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As each year ticks by, the power of the average receiver increases and often
part of this comes from the integration of the radio with computer interface
capabilities. Most times this consists of the ability to upload and download
memory data and operating settings. In the extreme case, the radio provides
a way to remotely control its features via a virtual panel displayed on the
computer's display.
Designed with some of the most up to date and technologically advanced features found in any receiver to date, the Uniden BC245XLT and BC895XLT have proven to be very popular radios for enthusiasts as well as those who provide the third party software packages. One of the newest kids on the block is Scannerstuff who have filled a niche with their Scanner Programming System (SPS) software. Built around a special edition version of Pozilla's WinScan, the SPS provides a comprehensive database of conventional and trunking systems for several metro areas throughout the US. Designed to program your TrunkTracker in seconds, the provided data also saves valuable time for the traveler who is relieved of the research burden that goes along with visiting an unknown area. While Scannerstuff is a relative newcomer to the computerized world, they have been publishing well respected, localized frequency directories for over a decade. Let's see how well they do in conquering the digital realm! What follows are my personal impressions regarding the features and usability of this software. This, in no way, should be viewed as an endorsement to purchase this software nor is it intended to discourage anyone from buying it. I have no personal relations with either Scannerstuff or Pozilla Software. These are simply thoughts offered to my fellow hobbyists who may be interested in purchasing this particular software or simply knowing more about it. A lot of hard work and effort has gone into the testing and writing of this review. I would appreciate it if every effort is made to keep this document whole with me as the original author. Of course, it doesn't hurt that this document is copyrighted and therefore protected by US law and international treaties governing intellectual property. Except for personal use, and for the sake of brief passages quoted in reviews and given appropriate credit, no part of this work may be reproduced in any forms or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the author. And if you want to share your thoughts about this review with me or have further questions, feel free to send e-mail. Thank you and enjoy!
Rich Wells |
Keep in mind that the SPS package is a database built around a special edition (SE) of WinScan. Why reinvent the wheel when the current one works so well?
Installed onto the hard disk are the WinScanSE program, SPS text manual, a directory (folder) containing the SPS database files in WinScan format, and another with text versions of the same files.
On the CD-ROM, if you look around, you'll find a copy of the WinScan User's Guide in Acrobat format (along with a freeware version of the Adobe program needed to view it).
The first thing EVERYONE needs to do is to read the provided manual! The first section, PRODUCT DESIGN AND DESCRIPTION, provides details on what the SPS system is and what its intended uses are. And it seems many users aren't reading this section (what else is new?) because they freak out when the 15-day trial version of WinScan stops working as a full-function package.
You see, SPS is built around the demo version of WinScan which is freely available on the Internet from the Pozilla website. While this trial period gives you a feel for the WinScan program and its capabilities, it only runs for 15 days before "shutting down." This is expected since the SPS manual tells you this right up front!
Even though the WinScan program no longer fully functions, this special edition allows frequency data to continue to be downloaded to the chosen TrunkTracker, thus continuing to support the SPS package. If you want to continue to use WinScan's full capabilities, you'll need to purchase the retail version.
Elsewhere in the manual is a listing of all the metro areas provided as well as a breakdown of each area and the services programmed for each and every bank. Give it a look and then remember it's there as a handy reference when you need to look up essential data on an area you intend to visit.
User Interface
Before you can even hope to see what SPS can do, you'll need to connect your
BC245/895XLT to your PC and put the scanner in interface/remote mode (look it
up in your User's Manual).
Once done, the program comes alive and makes contact with the scanner. Anyone familiar with the WinScan interface will feel right at home. One half of the interface will resemble the scanner itself while the other half is composed of a set of selectable panels for manipulating the radio and its data.
For this review, the basic interface actions will take place by using the program's menu bar. The File pulldown will allow existing data to be saved to disk as well as the SPS database files to be opened for use.
The Conventional and Trunked pulldowns allow such data to be uploaded from the scanner for manipulation and backup, or downloaded to it for use. To actually view and edit the data, the Station Program and Trunked Data tabs of the interface panels are used.
Keep in mind that the ability to upload from the scanner expires after the 15-day trail period while the SPS downloading to scanner functionality remains intact.
Programming
Using the SPS, users have the ability to backup the contents of their scanners
as well as use the provided database files for programming their radios in a
matter of seconds. Data files are easily opened and then downloaded to the
scanner and just as easily, the radio contents can be uploaded and then saved
to a file. Such actions are easily accomplished and within a short period of
time, even the novice user is feeling as though they are master of their
domain!
The first operation most users should do is probably one of backing up the contents of their TrunkTracker before they start mucking with things! Remember, the ability to upload from the scanner is only available for the first 15-days of use. Going to the Conventional menubar pulldown and selecting Download From Scanner will transfer conventional radio data to the PC. The same selection from the Trunked pulldown will similarly transfer the trunked radio data.
To verify the contents, select the Station Program panel to scroll through the conventional data and likewise, the Trunked Data panel for trunked data. This should give you a "warm fuzzy" that you have indeed captured the current contents of your scanner for safekeeping. To save your data to the hard drive, simply select the Save Frequency File selection from the File pulldown. Supply a name for the file and you're golden!
With your precious data squirreled away, you're ready to start playing with the SPS-supplied data files! Let's say we're taking a weekend trip to our nation's capitol in Washington, DC and we want to come ready for some TrunkTracking action!
Using the Open Frequency File selection, we simply go into the SPD-Data directory (folder) and select the DC-MD.wff file. Looking under the Station Program panel rewards us with a bevy of frequency and alpha-tag info! Services are neatly grouped by bank with each frequency containing a descriptive alpha-tag.
For the DC-MD file, 9 of the ten banks are nicely filled with a wide range of frequencies from fire to police to airport. Four of these nine banks contain programming for local trunked radio systems.
Looking under the Trunked Data panel reveals...nothing! I must say that I was rather disappointed to see that there are no trunking IDs provided with the trunked radio system info. Looking through the data provided for several other areas revealed the same shortcoming.
While one of the great aspects of the TrunkTrackers is the ability to track conversations and skip over the data channels, the really juicy capabilities are its ability to follow only those IDs which are programmed into the Scan Lists. This allows users to skip over the guys reading the water meters, and focus on the important stuff like the PD, FD and EMS users! Without this info, the traveler is left to figure these details from themselves which, I believe, reduces its usefulness.
For following trunked activity effectively, you'll have to do some detective work and monitor the SPS-programmed trunked bank to figure out who's who. Once done, you can program the radio's Scan Lists to your liking.
Looking through the bank setups, you also realize that there are some banks which have been left blank. This is done on purpose so that the user has the ability to program in their own frequencies. While out and about, you can program the radio by hand and then when you're back with your PC, the new data can be loaded into WinScan and then saved to disk for your next visit!
Like any extensive reference work, there are bound to be a few errors or omissions that are bound to creep in by accident. In some cases, omissions were created on purpose since the number of frequencies available for larger metro areas are simply overwhelming. In these cases, every effort was made to select those frequencies which would be most interesting to the general listener.
Likewise, if you know of particular frequencies ahead of time for the area you're visiting, load the appropriate database into WinScan, use the interface to add your frequency data, then load it into your scanner.
As the SPS product literature points out, even if you don't have a BC245XLT or BC895XLT, the CD-ROM can be treated like any other frequency reference. Use it to look up details on an area you plan to visit while also have the ability to print out its contents (remember the human-readable text files mentioned above?) to take along and program your radio by hand. With the SPS data grouped logically, programming the contents into your radio in the same manner allows for efficient monitoring by simply toggling active scan banks on and off according to what agencies you desire to monitor.
Even if you do program your TrunkTracker with SPS, having a handy printout of the associated agencies while monitoring an unfamiliar system will help you to identify frequencies and their users!
Files
For the 1.0 release of SPS, data is supplied for the following metro areas:
The use of the WinScan interface provides a fairly straight forward method for loading a scanner with desired data. Open it and download it. What could be simpler? This will be appreciated by both beginners and seasoned listeners.
As a side effect, the ability to interface with your radio provides a means for you to make periodic backups of its contents, stored safely on your PC hard disk.
It's easy to observe the trend between the modern receiver and its abilities to interface with a PC. And it's only natural that frequency reference material will lean heavily toward computerized data formats and away from the printed material of the past. With scanners being provided with hundreds of channels, their ability to store massive amounts of data will be put to good use with detailed references like SPS which are hand-tuned and not just a conglomeration of similar data. The hard work has been done for you.
Simply plug in the radio, download the data and you're good to go. With a product like SPS, those times of scrambling around your printed material and various web sites to find valid and up to date resources for monitoring targets will be a thing of the past. Simply point-n-click and enjoy the results. Ain't technology great?
Looking Ahead
I asked Dan a few questions and had him gaze into the SPS crystal ball to
predict the future direction of his product.
He said a second version is definitely planned and may be with us sometime in 2001. Support for the upcoming BC780XLT TrunkTracker III is definitely planned.
Even better, version 2.0 will contain trunking IDs which will really make this a killer package and excellent all-around reference for the traveling user. While Dan expresses some doubt as to the "stability" of trunking IDs which can be changed at the drop of a hat, I think providing this info is better than nothing.
With the time between now and the release of version 2.0, SPS's effective usefullness will also be broadened by the additional coverage of several metro areas.
With that said, I'll let Dan off the hook and wish him the best in his efforts to turn out the next version of SPS! I wonder how many more new TrunkTrackers will be around to support when version 2.0 is released?!
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If you are interested in purchasing this software or simply want more information, visit the Scannerstuff web site or contact them at sps@scannerstuff.com.
At this time, SPS is available from Lee Electronics, Scanners Unlimited and HRO.
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| Copyright © 2010 by Richard J. Wells |
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