Does it support rebanding?
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Martin McCormick" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 6:08 AM
Subject: Uniden bcd996 Serial Control


> Has anyone played with the Uniden bcd996 scanner using the
> RS-232 serial port?
> I have been using a BC780 for the past 7 years based on the file
> protocols.txt which explains how to communicate with the 780 and
> have had good luck with it. If it wasn't for that, it would be
> fairly inaccessible.
> 
> I get the impression that the bcd996 probably uses a
> similar serial protocol. The bcd996 will do apco25 which is not
> a huge deal in North Central Oklahoma, but you never know when
> it will be. We do have a state-wide Department of Public Safety
> trunking system which is gradually growing so one day, either it
> will be re-banded or they will start using digital more often.
> 
> We already have at least one digital user but it is
> encrypted so at least the new scanner won't hear all that noise
> when that particular service is on.
> 
> In case anyone is curious, the BC780 responds to upper
> case commands that are rather turse followed by a carriage
> return so, if you want to program channel 42 to 460.325 MHZ, you
> would enter
> 
> PM042 04603250
> 
> followed by the Return and you get back that same string if
> successful or ERR if unsuccessful. Other commands give you
> answers like OK if successful, ERR if unsuccessful or NG which
> means "No Good" which means that it is valid but you can't do
> whatever it is now.
> 
> Anyway, I hope the BCD996 is similar enough that I can
> really use it.