Digital Scanner - Michigan
 

I have some questions about the digital, trunking system being used in
Michigan by governmental agencies. I have read several messages on this
site that are relevant. It appears that one needs a RS 96 or 2096 (I have
studied its manual), or a BCD396T (I have also studied its manual). The
prices of these radios are similar.

It is obvious that the VHF system used by the Genesee County Sheriff is no
longer in use. It is reasonable to conclude that all police services
(except the Flint VHF system) have migrated to the 800 MHz system operated
out of Post 35 of the Michigan State Police. I am about 7 miles from Post
35.

Questions:
1. Do all of the aforementioned radios work to receive the Michigan system?
2. While the BCD396T appears to have a few more features than the RS
radios, reservations about the BCD396T have been expressed by members of
this group. Please note your experience with these radios and express your
opinions about the desirability (or undesirability) of specific models.
3. Should you know, where might one find the best mail-order delivered
price on a BCD396T from a reputable company?

Thank you for such advice as you may be able to provide to assist in the
goal of receiving the Michigan digital system. 73 Mac N8TT

--
J. Mc Laughlin; Michigan U.S.A.
Home:

Digital Scanner - Michigan
 

"J. Mc Laughlin" wrote in message
...
I have some questions about the digital, trunking system being used in
Michigan by governmental agencies. I have read several messages on this
site that are relevant. It appears that one needs a RS 96 or 2096 (I have
studied its manual), or a BCD396T (I have also studied its manual). The
prices of these radios are similar.

It is obvious that the VHF system used by the Genesee County Sheriff is no
longer in use. It is reasonable to conclude that all police services
(except the Flint VHF system) have migrated to the 800 MHz system operated
out of Post 35 of the Michigan State Police. I am about 7 miles from Post
35.

Questions:
1. Do all of the aforementioned radios work to receive the Michigan
system?
2. While the BCD396T appears to have a few more features than the RS
radios, reservations about the BCD396T have been expressed by members of
this group. Please note your experience with these radios and express
your
opinions about the desirability (or undesirability) of specific models.
3. Should you know, where might one find the best mail-order delivered
price on a BCD396T from a reputable company?

Thank you for such advice as you may be able to provide to assist in
the
goal of receiving the Michigan digital system. 73 Mac N8TT

--
J. Mc Laughlin; Michigan U.S.A.
Home:



Hello!

First I suggest you drop in at Radio Reference (
http://www.radioreference.com ). It has to be one of the worlds largest
resources for the hobby! In addition to that, they have extensive reviews,
and user opinions on the subjects you're interested in. They also have a
frequency database like no other! It's totally free, but they do ask for
donations. With a donation as little as $5.00, you will have access to
programming features you'll soon realize you can't live without.

That being said, I live in Macomb County, Michigan. I have owned the Uniden
BC296D, BC796D, and borrowed the BCD396T digital scanners, as well as the
Radio Shack PRO-96. I currently own the Radio Shack PRO-2096 digital
scanner. All of them work very well. I found the BCD396T a little
overwhelming to program, as it uses a totally different memory management,
and programming scheme. The reason I settled on the Radio Shack (GRE) is
because of their AGC (automatic gain control). When scanning digital, often
a few channels will come in much louder than others. The AGC takes care of
this, so the volume level is more uniform. The newer BCD396T has AGC, but I
didn't find that it worked as well as the Radio Shack offerings.

Uniden has a press release, regarding a new base/mobile GPS enabled scanner,
due out early next year:
http://www.uniden.com/press/BCD996T_Release_FNL.pdf

Hope this helps!

Bill Crocker

Digital Scanner - Michigan
 

Dear Mr. Crocker:
Thank you for your useful and helpful communication. I had hoped that I
would hear from you since I knew from other communications on this list that
you were in Michigan and had useful experience.
I have consulted radioreference.com and noted their extensive frequency
information. The reviews I did not see. I shall make a donation.
The first complex radio that one programs will inevitably seem
overwhelming at first. Once one has mastered that radio's programming, the
next radio will seem strange.
Problems with inconsistent volume with digital modulation are endemic.
The cure is probably to be implemented post detection. Thank you for the
observation that you have found the RS 2096 better at combating the problem
than the BCD396T. If the BCD396T is dealing with inconsistent volume after
detection, it is unlikely that a future change to the radio's "firmware"
will help the problem.
The good news may be that the huge investment made in the present
Michigan system tends to inhibit changes to another system. One may expect
one of the present, high-end radios to be useful for a number of years for
unscrambled, governmental radio communications.
Thank you again for your assistance.
Regards, Mac

--
J. Mc Laughlin; Michigan U.S.A.
Home:
"Bill Crocker" wrote in message
. ..

"J. Mc Laughlin" wrote in message
...
I have some questions about the digital, trunking system being used in
Michigan by governmental agencies. I have read several messages on this
site that are relevant. It appears that one needs a RS 96 or 2096 (I
have
studied its manual), or a BCD396T (I have also studied its manual). The
prices of these radios are similar.

It is obvious that the VHF system used by the Genesee County Sheriff is
no
longer in use. It is reasonable to conclude that all police services
(except the Flint VHF system) have migrated to the 800 MHz system
operated
out of Post 35 of the Michigan State Police. I am about 7 miles from
Post
35.

Questions:
1. Do all of the aforementioned radios work to receive the Michigan
system?
2. While the BCD396T appears to have a few more features than the RS
radios, reservations about the BCD396T have been expressed by members of
this group. Please note your experience with these radios and express
your
opinions about the desirability (or undesirability) of specific models.
3. Should you know, where might one find the best mail-order delivered
price on a BCD396T from a reputable company?

Thank you for such advice as you may be able to provide to assist in
the
goal of receiving the Michigan digital system. 73 Mac N8TT

--
J. Mc Laughlin; Michigan U.S.A.
Home:



Hello!

First I suggest you drop in at Radio Reference (
http://www.radioreference.com ). It has to be one of the worlds largest
resources for the hobby! In addition to that, they have extensive
reviews,
and user opinions on the subjects you're interested in. They also have a
frequency database like no other! It's totally free, but they do ask for
donations. With a donation as little as $5.00, you will have access to
programming features you'll soon realize you can't live without.

That being said, I live in Macomb County, Michigan. I have owned the
Uniden
BC296D, BC796D, and borrowed the BCD396T digital scanners, as well as the
Radio Shack PRO-96. I currently own the Radio Shack PRO-2096 digital
scanner. All of them work very well. I found the BCD396T a little
overwhelming to program, as it uses a totally different memory management,
and programming scheme. The reason I settled on the Radio Shack (GRE) is
because of their AGC (automatic gain control). When scanning digital,
often
a few channels will come in much louder than others. The AGC takes care
of
this, so the volume level is more uniform. The newer BCD396T has AGC, but
I
didn't find that it worked as well as the Radio Shack offerings.

Uniden has a press release, regarding a new base/mobile GPS enabled
scanner,
due out early next year:
http://www.uniden.com/press/BCD996T_Release_FNL.pdf

Hope this helps!

Bill Crocker

Digital Scanner - Michigan
 

On Sat, 26 Nov 2005 11:38:08 -0500, "J. Mc Laughlin"
wrote:

Problems with inconsistent volume with digital modulation are endemic.
The cure is probably to be implemented post detection. Thank you for the
observation that you have found the RS 2096 better at combating the problem
than the BCD396T. If the BCD396T is dealing with inconsistent volume after
detection, it is unlikely that a future change to the radio's "firmware"
will help the problem.

Since the 396's only AGC problem is an attack time that's too long by
an order of magnitude or so, it can easily be fixed by a firmware
change.

The other main complaints were silk screen rub-off, which was due to a
manufacturing glitch on some of the radios in the first production
run, some early speaker failures, which Uniden replaced under warranty
and some "distortion on low volume" complaints that don't seem to be
very repeatable.

Digital Scanner - Michigan
 

Dear Mr. Klein:
You too have been helpful. Thank you.
Slow squelch actuation is also a major deficiency of the IC-R2 that I
have used for some time. That, of course, sounds the same as a slow AGC,
but has a different cause.
I have been able to confirm that the BCD396T will be able to be
re-programmed when the frequency scheme in the 800 MHz range is rearranged.
It is said also to be true for the RS radios.
I was not able to find useful reviews at the site mentioned by Mr.
Crocker. Other reviews, and your comments, have provided assistance.
A BCD396T has been ordered as my Christmas present. In the holiday
time, I will master its use. Having computer programming is a big plus. I
routinely use a computer to program my IC-R2.

Any other observations or opinions about the BCD396T or the Michigan
digital system are solicited.

Thanks again. Mac

--
J. Mc Laughlin; Michigan U.S.A.
Home:
"Al Klein" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 26 Nov 2005 11:38:08 -0500, "J. Mc Laughlin"
wrote:

Problems with inconsistent volume with digital modulation are
endemic.
The cure is probably to be implemented post detection. Thank you for the
observation that you have found the RS 2096 better at combating the
problem
than the BCD396T. If the BCD396T is dealing with inconsistent volume
after
detection, it is unlikely that a future change to the radio's "firmware"
will help the problem.

Since the 396's only AGC problem is an attack time that's too long by
an order of magnitude or so, it can easily be fixed by a firmware
change.

The other main complaints were silk screen rub-off, which was due to a
manufacturing glitch on some of the radios in the first production
run, some early speaker failures, which Uniden replaced under warranty
and some "distortion on low volume" complaints that don't seem to be
very repeatable.

Digital Scanner - Michigan
 

"Al Klein" wrote in message
Since the 396's only AGC problem is an attack time that's too long by
an order of magnitude or so, it can easily be fixed by a firmware
change.


I would normally agree with your comments, however, Uniden has already had a
few firmware updates, but has been unsuccessful in resolving the AGC issue.
To date, none of the three "digital" scanners made by Uniden can handle AGC
as well as the Radio Shack (GRE) offerings.

Bill Crocker

Digital Scanner - Michigan
 

On Thu, 1 Dec 2005 10:02:41 -0500, "Bill Crocker"
wrote:

"Al Klein" wrote in message
Since the 396's only AGC problem is an attack time that's too long by
an order of magnitude or so, it can easily be fixed by a firmware
change.

I would normally agree with your comments, however, Uniden has already had a
few firmware updates, but has been unsuccessful in resolving the AGC issue.

Unsuccessful? Or they just haven't tried? 1.09 still has MUCH too
long an attack time. Maybe some day they'll actually have someone
shorten it.

Digital Scanner - Michigan
 

On Thu, 1 Dec 2005 09:55:30 -0500, "J. Mc Laughlin"
wrote:

Any other observations or opinions about the BCD396T

Throw out everything you know. Dynamic memory is completely different
from anything you're used to. Once you can think
"System-Group-Channel", instead of "Bank-Channel", you'll find it
fairly easy to program.

Download the UASD (the program used to program the scanner) from
Uniden's site now and start setting your systems up. (Use Radio
Reference http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR as your
source.)

Find a charger that will charge 3 AA batteries at a time; that's one
of their oversights - most chargers handle 2 or 4. (You can charge
the batteries in the scanner but if a battery fails catastrophically,
would you rather destroy a charger or the scanner?)

Digital Scanner - Michigan
 

Al Klein wrote:

Find a charger that will charge 3 AA batteries at a time; that's one
of their oversights - most chargers handle 2 or 4.

I highly recommend Thomas Distributing

http://www.thomas-distributing.com/

for rechargeable batteries and chargers. I've done several thousand
dollars of business with them and have never been less than 100%
pleased. There are a few Maha chargers that will charge three batteries
independently. The Ansmann Energy 8 and 16 are also good pieces. The
LaCrosse BC-900 is also a fine piece.

No connection other than being a thoroughly satisfied customer.

[...]
--
Bo Williams -
http://hiwaay.net/~williams/

Digital Scanner - Michigan
 

Dear Mr. Klein & Mr. Williams:
Useful ideas. I do not have the time to "play" with the programming
program at the moment, but it is wise to download same. It is reasonable to
believe, from reading the radio's manual, that programming will be
reasonably straight forward. I do not have to unlearn anything.
I have a charger for two batteries. Excellent idea to acquire a charger
capable of dealing with three batteries.

The APCO site suggests that our local Michigan digital system may not be
converted (by shifting everything down 15 MHz) for some time as we are on
the Canadian side of Line A.

Thanks for your assistance. The box with radio has arrived and awaits
Christmas. Regards, Mac

--
J. Mc Laughlin; Michigan U.S.A.
Home:
"Bo Williams" wrote in message
...
Al Klein wrote:

Find a charger that will charge 3 AA batteries at a time; that's one
of their oversights - most chargers handle 2 or 4.

I highly recommend Thomas Distributing

http://www.thomas-distributing.com/

for rechargeable batteries and chargers. I've done several thousand
dollars of business with them and have never been less than 100%
pleased. There are a few Maha chargers that will charge three batteries
independently. The Ansmann Energy 8 and 16 are also good pieces. The
LaCrosse BC-900 is also a fine piece.

No connection other than being a thoroughly satisfied customer.

[...]
--
Bo Williams -
http://hiwaay.net/~williams/