Last Updated: March 11, 2005. Following are instructions for programming the Uniden Bearcat BCT8 TrunkTracker scanner to monitor the Shelby County Sheriff's Department (SCSD) Memphis, Tennessee. 1. Tune to 856.2125. The easiest way to do this with the BCT8 is to hit SRCH until the band limit displays 806-956, use HOLD/RESUME until you're close, then manually tune using the up/down buttons. 2. Ensure that you can receive a clear signal on this frequency; it may take some time to hear anything. Transmissions will be voice, followed by a series of 5 or 5 1/2 short beeps. I was setting things up around 2AM and it took about 10 minutes before I received a car-to-car conversation regarding a coffee break (go figure), then I began picking up random transmissions. 3. Press and hold TRUNK for a couple of seconds to enter Trunk Programming mode. 4. Use the number pad to choose a bank number (1, 2, 3, 4, or 5) where you want to store this trunk. If you haven't done any trunk programming before, use bank 1 (press the 1 key). If you already have something programmed into your other banks, choose a new bank number. Remember you can only store one trunk per bank. 5. Press the up arrow until "Ed" displays as the trunk type. This should take four presses of the up arrow with the BCT8's default settings. Then press the E button. 6. "Prog F" will appear on the scanner display. Press the E button again. The display will show 1 000.0000. *** You MUST enter the following frequencies in the order listed. The frequencies are ordered as Logical Channel Numbers. This is imperative due to the EDACS system. *** 7. Using the keypad, type in the frequency 856.2125, then press E. 8. Press the up-arrow button. The display will show 2 000.0000. 9. Using the keypad, type in the frequency 857.2125, then press E. |
10. Press the up-arrow button. The display will show 3 000.0000.
11. Using the keypad, type in the frequency 858.2125, then press E.
12. Press the up-arrow button. The display will show 4 000.0000.
13. Using the keypad, type in the frequency 859.2125, then press E.
14. Press the up-arrow button. The display will show 5 000.0000.
15. Using the keypad, type in the frequency 860.2125, then press E.
You are now done entering the five SCSD control frequencies. You now need to enter the AFS ("Agency, Fleet, Subfleet") numbers corresponding to the Sheriff's Department talkgroups you want to monitor.
An Agency, Fleet, Subfleet number looks like 00-123, where "00" is the Agency, "12" is the Fleet, and "3" is the Subfleet. For SCSD, the Agency will always be 02. SCSD AFS numbers are given on the URLs below as, e.g. 02-041. On the BCT8, the "dot" (period) key is used in place of the dash.
16. Press HOLD/RESUME. "Prog F" appears on the display. Press the up arrow. "Prog id" appears on the display. Press the "E" button.
17. Using the talkgroup/AFS lists available at:
http://radioreference.com/modules.php?name=TRSDB&sid=531
(registration required)
http://web.pcu.net/jalexand/hobbies/shelby.html
...begin entering talkgroup/AFS IDs you're interested in. For example:
...punch: 02 dot
126, for Primary Dispatch. Press E to set the talkgroup. Press the Up arrow.
...punch: 02 dot 042, for Car-to-Car. Press E to set the talkgroup. Press the
Up arrow.
...punch: 02 dot whatever you want from the lists. E to set. Press the Up arrow
and repeat...
...until you have entered all the talkgroup IDs you are interested in.
18. To begin scanning, get out of Trunk programming mode (hold the TRUNK button for a few seconds). Then enter Trunk mode (press TRUNK once) and select the bank number you programmed this trunk into. The display should show a pair of numbers with blank frequency, e.g. 1--2 -- ---, where 1 and 2 are numbers from 1 to 9. The 1--2 should be flashing. You are now scanning the trunk. The TRUNK, BANK 1 (or whichever bank you programmed this trunk for), and SRCH indicators should be on. If the SRCH indicator is not on, press the SRCH button.
19. If you see "Bx SCAN id" scrolling across the display, where 'x' is the bank number you used, you are NOT in the proper mode to scan Shelby County Sheriff's Department, regardless of what the BCT8 manual says; you are instead searching for random talkgroups on this trunk and you will not be able to follow conversations. If the TRUNK indicator does not display, press TRUNK. Press the PVT and SRCH buttons, in that order, until you see a display that resembles N-N -- ---, where N and N are numbers from 1 to 9 (most likely "3-2"). The N-N should be flashing. Congratulations, you are now scanning the trunk.
The above was written by s {-at-} shat.net. Copyright is donated to the public domain, as all radio information should be. This article may be reproduced free of charge by any entity, so long as it is attributed to the URL <http://shat.net/scan_shelby/bct8_scsd.php>. The author is a hobbyist and is not affiliated with SCSD, SCFD, MPD, MFD, or other organizations discussed at this site in any way. He welcomes emails containing interesting scanner frequencies in the Memphis and Shelby County area.