The BCT15X uses two special buttons, labeled as "Function" and "Menu". (The Function button is actually the Multi-Function knob that you
press.) The Menu button starts various programming tasks, and will bring you to the various menus pretty much no matter what the radio is
doing. When in the Menus the Menu button acts as a Back button.
The Function button acts as a modifier, the Function icon appears for about 3 seconds after you press it and during that time it allows you to
perform various tasks, such as turn on and off options like CloseCall or toggle between modes, such as Scan or Search.
The BCT15X also has special Highway Patrol and other quick service searches that allow quick access to common highway services channels.
These features replace the WX and Priority buttons on the 996 series of scanners, these features have then been delegated to menu items.
You can use Quick Keys, Startup Keys or Search Keys. These allow you to turn on and off systems or options quickly.
Quick Keys turn on and off Systems or Channel Groups assigned to them while scanning.
System Quick Keys work the same way but at a radio-wide level.
Startup Keys turn on all Systems and Searches assigned to it and turns off any of these assigned to other Startup Keys.
Search Keys allow you to set up a few Searches for quick use.
To program a new system from scratch you follow several steps:
Press the Menu button on the left side of the radio and select "Program System"
Select "New System"
Select the "System Type" (Conventional or one of the trunking flavors)
If you select EDACS you will be asked if you want SCAT or Wide/Narrow
After you select the system type and sub type you will be asked to confirm. This is because once you create a system you cannot change the
system type from the radio.
You then can edit or create the System Name and various options. Trunked systems require you to then create Sites, these have their own
frequencies but share the Talkgroup Lists. Conventional Systems let you go right into Groups, these contain the actual frequencies you want to
use.
Under the System Options menu you can set Quick Keys or Channel Tags. These allow faster access to the various Systems, Groups and Sites.
A representative set of systems are pre-programmed into the scanner, including several of the large statewide trunked systems. You can use
these as is, edit them from the radio or with software or just delete them.
While older radios would allow one to program up to 200 talkgroups (trunked "channels") per system the BCT15X allows up to 500, in as
many as 20 Groups. This is great news for those wishing to monitor the large trunked systems used by many states, counties and cities.
In conventional (non-trunked) systems you can have up to 1000 channels, again in up to 20 groups.
The BCT15X will scan about 100 channels per second, depending on how the channels are arranged. While most people would never notice the
difference some people with lots of time on their hands report that Uniden DMA scanners scan faster when the channels are sorted in frequency
order.
Modulation Modes
The BCT15X can monitor communications in AM or 4 variations of FM. When you program the channels you can set the Modulation Type to
either "Auto" or specify one of the below modes:
AM is used mostly for Aircraft operations in the 108-137 MHz and 225 thru 400 MHz. ranges, as well as CB radio.
NFM is used for many Public Safety channels and will be the standard for almost all Public Safety and Business operations by the
start of 2014.
