Special Report
The Uniden-Bearcat BCT15X Digital Scanner
Features, Operation and Competition
A Scanner Master Ultimate Review
Copyright 2009, Richard Carlson/Scanner Master Corporation
Introduction
The Uniden Bearcat BCT15X is the follow-up to Uniden's premier analog mobile scanner, the BCT15, which has been discontinued. The 'XT
has more memories (up to 9,000 channels!) and many new features while retaining the BCT15's DIN form factor and price. The BCT15X
directly competes with the GRE PSR400 and RadioShack Pro163.
The BCT15X adds such new features as allowing up to 500 talkgroups per trunked system (compared to 200 for the BCT15), Fire Toneout
Search and GPS Support. Some of these features have never been available on any scanner before. In addition to all this the latest firmware
version even allows individual Unit ID's for identifying specific radios in trunked systems.
The BCT15X uses Uniden's Dynamic Memory Architecture (DMA) instead of fixed Banks and Channels. This method of programming was
introduced a few years back with the BC246T and is also used on such scanners as the BCD396T and BCD996T. While it has a similar effect
as the GRE "Memory Object" system, the Uniden method is somewhat easier to fathom and program for many people. DMA allows you to
program as many Channels, Systems and Groups as you can until the memory runs out instead of locking you into a fixed amount of banks and
channels.
The radio resembles the older BCT15 and retains the black faceplate. Otherwise the general layout is identical, with a single multi-function
control knob on the right, 17 button keypad on the front and 2 side buttons alongside the multifunction knob. The front panel has the same
computer interface jack and earphone jack, the earphone jack is on the bottom next to the multi-function knob. The back of the radio has a RS-
232 serial port that is intended for GPS units, but it could also be used for programming if used with a null-modem adaptor. (It is much simpler
to use the front port for programming.) Also on the back of the radio is separate external speaker and record jacks as well as a BNC connector
for the antenna.
Also in the box is the same antenna, serial programming cable and DIN sleeve as the older radios. The radio includes a cigar cord and special
power cord to allow connection into the vehicle dash light wiring to allow dimming of the display with the car's interior lights. The owner's
manual for the radio is contained on a CD-ROM, in PDF format. There is no printed manual.
The BCT15X also continues the BCT15’s feature set of State By State preprogrammed frequencies. You can select to monitor common State
Police/Highway or DOT channels across the USA by selecting the type and state. The BearTracker feature in addition checks for Mobile
Extenders often used by state law agencies, kind of like a radar detector without the radar.
Features & Functions
System, Group & Channel Memory Architecture
The BCT15X allows you to program up to 9,000 channels. (Remember the days when 20 channels were plenty?) While few would ever need
this many available channels, it leaves a nice cushion to allow you to program in all your local and travel scanner frequencies and still have
plenty of room left over to explore new channels. The actual total channel capacity is based on total memory usage, so the amount of alpha tags
and other items you have programmed will affect the total number of channels you have available.
Average users will likely never fill up the radio but you can have many systems kept in the radio for future use without worry that you will run
out of memory space. You can see what percentage of available memory you have by using the menu system. Go to the Settings menu and
select "%Memory Used" to see how much memory the radio has in a percentage basis. If you are running low you can delete unused Systems.
With the DMA style programming you do not waste memory on unused channels since bank sizes are not fixed. Instead, Systems only use the
amount of memory needed, space is not wasted on unused channels. On older scanners if you had a bank reserved for railroads in your area and
they only used 10 channels the rest of the 40 or 90 channels would have been unused and the memory space wasted.
