BCD160DN Programming Channels & Banks

Summary: How to set up banks and programme channels on the BCD160DN, including the digital-reception settings.

Before You Scan

You must programme at least one frequency before you can scan; an empty bank shows Nothing to Scan. There are 10 banks of 100 channels. Bank 1 holds CH001-CH100, Bank 2 CH101-CH200, and so on; Bank 10 is shown as bank 0. Press SCAN/srch to scan. It starts at bank 1 and goes through bank 10 (shown as 0), flashing the current bank number at the bottom of the screen. Press a bank’s number to turn it off, and press it again to turn it on.

Editing Banks

Menu, Program Channel, Select Bank, then choose a bank (1-9 or 0). Options:

• Edit Name – names default to Bank 1, Bank 2 and so on. The bank name shows at the top of the screen while scanning (for example a bank named 1:Public Safety).
• Edit Channel – see below.
• Copy Bank – select the bank to copy, choose Copy Bank, then choose the destination bank and press Yes/E to overwrite it. The bank name isn’t copied.
• Clear Bank – erases the bank and returns it to factory defaults.

Editing a Channel

Edit Channel, then choose a channel (up to 100 per bank). If you enter a frequency that’s already stored, the scanner shows the channel number and Frequency Exists – Accept? (Y/N). Yes stores it twice; No lets you re-enter it.

Channel settings:

• Edit Name – default BANK 1-001 and so on. The channel name shows when the channel is received.
• Edit Frequency – any supported frequency; it’s rounded to the nearest valid step.
• Set Audio Type –
• All – detect and receive whatever’s there. Use this if you don’t know the mode. In All mode, a digital signal that can’t be demodulated, or a control signal with no sound, is treated as analogue and the scanner stays on it until it disappears. If you know a frequency is digital, use Digital Only.
• Digital Only – assume only digital signals. Data and undecodable signals are ignored and scanning resumes. You can search for, and filter by, a Color Code (DMR), NEXEDGE RAN or IDAS Area (NXDN). Keep the squelch closed when scanning in Digital Only: a squelch set fully open slows scanning, so set it to about 2 or 3 or the level you use for analogue.
• Analog Only – assume only analogue. The squelch works normally, and you can search for or filter by CTCSS or DCS tones and lock out tones.
• Set Modulation – Auto uses the band default; or AM, NFM, FM, WFM, FMB. FUNC + 9 (mod) overrides it in Scan Hold.
• Set Delay Time – 0, 1, 2, 5, 10, 30 seconds to wait after a transmission ends. Negative values (-2, -5, -10) leave the channel after that many seconds even if the transmission continues; the menu shows -10 to 30.
• Set Attenuator – about 20 dB per frequency. FUNC + 7 overrides in Scan Hold; press and hold for global attenuation.
• Set Priority – mark as a priority channel (see BCD160DN Priority Scan).
• Set Alert – Set Alert Tone (Off or Alert 1-9), Set Alert Level (Auto or 1-15) and Set Alert Light (On stays lit 5 seconds; Slow Blink up to three times; Fast Blink up to five times). Alert behaviour can overlap with the backlight settings.
• Set Lockout – Unlock, Temporary Lockout (TL/O) (cleared on power cycle) or Lockout (L/O) (saved to memory).
• Adjust Volume Offset – -3 to +3. FUNC + 5 (lvl) overrides in Scan Hold.
• Set Digital Waiting – time to decide whether a transmission is digital or analogue, 0-1000 ms in the menu (default 400 ms). It only affects channels with Audio Type set to All, and analogue audio on those channels loses the first part of a transmission, up to this time.
• Clear Channel – the channel becomes empty (0.0000 MHz), locked out and skipped.

Tips

• Find frequencies for your area on a frequency website, or use UKAFG’s tools (see BCD160DN Loading Frequencies From Squawker PC & Squawker Online).
• Group similar channels in one bank and name it so you can see what’s scanning.
• Set Audio Type to Analog Only for analogue channels to avoid losing the start of transmissions to the Digital Waiting time.