This allows you to set a tag to any channel or system and quickly send your radio to it by pressing a couple buttons. For example, your police
department uses 4 channels, called "Channel 1" and so on. Set these channels with these Channel Tags and you can then quickly go to these
channels just by pressing Hold, the number and then the Menu button. There are 1000 (0 thru 999) Channel tags you can program.
Individual channel volume offset
You can set individual volume levels for different channels. If you have a channel that is particularly loud or soft in your area, set a volume
offset to make up for it.
Intermediate Frequency Exchange
All scanners have "Images" (reception of channels on frequencies other than the correct one) and "Birdies" (self generated signals) that can
interfere with legitimate scanner channels. This is a fact of life and cannot be avoided. The BCT15X however allows you to alter internal
settings, called Intermediate Frequencies (IF) on individual channels to move these Birdies and Images to frequencies unused in your area.
Key Safe
Ever spent hours programming your scanner and then lent it to someone hoping they wouldn't erase all your hard work? Worry no more, Set
the scanner to Key Safe mode and keep it programmed just the way you had it. Press FUNC when you turn on the radio to lock out
programming and permanent lockouts, do the same to turn off the Key Lock.
Private Systems
This lets you flag a system so that it cannot be read out of the scanner or modified. This mode is set by the various programming software
packages available for the BCT15X.
Negative Channel dropout delay (forced resume)
This allows you to resume scanning after a set period even if the channel is still active. This allows you to catch action on busy channels
without tying up the radio for long periods of time. Some Communications Receivers (such as the Icom R7000) and ham transceivers employ
this method of scanning which seems to be more popular in Europe and Japan, but had not really taken hold in North America.
Programming your BCT15X
If you are familiar with the BCD996T or BCT15 you can jump right in and play with the BCT15X with few problems. While there are some
new features and menu items the basics of the scanner are the same as the older version. If you have used a BCD396T or BC330 you can
probably figure out the BCT15X as well.
If you have never used any of these before you will have to learn a new programming language. While this sounds daunting, it really isn't that
difficult. Just forget the old "Banks & Channels" method of programming and start thinking Systems, Sites and Groups. Systems pretty much
replaces Banks, these are the main division of channels. Groups are divisions of Systems and may consist of one to many Channels.
Let's say you have a System for your home town. Within the System you might have 3 Groups, one for Police, another for Fire and the third for
Local Governments. On an old scanner you would be limited to 20, 50 or 100 channels in a Bank, now you can have hundreds of channels or
just 1, and not waste all that memory on unused channels.
The same method of programming works for Trunking systems. Program the System with the trunked frequencies and the trunking type, the
Groups are for Talkgroups. Again, you can have many groups, with as few as 1 or as many as hundreds of talkgroups (channels).
Trunked systems have one more item to program, these are "Sites" While simple trunked systems may have just one Site, networked or wide
are systems might have several or many. Networked trunked systems can share a single list of talkgroups, and you can program multiple Sites
with different frequencies. (See the GPS section for how you can use this.)
Using the radio
