BCT15X Loading Frequencies From Squawker PC & Squawker Online

Summary: The ways to get frequencies into a BCT15X without typing them all in by hand: Squawker PC’s Scanner Programmer, Squawker Online’s export files (including a dedicated BCT15X format), and the formats you can use in other Uniden and non-Uniden software.

Which Route Should I Use?

• Squawker PC Scanner Programmer – writes straight to the scanner over the cable. Best for building a full conventional set-up (airports, ATC, marine, ham, PMR and so on) in a few clicks. Conventional systems only.
• Squawker Online export (Uniden-BCT15X HPE) – download a file from the website, then load it with import software such as Proscan or Butel. Best if you already use that software, or want to review and edit the list before it goes near the scanner.
• Typing it in on the scanner – the only route for trunked systems (Motorola, EDACS, LTR), and for anything the other routes can’t set, such as State-by-State, BearTracker, Tone-Out, Priority and location data. See BCT15X Programming a Conventional System and BCT15X Programming a Trunked System (Motorola, EDACS & LTR).

Squawker PC: The Scanner Programmer

Squawker PC is UKAFG’s Windows app. Its Scanner Programmer supports the BCT15X, UBC3500XLT and UBC800XLT with one shared screen and workflow: System > Group > Channel. The steps are:

1. Connect – create a profile in Connect Settings (Scanner System: Uniden, Scanner Type: your exact model, the correct COM port, Enable Programming ticked), then open the Programmer and click Open Editor. See Connecting for Programming and BCT15X/UBC3500XLT/UBC800XLT Programmer – Overview & Getting Connected.
2. Read the scanner and back it up – see Reading, Backing Up & Restoring – BCT15X/UBC3500XLT/UBC800XLT and Backups – How Squawker PC Protects Your Existing Programming.
3. Fill it – Quick Fill builds a whole set of local Systems and Groups from your postcode, or use the Data dropdown with New System and Add To for more control. See Filling Systems & Groups – Quick Fill, the Data Dropdown & Add To.
4. Edit the result – see Editing, Sorting & Deleting Systems, Groups & Channels.
5. Send to Scanner – see Writing to Your Scanner – BCT15X/UBC3500XLT/UBC800XLT.

Before your first write, read Before You Start – Understanding the Risks and The Programming Workflow.

What to Know Before You Write to a BCT15X

• Conventional only. The System Type column lists MOT, EDC, EDS and LTR, but the Programmer has no way to enter talk group IDs, so it can’t produce working trunked programming.
• Every write erases the scanner first. There’s no merge or incremental option. Anything already on the radio, including trunked systems you entered by hand, is gone once you confirm. Use Auto backup before sending and take a manual backup as well. The automatic pre-write backup is confirmed reliable on the BCT15X.
• No cancel. Once a write has started you can’t stop it cleanly.
• No per-channel report. On a BCT15X the completion message only says it succeeded. If a channel fails to write it is skipped silently, so do a Read from Scanner afterwards to check everything arrived.
• Bear Tracker categories end up locked out. Every BCT15X write locks out the police, DOT, highway patrol and Bear Tracker categories as a fixed part of the write process. If you use those on the scanner (see BCT15X State-by-State Scanning & the BearTracker Warning System), re-enable them on the scanner afterwards.
• Only what’s on the Programmer screen is written. Settings it doesn’t have a column for (see BCT15X/UBC3500XLT/UBC800XLT Programmer Screen at a Glance) are set on the scanner itself afterwards, for example tone-out channels, State-by-State and GPS locations.

The full list of model differences is in Model Differences – BCT15X, UBC3500XLT & UBC800XLT.

Squawker Online: Exporting to a File

Squawker Online lets you search UKAFG’s frequency data, tick or multi-select what you want, and download it in the format your software needs. The search tool is at ukafg.co.uk/squawker-online-search. The Uniden-BCT15X HPE button produces an .hpe file with names shortened to the BCT15X’s 16-character limit. The site’s export info popup says to import it using Proscan or Butel software.

What’s in the file: conventional channels only, grouped automatically by the result’s User field (for example an airfield or ATC unit), with frequency, name and mode. It carries no trunked systems, no Quick Keys and no alert settings. Because groups are created automatically from your data, a selection with many different User values can produce many groups. The BCT15X allows 20 groups per system, so check the group count in your import software before sending it to the scanner.

Squawker Online also exports to other formats you can use with Uniden and non-Uniden software:

• Uniden-x36 HPE – for the SDS100, SDS200, UBCD3600XLT, BCD436HP and BCD536HP. Import using Sentinel, Proscan or Butel.
• UBC125XLT – CSV for the UBC125XLT, imported with Scan125 software. Capped at 500 rows – anything beyond that is silently left out.
• RadioScan – XLS for the Android RadioScan app (UBC125XLT compatible). Always written as exactly 500 rows, padded with blanks if you select fewer.
• Whistler – a text file imported with the “Import Text File” option in Whistler’s programming software.
• CHIRP – a CSV that works with any radio CHIRP supports. Likely amateur repeaters automatically get extra repeater fields (duplex, offset, tone).
• Icom IC-R6, IC-R8600 and IC-R15 – CSVs for the matching Icom cloning software.
• CSV and Excel – general-purpose, six columns (User, Description, Short Name, Frequency, Channel, Mode). Use these to open your list in a spreadsheet, or to feed any software that can import CSV.
• Copy – copies the same data as CSV text to paste elsewhere.
• SDR# XML and SDRPlay S1B – for SDR software. The XML file is saved as frequencies.xml for SDR#’s frequency manager; the S1B goes into your SDRPlay MEM folder or SDRConnect.

Use the small info button next to the export buttons on the site for the current import instructions for each format. Details of every format are in Exporting to Scanner Software, Exporting to CSV, Excel & Clipboard and Exporting to SDR Software (SDR#, SDRPlay).

The Other UKAFG Tools Export Too

The same export family is available from other UKAFG search tools, so you can build a BCT15X list from any of them:

• Common Scanner Frequencies – see Exporting Common Scanner Frequencies
• WTR Business search – see Exporting Your Results – WTR Business
• Amateur Repeater search – see Exporting Your Results – Amateur Repeaters
• Active Mil – see Exporting Active Military Frequency Data

Exporting From Squawker PC

Squawker PC’s Export Panel offers file exports for the current selection: CSV, Excel, SDR# XML, SDRPlay S1B, Uniden HPE, UBC125XLT/C, RadioScan, Whistler, Alinco and CHIRP, plus Copy. The Uniden HPE there is the x36 (SDS/HomePatrol-style) format, not the BCT15X-specific one. For a BCT15X, use the Programmer for a direct write, or Squawker Online’s Uniden-BCT15X HPE if you want a file. Two things to remember:

• Selection rule: if your Multi-Select list has anything in it, every export uses the whole Multi-Select list and ignores the ticks in the grid. See How Your Selection Feeds Exports & the Programmer.
• Filenames: most formats save to a fixed filename, so exporting the same format twice overwrites the first file unless you turn on Prompt for Rename. See Exporting to Files – What Each Format Does and Export Settings – Configuring Where and How You Export.

See also The Export Panel – Programmer & File Exports.

Tips for a Good Result

• Check the coverage. The BCT15X only receives 25-512 MHz, 758-823.9875 MHz, 849.0125-868.9875 MHz, 894.0125-960 MHz and 1240-1300 MHz. Frequencies outside those ranges, such as HF or 512-758 MHz, can’t be received even if they’re in the file.
• Check modulation after loading. Airband should show AM. If a channel sounds wrong, change Set Modulation on that channel – see BCT15X System, Site, Group & Channel Options Reference.
• Add Quick Keys, Number Tags and alerts afterwards. These make a large loaded list much easier to use. See BCT15X Lockouts, Quick Keys, Startup Keys & Number Tags.
• Use Wired Clone for identical scanners. Once one BCT15X is set up, Wired Clone copies it to another – see BCT15X Settings Menu, Key Safe Mode & Wired Cloning.
• Keep a backup. Whichever route you use, having a saved copy of a working set-up means you can always get back to it.