Telescoping Antenna (AT124)

900 BC

SHIFT STATU

MEM COUN

AC Adapter (AD580U)

Other Printed Material

Read this Operating Guide thoroughly before you use the scanner. Immediately fill out and mail the supplied Registration Form. If any of the above items are missing or damaged, contact the place of purchase immediately.

Feature Highlights

Twin Turbo Scan/Search This lightning-fast technology enables the BC9000XLT to scan up to 100 channels per second and search up to 300 steps per second (in 5kHz steps). Because the frequency coverage is so large (see Specifications, page 53, for band listing), a very fast scanning system is essential. That is why we combined our latest technology Turbo Scan and Search into the BC9000XLT. RotaryTuner Control Turn the large Rotary Tuner to select the desired frequency or channel. 500 Channels You can program each of these memory channels to store one frequency. 20 Banks Each bank contains 25 channels, useful for storing similar frequencies in order to maintain faster scanning cycles. 25 - 1300 MHz Indicates the range of frequencies that can be searched within the bands of your scanner. (Note: The frequency coverage is not totally continuous between 800-900 MHz.) 10 Priority Channels You can assign one Priority channel for each of the 10 banks, A-J. This allows you to keep track of activity on your most important channel(s) while monitoring other channels for transmissions. Auto Store Automatically stores all active frequencies within the specified bank(s). Auto Sorting Programmed frequencies are automatically sorted within each bank for faster scanning. Auto Recording This feature lets you record channel activity from the scanner onto a tape recorder.
Scan/Search DelayIn the Scan or Search Mode, causes the scanner to remain on a frequency two seconds after the last transmission to wait for a possible reply. Direct Channel AccessAllows you to manually select a specific channel without scanning. Direct Frequency ProgrammingAllows you to program a specific frequency into a channel without searching. Frequency TransferLets you transfer a frequency into an empty channel, or replace the frequency in the current channel. Programmable Alpha CharactersYou can program channels 1 - 250 with 16 alpha characters for easy reference. 4

n n n n

Variable Frequency Steps (Increments)In the search or Manual Mode, lets you change the steps between frequencies. Channel/Frequency LockoutLets you temporarily remove channels or frequencies from the scanning or search cycle. Signal AttenuationReduces the scanners sensitivity for unusually strong signals often found on the WFM (wide frequency modulation) bands. Data SkipLets you set the scanner to automatically continue searching or scanning when it encounters an unmodulated or data signal. Enter LockTemporarily disables programming keys to prevent accidental programming. External Speaker JackAllow you to connect an external speaker or earphone for custom listening. See Included with your Scanner on page 3, and Optional Accessories & Replacement Parts on page 52. Line, and AUX JacksAllow you to connect a tape recorder. Display LightLets you view the display more easily in dark or low-light conditions.

Getting Started

DC 13.8V Jack Auxillary Jack Antenna Jack Telescoping Antenna
AC Adapter/ Charger (AC580U)

OFF ON

Standard 120V AC Wall Outlet

DC13.8V

ENTER LOCK ANT
Off-On/ Enter-Lock Switch

Base Installation

1. Insert the DC plug end of the AC Adapter into the DC 13.8V jack on the rear panel. 2. Plug the AC Adapter into a standard 120V AC wall outlet. 3. Plug the Telescoping Antenna into the ANT connector. Extend the antenna to its full height. For frequencies higher than 406 MHz, shortening the antenna may improve the reception. 4. If you need a better viewing angle, flip the folding legs down to raise the front of the scanner.
For use with an optional external speaker:
Plug the external speaker into the EXT SP jack located on the front of the scanner.
For use with an optional tape recorder:
Be sure to use a tape recorder with microphone and remote input jacks.

L EXT SP

1. Connect a cable from the LINE jack on the front of the scanner to the microphone input of a tape recorder. 2. Connect a cable from the RCA-type AUX jack on the back of the scanner to the recorders REMOTE jack. (See Using Auto Record, page 41.)
For use with an optional CTCSS Tone Board:
See CTCSS Operation, page 45.

What is Scanning?

Unlike standard AM or FM radio stations, most two-way communications (listed below) do not transmit continuously. The BC9000XLT scans programmed channels at the rate of up to 100 channels per second 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, and no response is detected, the scanning cycle resumes until another transmission is received.

CHANNELS

Frequency Not Entered
Frequency Locked Out (L/O)
An optional DELAY can be set so that the scanner stays on the channel for 2 more seconds, waiting for another transmission before resuming scanning.

Searching

Scanning and searching are similar in that they both involve finding active frequencies within a group of frequencies. The difference is Scanning looks only at a group of programmed frequencies that are stored in the scanners channels and grouped into banks. Searching looks at all the frequencies within a pre-selected range of frequencies. If you find an interesting frequency while searching, you can store it in a channel for easier access later. See Programming with Search on page 14. The main purpose of the Search function is to help you find active frequencies to program into memory.

Banks and Channels

BC9000XLTBanks and channels are the way stored frequencies are organized in your scanner. A channel is a memory location where you store a frequency. The channels in the BC9000XLT are numbered 1 - 500. A bank is a group of channels. The BC9000XLT has 20 banks with 25 channels in each. The banks are useful for storing similar frequencies in order to maintain faster scanning cycles. You can turn each bank on or off to control whether its channels are included during scanning. When you turn off a bank, its channels are not erased, but are only temporarily excluded from scanning. You can also temporarily lock out individual channels within a bank during scanning.

Setting the Squelch

Use these controls:
ON/OFF/VOLUME and SQUELCH Controls
1. Press muntil you do not hear a signal. Adjust VOLUME to a comfortable listening level.
Bank A ch 22 L/O 000.0000MHz
2. Think of the Squelch Control as a gate. Turn SQUELCH fully counterclockwise. This raises the Squelch Gate so high that no signals can get through.
3. Turn SQUELCH fully clockwise until you hear a hiss. This lowers the Squelch Gate so that everything gets through. noise, weak signals, and strong signals.
4. Turn SQUELCH back counter clockwise just until the hiss stops. Now the Squelch Gate allows only strong signals through.

Using the Rotary Tuner

Frequency LED

FREQ CHAN

Channel LED Mode Selector
Rotary Tuner Lock LED Lock Key
Rotary Tuner and Controls
This unique feature allows easy, rapid, and precise selection of frequencies and channels in the BC9000XLT. Frequency/Channel Mode Selector - Press to switch between channel or frequency mode. When the CHAN LED is on, you can step rapidly through channels with the Rotary Tuner. When the FREQ LED is on, you can tune quickly and accurately through frequencies with the Rotary Tuner. Rotary Tuner - Use the Rotary Tuner to step through channels or frequencies, depending on the setting of the Frequency/Channel Mode Selector. Turn the knob clockwise to step up, counter clockwise to step down. Lock Key/LED - The LED lights when the Rotary Tuner is locked. Press LOCK to enable the Rotary Tuner.

Programming Channels

Before you can scan, you must program the channels within a bank. You can store one frequency per channel, up to 500 channels. These are the banks and their associated channels: Bank A B C D E F G H I J Channel Number 1 - -- - - - - - - - 250 Bank Channel Number 251 - - - - - - - - - - 500

Auto Sort

Each time you store a frequency, the list of scanning frequencies in the bank is automatically sorted by frequency number. This unique Auto Sort feature enables faster scanning. When you manually step through a bank, however, frequencies are sorted according to channel number.
Choosing a Programming Method
With the BC9000XLT, there are five ways to program a channel:

n n n n n

Manually selecting a channel and frequency, using the numeric keypad Using the Rotary Tuner to select a channel and frequency Searching a band to find active frequencies, and then storing them into channels Using the Auto Store feature to automatically program channels Transfer a programmed frequency from another channel
Programming By Manual Entry

Use these keys :

Scan and Numeric Keys
1. Select a frequency. Example: Program 482.7625 MHz into Channel 1.
2. Press mto enter the Manual Mode.
Bank A P ch 1 L/O 000.0000MHz
3. Enter the channel number, then press m.
4. Enter the frequency. Then press e. Example: 482.7625 If you make a mistake, press ? twice to erase.
Bank A P ch 1 L/O 482.7625MHz
If an error is made during programming, or if the frequency is out of range, this screen appears. Enter a valid channel or frequency number. If the frequency is stored in another channel, the display will indicate the original channel for that frequency.

Bank A P ch OUT OF BAND

Bank A ch 1 DUPLICATE CH 230
To program more channels, repeat steps 3 and 4. Press e to store the same frequency into the selected channel. Or, select another channel. Or, press ? twice to clear.
Programming With the Rotary Tuner
MEM COUNT AUX SHIFT STATUS
Scan, Numeric Keys, and Rotary Tuning Controls
1. Press mto enter the Manual Mode. OR Press LOCK, then turn the Rotary Tuner. Note: Make sure the LOCK LED is out. 2. Press CHAN, then turn the knob. Example: Channel 52 Turn right to step up through channels, left to step down through channels.
Bank B ch 49 L/O 000.0000MHz
Bank C ch 52 L/O 000.0000MHz
Note: The channel selection flashes on the display, indicating that the frequency displayed is not programmed in that channel.
3. Select a frequency. Example: 123.7750
4. To tune in the frequency, select FREQ with the Rotary Tuner Mode Selector then turn right to step up, left to step down. 5. Press e to program the channel.
12. 5KHz ch 52 AM 123.7750MHz

Bank C ch 52 123.7750MHz

To program more channels with the Rotary Tuner, repeat steps 2 - 5.

Programming with Search

The Search feature lets you search for active frequencies in a range you choose and store any or all of those frequencies into channels. For more information about searching, see The Search Mode," page 29. Use these keys:
Search, Scan, Numeric, and Bank Keys, and Rotary Tuning Controls
Note: Be sure to set SQUELCH before you begin a search. See Setting the Squelch," page 8.
1. Select a frequency range. See page 53, or see the included Betty Bearcat Starter Frequency Guide. Example: 450.000MHz to 456.000 MHz 2. Press m. 3. Enter the frequency and press lto enter the lower limit of the search range. Example: 450.000 MHz 4. Enter the frequency and press lto enter the upper limit of the search range. Example: 456.000 MHz 5. Press S to begin the search function. To exit search, press m. The scanner stops on the first active frequency it finds.
NFM 450.0000MHz NFM 000.0000MHz
NFM 450.0000MHz NFM 456.0000MHz
SRC NFM 12. 5 KHz 450.3750MHz
To program the frequency, press h to stop searching. Then, proceed to step 6a, 6b, or 6c. If you do not want to program the frequency, press S to continue searching.
6a. Program the frequency into the current channel. Press e.
12. 5KHz ch 53 NFM 450.3875MHz

Bank D ch 53 450.3875MHz

6b. Program the frequency into another channel: 1. Press hto stop the search.
2. Press N to enter the Transfer Mode.
Enter Bank or ch 450.3875MHz
3. Enter the channel number. Example: Channel 200. 4. Press h.

200 450.3875MHz

Bank H ch200 000.0000MHz

(Display flip-flops)

450.3875MHz
5. Press e to Program the frequency.

Bank H ch200 450.3875MHz

6c. Program the frequency into the first open channel of another bank. 1. Press hto stop the search.
3. Choose a bank. Example: Press D.
P ch201 Bank I 450.3875MHz

4. Press e.

Programming With AUTO STORE
This procedure searches a frequency range and automatically stores active frequencies into empty channels of the selected bank(s). Note: Be sure to set SQUELCH before you begin a search. See Setting the Squelch on page 8. Use these keys:
Programming, Search, Scan, Mode, Numeric, and Bank Keys and Rotary Tuning Controls
1. Select a frequency range. See page 53, or see the Betty Bearcat Starter Frequency Guide. Example: 810.000 MHz to 856.000 MHz
2. Press m. 3. Enter the frequency and press lto enter the lower limit of the search range. Example: 810.000 MHz 4. Enter the frequency and press l to enter the upper limit of the search range. Example: 856.000 MHz
NFM 450.0000MHz NFM 810.0000MHz

NFM NFM

810.0000MHz 856.0000MHz
5. Press U to enter the Auto Store Mode.

ABCDEFGHIJ 1234567890

6. Select the bank(s) for programming. The selected bank indicator(s) stop blinking. Example: Press C and D. 7. Press U to begin the Auto Store. The LED on the U key flashes.
Note: You hear no audio during Auto Store. Note: If the bank you chose is already fully programmed, a double beep sounds. Choose another bank. Searching frequencies
1 2. 5KHz STOch 54 NFM 810.0625MHZ
Storing an active frequency.
1 2. 5KHz STOch 54 NFM 810.1125MHZ

Search resumes.

1 2. 5KHz STOch 55 NFM 810.2000MHZ
To stop Auto Store, press m, s, or P. You can change these functions during Auto Store: Frequency Step (See page 35.) Turbo Search (See page 31.) Signal Mode (See page 36.) 8. The unit tells you when Auto Store is complete.

Store CD end

Deleting a Programmed Frequency
Use this procedure when you want to delete a frequency from a channel without storing a new frequency in its place. Use these keys:
Programming, Search, Scan, and Numeric Keys, and Rotary Tuning Controls
1. Enter the channel number.

Bank D ch 86 854.8625MHz

2. Press 0. 3. Press e.
Bank D ch 86 L/O 000.0000MHz
Transferring a Programmed Frequency
This procedure lets you transfer a programmed frequency to another channel. 1. Press m.
2. Enter the channel number and press m or select CHAN , with the Rotary Tuner Mode Selector and locate the channel.

Bank D ch 83 855.9125MHz

3a. To select the transfer channel, press N.
Enter Bank or ch 855.9125MHz
3b. Then enter the channel number.

8 855.9125MHz

3c. Then press h.

Bank A ch 8 000.0000MHz

4. Press e to transfer the frequency.

Bank A ch 8 855.9125MHz

Programming Channels with Alpha Characters
Use this feature to name programmed channels (from 1 - 250) for easy reference. Example: Channel 1, Local Police. Use these keys:
Programming, Search, Scan, Mode, and Numeric Keys, and Rotary Tuning Controls

1. Press P.

Select ALPHA or CTCSS
Select chan 8 from 1 to 500

Then press Z.

2. Enter the channel number. Note: You must select a programmed channel. Example: Channel 1 Then press h. The Alpha Edit Screen appears.

from 1

1 to 500

56789 /()& ch

3. Turn the Rotary Tuner left/right to choose a letter from the upper line of characters. Example: L Press h for uppercase characters, l for lowercase letters.

LMNOPQRSTU ch 1

LMNOPQRSTU ch 1 L
Repeat to choose more characters. You can enter up to 16 characters. Note: Press U to move the edit cursor on the lower line to the right. Press S to move the edit cursor to the left. 4. Press e to program the Alpha entry into the channel.

Bank A P ch L o c a l Po l i c e
You can program channels 1 through 250 with alpha characters. If you try to program channels above number 250, the scanner returns to the SELECT CHAN screen. Press s, m, or Pto exit the Program Alpha mode. To display the alpha characters, press Zwhile in the Scanning or Manual Mode. 21
To Delete Alpha Characters

Use these keys:

Program, Search, Scan, Mode, and Numeric Keys, and Rotary Tuning Controls

1. Press m. 2. Press P.

3. Enter the channel number with the alpha characters you want to delete, then press h. 4. Turn the Rotary Tuner and select the space between the 9 and the / characters. 5. Press h to erase the first letter.
56789 / ( )& ch 1 ocal Police
6. Press h repeatedly to erase all the letters.
7. Press e to store the changes.

Select chan from 1 to

Press s, m, or Pto exit the Program Alpha Mode.

The Scan Mode

Scanning All Programmed Channels and Banks
Scan, Mode, Numeric, and Bank Keys
1. Turn on the scanner OR Press s to begin scanning. 2. When the scanner stops on a channel you can:
Bank ABCDEFGHIJ Sca n 1234567890
2a. Press mto stay on the channel. 2b. Press Yto turn on Delay. 2c. Or press sto resume scanning.

Turning Banks ON or OFF

After you have programmed channels in several of the scanners banks you can customize which channels you scan by turning the banks on or off. 1. Press s.
2. To turn a Bank OFF, press the letter or number. Example: E, G , H , J, 2 , 3 , 4 , 6,8,9,0. 3. To turn a Bank ON, press the number or letter again. Example: e , I , 0.

Bank Sca n

ABCD F 7

ABCDEF I 7 0

Locking Out Channels
The lock-out feature lets you further customize the channels that you want to scan at a particular time. For example, if a stored frequency broadcasts almost all the time, the scanner will stop on it and stay. You can lock out that channel when you are more interested in the other channels for the current scanning session. When you lock out a channel, it is temporarily excluded from scanning, but it remains programmed so that you can easily unlock it for scanning later. You can select a locked out channel using the Manual Mode. See page 12. Use these keys:

Scan, Mode, and Numeric Keys, and Rotary Tuning Controls.

Locking Out a Channel

1. Press s.
2. Scanner stops on an undesired channel.
Bank E c hL/O 853.1125MHz
3. Press Lto lock out the channel. Scan resumes immediately. 26

Unlocking a Channel

1. Press m. 2. Enter the channel or press the Channel Mode Selector and use the Rotary Tuner to find the channel you want to unlock. 3. Press L.
Bank A P ch 1 482.7625MHz
4. Press s to resume scanning.

Unlocking All Channels

1. Press m.
2. Press and hold L. You hear a double beep when all channels are unlocked.

Using Priority Scan

You can program one Priority Channel in each of the first 10 banks. During Priority Scanning, your scanner checks these special channels every two seconds, whether or not the scanner has located an active channel. Use these keys:
Press p. You can turn Priority Scan ON in Scan Mode or Manual Mode.

P Bank

Moving the Priority Channel
The scanner is pre-programmed with the first channel of each bank as a priority channel. However, you can change the priority channel to be any other channel within the bank. 1. Press m. 2. Select the new priority channel. Example: Press 9. OR Use the Rotary Tuner. 3. Press and hold p for two seconds. You hear a double beep.

A ch 9 325.0500MHz

Bank A P ch 9 325.0500MHz

The Search Mode

In the Search Mode, the scanner looks for any active frequencies within a range of frequencies you select. It is best to select a narrow range, so that you have a better chance of finding all the active channels. Use Search if you dont have a frequency directory handy, or if new stations have been added since the directory was published. Use these keys:
Search, Scan, Mode, Numeric and Special Function Keys, and Rotary Tuning Controls Beginning a Search
1. Select a frequency range (See page 53, or see the Betty Bearcat Starter Frequency Guide.)Example: 46.000 MHz to 48.000 MHz 2. Press m. 3. To enter the lower limit of the search range, enter the frequency and press l. 4. To enter the upper limit of the search range, enter the frequency and press l. 5. Press S to begin the search.
NFM 46.0000MHz NFM 856.0000MHz

46.0000MHz 48.0000MHz

SRC NFM 5. 0 KHz 47.1400MHz
Scrolling Frequencies During a Search
Scrolling temporarily suspends a search and allows you to manually move up or down through the frequencies. Use these keys:

Bank ABCDEF DIMMER : OFF I

Using Hi-Cut

To Turn HI-CUT ON or OFF: 1. Press f. 2. Press .
Bank ABCDEF H I C U T: O N I
You can turn HI-CUT on or off while searching or scanning.

CTCSS Operation

This section applies only if you are installing and using an optional CTCSS Tone Board with your scanner.
Installing the CTCSS Board
Installing the CTCSS Tone Board is a simple procedure, and requires only a few minutes following the steps below. CAUTION: Be sure to turn the scanner off and disconnect the power cord before attempting to open the scanner. 1. Remove the five screws from the top cover.
2. Carefully lift the cover up from the back of the unit and turn it to the left - being careful not break the speaker wire. 3. Stand the cover on its left side panel. (Continued, next page)
4. Align the pins on the CTCSS Board installed CTCSS Board with the sockets on the mother board. Make sure they go straight into the sockets. The 4 pin socket is toward the front of the scanner. The 3 pin socket is toward the back of the scanner. 5. Gently push straight down on the CTCSS Board until the pins are fully seated in the sockets.
To speaker (Inside Top Cover)

3 pins

4 pins
6. Carefully replace the cover and the five screws. Note: The tabs on the cover hook under the front part of the chassis.

Using CTCSS

The CTCSS (Continuous Tone Control Squelch System) feature allows squelch to be broken during scanning only when a CTCSS Tone is received. To program a channel for CTCSS, use these keys:

Press P.

3. Press K.
4. Enter the channel number.

5. Press h.

72 to 500
00. 0KHz ch 72 854.2875MHz
6. Use the Rotary Tuner to select a tone frequency. (See page 49 for a list of tone frequencies.) 7. Press e to program the frequency.
67. 0Hz ch 72 854.2875MHz
After programing the frequency, the scanner returns to step three. Continue programming CTCSS frequencies , or press m to exit.
Select chan 72 from 1 to 500
To Change the CTCSS Tone Frequency
1. Press m. 2. Find the channel and CTCSS Tone Frequency you want to change. 3. Press P.

4. Press K.

5. Enter the current channel number.

6. Press h.

7. Use the Rotary Tuner to select a new frequency. (See below for a list of CTCSS tone frequencies.) 8. Press e.
77. 0Hz ch 72 854.2875MHz
After programming the frequency, the scanner returns to step four. Continue programming CTCSS frequencies, or press m to exit.
Note: To remove a CTCSS Tone Frequency, from a channel, program the frequency as 00.0.

CTCSS Tone Frequencies

000. 67.0 71.94.8 97.4 100. 103. 136. 141. 146. 151. 203. 210. 218. 225. 74.4 77.0 79.7 82.5 85.4 88.5 91.5 107. 110. 114. 118. 123. 127. 131. 8 156. 162. 167. 173. 179. 186. 192. 8 233. 241. 250. 000. 3 0

Care and Maintenance

General Use
Write down the programmed channels/frequencies in case of a memory loss. Firmly press each scanner key so that you hear the entry tone.

Location

If strong interference or electrical noise is received, move the scanner. Also, a higher antenna location usually results in better reception. Do not use the scanner in high-moisture environments, such as a kitchen or bathroom. Avoid placing the scanner in direct sunlight or near heating elements or vents. Do not plug the scanners AC adapter into an outlet controlled by a wall switch. Prolonged periods without power can cause loss of memory.

Cleaning

Disconnect the AC adapter while you clean the scanner. Clean only the outside of the scanner with a mild detergent. To prevent scratches, do not use abrasive cleaners or solvents to clean the scanner. Do not rub the display window. Do not use excessive amounts of water.

Repairs

Do not attempt any repairs. The scanner contains no user-serviceable parts. Contact the Uniden Customer Service Center at 800-297-1023, or take the scanner to a qualified repair technician.

Troubleshooting

If your BC9000XLT is not performing properly, try the steps listed below.
PROBLEM SUGGESTION Check the connections at both ends of the AC Adapter. Turn on the wall switch of your room. You could be using an outlet controlled by the wall switch. Move the AC Adapter to another wall outlet. Make sure the power switch is turned on.

Scanner wont work.

Poor reception.
Check the antenna and its connection. You may be in a fringe area. This may require an optional multi-band antenna. Check with your dealer or local electronics store.

Scan wont stop.

Adjust the Squelch Control. Check the antenna connection. It is possible that none of the programmed channels are active at the time. Try the band search.

Scan wont start.

Press the bank key again. Make sure there are some programmed channels. Adjust the Squelch Control.
Search wont start. Scanner wont allow any program inputs Cant program channel with alpha character
Adjust the Squelch Control. Check the Enter Lock feature. Alpha character programming is available on channels 1 - 250. Make sure the channel is within that range.
If you still cannot get satisfactory results and want additional information, or to return the unit for service, please call Uniden Customer Service at 800-297-1023.

Optional Accessories and Replacement Parts

Sc 0 an 0 n

LCH SQUE

CHAN VOLU

FREQ LOCK OFF

DIM NFM

z 25KH

T HI-CU

12.5 5KHz

O TURB TWIN

UAL MAN

STAT A SCAN ALPH

SHIFT US

COU PROG HOLD AUTO

SRC LIMIT

MEM NT

GU ID E
External Speaker (ESP25, 8)
Mobile Mounting Bracket Assembly Kit (MB001)
Cigarette Lighter Power Cord Adapter (PS001)

Hard Wire Cord (PS002)

CTCSS Board (BC005)

Specifications

Banks: Channels: Search Band: Total 20 banks 500 channels Total 17 Search bands (AM, NFM, WFM)

Frequency (MHz)

25.000 26.000 29.000 54.000 72.000 76.000 108.000 137.000 174.000 216.000 225.000 400.000 512.000 760.000 806.0000 849.0125 894.0125 25.9950 28.9950 53.9950 71.500 75.9950 107.9500 136.9950 173.9950 215.9500 224.9950 399.9875 511.9875 549.9500 805.9500 823.9875 868.9875 1300.0000
AM AM NFM WFM NFM WFM AM NFM WFM NFM AM NFM WFM WFM NFM NFM NFM
5.0kHz 5.0kHz 5.0kHz 50kHz 5.0kHz 50kHz 12.5kHz 5.0kHz 50kHz 5.0kHz 12.5kHz 12.5kHz 50kHz 50kHz 12.5kHz 12.5kHz 12.5kHz
Scan Rate: Up to 100 channels per second Search Rate: Up to 300 channels per second (Turbo Mode) Up to 100 channels per second (Normal Mode) Scan Delay: 2 seconds Audio Output: Max 3W (8 load) Antenna: 50 ohms (Impedance) Operating Temperature: - 20C (- 4F) to + 60C (+ 140F) Size: 10-1/2" (W) x 7-1/2" (D) x 3-1/2" (H) Weight: 4 lbs. Certified in accordance with FCC Rules and Regulations Part 15 Subpart C as of date of manufacture. Features, specifications, and availability of optional accessories are all subject to change without notice.

Auto Scanner

UBZZ01248ZZ

OPERATING GUIDE

Precautions Before you use this scanner, please read and observe the following:

WARNING!

Uniden does not represent this unit to be waterproof. To reduce the risk of fire or electrical shock, do not expose this unit to rain or moisture.
IMPORTANT! The installation, possession, or use of this scanning radio in a motor vehicle may be prohibited, regulated, or require a permit in certain states, cities, and/or local jurisdiction. Your local law enforcement officials should be able to provide you with information regarding the laws in your community.

Uniden and Bearcat are registered trademarks of Uniden America Corporation 1994 Uniden America Corporation. All rights reserved. Printed in the Philippines

BC9000XLT Controls

HOLD SCAN SRC AUTO PRI TURBO LIMIT LINE EXT SP

MANUAL CTCSS DATA

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Programming and Status Keys Display Bank Keys ON/OFF/VOLUME and SQUELCH Controls Rotary Tuning Controls

6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Numeric and Special Function Keys Scan Keys Mode Keys Search Keys Output Jacks.
One Year Limited Warranty
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. WARRANTY DURATION: This warranty to the original user shall terminate and be of no further effect 12 months after the date of original retail sale. The warranty is invalid if the Product is (A) damaged or not maintained as reasonable or necessary, (B) modified, altered, or used as part of any conversion kits, subassemblies, or any configurations not sold by Uniden, (C) improperly installed, (D) serviced or repaired by someone other than an authorized Uniden service center for a defect or malfunction covered by this warranty, (E) used in any conjunction with equipment or parts or as part of any system not manufactured by Uniden, or (F) installed, programmed by anyone other than as detailed by the operating guide for this product. STATEMENT OF REMEDY: In the event that the product does not conform to this warranty at any time while this warranty is in effect, warrantor will repair the defect and return it to you without charge for parts, service, or any other cost (except shipping and handling) incurred by warrantor or its representatives in connection with the performance of this warranty. THE LIMITED WARRANTY SET FORTH ABOVE IS THE SOLE AND ENTIRE WARRANTY PERTAINING TO THE PRODUCT AND IS IN LIEU OF AND EXCLUDES ALL OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY NATURE WHATSOEVER, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR ARISING BY OPERATION OF LAW, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THIS WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER OR PROVIDE FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT OR PAYMENT OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. Some states do not allow this exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. LEGAL REMEDIES: This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state. This warranty is void outside the United States of America. PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING PERFORMANCE OF WARRANTY: If, after following the instructions in this Operating Guide you are certain that the Product is defective, pack the Product carefully (preferably in its original packaging). Include evidence of original purchase and a note describing the defect that has caused you to return it. The Product should be shipped or delivered freight prepaid by traceable means, or delivered, to warrantor at: Uniden America Corporation Parts and Service Division 4700 Amon Carter Blvd. Fort Worth, TX 76155 (800) 297-1023, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CENTRAL, Monday through Friday

CANNER EQUIPMENT

EQUIPMENT AND ACCESSORIES FOR YOUR MONITORING POST Bob Parnass parnass@megsinet.com http://www.megsinet.com/parnass
Uniden BC780XLT Trunk Tracker III
e reviewed the Uniden BC9000XLT in March 1995. Its alpha labels, CTCSS decoding, tuning/channel select knob, and wide frequency coverage are major assets. The number of trunked radio systems has increased steadily since 1995, fueling demand for trunk tracking scanners. Uniden responded with a succession of tracking models, but none of them provides the same flexible step size and mode choices, alpha tags, and wide frequency coverage as the original BC9000XLT. The new BC780XLT combines the assets of the BC9000XLT with enhanced trunk tracking capability in a downsized cabinet. It is fitted with a DB9 serial port connector and can be controlled or downloaded by a personal computer without using a special level converter. The BC780XLT includes an additional narrow bandwidth FM mode (NFM), as found in the ICOM IC-R8500. It reduces adjacent channel interference and compensates the audio for signals modulated with lower deviation. Other improvements include Weather Alert with FIPS code programming, a mute capability, and a beep alert which emits 3 soft beeps at the start and end of transmissions on selected channels or talk group IDs.
numbers. Theres no easy way of knowing the proper order unless you find out from someone familiar with the system or devise the sequence through experimentation. Each trunked bank supports up to 10 lists of 10 talk group IDs each. The BC780XLT doesnt warn of duplicate talk group IDs. You can assign a descriptive alphanumeric label to each talk group ID. Talk groups IDs can be saved during a search or directly entered via the keypad without actually listening to the system.
trunked systems. You cannot search one trunked system while scanning the talk group lists of another. After 10 seconds of inactivity during a talk group scan, the BC780XLT hunts for (reacquires) the control channel. We didnt find this to be a minor distraction, nor a problem. You can program and link up to 10 search ranges, use tone squelch while searching, and lock out up to 200 frequencies during limit searches. A silent Auto Store facility saves active, unique frequencies in one or more memory banks. Service Search provides 10 banks of factory preprogrammed frequencies and up to 100 lockouts: rail, air, CB, FRS, special emergency, public safety, news media, TV, ham, and marine.
CTCSS, DCS, and Carrier Squelch
Unlike the PRO-2067 and PRO-92, the BC780XLT represents EDACS talk group IDs using the AFS (Agency-Fleet-Subfleet) convention. This affords the flexibility of monitoring related sets of talk groups in the same agency, fleet, or subfleet by specifying just the first few digits they have in common. An I-Call is a station-to-station conversation not heard by other users. The BC780XLT permits monitoring of I-Calls in Motorola and EDACS systems. You can exclude I-Calls, include I-Calls, or hunt for them. Our BC780XLTs carrier squelch action has too much hysteresis, and about 90 degrees of play in the squelch control. Squelch threshold settings vary by band because our scanners background noise level differs by as much as 7 dB between 40 and 460 MHz using the default modes. The squelch tail is 10 ms long on some signals and longer on others. The BC780XLT provides both CTCSS and DCS (digital controlled) squelch decoding and display. The CTCSS squelch opens on the proper signal faster than our BC9000XLT, which clips the first part of a transmission. The penalty for using CTCSS is a slower scan speed when skipping over signals without a matching CTCSS tone. The practical scan speed slowed dramati-

Memory

The 500 memory channels are divided into 10 banks of 50. The BC780XLT warns if you try to program a duplicate frequency, though you can override the warning. Channels and banks can be labeled, and both labels are displayed when receiving a conventional signal. Other per-channel parameters include attenuation, tuning step, mode (AM, FM, WFM, NFM), CTCSS and DCS tone squelch, rescan delay, and record enable. The small, multipurpose VFO/Select knob has a detent action and can be pressed like a key. It can step through the memory channels or vary the frequency, as in the BC9000XLT. The BC780XLT doesnt remember a distinct VFO frequency when changing the knob function between memory channel selector and VFO. A handy repeater offset feature permits you to monitor a repeater input by pressing the VFO/Select knob.

Scanning and Searching

Rescan parameters may be programmed differently for each channel, search bank, and trunked system. The delay may be set at 0, 1, 2, or 4 seconds or an infinite setting which terminates the scan when the BC780XLT receives its first signal. Three ruthless rescan settings are provided which resume scanning after 2, 5, or 10 seconds, even if the current frequency or talk group is still active. You can scan combinations of conventional frequency banks and trunked system talk group lists, though theres a brief delay when the BC780XLT starts scanning a trunked bank. Alternatively, you can scan conventional frequencies and search through
Programming Trunked Systems
Banks may be designated as Motorola Type 1 or 2, EDACS wide and narrow, or LTR trunked. The Motorola Type 2 category is further subdivided by band. Only one trunked system may be programmed per bank. Programming EDACS and LTR systems is tricky because the frequencies must be programmed in the proper channel

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March 2001
cally from 69 channels/sec to 17 channels/sec when our BC780XLT heard, but skipped over a signal without the proper CTCSS. The CTCSS display feature is sluggish compared to the almost instantaneous PRO-2067 display. Our BC780XLT takes 15 seconds to step through 38 CTCSS tones then listen for a DCS code, looking for a match. The tone finder scheme doesnt work well when transmissions are brief.

Table 2: BC780XLT Birdies (MHz)
29.7, 50.16, 134.1, 163.8, 245.65, 245.7, 348.95, 349.0, 378.95, 379.0, 806.05, 820.8, 895.5, 925.2, 955.2
ting and we measured its voltage at 15 dB below the external speaker output. The full, lighted keypad is easy to see, but the information packed LCD display uses tiny digits for active banks.
Usability and Performance
Our BC780XLT is sensitive more sensitive in the 860 MHz range than our PRO-2067 (s/n 00315). We found only 15 birdies (fig. 2). It is well behaved on an outdoor antenna, though we hear a few intermod products in the VHF-high band produced by a strong 158.7 MHz pager mixing with a NOAA weather transmitter. Our BC9000XLT receives the same intermod but our ICOM IC-R8500 does not. The BC780XLT has many more features than keys on its keypad, so you set parameters by navigating an extensive menu system up to four levels deep. Enabling the attenuator or choosing a rescan delay for a channel requires a multi-key
sequence instead of a single key press. We found the menu system intuitive and easy to learn. The instruction manual documents the menu in clear, concise diagrams. Our BC780XLTs audio quality is acceptable, but tinny. We prefer to use an external speaker that can be pointed toward the listener. Two 1/8" jacks on the rear panel are provided for external speaker and reduced level audio output for recording. The reduced level audio output can be enabled on a per channel and per talk group ID basis. Its level varies with the volume control set-

Bottom Line

Except for a fussy squelch, our BC780XLT is an excellent performer the top dog in trunking scanners. It is packed with most of the features a scanner user would want and they are thoughtfully implemented. The user manual is well written and teaches better than the PRO-2067 manual. Even so, the BC780XLT is an advanced model. An inexperienced consumer may find programming EDACS and LTR trunked systems too challenging.

Table 1: Measurements

Uniden BC780XLT Trunk Tracker III s/n 06000019 Grove price $349.95 Uniden America Corp. 4700 Amon Carter Blvd. Fort Worth, TX 76155 tel. (800)554-3988 Frequency coverage (MHz): 25 - 512, 806 - 956, and 1240 - 1300 (USA version, cell bands blocked) Step sizes (kHz): 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 25, 50, 100, and auto Modes: AM, NFM, FM, WFM FM modulation acceptance: 13 kHz Intermediate Frequencies (MHz): 380.7/244, 45/10.7, and 0.45 Image rejection due to 1st IF: 45 dB @ 40 MHz 60 dB @ 15 MHz 67 dB @ 460 MHz 77 dB @ 806 MHz A ttenuator: 5 dB @ 40 MHz 12 dB @ 155 MHz 9 dB @ 460 MHz 20 dB @ 860 MHz A udio output power, measured at ext. speaker jack: 2.3 W @ 10% distortion Tape output audio: 15 dB below ext. speaker audio Squelch tail length (1uV @155 MHz): 10 ms. Practical memory scan speed: 69 channels/sec. Current consumption @ 13.8 VDC off: off: lless than 6 uA scanning (lamps off): 163 mA full volume (lamps off): 242 mA lamps: 100 mA additional

March 2001 MONITORING TIMES