Fire Tone Out
Like other Uniden radios introduced in the last few years the BCT15X has the popular Fire Tone Out feature. This allows you to set up the
radio to act as a pager like those carried by firefighters. The radio will remain silent until there is a fire call preceded by tow-tone codes. While
in this mode the radio cannot be used for other purposes.
Fire Tone Out Search
The biggest problem with the Fire Tone Out feature is figuring out the tones used. It became a kind of cottage industry among scannists to
discover the proper codes, and numerous magazine articles, web posts and forum discussions described several methods of decoding them.
Unless you were able to find the codes on the Web you were usually stuck with spending days monitoring an agency and using trial and error to
decode the tones. You could also buy or download audio analytic software to dig out the proper codes.
The new BCT15X ends all that, and makes it a snap to find the codes used. Just program the radio with the proper radio frequency and leave
the tone codes set to 0.0 and 0.0 Hz. Wait for a tone out to come over the air and watch the scanner display, the tones used will be displayed
automatically, just jot them down for later programming.
One thing I have noticed is that the tones are often off a couple Hz. or so one way or another. This isn't a huge deal, the radio will open up as
long as the tones are that close. You can download lists of common tones used and figure out the probable true tones.
Other Features
Display backlight
The BCT15X allows you to set the backlight to several levels of brightness or even control it with the dimmer switch for your vehicle’s interior
light system.
Backlit keypad
The keypad on the BCT15X is backlit, with white light.
Temporary Lockout
Temporary Lockout allows you to lockout a channel during searches or when scanning on a temporary basis instead of permanently. This is
great for channels that annoy you now but you want to listen to later. There is also the ability to use Temporary Lockout in Close Call searches
as well. When you turn off the radio the temporary lockouts are reset.
Startup Configurations/Startup Quick Keys
Startup configurations allow you to set up the scanner in several ways and choose the one you want when you turn on the radio. Select which
groups or systems you want to set in a startup configuration and set a Startup Quick Key. Then when you turn on the radio select the Quick Key
and those groups and systems will be scanning and searching. Set one for work, one for play and another for travel.
Quick Keys
On older "Banks and Channels" scanners you turned on and off banks by pressing a number key on the keypad. Simple, right? Well, the
BCT15X and other DMA scanners from Uniden still allow this but you need to program a Quick Key first. The neat thing is that you can use
Quick Keys for Systems, Groups or Searches. Wait, it gets better! You can control multiple Systems from a single Quick Key! Program several
to a System Quick Key (SQK) and each System is turned on or off with a single key. Mix Systems, Sites and Searches on single quick keys. Set
one for the ride to work, set another to use at the mall, and a third when you are at the airport...
Groups can be assigned to Quick Keys (GQK) but only work within a System. You can tie together multiple Groups to a single GQK if you
want. You can assigned Quick Keys from programming software or manually from the keypad.
System /Channel Number Tagging
