Uniden BC245xlt TrunkTracker II

Trunk Tracker Handheld Scanner

-Recently Discontinued-

This smart scanner has trunk lockout, trunk delay, and trunk scan and search. Additionally it offers cloning capability, computer interface, and 300 programmable memory channels - 10 bands including aircraft and 800 MHz, and 5 priority channels. It has a large backlit LCD display. Frequency ranges received are 66-88, 108-174, 406-512, 806-956 MHz. Comes complete with Nicad pack and AC adaptor/charger.

Features List:
• Smart Scanner
• Trunk Lockout
• Trunk Delay
• Trunk Scan & Search
• Cloning Capability
• Computer Interface*
• 300 Channels
• 10 Bands including Aircraft & 800 MHz and 5 priority channels
• Pre-programmed Service Search
• Large backlit LCD display
• Rechargeable NiCad Battery
• Frequency ranges: 66-88, 108-174, 406-512, 806-956 MHz

*Note: If you would like to:
- Control your scanner directly from your PC
- Add Alpha Tags to your frequencies and talk groups (on the PC only)
- Create multiple scan lists that you can upload to your scanner
- and much more;
Visit the site www.scannermaster.com for computer programming and control software for the UBC245XL.

 

Band Specifications

66.000MHz-88.000MHz (12.5kHz steps)
108.00MHz-137MHz(AM mode for the air band)
137.000MHz-174MHz(12.5kHz steps for the VHF high band)
406.000MHz-512.000MHz
800.000MHz-956.000MHz(no cellular blockage)

Service search limits

467.850MHz-469.425MHz (National UHF police band)
416.975MHz-420.000MHz(railways UHF)
108.000MHz-137.000Mhz(VHF AM air band)
156.000MHz-157.450MHz(marine VHF band)
476.425MHz-477.400MHz(UHF CB band)

PROGRAMMING YOU 245XLT FOR THE N.S.W. GRN.

For those of you with a 245xlt, here is the correct way to program your scanner for 400Mhz trunking for the N.S.W. GRN. Firstly you should know that the manual has several mistakes in it, and in some parts is not clear or doesn't explain properly how to perform some functions with the scanner. I found this when programming the scanner for 400Mhz systems. The manual doesn't explain what the bAS (or base) frequency is or what the offset is. If you follow the instructions below, you shouldn't have a problem. Honestly, if you have trouble getting it to trunk with these instruction, quit now, sell it while you can.

PROGRAMMING THE GRN

Although the UBC245xlt is not designed to trunk the New South Wales GRN, which is based on Motorola Smartzone trunking, it will if programmed correctly. It is therefore necessary to follow these programming steps precisely in order to maximise performance. Key presses are done in RED. Important information is done in bold type.
 
Step 1:-Turn the UBC245xlt on. After which press and hold the TRNK key for a few seconds. This puts the scanner into trunk programming mode.
 
Step 2:-If you have been successful, you will hear 2 beeps and the screen will be clear with the exception of bank and trunk icons flashing on the LCD display.
 
Step 3:-It is now necessary to select the bank you want to use for trunking. Bank  selection is made by pressing the appropriate key (1-0) on the scanners keypad. Only one GRN site should be entered into each bank. Also only channels assigned to that bank can be accessed. For example if you choose bank 3, only memories 61-90 inclusive are available to the user.
 
Step 4:-After the desired bank has been selected  the screen will change and display display one of the six option (as shown below, with the appropriate mode underlined). It is now necessary to select the type of system (trunking protocol) you wish to monitor. As the GRN is based on the 400Mhz band, which is UHF, the display should be toggled to show E2 UHF. This is achieved by pressing the arrow up (▲) or HOLD key or alternatively, the arrow down (▼) or LIMIT key until the display shows the correct system. Press E to complete this stage.
  The six trunking options are;  E1 Type 1 800Mhz Motorola
                                              E2 800  Type II 800Mhz Motorola
                                              E2 900  Type II 900Mhz Motorola
                                              E2 Hi     Type II VHF high band 137-174 Motorola
                                              E2 UHF Type II UHF 406-512Mhz Motorola
                                              Ed          Erricsson EDACS
 
Step 5:-From the GRN frequency data supplied on the GRN frequency page on this site, select the site you wish to monitor. Enter all the frequencies listed for the site using the scanners keypad. To advance to the next available memory slot use the up (▲) or HOLD. If a keying error is made simply press the ( . ) ATT key twice to start over. remember to enter all the channels for the desired site, including the control/data channel.
 
Step 6:-After all the frequencies have been entered and are correct, it is necessary to enter the base frequency as well as the channel offset. This is achieved by pressing the DATA key. The display changes with the letters bAS and the frequency 406.000 is presented on the LCD display. So for the UBC245xlt to function properly on GRN you must change the frequency to 415.575, followed by the E to enter the altered base frequency.
 
Step 7:-Next, press the DATA key once again. The display will show OFS 50.0, change this to 12.5 by pressing 1 2 . 5 on the keypad, followed by the E key. The programming sequence is now complete for that bank.
 
Step 8:-To start searching the GRN for active talk group press SEARCH. You must do this before you can enter talk groups manually into the scan  lists. By pressing manual while trunk searching, the scanner will go to the first clear scan list memory. Simply enter in a talk group from one of the pages of the services on this site using the keypad (e.g. 13024) followed by the E key to enter it.
 
NOTE. Due to the upgrading of the GRN in N.S.W. , some sites now contain frequencies in a second  and third channel range (413.000Mhz - 415.500) , which means the 245xlt WILL NOT TRACK these frequencies in a GRN trunk site. You have to add these conventionally in your scanner, and scan them conventionally. There is no current way the 245XLT will include these frequencies into the tracking function. Uniden does not intend to make future 245xlts track dual range systems. Upgrade to a 780xlt to get around this.



Hints and Tricks You Should Know

Ok there are a few hints you should know about the 245xlt.
Many of these are taken off the Strong Signals message board and the 245xlt mailing list.
 

1:- If you get a flashing key lock symbol, and the scanner in unresponsive to any key press, it means you have the scanner in REMOTE mode. Press and hold the 'E' key for 2 seconds to unlock the remote mode.

2:- To reset the radio (this is a FULL reset! you have been warned!), turn the radio off and push and hold '2', '9' and 'MAN' and turn the radio on. This will reset the radio and erase all memory content.

3:- If you intent to scan a trunking bank in a conventional manner, lock out the data channel, but if you return to trunk tracking, make sure you lock back in the data channel, or the scanner won't trunk that bank.

4:- Someone suggested programming the same trunking site in 2 separate banks. One for scanning with scan lists of talk groups, and another for general talk group searching. this way when you search, and talk groups you have locked out are recognised when searching.

5:- Yes you can program conventional channel, such as 468Mhz police, in a trunk bank in unused channels. The scanner will scan the trunking system, then scan the other channels, all at the same time. this is faster then having the conventional channels in a separate bank.

6:- For those who wish to tap the discriminator of the 245xlt, the chip number is MC3361cd and the pin in 'PIN 9'

7:- For those who wish to make their own power cable, the scanner is CENTRE positive!

8:- Yes the 245xlt will work with the well know TRUNKER software. Just set the scanner up for the BC895 (the latest version of TRUNKER 3.8.1 supports the 245 directly) put it into 9600 baud transfer mode, put it in remote mode and start trunker!

9:- Read the manual CAREFULLY! Doesn't matter how experienced you are with scanners, this one is different from all the rest. Don't skim read the manual, you won't work out how to drive the 245xlt. Even experienced scanner users have problems with this scanner at first!!
 

 

 MANUAL ERRORS

1# Page 52 says 'press MAN' when it should say 'press SCAN'.

2# Page 54.Step 1 says 'press SCAN' when it should say 'press HOLD'.

3# Page 41.Step 6 says to repeat 'steps 3 & 4' when it should say 'steps 4 &5'.

4# Page 61 says 'hold for 2 seconds' when it should say 'hold SCAN for 2 seconds'.

5# Page 62 says 'you may need a DB-9 to DB-25 null modem adaptor, available at most computer stores'. This sentence should be removed.

6# Page 31.Step 9 says 'pressing 'E' when it should say 'pressing 'MAN'


            Other Tips

EarPhone Jack Modification (doing this mod will void your warranty! You have been warned! You are responsible if you stuff your scanner up!!)
For more audio power, say to run an external speaker (and it is a bit quiet when you run an external speaker), the limiting resistor on the headphone jack centre pin can be bridged out with a piece of wire, OR You can run a piece of wire from the ground of the BNC connector to the outer ring (ground) of the earphone jack. Keep in mind that this will drain the battery faster.
12:- Need to program in a trunking site for areas you can't receive, for example if you are going on a trip somewhere? The 245xlt won't let you add Talk Groups to a trunk bank without it being able to receive the control (data) channel. There is an easy way around this problem. When programming a bank, add your local data channel frequency to the bank of the system. Set up the trunk bank and hit search. The scanner should lock onto the data channel, but not track due to different frequencies of the site you want to program. Hit MANUAL and it should then stop on the first available talk group scan list channel. From here, you can enter all the talk groups you like. When you have finished, take the scanner out of trunk mode, and go the the channel you set for your local data channel, and delete it (in manual mode, hit '0' then enter). Now when you get to the new sites location, you should be able to scan the talk groups lists, instead of wasting time trying to find new talk groups for the area.