Uniden™ DMA Scanner
Frequently Asked Questions
What is DMA?
DMA, or Dynamic Memory Allocation, is a technique
new to scanners. In conventional scanners, the scanners memory is partitioned
into fixed banks of channels. While simple to understand and program, unused
channels and banks are wasted in conventional scanners.
In most applications, scanners are programmed with
several large trunking systems and a number of conventional frequencies. Often
large trunking systems have hundreds of talk groups.
DMA makes better use of scanner memory by
eliminating fixed limitations.
The downside to DMA is that it makes the job of
programming the scanner much more difficult. It's impractical to consider
programming a DMA scanner without a personal computer. To ease the task of DMA
scanner programming, TrunkStar Elite and TrunkStar Elite Pro have been designed
to simplify programming.
Which scanners are supported?
The Uniden BCD996XT/P2, BCD996T, BCD396T, BCT-15, BCR330 and
BC246T are supported.
Which products will support the new DMA scanners?
Support for DMA scanners will be included in new products TrunkStar Elite
and TrunkStar Elite Pro, as well as Spectrum Manager IX, Spectrum Sentry,
Spectrum SentryNet, RMA-I and RMA-II. Also, Spectrum Enterprise and
Enterprise Federal.
What are the prices for the new products?
TrunkStar Elite will sell for $64.97 USD, and TrunkStar Elite Pro will
sell for $129.97 USD. Both editions are available for electronic delivery only.
Are CD versions available?
CD editions of TrunkStar Elite and TrunkStar Elite Pro will be available
from Scanners Unlimited at a later date.
What are the various features of TrunkStar Elite
and TrunkStar Elite Pro?
TrunkStar Elite supports one DMA scanner and TrunkStar Elite Pro supports
up to ten DMA scanners.
Both products support advanced programming features, conversion from group
files (.SWG) and PC control.
TrunkStar Elite Pro has an advanced history list, additional logging
features that track frequency and talk group usage by hit count and air time. In
addition, the last twenty intercepts are stored for each frequency or talk group
logged.
TrunkStar Elite Pro also includes a GPS status display (see below).
Will support for the Radio Reference Web Service
be included?
Yes, TrunkStar Elite and TrunkStar Elite Pro include a new feature call
the System Builder that uses the Radio Reference web service to retrieve system
information.
Which product should I buy?
If you own only one DMA scanner, TrunkStar Elite is probably your best
choice, unless you require the additional logging features of the Pro version,
or you have a GPS-enabled scanner and wish to exploit the GPS features found in
the Pro version.
If you own multiple DMA scanners, TrunkStar Elite Pro is the best choice.
If you own multiple DMA and non-DMA scanners or receivers, Spectrum
Manager IX integrates support for both types of devices in a single software
package. Additionally, simultaneous control of DMA and non-DMA devices is
possible in Spectrum Manager IX.
TrunkStar Elite and TrunkStar Elite Pro both have free 15-day trial
versions, so we encourage you to try before you purchase.
Are upgrades available?
TrunkStar Elite and TrunkStar Elite Pro are new products, so no upgrades
to them are available.
Other upgrades to Spectrum Manager IX and Spectrum SentryNet are
available. Click here for upgrade information.
How is DMA scanner information stored?
A completely new storage mechanism called a DMA Profile is used. A DMA
Profile stores information about each system, site, frequency, talk group and
location item that is programmed in a scanner. The DMA Profile also stores
settings such as search ranges, SAME codes, etc.
The DMA Profile is structured in a way the reflects how the scanner save
information. The user interface also reflects this structure.
DMA Profiles are stored on your hard drive as .SXS files.
Will I be able to convert group files (.SWG) for
use with DMA scanners?
Yes, TrunkStar Elite and TrunkStar Elite Pro include a conversion feature
that will convert existing group files created by other Signal Intelligence
products (.SWG files) into DMA Profiles.
Additionally, other Signal Intelligence software products may include
conversion tools to allow complete data interchange between Group FIles and DMA
Profiles.
Can I do radio control with my scanner?
Yes, except for the BC246T. TrunkStar Elite Pro supports multiple
simultaneous control sessions with full recording capabilities.
The BC246T is supported for programming only. This is because the 246
control protocol is missing key elements necessary to provide effective and
reliable control.
Why is the signal strength column missing?
At this time, none of the DMA scanners provide a signal strength
measurement beyond the number of signal bars. We have requested Uniden to
provide a signal strength measurement (like the BCD796D and BC785D) in future
versions, however it is unclear whether this will be technically possible.
Are the Spectrum Analyzer and Band Scope features
supported?
No. Since there is no signal strength measurement available, these
advanced features are unavailable with the current DMA scanners.
How are the location features of the BCD996T and
BCT-15 handled?
Full support for location programming is provided in all software versions
that support DMA scanners.
How is the GPS feature on the BCD996T and BCT-15
handled?
You can use a GPS receiver with the BCD996T and BCT15 while under PC
control. On TrunkStar Elite Pro, a GPS status display is provided that shows
position, time, speed, heading and altitude. This display is updated once per
second.
If you have Spectrum Manager IX and have purchased the optional GPS
feature, a BCD996T or BCT15 with GPS attached can be used as an alternative to
connecting the GPS receiver directly to the PC. When this is done, the accurate
time and position logging features can be driven through the DMA scanner. Note
that there is an additional latency when doing this that might affect the
accuracy of fast-moving drive-around measurements.
Are the wireless measurement tools of Spectrum
Manager IX and Spectrum SentryNet available with DMA scanners?
No. Since there is no signal strength measurement available, these
advanced features are unavailable with the current DMA scanners. | 
