BCT15X Scan Mode, Search Mode & Hold Mode

Summary: How scanning, searching and holding work on the BCT15X, the order the scanner checks things, and the keys that control each mode.

Scanning vs Searching

Scan mode checks the frequencies or talk groups you’ve programmed. Search mode checks every frequency in a range you choose. Both step through a list and stop on activity; the difference is who chose the list. Scan is the default mode at power-on – tap SCAN to return to it.

The Order the Scanner Checks Things

In default Scan mode the scanner works through:

1. Unlocked systems and sites that have System Quick Keys, in ascending Quick Key order. Inside each system it checks unlocked groups with Group Quick Keys first (in ascending Quick Key order), then any remaining unlocked groups in the order you created them. If none of the groups have Quick Keys it checks all unlocked groups in creation order.
2. Any remaining unlocked conventional systems (those without Quick Keys), alphabetically by name.
3. Any remaining unlocked trunked systems, alphabetically by name.
4. The Service Search frequency ranges (Public Safety, Military, Air and so on) – if they’re enabled for scanning.
5. Unlocked Custom Search ranges.
6. The Close Call Hits list.

Systems with a disabled Quick Key are skipped, and so are groups with a disabled Group Quick Key.

What “Locked” Means

• A system or site is locked if its Quick Key is turned off or its lockout setting is Locked Out or Temporary L/O.
• A group is locked if its system or site is locked, its group Quick Key is off, or its own lockout is set.
• A channel is locked if its group is locked or its own lockout is set.

Interruptions

If any State-by-State search or the BearTracker Warning System is enabled, reception is periodically interrupted (using the Set Interval and MaxCHs/Pri-Scan settings in the Priority Scan menu) to check them. The more channels you make it check, the longer the audio drop-out on other channels.

Scan Mode Keys

• Turn the SCROLL knob to change scan direction, or to resume scanning when stopped on a channel. SCAN also resumes.
• FUNCTION + turn to jump to a different system.
• FUNCTION + MENU edits the current system. MENU opens the menu.
• E/YES while stopped on a channel edits that channel.
• HOLD (tap) holds on the current channel; press and hold HOLD holds on the current system (press and hold again to resume normal scanning).
• FUNCTION + tap SCAN toggles a trunked system between ID Scan and ID Search, or on a conventional system opens Quick Search.
• Number keys toggle System Quick Keys 0-9. For SQKs 10-99, tap the decimal point first, then the two digits. FUNCTION + a number key toggles that Group Quick Key (0-9) within the current system.
• POL/PRI toggles the DOT and Police State-by-State modes; HP/ALT toggles Highway Patrol and BearTracker; FUNCTION + POL/PRI toggles priority; FUNCTION + HP/ALT starts Alert Plus scanning.
• GPS/WX (tap) goes to GPS mode; FUNCTION + GPS/WX toggles Weather Priority; FUNCTION + press and hold GPS/WX starts Weather Scan.
• SQUELCH tap: temporarily mute alerts (press and hold: permanent mute). FUNCTION + SQUELCH toggles the Close Call modes; FUNCTION + press and hold goes to Close Call Only.
• VOLUME tap: backlight level. FUNCTION + VOLUME: choose your state.
• LOCKOUT: tap – temporarily lock out the current channel; double tap – permanent; press and hold – unlock all channels in the current system. FUNCTION + LOCKOUT locks out the current system temporarily; FUNCTION + double tap permanently; FUNCTION + press and hold unlocks everything.

Search Mode Keys

Enter Search with FUNCTION + tap SCAN and choose Quick Search or a search from the Search for… menu.

• Turn the SCROLL knob to change search direction or resume. In Custom Search, FUNCTION + turn selects a custom range.
• FUNCTION + MENU opens the Search for… menu (during Quick Search it opens Srch/CloCall Opt).
• E/YES stores the current frequency when stopped on one.
• HOLD holds on the frequency; SCAN goes back to Scan mode.
• Number keys 1-9 disable or re-enable the custom search range assigned to that number; FUNCTION + 1, 2, 3 start the Search Key’s assigned search.
• LOCKOUT: tap – temporary; double tap – permanent lockout of the frequency; press and hold – unlock all search frequencies. FUNCTION + LOCKOUT reviews the locked-out frequency list.

Hold Mode

Hold mode stays on the current frequency, system, site or channel so you can edit or store it. It shows different screens depending on what you’re holding: a conventional system, a trunked system, the control channel of an idle trunked system, or a service search. Cycle the display with FUNCTION + 6.

Useful Hold mode keys:

• Turn the SCROLL knob to step through channels; FUNCTION + turn steps through systems.
• HOLD or SCAN resumes scanning.
• MENU enters the menu; FUNCTION + MENU opens the menu for the current system or search range.
• E/YES edits the current channel (or the system, if holding a trunked control channel).
• FUNCTION + 4 toggles IF exchange, FUNCTION + 5 changes volume offset, FUNCTION + 6 changes the display mode, FUNCTION + 7 toggles attenuation, FUNCTION + 9 changes modulation.
• FUNCTION + 8 (press and hold) shows a repeater’s reverse (input) frequency while held.
• LOCKOUT keys: tap – lock out (or, if already locked, unlock) the channel; double tap – permanent; press and hold – unlock all channels in the system; FUNCTION + tap and double tap do the same for the system; FUNCTION + press and hold prompts Unlock All Systems? and unlocks and enables all systems, sites and searches if you press E/YES.
• Number Tag jump: in Hold, enter a system Number Tag then the decimal point, and tap MENU – see BCT15X Lockouts, Quick Keys, Startup Keys & Number Tags.