Will's bcprogtool-tcl Notes

Installation:

For Debian 7.5 (Wheezy), the abbreviated basics to get bcprogtool running:
apt-get install tcl tk tcllib bwidget
wget http://bcprogtool-tcl.googlecode.com/files/bcprogtool_0.8.m.zip
./linuxstart.sh

UPDATE: 2021/02/08 Looks like the project has been archived. You can still download from this URL:
https://storage.googleapis.com/google-code-archive-downloads/v2/code.google.com/bcprogtool-tcl/bcprogtool_0.8.m.zip

First, its good to review details on the Uniden DMA setup:
Programming Your Uniden Scanner
Uniden DMA FAQ
Dynamic Memory Architecture
Uniden Scanners Systems, Sites and Groups
BCT15X

Creating an import File:

I love the idea of doing all my channel programming in some .csv files, and then importing them into my scanner. Trying to figure out the file format that bcprogtool-tcl uses for it's Conventional Radio Files. This is what I have so far:

Sample SYSTEM CNV File:

-First line (SIN = System Info?, CNV = Conventional)
SIN,CNV, < Service Name > , < Quick Key > , < Hold > ,0,2,.,2,NONE,,,,0,00

***This format corresponds to the BCT15X Protocol Doc for what the Radio sends back to describe the System. The schema from the doc:
SIN,[SYS_TYPE],[NAME],[QUICK_KEY],[HLD],[LOUT],[DLY],[RSV],[RSV],[RSV],[RSV], [RSV],[REV_INDEX],[FWD_INDEX],[CHN_GRP_HEAD],[CHN_GRP_TAIL], [SEQ_NO],[START_KEY],[RECORD],[RSV],[RSV],[RSV],[RSV],[NUMBER_TAG], [RSV],[ RSV],[ RSV],[PROTECT],[STATE][\r]

It threw me off that the radio output format was to used to import into bcprogtool... why not use the proper format, and simply push each line to the scanner. But it does allow you to take an export from the radio, edit it, and feed it back in. Similar to updating data through a rest api. And I did the same thing with my python script, so I can use the same CSV files I used for bcprogtool for my script.

-Second line (GIN = Group Info?)
GIN,C, < Group Name > ,.,0, < Group Number > ,00000000N,000000000W,0,0
(haven't looked into the rest yet)

-Third line (CIN = Channel Info?)
CIN, < Channel Name > , < Frequency > , < Mode > , 0,0, < l/o > ,0,0,0,0,0,,,0,,0,0
Then a bunch more CIN lines for the many channels
(haven't looked into the rest yet)

Basically the System will contain several groups. The groups inturn will contain many channels.

So my first attempt at creating a 'System CNV file' called CNV_Marine.csv:
SIN,CNV,Marine,4,0,0,2,.,2,NONE,,,,0,00
GIN,C,Marine VHF,.,0,1,00000000N,000000000W,0,0
CIN,VHF CH 16,156.800,AUTO,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,,,0,,0,0

Import the csv file:
Program Radio -> Add New System To Radio
   'Load CNV or Trunked Radio File'
   Load the file
   'Check Data'
   'Save and upload to the radio'

I would love to get a Uniden BCD996P2 digital scanner. Saw in a post on Radio Reference that someone has modified bcprogtool to work with a BCD996P2:
BCD996T: linux operating system
Trying to see if I can get some details on the changes for this.

UPDATE 2025: Moving forward, I am using pyUniden and my own python script to program my Uniden BCT15X.

Back to the Linux Radio page

Back to Main Page