Paul, 10-7 (73's also) and Thanks for the most informative info.
"Paul Keenleyside" wrote in message
news:nIemd.103277$VA5.76320@clgrps13...

"SYBIL-IZED" wrote in message
...
Paul, you've been a great help Thanks .
I'll look into what you just pointed out regarding the model .
But do you need a computer and program to re-program the scanner ?

Techncially no. You can do the finger dancing yourself. The main benfit of
the software is

1. You can download the scanner's current configuration and save it in
case something real bad happens
2. Being able to program within the software without feeding into the
scanner, a matrix of scanner configurations.

Suppose you have one configuration for listening to local area
offerings. With the programming you can set another
configuration based on your travel plans:

- perhaps a collection of aviation frequencies for different airports
if you are going from one city to another one.
- perhaps a collection of police frequencies for different districts
that you'll be going through.
- perhaps a collection of railroad frequencies.

Using the software can be said to a wimpy way to set a scanner. I did it
manually after not getting much but smart ass
answers from polite questions from the local scanner group.

You'll need to do a bit reading too. The manuals for scanners are not
much better written than those for computer
products. In Uniden's case, they really should hire someone who can write
and layout a better manual.

The scanner is not dependent on the PC for programming by any means.
Consider it to be like programming the scanner
manually is like driving a standard shift. Programming is like driving an
automatic. But since you drove the manual, you
know how things work simply because you did it yourself without the aid of
the software. Big difference.

The scanner software for the PC is one of those "nice to have" things. I
have a real good programming software for my Radio
Shack Pro-95 (which is far superior and sensitive than Uniden's BC245.Win
95. There's no complement for the BC780XLT other than the offerings from
Butel which is good but find the Win95 for the Pro-95 to be excellent and
very easy to use and no fancy additions such as display (don't need it as
the scanner is closeby and finger reachable anyway). The Pro-95 is what
the BC245 should have been). Had another software program for the
BC780XLT, but it went pffft when my operating system suddenly went pfffft.

By the way. Use http://www.radioreference.com/ to find the trunked matrix
in your area. It's an excellent base to begin with
and there's a whole schmeal of state and provincial isolated forums (most
of the people there will help rather than help themselves improve on their
smart ass answers). You need a log in account to get to the good stuff in
there, but the account
is free. There's a huge amount of junk (good stuff) in there.

I hardly go anywhere without my scanner (either the 780XLT or the Pro-95,
and on some longer trips, even take both).

Only thing missing from my vehicle is a ham radio license in my wallet and
an APRS capable Kenwood model TM-D700A VHF ham radio next to the BC780XLT.

But workin' on those two missing things..

10-7 (73's)