BCD260DN Searching: Service Search, Custom Search, Quick Search & Search Keys

Summary: How to search for activity on the BCD260DN with preloaded service searches, ten custom ranges, Quick Search and the three search keys, plus the search options.

Search Options First

Menu, Search Options has three settings:

• Freq Lockouts – Unlock All, and Rvw Search L/O to review locked-out search frequencies (up to 400: 200 temporary, 200 permanent).
• Broadcast Screen – ignore hits on common broadcast and pager frequencies. Set All Band On/Off, Set Each Band (Pager, FM, UHF TV, VHF TV, NOAA WX and custom Bands 1-10) or Program Band (Band 1-10, lower and upper limits).
• Tone/Code Search – Off, CTCSS or Color/RAN/Area.

Service Search

Service lists are preprogrammed with the frequencies allocated to each service: Public Safety, Media, Ham Radio, Marine, Railroad, Air Band, CB Radio, FRS/GMRS/MURS, Racing, FM Broadcast, Military Air, plus three blank custom lists. Some services have several service banks: Public Safety is Low, High, UHF and 800 MHz; Ham Radio is 10 m, 6 m, 2 m, 1.25 m, 70 cm, 33 cm and 23 cm; Railroad is standard, split and data; airband is 8.33 kHz.

There are three ways to start one:

1. Press the SVC key, choose a service and press E Yes.
2. Menu, Search for…, Service Search, choose a service.
3. Assign a service to a SRCH key in advance and press FUNC knob then that key. By default SRCH 2 is Public Safety.

Turn service banks on and off with the number keys (at least one must stay on). While receiving, press HOLD to hold and turn the Scroll knob to step frequencies; E Yes stores a frequency; L/O locks out temporarily, twice quickly permanently.

Set Service List lets you rename a list (Edit Name) and choose up to 10 services for its banks (Select Service). You can change names and combinations, but the frequencies in each service can’t be edited, and modulation for a service can’t be overridden with FUNC + 9.

Edit Service settings, per service (not per frequency): Set Delay Time, Set Attenuator, Set Record, Digital Waiting.

Custom Search

Ten custom ranges (Custom 1-10, searched as SRC 1-10) can be edited under Search for…, Edit Custom. The defaults are:

• Custom 1: 25.0000-27.9999 MHz
• Custom 2: 28.0000-29.6999
• Custom 3: 29.7000-49.9999
• Custom 4: 50.0000-53.9999
• Custom 5: 137.0000-143.9999
• Custom 6: 144.0000-147.9999
• Custom 7: 406.0000-419.9999
• Custom 8: 420.0000-449.9999
• Custom 9: 450.0000-469.9999
• Custom 10: 806.0000-960.0000

For each range: Edit Name, Edit Srch Limit, Set Step (Auto, 5, 6.25, 7.5, 8.33, 10, 12.5, 15, 20, 25, 50, 100 kHz), Set Delay Time, Set Modulation (Auto, AM, NFM, FM, WFM, FMB; FUNC knob + 9 overrides), Set Attenuator (FUNC knob + 7; hold for global), Set Record and Digital Waiting.

Quick Search

• Method 1: press HOLD on a channel or frequency, then FUNC knob + SCAN/SEARCH. Turn the Scroll knob to change direction.
• Method 2: Menu, Search for…, Quick Search, enter the start frequency and press E Yes.

The scanner rounds your entry to the nearest valid frequency and shows Out of Band if it’s invalid. Set Quick Search sets the delay time, attenuator, record and digital waiting for Quick Search.

Search Keys (SRCH 1-3)

Number keys 1, 2 and 3 each start a Custom Search, Weather Channels, Tone-Out, Band Scope or any individual service list (Public Safety, Media, Ham Radio, Marine, Railroad, Airband, CB Radio, FRS/GMRS/MURS, Racing, FM Broadcast, Military Air, Custom 1-3). Set them under Menu, Search for…, Set SR1-3 Keys, or choose Not Assign. Defaults: SRCH 1 Custom 1, SRCH 2 Public Safety, SRCH 3 Band Scope. Start one with FUNC knob + 1, 2 or 3. An error tone sounds for an unassigned key.

Storing What You Find

Press E Yes on an interesting frequency to store it (see BCD260DN Programming Channels & Banks).