wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi,


Bought a bcd396t last weekend and was really excited about scanning.
Never owned one or new anything about it. I turned it on and cleared
all memory first, since my area didn't seem to be pre-programmed. I
live in Bay Point CA, 94565. Sat outside my house to see what was
going on on a Saturday night. I did an automatic search for police
activity and had one or two frequencies that gave me some messages
every once in a while. Was hard to understand too by the way

Is this all there is to it, or should it be more exciting? I expected
more action on a Saturday night, especially in my area, but all I got
was a message every once in a while. Or should I not use the automatic
search, because it doesn't work properly?

Is the automatic search able to find all different frequencies, like
trunking, conventional, etc...?

I guess I'm confused because it didn't give me the action I was hoping
for.

I returned the unit on sunday...very disappointed, but maybe someone
could tell me I'm wrong and I need to do certain things to get this
unit to work.

thanks


You had a very powerful scanner in your hands. I blame the person you
bought it from for not showing you how to use it or at least program local
agencies in it.

Scanning is a great hobby but it's not a turn it on and listen kind of
thing. You have to do some research of your area. A great place to start
is www.radioreference.com . They have the most extensive database for
police/fire/rescue . I looked up Bay Point, CA and see it's in Contra Costa
County. Here's a listing for that county:
http://www.radioreference.com/module...me=RR&ctid=189 .

As you were scanning you were probably picking up bits and pieces of a
"trunked" system. You can listen to it but it's hard to follow if you don't
have your scanner set properly to listen to a trunked system. Here are
the basics of a "trunked" system.
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Trunking

Hope you reconsider.
Dave