BCT15X Band Scope Mode

Summary: Using the BCT15X’s Band Scope to see signal strength across a range of frequencies at a glance.

What It Is

Band Scope is a special kind of search in which the scanner draws the strength of every signal it finds. It starts at the lowest frequency in the range and works upward. Range and step are configurable: a span from 0.2 MHz to 500 MHz and steps from 5 kHz to 100 kHz.

Two search styles are available:

• Band Scope Search – the normal sweep.
• Max Hold Search – keeps displaying the strongest signal found so far, so short-lived transmissions stay visible.

If you set the modulation manually to NFM or FM, the scope won’t reliably detect signals that use FMB or WFM.

Starting Band Scope

Band Scope is the default assignment for Search Key 3. Enter Hold or Search mode, then tap FUNCTION + 3. To use a different key, change it under Search for…, Set Search Key.

Controlling the Scope

While a scope is running:

• Turn the SCROLL knob to move the marker by one step per click. FUNCTION + turn moves the marker one “bar” per click.
• MENU (tap) enters Band Scope Setting mode and selects the setting to change (the selected setting flashes); tap MENU again to select the next setting. In Setting mode, turn the SCROLL knob to change the selected value (except centre frequency), and tap LOCKOUT to go back to normal Band Scope.
• E/YES sets the marker frequency as the centre frequency. In Setting mode, with CF selected, you can edit the centre frequency directly.
• FUNCTION + tap SCAN/SEARCH switches between Max Hold Search and normal search; FUNCTION + tap LOCKOUT restarts the scope.
• HOLD holds on the current frequency; press again to resume. Tap SCAN/SEARCH to resume scanning.
• SQUELCH: rotate for squelch, tap to mute alerts, FUNCTION + tap toggles Close Call modes.
• VOLUME: rotate for volume, tap for backlight, FUNCTION + tap chooses your state.
• FUNCTION + 7 toggles the attenuator for the current frequency (FUNCTION + press and hold 7 for all frequencies); FUNCTION + 9 changes modulation.
• POL/PRI tap returns to Scan mode. GPS/WX (tap) shows GPS; FUNCTION + GPS/WX toggles Weather Priority.

Attenuator and Delay

The Set Attenuator option in Srch/CloCall Opt also applies to the Band Scope, so turn it on if strong local signals swamp the display. Set the P25 waiting time and other options are listed for other Uniden models but aren’t available on the BCT15X.

Tips

• Use a narrow range and a small step when you want to see individual channels; use a wider range and a bigger step for an overview of which parts of a band are busy.
• Use Max Hold to catch intermittent transmitters, then press HOLD on the marker to listen.
• Once you’ve found a signal, store it from Search mode with E/YES into a system, or with Search and Store.