BCT15X State-by-State Scanning & the BearTracker Warning System

Summary: Two US/Canada-specific BCT15X features: preprogrammed public-safety channels by state, and the BearTracker short-range warning system.

State-by-State Scanning

The BCT15X ships with many local police, Department of Transportation (DOT) and Highway Patrol channels already programmed, organised by US state. You can also assign a state to systems you program yourself, so they take part in State-by-State scanning too.

Selecting your state: tap FUNCTION and then tap the VOLUME knob. Turn the scroll knob to choose your state (or Canadian province) and press E. The scanner unlocks any of your systems set to that state, locks systems set to a different state, and uses that state’s preprogrammed data.

Using the built-in agencies: repeatedly tap POL/PRI and HP/ALT until the icon you want appears on the bottom row of the display:

• PL – Local Police
• DT – Department of Transportation
• HP – Highway Patrol
• BT – BearTracker Warning System

After scanning your programmed systems, the scanner scans the enabled State-by-State agencies and then resumes your own systems. While these are on, normal reception is briefly interrupted at the interval you set in the Priority Scan menu.

To link your own systems to a state, use Set State in the system options (conventional) or site options (trunked).

The BearTracker Warning System

The BearTracker Warning System (BWS) warns you of nearby public-safety radio activity while you drive. The earliest versions watched frequencies used by mobile radio extenders (radios in patrol cars that extended the range of an officer’s handheld). It has since been expanded to include the “input” frequencies public safety agencies use in your state. These are typically only receivable within about 2 miles of the transmitter.

Because the frequencies vary by location, you only need to select your state (or Canadian province) – the same FUNCTION + VOLUME step as above. BWS then uses the frequencies most often used in that state.

Turn it on: repeatedly tap HP/ALT until BT appears on the bottom line of the display.

What you’ll notice: received audio cuts out briefly about every 2 seconds while the scanner checks. If it detects activity it sounds the alert you have set.

Muting alerts: tap the SQUELCH knob during an alert to mute BearTracker alerts until you tap it again.

Set Bear Tracker Menu

• Set Hold Time – how long the scanner checks for BearTracker alerts before going back to your programmed scanning.
• Set Delay Time – how long it stays on a frequency after the transmission ends.
• Set Alert – Set Alert Tone (pattern and level; Auto follows the volume knob) and Set Alert Light (flash speed).
• Set Record – send BearTracker audio to the RECORD OUT jack.

Legal Note

Local rules on scanner use in vehicles, and on using warning systems, vary. The manual advises checking the laws where you use the scanner – see BCT15X Legal, Safety & Warranty Notes.