Table of Contents Welcome! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Types of Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Included With Your Scanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Fast Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Power ON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 How Squelch Works. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Setting the Squelch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Scanning the Alert Monitor Frequency Banks . . . . . . . 9 Selecting the State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Selecting a Frequency Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Scan Hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Warning Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Alert Tone Volume. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Muting the Alert Tone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 One Moment Mute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Continuous Mute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Canceling Mute. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Warning Light Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Power On Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Priority Channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Scanning Fire, News, Weather and Private Frequency Banks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Scan Hold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Frequency Lockout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Lockout Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Restore a Locked Out Frequency . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Restore All Locked-Out Frequencies . . . . . . . . 17 Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CB Channel Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hold/Resume While Searching . . . . . . . . . . . . . Data Skip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Programming Frequencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clearing a User-Programmed Frequency . . . . . Memory Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Memory Back-up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mobile Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connecting the Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Base Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tips and Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trunking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scanner Care & Maintenance Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Optional Accessories and Replacement Parts . . . . . Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 19 19 20 21 22 23 24 24 25 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 33 34 1 Welcome! Congratulations on your purchase of the BCT7 Highway Communications System & Scanning Radio! State-of-the-art engineering and advanced electronics provide you with a preprogrammed information radio designed for easy operation and dependability. With the BCT7 Scanning Radio, you can listen to thousands of Highway Patrol, police, and DOT frequencies, as well as Fire, News, Weather, CB and Private frequencies you program. Plus, the new built-in technology sounds an alarm when you are within an approximate 3 mile radius of a Highway Patrol unit! Best of all, you don't have to program any frequencies. Just set the BCT7 for your state, and the scanner will do the rest. Please read this Operating Guide thoroughly before attempting to operate the unit. What are Highway Patrol Warning Alerts? Most highway patrol vehicles on the road today are equipped with a secondary radio system known as a "mobile extender" or "vehicular repeater." Whenever the dispatcher transmits to any vehicle in the district, every "mobile extender" in every car within the district is activated. Using a constant PRIORITY check of specific frequencies in each state, the BCT7 recognizes and alerts you to transmissions from "mobile extender" radios as well as from car-to-car, aircraft-to-car and other special-purpose frequencies. You receive an audible (beep tone) and visual (flash of warning light) alert whenever you are within an approximate three mile radius of many Highway Patrol/State Police units. 2 What is Scanning? Unlike standard AM or FM radio stations, most two-way communications (listed on the page 5) do not transmit continuously. The BCT7 scans programmed channels at the rate of nearly 100 channels per second until it finds an active frequency. Scanning stops on an active frequency, and remains on that channel as long as the transmission continues. When the transmission ends, the scanning cycle resumes until another transmission is received. While the BCT7 scans channels, it is in Scan mode. When you stop scanning with H, it is in Manual mode. What is Searching? The BCT7 can search 12 bands to find active frequencies. This gives you the opportunity to find new frequencies that have not been programmed. While the BCT7 searches for active frequencies, it is in Search mode. When you stop the search with H, it is in Search Hold mode. Where to Get More Information Because your BCT7 is fully pre-programmed, you do not need to enter frequencies into the radio. However, should you desire to enter specific frequencies which have not been factory pre-programmed, the BCT7 provides this capability. For publications which list frequencies around the United States, call the enclosed Mr. Scanner 800 number. The Bearcat Radio Club and other similar hobby clubs have publications, information on computer bulletin boards, and even contests for the radio enthusiast. Also, your local library has more information. 3 Features Pre-programmed frequencies specific to each state (except Hawaii). Pre-programming by the following categories: -Highway Patrol/State Police -Local Police and County Sheriffs -State Departments of Transportation (DOT) -Fire and Emergency Medical Services -News Media -Weather (continuous NOAA weather and Canadian Coast Guard broadcasts) 100 channels of user-programmable frequencies available -Program frequencies into each of the above banks, or -Program your own bank of 25 Private frequencies Highway Patrol Priority Alert -Receive audible and visual alert when within three miles of many Highway Patrol/State units CB Search - Search all 40 CB channels Band Search Search through 12 bands of radio spectrum for frequencies. 26 MHz - 956 MHz - Scan these frequency ranges with your BCT7. (Note: the frequency coverage is not totally continuous.) Data Skip - Skip certain data signals and unmodulated transmissions. Memory Backup - In case of a power failure, user-programmed frequencies are retained in memory for approximately 30 days. 4 Types of Communications Monitor communications such as: Highway Patrol, police and fire department (including paramedics) Aircraft NOAA weather broadcasts Business/industrial radio Motion picture and press relay Utility Land transportation frequencies, such as trucking firms, buses, taxis, tow trucks, and railroads Marine and amateur (ham radio) bands And many more in the following 12 Bands: Frequency Range 29.0-30.0 MHz 30.0-50.0 MHz 118-137 MHz 137-144 MHz 144-148 MHz 148-174 MHz 406-420 MHz 420-450 MHz 450-470 MHz 470-512 MHz 806-956 MHz 26.965-27.405 MHz Transmission 10 Meter Amateur Band VHF Low band AM Aircraft Military Land mobile 2 Meter Amateur Band VHF High Band Federal Govt. Land Mobile 70 cm Amateur Band UHF Standard Band UHF "T" Band Public Service Band except Cellular Band Citizens Band 5 e for tim come to the is men of the l re Now good al sco s for the e men aid all the her to ur tim od e y. Four rt the gocom y. sFo r fat new l to rt y. in ou w is al to pa ago ou r a rt pa th Noformen thepas er ed th ceived ted d of the fa ago e a new goo of our yea eiv for in time aid yeas forth con dedica on set th n the the s ago on conc d aid re ved is to yea set to arted to ositi e d tio yean ar ti Now come e sco hers te nacei own prop t con n w na me ert Libbr scor a ne dedica ld dedica tha men to n fat theall ed . The al h on d ped to t at anositi l. equal Four rtty an therty quick walcreat natio n fo own jum l. set ber ionLib Thegarden od me br the wn fox wal r are ick prop tha ated Li l. den fo4 cre bro qu in osit uathe e men l go rty. th al eq the e come Thequicker gar prop d al 4r over l al.the pa ovthe r me is te w the tim fo ed ove is n d men to equ ju crea mped time aid of mp l. wNo y.d men of the od ju the e No l goo goo fox is th fox den walgopart s aid the all al laid of er gar erfo4r e ththe Now come to the fo of th al ed fa tim to time aid oe to to rty. e all e for our pa eiv e th tim the the s com on conc to agy. e to for the to com is the to the ted w eis to men part Now come ne e yeaw nati tim ar ur re the me brownd aid of scor a ne dedica l No l goo Fo r to sco is al to com y. h d al rt l. ou Four rtty anNow at e quick wal n Four pa the fo new th d men the to ago y. set ber iongoo Th garden od me a in s th Li l. of yeago rty. l part in osit uaaid re alset for ved the to eq sco her th pa prop d overfo4r s econcei ted te ica that n fat crea mped time aid of ed d ded on ju e natio y anositi creat fox is th the ert Lib prop are Now come to the men to all 6 Included With Your Scanner Hard Wire Cord (PS001) Other Printed Material WARNING HOLD/RESUME STATE FIRE/NEWS HIGHWA Y MUTE BearTracker 800 LOCKOUT WX/PVT POL/DOT BCT 7 SEARCH BAND BCT 7 PROG PUSH ALERT PUSH FLASH SQ VOL Complete and immediately mail the Registration Form in this Operating Guide. Read this Operating Guide thoroughly before operating the scanner. If any Items are missing or damaged, immediately contact your place of purchase. Mobile Mounting Bracket Assembly Kit (MB007) Highway Communications System & Preprogrammed Warning Scanner BCT 7 Operating Guide (OMBCT7) WARNING HOLD/RESUME STATE FIRE/NEWS HIGHWA Y MUTE LOCKOUT WX/PVT POL/DOT SEARCH OPERATING GUIDE BAND PROG PUSH ALERT PUSH FLASH SQ VOL Telescoping Antenna (AT124) Betty Bearcat Starter Frequency Guide Flexible Mobile Antenna (ANT002) AC Adapter (AD140U) Fast Start Note: Fold out the illustration from the front cover to see the controls and LCD display while reading this guide. Power ON 1. Turn the volume knob clockwise. The scanner performs a self-test: the Warning Light flashes and the Alert Tone beeps loudly. Warning Light WARNING HOLD/RESUME MUTE 2.The currently selected state (e.g., TX for Texas) appears and scanning starts. VOL PUSH ALERT Turn STATE FIRE/NEWS HIGHWA Y 7 How Squelch Works Think of "SQUELCH" as a gate. If the gate is too low (squelch too low), everything (all noise as well as signals) gets through. If the gate is set too high (squelch too high), nothing gets through. If the gate is set just right (squelch set properly), just the desired signals get through. Setting the Squelch No signal should be present when setting Squelch. Press H to stop scanning. If needed, press < or > until you do not hear a signal. until hiss Á Turn lowers theheard. gate," This "squelch allowing all signals and noise to get through. Turn SQ SQ just until Á Turn raises thehiss stops.gate," This "squelch allowing only strong signals to get through. Turn PUSH FLASH PUSH FLASH In the city, you may want to adjust Squelch even further counterclockwise to decrease the range of the Warning Alert. This prevents the alert from sounding unnecessarily due to farther, less important sources. 8 Scanning the Alert Monitor Frequency Banks The Alert Monitor works with the Highway Patrol, Police, and Department of Transportation (DOT) frequency banks. Frequencies are preprogrammed at the factory on a state-by-state basis. Selecting the State Press S to select the state you are operating in. Press and hold S to scroll rapidly. Á Á To step forward through the states (A - W), press S and, within two seconds, press < repeatedly. To step backward through the states (W -A), press S and, within two seconds, press > repeatedly. rapidly, Á To scroll or <. press S and hold > Selecting a Frequency Bank Press G to monitor Highway Patrol frequencies. HIGHWAY Á Press P to monitor Police frequencies. Á Press P again to monitor DOT frequencies. HIGHWAY appears in the display and scanning begins two seconds later. POLICE flashes in the display and scanning begins two seconds later. HIGHWAY flashes, because those frequencies are scanned, too. D ...