User ManualTable of ContentsThe FCC Wants You To Know6Scanning Legally6Introduction7Feature Highlights8About This Manual9Understanding Scanning10Understanding Banks and Channels10What is Scanning?10What is Searching?10What is CTCSS/DCS?10Conventional Scanning11Simplex Operation12Repeater Operation12What is Trunk Tracking?12Trunked Scanning13Types of Trunking Systems14Motorola Trunking14EDACS Trunking14LTR Trunking15Where To Obtain More Information16Information On The Internet16Using a Computer to Control Your BC898T16Included With Your Scanner17Installing Your Scanner17For Home Use (Desktop Installation)181. Insert the DC plug end of the included AC adapter into the DC 12V jack on the back of the scanner.182. Plug the other end of the AC adapter into a standard 120V AC wall outlet.183. Plug the included telescoping antenna into the ANT connector on the back of the scanner. Then extend the antenna to its full height.184. Use the scanner’s desktop stand for a better viewing and operating angle.18Adapter Safety Feature19Using An Optional External Speaker/Earphone/Headphone19Listening Safely19Using An Optional Tape Recorder19Using the Demo Software20Installing The Software20Installing The Scanner In a Vehicle21Mounting the Scanner211. Select a location in your vehicle to mount the scanner. Avoid a location that could interfere with your driving. In a passenger car, the ideal location is underneath the dashboard on the passenger side.212. Use an optional mounting bracket as a template for marking the location for the mounting screws.213. Drill the necessary holes and secure the mounting bracket in place using the screws provided with the bracket.214. Mount the scanner to the bracket only after the wiring has been connected to the scanner’s rear panel.21Connecting the Antenna Plug21Connecting the DC Power Cord21Installing a Temporary Power Cord21Installing a Permanent Power Cord221. Check the vehicle’s battery connections to determine which battery terminal (positive or negative) is grounded to the engine ...222. Connect an optional DC power cord’s RED wire to the accessory contact in your vehicle’s +12 VDC fuse box.223. Connect the DC power cord’s BLACK wire to the negative side of the vehicle (usually the chassis).224. Insert the DC plug into the DC 12V jack on the back of the scanner.22Basic Operation23Basic Operation23Setting the Squelch231. Adjust VOLUME to a comfortable listening level.232. Repeatedly press MANUAL until you do not hear a signal.233. Turn SQUELCH fully clockwise.234. Turn SQUELCH counterclockwise until you hear a hiss.235. Turn SQUELCH back clockwise just until the hiss stops. This sets the squelch so that only clearer signals can get through.23Using the Rotary Tuner23Using the Frequency/Channel Mode Selector24Using the Lock Key/LED24Manually Selecting a Channel24Scanning Programmed Channels24Locking/Unlocking Banks25Locking/Unlocking Channels25Restoring All Locked Out Channels251. If you de-selected the bank, press SCAN then press the bank’s letter.252. Press MANUAL.253. Hold down L/O for about 2 seconds. The scanner beeps twice and unlocks all channels.25Priority Scanning25Changing the Priority Channel261. Press MANUAL.262. Use the keypad to enter the channel number for the new priority channel.263. Press MANUAL.264. Hold down PRI for about 2 seconds.26Using the Dimmer26Trunk Scanning Options26Searching for Active Talk Groups (ID Search)26Searching Only Stored Talk Groups (ID Scan)26Monitoring Talk Group ID’s26Holding On a Single Talk Group27Locking Out Talk Groups27Reviewing Locked Out Talk Group ID’s27Restoring All Locked Out Talk Group ID’s27EDACS Blockout27Setting the Attenuator27ID Lockout27Restoring a Single ID281. Hold down L/O until you hear two short beeps.282. Use either the rotary tuner or HOLD r or LIMIT s to select the ID you want to unlock.283. Press L/O. The ID is unlocked and the next locked ID appears.284. Press SRC to return to the search mode.28Restoring All ID’s281. Hold down L/O until you hear two short beeps.282. Hold down L/O for about 2 seconds to unlock all the ID’s at once.283. Press SRC to return to the search mode.28Searching Tips28ID Delay Mode28ID Hold Mode28ID Monitor Mode29Scan Lists29Searching30Chain Search30Setting and Saving a Chain Search Range301. Press MANUAL to stop scanning.302. Press SRC.303. Press HOLD r. HOLD appears.304. Select the memory location where you want to save a chain search range by pressing its bank key (A-J). If there is a chain search range already stored in that memory location, the lower and upper frequencies of that chain search range flash.305. Use the keypad to enter the lower frequency of the chain search range, then press E on the keypad or LIMIT s. (Press . to enter the decimal point).306. Use the keypad to enter the upper frequency of the chain search range, then press E on the keypad or LIMIT s. (Press . to enter the decimal point).30Selecting Chain Search Ranges30Using Chain Search30Holding On An Active Frequency30Setting Data Skip31Skipping Frequencies31Storing Found Frequencies311. Press E or SEND when the scanner is stopped on that frequency. All the bank indicators flash.312. Select the bank where you want to send the frequency. The display alternates between the frequency you are sending and the lo...313. Press E.31Automatically Storing Frequencies321. Press MANUAL to stop scanning.322. Press AUTO. All the bank letters flash and AUTO appears.323. Press the bank keys (A-J) where you want to store the frequencies the scanner finds. The bank letter(s) you select stop flashing.324. Press SRC to start AutoStore.325. Press MANUAL to exit AutoStore and return to the manual mode.32Setting Subaudible Tones for Searching321. Press PRI to turn off priority scan.322. Hold down CTCSS/DCS for about 2 seconds. CTCSS and DCS blink and the scanner searches for CTCSS or DCS tones. When the scanner finds a CTCSS or DCS tone, the frequency blinks.32Attenuating All Search Ranges33Setting Delay For All Search Ranges33Searching a Trunked Bank331. Press TRUNK then press SCAN.332. Press a bank key (A-J) to select the trunked bank you want. For example, press B.333. Once the data channel is acquired, the scanner starts to trunk track. Talk group ID’s, which represent different service groups, appear.334. Press TRUNK again to return to conventional mode.33Searching for CTCSS/DCS Tones341. If necessary, press PRI to turn off priority scan.342. Hold down CTCSS/DCS until you hear two short beeps. CTCSS and DCS appear and begin to flash. If there is a break before a ton...34Using Weather Alert (SAME)351. Press WX to find your local weather station.352. Press HOLD r.353. Hold down ALERT for about 2 seconds. ALERT appears.35Searching for a Weather Broadcast35Programming a FIPS Code361. Hold down WX for about 2 seconds to turn on weather alert.372. Hold down E for about 2 seconds.373. Turn the rotary tuner or repeatedly press HOLD r or LIMIT s to enter a FIPS code (1 through 15). Then enter the FIPS code and press E.374. When you finish entering FIPS codes, press E.37Programming38Transferring a Programmed Frequency38Transferring a Frequency to the First Available Channel In a Bank381. Select the bank where you want to send the frequency. For example, press D. The display alternates between the frequency you are transferring and the bank’s lowest available channel.382. Press E on the keypad to transfer the frequency to the new channel. The scanner moves the frequency from the old channel to the new channel.383. To cancel the transfer before it is complete, press SEND.38Transferring a Frequency to a Specific Channel381. Use the keypad to enter the channel where you want to send the frequency. (For example, press 9 and 4 on the keypad to send the frequency to Channel 94).382. Press HOLD r.383. Press E to complete the transfer.384. To cancel the transfer before it is complete, press SEND.38Duplicate Frequency Alert39Deleting a Stored Frequency39Programming a Channel With a CTCSS/DCS Tone391. Press MANUAL.392. Press CTCSS/DCS.393. Select the channel you want to program then press E. If you have already programmed a CTCSS or DCS tone, the frequency for the tone blinks. Otherwise, 000.0 HZ blinks.394. Enter a CTCSS tone.395. To cancel CTCSS mode, press CTCSS/DCS or MANUAL. The CTCSS indicator and displayed tones are turned off but not deleted.39Programming Tips40Setting the Delay Mode40Setting Delay in Scan or Search Mode401. Press SCAN or set a search range then press SRC.402. When your scanner stops on a channel, press DELAY. DELAY appears. Scanning resumes two seconds after the transmission ends.40Setting Delay in Manual Mode401. Press MANUAL.402. Use the keypad or rotary tuner to select a channel.403. Press DELAY. DELAY appears. The scanner pauses on the channel when a transmission is received.40Recording Transmissions411. Use the keypad or rotary tuner to select the channel you want to record.412. Press LINE. LINE appears indicating that the channel will be recorded if you connected a tape recorder to your scanner.413. Repeat these steps to select other channels for recording.411. Use the keypad or rotary tuner to select the channel you do not want to record anymore.412. Press LINE. LINE turns off and the channel is not recorded.41Data Skip41Frequency Skip41Programming Conventional Channels42Changing the Frequency Step42Setting the Modulation Mode42Setting Priority Channels43Programming Trunked Systems44Setting the Scanner to Trunking Programming Mode441. Hold down TRUNK. The scanner beeps twice and BANK and TRUNK flash.442. Select the trunking bank you want to program.441. Press TRUNK to return to conventional mode if you have been monitoring a trunking bank.442. Hold down TRUNK. The scanner beeps twice and BANK and TRUNK flash.443. Select the trunking bank you want to program.44Programming Motorola Systems44Programming Channels and Entering Trunking Frequencies441. Hold down TRUNK for about 2 seconds. The scanner beeps and BANK, TRUNK, and the bank letters A-J blink.442. Press a bank key to select the bank where you want to store the frequencies.443. Select Motorola scanning by turning the rotary tuner or repeatedly pressing HOLD r or LIMIT s to select one of the following Motorola scanning choices:444. If necessary, repeatedly press HOLD r or LIMIT s until PRO9 F appears. Then press E on the keypad.455. To enter trunking frequencies, use the keypad to enter the first frequency, then press E on the keypad. (Press . to enter the decimal point).456. For each additional frequency, select the next channel by turning the rotary tuner or pressing HOLD r. Then use the keypad to enter the next frequency, then press E on the keypad. (Press . to enter the decimal point).457. If you selected E2-800, E2-900, or E1 in Step 3, stop here.45Otherwise, if you selected E2-HI or E2-UHF in Step 3, follow these steps to enter the band plan (base frequency, spacing frequency, and offset channel) for the system you want to scan.451. If you are still in the programming mode, press DATA. Otherwise, select the trunking programming mode and bank you want to change. Then, repeatedly press HOLD r or LIMIT s until E1 appears, then press E.462. Repeatedly press HOLD r or LIMIT s until FLEET appears, then press E.463. Repeatedly press HOLD r or LIMIT s to select the fleet map you want. For example, E1P2.464. Press E then press SRC.461. If you are still in the programming mode, press DATA. Otherwise, select the trunking programming mode and bank you want to change.462. Repeatedly press HOLD r or LIMIT s until E1 appears.463. Press E.464. Repeatedly press HOLD r or LIMIT s until FLEET appears, then press E.465. Repeatedly press HOLD r or LIMIT s to select USR.466. Press E.467. Enter the size code for the first block by repeatedly pressing HOLD r or LIMIT s until the correct size code appears.468. Press E. The next available block appears.469. Repeat Steps 7 and 8 until you have selected a size code for each block.4610. Press SRC.46Programming Talk Group ID’s471. If you are still in the programming mode, press DATA. Otherwise, hold TRUNK for 2 seconds, then select the bank and system type and press E.472. Repeatedly press HOLD r or LIMIT s until PRO9 ID appears. Then press E.473. Repeatedly press HOLD r or LIMIT s or rotate the dial to select the talkgroup ID channel you want to program.474. Enter an ID. To enter the dash used in Type I ID’s, use the . key.475. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for all ID’s you want to program.47Programming a Hybrid System47Programming EDACS Systems471. Hold down TRUNK for about 2 seconds. The scanner beeps and BANK, TRUNK, and the bank letters A-J blink.472. Press a bank key to select the bank where you want to store the frequencies.473. Select EDACS scanning by turning the rotary tuner or repeatedly pressing HOLD r or LIMIT s to select one of the following EDACS scanning choices:474. If necessary, repeatedly press HOLD r or LIMIT s until PRO9 F appears. Then press E on the keypad.475. To enter the trunking frequencies for LCN1, use the keypad to enter the first frequency, then press E on the keypad. (Press . to enter the decimal point).476. For each additional frequency, select the next channel by turning the rotary tuner or pressing HOLD r. Then use the keypad to enter the next frequency, then press E on the keypad. (Press . to enter the decimal point).477. If you selected ED-SCT in Step 3, stop here.48Otherwise, if you selected ED-HI or ED-LO in Step 3, follow these steps to enter the talk group ID (agency, fleet, and subfleet) for the system you want to scan.48Programming LTR Systems481. Hold down TRUNK for about 2 seconds. The scanner beeps and BANK, TRUNK, and the bank letters A-J blink.482. Press a bank key to select the bank where you want to store the frequencies.483. Select LTR scanning by turning the rotary tuner or repeatedly pressing HOLD r or LIMIT s to select LT. Then press E on the keypad.484. If necessary, repeatedly press HOLD r or LIMIT s until PRO9 F appears. Then press E on the keypad.485. To enter trunking frequencies, use the keypad to enter the first frequency, then press E on the keypad. (Press . to enter the decimal point).486. For each additional frequency, select the next channel by turning the rotary tuner or pressing HOLD r. Then use the keypad to enter the next frequency, then press E on the keypad. (Press . to enter the decimal point).487. Follow these steps to enter the talk group ID (agency, fleet, and subfleet) for the system you want to scan.48Care and Maintenance49Location49Cleaning49Repairs49Birdies49Troubleshooting50Specifications53Optional Accessories55Appendix56Preset Fleet Maps56User Defined Fleet Maps58Type I Programming Information58Size Code Restrictions58Size: 1.27 MBPages: 64Language: EnglishOpen manual