CALLs in Search mode. You can also program I-CALL IDs into Scan List memory. OR 8:ID SCAN LIST (LTR) When scanning an LTR system you can only turn Scan Lists OFF and ON when an LTR talk group that you have entered into memory is active.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 24 tone. Only in rare instances will you need to adjust the default settings. The condition to return to control channels depends on whether a signal is present or not. :CNTRL CH ONLY (TYPE 1/TYPE 2 800, 900) With this mode you will be able to track Motorola Type I and II 800 and 900 MHz trunked systems by simply entering the control channel which manages the trunked system. You will not have to program the voice channels. There are 4 channel plans which you can select from.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 25 7:DATA SKIP A scanner will normally stop on any transmission it receives. This means the BC250D will occasionally stop on data signals and unmodulated transmissions. You can automatically skip many of these types of transmissions with data skip turned ON. 8:SQ MODE The SQ Mode allows you to set at your option, whether the scanner will stop on all active transmissions on a particular frequency or it will only respond to transmissions with a pre-set subaudible tone.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 26 Programming Before the BC250D can begin conventional scanning, you must program a frequency into at least one channel. Repeat this procedure for each channel you want to program. Storing Frequencies into Channels in Menu Mode 1. Select frequencies you received from your dealer, from various sources on the internet, or from one of the guides listed on page 11. Here is a list of sample frequencies you should try: 156.800 Marine Calling channel 155.340 Ambulance operations 155.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 27 Note: • To clear a mistake while entering the frequency, press . (decimal key) repeatedly until the display is cleared. • If you enter a channel or frequency which is out of the scanner’s range, a beep will sound and ERROR appears on the display. • For each channel, you can also change the step size or the mode. (See page 103.) C 010 512.0000 NFM ERROR OUT OF CHANNEL C 010 512.0000 NFM ERROR OUT OF BAND Deleting a Stored Frequency To delete a stored frequency: a.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 28 Transfer Frequencies You can transfer a frequency that has been stored in a channel to another channel. 1. Press HOLD/MAN. 2. Press TRANSFR, and the smallest empty channel number along with the frequency will flash on the display. 3. Press E and the frequency can be stored in this channel. 4. If you want to enter it into another channel, select another channel by rotating the VFO and pressing E.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 29 3. Select the channel number by rotating the VFO and pressing E. You can also enter the channel number by using the keypad and then press E. 4. Select 1:FREQUENCY and ALPHA TAG by rotating the VFO and pressing E. C 001 855.0000 NFM ALPHA TAG ¡ Note: You can only assign a text tag to the channel where the frequency is stored. 5. The cursor appears on the display. Rotate the VFO to change letters, and press HOLD/MAN or RSM to move right or left.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 30 • Group similar services into a bank. For example, program police frequencies in channels 1 through 10 and fire/emergency into channels 51 through 60, and so on. • Put the frequency that you listen to the most or the most important frequency into a Priority channel. • To quickly program a series of channels, start with the lowest number channel. For example, when you are programming five new frequencies into channels 4 through 8, start with channel 4.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 31 Scanning 1. After programming frequencies, C 001 simply press SCAN to begin scanning. SCAN During scanning, when you rotate the Bank 1234567890 VFO, you can select the direction (↑ or ↓) you want to scan. 2. The bank indicators selected for scanning appear on the display, and the bank being currently monitored flashes. You can deselect banks from active scanning by entering their number on your keypad.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 32 2. Press TRNSFR, and the smallest empty channel number flashes on the display. 3. Press E. CH/ FRQ HOLD/ MAN RSM SCAN SERVICE SEARCH MENU/BACK TRUNK L/O Note: • If you want to change the channel, rotate the VFO. REVERSE SELECT . E • If the frequency you want to store exists already, WARNING appears on the display and you will hear a beep. (See “Duplicate Frequency Alert” on page 27). RF Attenuation Feature The BC250D comes with an RF Attenuation feature.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 33 1:CONVENTIONAL by rotating the VFO and pressing E. 3. Select the channel number of the stored frequency to be delayed by rotating the VFO and pressing E. 4. Select 2:DELAY and press E. 5. Rotate the VFO to select 1:ON or 2:OFF and press E. 6. For Search mode, select 1:SERVICE OPTION / :CHAIN SEARCH/3:DELAY by rotating the VFO and pressing E, then set to 1:ON or 2:OFF the same way as the Scan mode setting.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 34 Restoring a Locked-out Channel 1. Press HOLD/MAN. 2. Select a locked out channel. a. Enter the channel number using the keypad. b. Then press HOLD/MAN again. CH/ FRQ HOLD/ MAN RSM SCAN SERVICE SEARCH MENU/BACK TRUNK L/O 3. Press L/O to unlock the channel. The L/O icon disappears. REVERSE SELECT . E Restoring All Locked-out Channels You can restore all locked-out channels in a bank only when a bank is selected for scan.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 35 Changing the Priority Channel You cannot eliminate the Priority Channel, but you can change it to any one of the 100 available channels in each bank. 1. Press HOLD/MAN. CH/ FRQ HOLD/ MAN 2. Select a new Priority Channel: a. Enter the channel number using the keypad. b. Then press HOLD/MAN again. 3. Press and hold PRI for 2 seconds to designate this channel as your new Priority Channel. Two beeps indicates that the Priority Channel has been changed.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 36 Searching Setting a Search Range Note: First you must set the search ranges through the Menu screen prior to any searching. The BC250D can search up to 10 separate frequency ranges to help you discover new stations in your area. To set a Search Range, enter into the Menu mode. 1. Press MENU/BACK. 2. Select 1:SERVICE OPTION / :CHAIN SEARCH / 2:SEARCH RANGE - by rotating the VFO and pressing E. 3. Select a range number by rotating the VFO and pressing E. 4.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 37 Caution: After you have entered the search range while still in the Menu mode, you can set your alpha tag (see page 28), change the step size of the search, change the mode or change the trunk set. Once the lower and upper parameters of your search are edited, the Menu screen backs up one level to allow you to modify the step size, receive mode, and alpha tag. Select 2:STEPS for your step size choices and then press E.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 38 1. Press MENU/BACK. 2. Select 3:SYSTEM OPTION / SYSTEM OPTION 7:DATA SKIP by rotating the VFO 5:PC CONTROL 6:CLONE and pressing E. 3. Select 1:ON by rotating the VFO and pressing E. 7:DATA SKIP When Data Skip is active, your scanner may pause momentarily on an unwanted signal but will resume searching in 2 or 3 seconds. The Data Skip feature is active as well as Scan mode and Service Search mode.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 39 2. Press TRNSFR to store the frequency in the channel you selected. The smallest empty channel number flashes on the display. If necessary, you can also change the channel by scrolling the VFO. SRCH 12.5k 1240.0000 NFM Range 1 C004 0000.0000 3. Press E. Note: • If the frequency you want to store exists already, WARNING appears on the display and you will hear a beep. (See “Duplicate Frequency Alert” on page 27.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 40 C 001 1245.8500 NFM 7. After the search has gone through the Bank 12--56---search range, press HOLD/MAN to AUTO STORE 6. Press SEARCH to start auto storing. stop this feature. STORE END appears on the display. You may want to let it run through the search range several times because during the first pass there may not have been any transmissions at that particular time on that frequency. Squelch (SQ) Mode The scanner can be set to the following SQ modes.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 41 3. Rotate the VFO to select one type (1:CSQ, 2:TONE SQ, 3:TONE SEARCH) and press E. 4. To set Tone Lock mode, do the following first, then select 2:TONE SQ in step 3. 1) For Scan mode, select 2:SCAN OPTION / 1:CONVENTIONAL - select the channel number 3:TONE DATA - 1:CTCSS or 2:DCS by rotating the VFO and pressing E. With CTCSS or DCS, Tone Lock ON is set by pressing L/O.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 42 Additional Menu Options for Searching Each of these additional menu options applys to all search ranges entered. If there is a range that you do not want an option to apply, then simply enter the range number on the numerical keypad. You will see the range number that you have selected disappears from the display. (For more information on these options refer to the "Menu Descriptions" section and "Additional Features" section.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 43 Service Search The Service Search feature allows you to scroll through the following twelve preprogrammed services. The frequencies selected for these services are the most commonly used around the U.S. • 1:WEATHER • 7:RAILROAD • 2:PUBLIC SAFETY • 8:AIR • 3:NEWS • 9:CB RADIO • 4:TV BROADCAST • 0:FRS • 5:HAM RADIO • :RACING • 6:MARINE • :SPECIAL 1. Press SERVICE. ––– OR ––– Another method is as follows: To set Service Search, enter into the Menu mode. 1.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 44 commonly used at special events and other locations and may or may not be licensed. • When you rotate the VFO while the Service Search is active, you can change the search direction to up or down. During the search of one of the preprogrammed services, the lowest display line will indicate the service that you are searching. To stop the search, press HOLD/MAN. Rotate the VFO to move up or down one programmed frequency or press RSM to resume searching.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:36 AM Page 45 Note: You can also set Alert mode to OFF by pressing RSM without entering the Menu mode. 4. When the unit receives a warning signal, it shows a message with the alert siren defined. (For NWR-SAME EVENT CODE, see the table on page 99.) 5. To deactivate, just press any key or it is automatically canceled and the alert siren stops. Testing the Alert Siren To test and recognize the difference between the types of alert sirens, perform the following steps: 1.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 46 When you rotate the VFO to move down when FIPS CODE 1 is displayed or VFO to move up when FIPS CODE 15 is displayed, ALL FIPS appears on the display. 5. Enter the FIPS code using the keypad. 6. Press E. Note: • To cancel the entry, press . (decimal key). • To clear a stored FIPS code, press 0 and E successively • To obtain the FIPS code for your area, contact the NWS toll free at 1-888-697-7263.(1-888-NWRSAME) or visit their web site http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/indexnw.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 47 Digital and Trunked Systems Your BC250D is designed to monitor APCO Project 25 digital communication systems (using optional BCi25D) and tracks three major types of trunked radio systems. These systems are described here. ❖APCO Project 25 Systems - Digital systems which support the APCO Project 25 protocol developed by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) and Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA).
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 48 Safety Trunked System Frequency Guide included with your BC250D scanner. Frequencies sometimes change, check with www.bearcat1.com/free.htm. • If you have internet access, you can visit scanner.uniden.com or www.bearcat1.com/free.htm for additional information, for 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 M/A - COM Inc.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 49 Programming and Receiving Digital and Trunked Systems There are three steps for programming a trunked sytem: 1. Program the Trunk Type – What type of system will the scanner be tracking, Motorola Type II, Type I, EDACS, LTR, etc. 2. Program the Trunked Frequencies – Within a trunked system, the frequencies are shared among all the users, called “Talk Groups”. • Within the bank you decide which channels to program the trunked frequencies. 3.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 50 71 for instructions. STEP 1 is complete. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 LCD display Icon TrunkingType Type 2 800 M Motorola Type 2 800 MHz Type 1 M Motorola Type 1 Type 2 900 M Motorola Type 2 900 MHz Type 2 UHF M Motorola Type 2 UHF Type 2 VHF M Motorola Type 2 VHF EDCS WIDE E EDACS Wideband 9600 baud EDCS NARROW E EDACS Narrowband 4800 baud EDCS SCT. E EDACS SCAT LT L LTR Special requirements a. Must program a fleet map. b. Must program base, spacing, frequency and offset channel.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 51 press . (decimal key) twice, and the display is cleared. • If you enter a frequency which is C 010 0000.0000 out of the system’s trunking ERROR range, a beep sounds and ERROR appears on the display. OUT OF BAND • If you enter a frequency which has been stored in another channel, you will hear a beep and the channel stored displays WARNING (Refer to “Duplicate Frequency Alert” on page 27). STEP 2 is complete.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 52 4. Select 3:TALK GROUP by rotating the VFO and pressing E. 5. Select the ID location by rotating the VFO or using the keypad and then press E. You decide which location you want to place the Talk Group ID. (The first number represents the Scan List number and the second number represents the Memory Location number.) (Direct entry method example: enter "1-5" by M1-5 pressing 1, . (decimal key), 5.) -----6. Select 1:ID by rotating the VFO and pressing E. ¡ ENTER ID 7.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 53 To enter a LTR ID: For a LTR ID, the Area Code, Home Repeat number and ID make up the talk group ID. Please see page 68 for more information. 1. Enter the Area Code and then press . (decimal key) -----2. Enter the Home Repeater number and 0-02-120¡ ENTER ID then press (decimal key). L5-0 . 3. Enter the ID you want to store. 4. Press E. Note: To clear a stored ID while entering an ID, press 0 and E successively, and start over. Assigning a Text Tag to a Talk Group ID 1.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 54 Setting the Squelch For trunked reception, a good setting for the SQUELCH control is in the center of the range with the color marker pointing up. See the illustration. If it is set too high (CCW) in some cases it could prevent your scanner from locking to the Control Channel reliably. If it is 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.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 55 ID Scan Mode 1. Press SCAN to begin scanning the lists you have programmed. ID SCAN 867.9875 NFM If you haven't programmed more than List 1234567890 2 IDs, ERROR appears on the display. 2. To remove a Scan List from active scanning, press the number of the Scan List on your keypad. Hint: Press and hold RSM for 2 seconds, the scanner will move to the next trunking bank. The Scan List indicator turns Off, and the IDs in that list are not scanned.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 56 ID Scan Hold Feature If you want to stop on a ID during ID scanning, press HOLD/MAN. M1-1:4128 867.8375 NFM ID Tag If you want to resume scanning, press LIST Tag RSM. To directly access a specific channel: There are several ways to access a specific ID quickly. 0000.0000 C1000 Bank 10 1. Press HOLD/MAN. 2. By using the keypad or rotating the VFO, enter the ID location number (See page 51). CH/ FRQ HOLD/ MAN RSM SCAN SERVICE SEARCH MENU/BACK TRUNK L/O 3.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 57 selected for a trunked system, press HOLD/MAN, and the radio will seek and acquire the trunked system control channel. ID Search 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/MAN to stop the search.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 58 talkgroups in the Utilities agency. You can do this with just a few key presses. 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/MAN, 0, 4, . (decimal key), and then L/O. For other ways to use partial AFS entry, be sure to read the section "EDACS Reception". Review ID Lockout You can check all IDs already locked out. 1. Press MENU/BACK. ––– OR ––– 1.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 59 Reverse Key For Motorola and EDACS system; to change your display between the Scan List indicators and trunk bank display, press REVERSE. ID SCAN 867.9875 NFM Bank 1234567890 BANK:10 MOTTYP2 ID SCAN 867.9875 NFM List 1234567890 For LTR systems only, the talkgroup must be active in order to change the Scan List and bank indicators. If the talkgroup is not active, change the Scan List by using the Menu screen.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 60 Setting Priority in Trunking Mode You can set priority in your trunking lists, just as you do in your conventional ones. You can set the priority by pressing and holding PRI for 2 seconds in ID Scan Hold mode. After you’ve set up your Scan List, press PRI to activate it. It’s very similar to conventional priority although there is no "interrupt" during the transmissions. Priorities are checked in between transmissions.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 61 Moving between Scan List Memories There are a number of ways to step and move through your Scan List memories: 1. Press HOLD/MAN in the ID Scan mode and rotate the VFO to move to up or down. 2. Or, press HOLD/MAN in the ID Scan mode, next press 0-9 (scan list number), then press 0-9 (memory position).
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 62 You can hold any I-Call IDs. Because you can only hold on one ID, and there are two IDs involved in any I-Call communication (the transmitting and the receiving units), you might not hear the full conversation, but you probably will. ☞ In Search mode, when you hear an interesting I-Call, you can enter the instant shortcut . (decimal key) then RSM to enter I-Call Only mode. This blocks all talkgroup traffic and lets you hear just the I-Call.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 63 After the scanner finishes checking a trunked system for activity, it will conventionally scan the other frequencies in the bank (remember, only trunking frequencies are programmed in Trunk mode). To scan a mix of trunking and conventional banks, select the banks you wish to be active, and then press SCAN. The scanner will instantly begin scanning. If you have not programmed a trunking bank with talkgroup ID’s, you will receive NO ID (----) message for that bank.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 64 EDACS® Reception EDACS® Tracking TrunkTracker III now allows tracking of EDACS® trunked systems. Until now these widely used systems have been almost impossible to monitor with a conventional scanner. With your TrunkTracker III listening to EDACS(s) is remarkably easy, and perhaps even easier than conventional scanning. EDACS systems use 'Transmission Trunking', which means that each transmission is assigned a new frequency.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 65 An EDACS® Trunked system This chart shows how talkgroups are organized within an EDACS system at the Agency level. The individual talkgroups cannot be shown at this scale because there are over 2000. However the chart can show the 16 Agencies in this example. The system is logical and easy to understand. EDACS systems are typically arranged in an outline structure. The system users are given blocks of talkgroups.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 66 For example Sullivan, in decimal, uses channels from 384 to 511. This is not as easy to remember as Agency 03. But decimal is useful if you need to work from decimal talkgroup lists. To turn Emargency Alert ON/OFF, enter into the Menu mode. Select 2:SCAN OPTION / 2:TRUNK -select bank number-9:EMERGENCY ALT / 1:ON or 2:OFF by rotating the VFO and pressing E. Special EDACS® Features AFS Partial Entry Feature AFS is Uniden's method of encoding EDACS talkgroups.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 67 EDACS systems often provide users with an 'Emergency' mode on their radios. Users in trouble can alert the dispatcher and other units and get priority access to the radio system. When a user activates Emergency mode, EMERGENCY will flash the display during the entire transmission. At the beginning of each transmission it will sound a distinctive emergency alert tone three times. To turn Emergency Alert ON/OFF, enter into the Menu mode.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 68 LTR® Reception LTR® Tracking LTR® (Logic Trunked Radio) systems are trunking systems used primarily by business or private communications service providers, such as taxicabs, delivery trucks, and repair services. These systems encode all trunking information as digital subaudible data that accompanies each transmission. Users on an LTR system are assigned to specific talkgroups, which are identified by the radio as six digit numbers.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 69 Motorola Reception Motorola Tracking There are really two types of Motorola trunking systems. These are usually referred to as Type I and Type II systems. Type I only occurs on some 800 MHz systems. All VHF, UHF and 900 MHz trunking systems use Type II. One important distinction between these two systems is the amount of data transmitted by each radio when its push-totalk button (PTT) is pressed.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 70 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 its possible to select a Preprogrammed Fleet Map or create a Custom Fleet Map for your area.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 71 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 will 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.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 72 Setting the Base, Spacing Frequencies and Offset Channel for Motorola VHF/UHF Trunked Systems To properly track Motorola VHF and UHF trunked systems you must enter what is known as the base, the spacing frequencies and offset channels for each system. To find these out, check the scanner.uniden.com or www.bearcat1.com/free.htm and other web sites and frequency resources.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 73 Note: • If the system is not tracking properly, you may need to try a new Base Frequency or Offset Channel or you may be missing frequencies from the system. • You can set up to three Base, Spacing and Offsets for Motorola VHF/UHF trunked systems. Toggling the Status Bit On Type II trunking systems there is a method by which specialized types of communications utilize unique talkgroup numbers.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 74 PLAN 2: If the last three digits of frequencies are less than 869.0000 and end in one of the following three digits (125, 375, 625, or 875) and if ANY other frequencies end in (000, 250, 500, or 750) use Plan 2. PLAN 3: If the last three digits of ALL the frequencies in use end in one of the following three digits (000, 250, 500, or 750) use Plan 3. PLAN 4: If the last three digits of frequencies are less than 866.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 75 Disconnect Tone Detect Option (End Code) When this function is disabled, the radio looks for squelch before returning to the Control Channel instead of waiting for the Disconnect Tone. Only in rare instances will you need to adjust the default settings. The condition to return to Control Channels depends on whether the signal is present or not. To set this function to ON / OFF, select 2:SCAN OPTION / 2:TRUNK - select bank number - / 0:END CODE. Select 1:DETECT or 2:IGNORE.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 76 APCO Project 25 Reception APCO Project 25 is a modulation process where voice communications are converted into digital communications. This conversion is similar to the technology used with digital mobile phones. There are several types of Project 25 systems available! Systems the Uniden BC250D supports are listed below. - Conventional – one frequency with digital voice.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 77 5. Replace the cover and press down until it clicks into place, and then turn ON the scanner. APCO P25 CARD INSTALLED appears on the display. Installation is complete. You can monitor APCO Project 25 systems. To use the P-25 card, you must program each channel for Conventional mode or Trunking mode. - Conventional mode–See “Storing Frequencies into Channels in Menu Mode” pages 26-27. - Trunking mode –“Programming and Receiving Digital and Trunked Systems” pages 49-51.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 78 APCO P-25 Sound Quality Fine Tuning With each APCO Project 25 system, particularly at 800MHz, the sound quality (C4FM Demodulation Threshold) may need to be fine tuned specifically for that system. If the scanner is not adjusted correctly, the P-25 voice transmissions will sound robotic or unintelligible. To adjust the sound quality to match the P-25 system you want to monitor follow these four steps: 1. While monitoring a specific APCO P-25 frequency, press the HOLD/MAN key.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 79 assigned theoretically, and the values are not to guarantee the operation of the unit. • The Mid threshold value will not change while adjusting the upper and lower limits. 4. Once you have adjusted the Sound Quality to the lowest possible level, press the E key. Press the RSM key to exit the Sound Quality Adjustment Mode. * To cancel the adjusted threshold level, press . (Decimal) key.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 80 Remote Interface You can communicate and program your BC250D in numerous ways with peripheral devices using the Remote Interface Cable port. This radio offers the following modes: ❖ PC Control Mode Program and control your scanner from a PC using Uniden’s E-Scanner software. ❖ Clone Mode Clone all the frequencies, trunking talkgroups, and fleet maps programmed into your scanner to another BC250D scanner or BC785D.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 81 Start Remote Mode and Change Transfer Speed: Through the Menu system, select 3:SYSTEM OPTION / 5:PC CONTROL by rotating the VFO and pressing E. To start Remote mode, choose from the transfer speed list except for 5:OFF. SPEED 3:9600 bps 4:19200 bps 5:OFF A unique feature of the BC250D is that all the front panel keys as well as the VFO on the radio remain operational in Remote mode.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 82 To connect the Scanner to Scanner: Null Modem Adapter Pin connections Plug the smaller end of each of the supplied Remote Interface Cables into the remote ports in accordance with the direction of the marks which are on the right sides of each of the two scanners. Female DB9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Plug the other ends of the cables (DB-9 serial connector) together using a DB-9 to DB-9 null modem adapter, and a Gender Changer Cable available at most computer stores.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 83 6. Press SCAN on both scanners. The data transfer begins from the Master Unit to the Slave Unit. CLONE == > MASTER UNIT During the data transfer, both scanners show the following displays. CLONE When the data transfer is complete, COMPLETE displays. CLONE == < SLAVE UNIT COMPLETE MASTER UNIT If the data transfer is not successful, the following error message will appear. CLONE ERROR MASTER UNIT Note: To clear ERROR, press . (decimal key).
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 84 Additional Features The following additional features are designed for you to customize your scanner. Once these features have been turned ON or OFF, they will remain as they are set until you reset them, even if you turn the scanner OFF and then ON again. Dimmer To change brightness of the display: 1. Press MENU/BACK. 2. Select 3:SYSTEM OPTION / 1:DIMMER / 1:DIMMER LIGHT by rotating the VFO and pressing E. 3.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 85 Key Beep Option To choose key beep sound 1:ON or 2:OFF: 1. Press MENU/BACK. 2. Select 3:SYSTEM OPTION / 3:KEY BEEP by rotating the VFO and pressing E. 3. Select 1:ON or 2:OFF by rotating the VFO and pressing E. Screen Mask The trunk, frequency, receiving mode, and signal meter indications on the display are masked when this feature is activated (except while in Search mode). This feature reduces the amount of displayed information.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 86 You will not hear any audio. This feature does not function in the WX Alert mode, because the audio is already muted. To turn it OFF, press and hold MUTE again. Receiving Mode Selection You can also set the receiving mode, AM or FM etc., in Conventional mode or Chain Search mode. See MODE in "Menu Description" for details.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 87 Care and Maintenance General Use • Turn the scanner OFF before disconnecting the power. • Always write down the programmed frequencies in the event of memory loss. • If memory is lost, simply reprogram each channel. The display shows 000.0000 in all channels when there has been a memory loss. • Always press each button firmly until you hear the entry tone for that key entry, unless you have turned 2:OFF the 3:KEY BEEP in the menu system.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 88 Troubleshooting If your BC250D is not performing properly, try the following steps. Problem Suggestion Scanner won't work. 1. Check the connections at both ends of the AC Adapter. 2. Turn ON the wall switch of your room. You could be using an outlet controlled by the wall switch. 3. Move the AC Adapter to another wall outlet. 4. Check to see if Key Lock is ON (see page 84). Improper reception. 1. Check the antenna connection. 2. Move the scanner. 3.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 89 Problem Suggestion APCO P25 CARD NOT INSTALLED appear when the scanner is turned ON. 1. Check to see if the P-25 Card is properly installed. Neither APCO P25 CARD INSTALLED nor APCO P25 CARD NOT INSTALLED appear when the scanner is turned ON. 1. Check to see if the P-25 Card Mode is 1:ENABLE or 2:DISABLE in the Menu mode. Scratchy or robotic sound is heard during communications. 1. Move to a location where the signal strength is strong. 2.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 90 Specifications Certified in accordance with FCC Rules and Regulations Part 15, Subpart C, as of date of manufacture. Channel: 1000 Banks: 10 (100 channels each) Service Bands: 12 preprogrammed search bands (including the NOAA Weather Service band) Frequency Range: 25.0 - 27.995 MHz AM 28.0 - 53.99 MHz FM 54.0 - 71.95 MHz WFM 72.0 - 75.995 MHz FM 76.0 - 87.95 MHz WFM 88.0 - 107.9 MHz WFM 108.0 - 136.975 MHz AM 137.0 - 161.995 MHz FM 162.0 - 173.9875 MHz FM 174.0 - 215.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 91 Glossary of Terms Alpha tag - This term refers to an alphanumeric text tag that you can enter to describe the individual frequencies that you have programmed. Rather than having to associate a specific frequency to the individuals that are using it, you can enter the actual name of the group. This will eliminate the need for memorizing the group’s frequency. Attenuator - This scanner comes with a feature to attenuate or reduce the signal strength.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 92 with specific data burst is received. This method may be used to restrict access to the repeater or receiver, or reduce interference where several stations with output frequencies in close proximity of each other make it difficult to hear the conversation you are interested in. With DCS squelching, you can eliminate the possibility of hearing unwanted conversations by selecting one of the 104 standard data burst subaudible tones.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 93 Key Beep - This is another term for the tone you hear as a keypad acknowledgement beep. The default setting is on. If you have turned the Key Beep off, you now have a silent keypad. You will not hear a tone each time you press a key. NWR S.A.M.E.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 94 worry what the rest of the groups numbers are. The topic of interest will be picked up. Talkgroup - A group of users within a trunked system that communicates with one another.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 95 Appendix Preset Fleet Maps Preset Map 1 Preset Map 2 Size Code SIZE CODE 11 SIZE CODE 11 SIZE CODE 11 SIZE CODE 11 SIZE CODE 11 SIZE CODE 11 SIZE CODE 11 SIZE CODE 11 Block 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Block 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Preset Map 3 Preset Map 4 Size Code SIZE CODE 4 SIZE CODE 4 SIZE CODE 4 SIZE CODE 4 SIZE CODE 4 SIZE CODE 4 SIZE CODE 12 (SIZE CODE 12) Block 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Block 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Preset Map 5 Block 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Size Code SIZE CODE 12 (SIZE CODE 12) SIZE CO
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 96 Preset Map 9 Preset Map 10 Size Code SIZE CODE 4 SIZE CODE 4 SIZE CODE 0 SIZE CODE 0 SIZE CODE 0 SIZE CODE 0 SIZE CODE 0 SIZE CODE 0 Block 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Preset Map 11 Preset Map 12 Size Code SIZE CODE 4 SIZE CODE 0 SIZE CODE 0 SIZE CODE 0 SIZE CODE 0 SIZE CODE 0 SIZE CODE 0 SIZE CODE 0 Block 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Preset Map 14 Size Code SIZE CODE 3 SIZE CODE 3 SIZE CODE 11 SIZE CODE 4 SIZE CODE 4 SIZE CODE 0 SIZE CODE 0 SIZE CODE 0 Block 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Preset Map 15 Blo
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 97 User Defined Fleet Maps Type I Programming Information When a Type I system is designed, the address information for all the IDs are divided into 8 equal sized blocks. When you program your scanner to track a Type I system, you must select a size code for each of these blocks. When you have assigned a size code to all 8 blocks, you have defined the Fleet Map for the system you're tracking.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 98 Finally, for most public safety systems there are some size codes which are more common. SIZE CODE 3 and SIZE CODE 4 are probably the most common, followed by SIZE CODE 10, SIZE CODE 11, and SIZE CODE 12.
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 99 NWR-SAME EVENT CODE Event Code Standard Emergency Action Notification EAN Emergency Action Termination EAT National Information Center NIC Tornado Warning # TOW(or TOR) Service Thunderstorm Warning # SVW(or SVR) Flash Flood Warning FFW Flash Warning FLW Winter Storm Warning WSW Blizzard Warning BZW High Wing/ Dust Storm Warning HWW Radio logical Hazard Warning RHW Civil Danger Warning CDW Local Area Emergency LAE Hazardous Material Warning HMW Civil Emergency Message CEM Im
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 100 Event Code Severe Weather Statement Special Weather Statement Flash Flood Statement Flood Statement Hurricane Statement National Periodic Test Required Monthly Test Required Weekly Test System Demonstration/ Practice National Hazard Warning Unknown Emergency Tune TV Unknown Warning Tune TV Unknown Watch Tune TV Unknown Statement Tune TV Standard SVS SPS FFS FLS HLS NPT RMT RWT DMO NHW **E **W **A **S Event Level (Siren Type) Warning Watch Statement 0 0 0 0 0 LCD Display T
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 101 CTCSS Frequency List (Hz) 67.0 91.5 71.9 94.8 74.4 97.4 77.0 100.0 79.7 103.5 82.5 107.2 85.4 110.9 88.5 114.8 118.8 156.7 123.0 162.2 127.3 167.9 131.8 173.8 136.5 179.9 141.3 186.2 146.2 192.8 151.4 203.5 210.7 218.1 225.7 233.6 241.8 250.
1 SERVICE OPTION FIPS CODE15 ALL FILPS CODE RAILROAD AIR CB RADIO FRS 7 8 9 0 CHAIN SEARCH SPECIAL RACING : MARINE 6 1: ON/ 2:OFF 1: ON/ 2:OFF 1: CTCSS/ 2: DCS/ 3: OFF 1: ON/ 2:OFF CHAIN SEARCH SEARCH RANGE (RANGE NO.
2 SCAN OPTION CONVENTIONAL (CHANNEL SELECT) TRUNK (BANK SELECT) 1 2 EDCS SCT.
3 SYSTEM OPTION 1: ON/ 2:OFF 1: ON/ 2:OFF 1: 2400 bps / 2: 4800 bps / 3: 9600 bps/ 4: 19200 bps/ 5: OFF MASTER / SLAVE 1: ON/ 2:OFF 1: CSQ/ 2: TONE SQ/ 3: TONE SEARCH 1: ENABLE/ 2: DISABLE 1: ON/ 2: OFF KEY BEEP ENTER LOCK PC CONTROL CLONE DATA SKIP SQ MODE BANK TAG (SELECT BANK) P-25 CARD BATTERY SAVE 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1: 15SECONDS/ 2: INFINITE 1: ON/ 2:OFF SCREEN MASK DIMMER TIME 2 1: HIGH/ 2: MEDIUM DIMMER LIGHT DIMMER 1 BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 104 104
BC250D 11/6/2 11:37 AM Page 105 One Year Limited Warranty Important: Evidence of original purchase is required for warranty service. WARRANTOR: UNIDEN AMERICA CORPORATION (Uniden) ELEMENTS OF WARRANTY: Uniden warrants, for one year, to the original retail owner, this Uniden product to be free from defects in materials and craftsmanship with only the limitations or exclusions set out below.
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