Uniden USC 2500XL T User Manual

USC 2500XL T

400-Channel Programmable

Hand-HeldAuto Scanner

OPERATING GUIDE

:

PRECAUTIONS

Beforeyoureadanythingelse,
pleaseobservethefollowing:

WARNING!

Uniden DOES NOT represent this unit to be waterproof.
To reduce the risk of fire or electrical shock, DO NOT expose

this unit to rain or moisture.

NICKEL-CADMIUM BATTERY WARNING

. This equipment contains a Nickel-Cadmium

Battery.

. The Nickel-Cadmium Batterycontained in

this equipment mayexplode if disposedof
in a fire.

. Do not short circuit the battery. .
. Do not charge the Nickel-Cadmium Battery

used inthis equipment in any other charger
other than the one designed to chargethis
battery. Using another charger may
damage the battery, or cause the batteryto
explode.

Bearcaf is a registered trademark of Uniden Corporation.

Table of Contents

AboutYourNewUBC2500XLT... 2

WhatisScanning? 2
Types of Communication 2

Where to Obtain More Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Unpacking 3
Optional Accessories 3

FeatureHighllghts 4

Controls and Indicators 5

TopView 5
FrontView 6

LCDDisplay 12

Setup 13

Installingthe Battery Pack 13
ChargingtheBatteryPack 13
Mountingthe FlexibleAntenna .14

InstallingtheBeltClip 14
ScanningOverview 15
ProgrammingChannels 16

A. Programming By Manual Entry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

B. ProgrammingWith the Rotary Tuner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

C. ProgrammingWith SEARCH 19

D. ProgrammingWith AUTO STORE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

E. Transferring a Programmed Frequency to

AnotherOpenChannel 21

DeletingaStoredFrequency.. """ 22

Scanning 23

WeatherChanneIScanning 24

Customizing ScannerOperation. . . . . . .. .. . ... .. .. .. .25

SettingtheScanningSpeed 25

Settingthe Delay Mode 25
Settingthe Step Size 25
SettingtheLCDDisplayLight 25

PreventingAccidental Programming. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

LockingtheRotaryTuner 25
ChanneILockOut 26

SettingUpPriorityChannels 27

UsingCOUNT to Monitor Channel Activity. . . . . . ... . . . . 28

Care and Maintenance. 29

20

r

Troubleshooting 31
Technical Specifications 32

1

About Your New UBC 2500XLT

The UBC 2500XLT is a brand new state-of-the-art information
radiowith automatic scanning capabilities. Itcan store

frequencies such as police, fire/emergency, marine, air,

weather frequencies, and otherbroadcasts into20 banks of 20

channels each. The new Rotary Tuner feature enablesrapid

and easy selection ofchannels andfrequencies. And with

STORE, you can automatically program any channel.

AUTO

With the UBC 2500XL T, you can scan all 400 channels at
selectable speeds, including the super fast Turbo Scan. In

addition, the UBC 2500XL T has an automatic frequency-
sorting capability for faster scanning within each bank.

What is Scanning?

Unlike standard AM or FM radio stations, most two-way
communications (listed below) do not transmit continuously.
The UBC 2500XL T scans programmed channels at the rate of

nearly 100 channels per second (in Turbo Scan Mode), until it
finds an active frequency.

Scanning stops on an active frequency, and remains on that
channel as long as the transmission continues. When the
transmission ends, the scanning cycle resumes until another
transmission is received. An optional Delay can be set so that
the scanner stays on the channel for 2 more seconds, waiting
for another transmission before resuming scanning.

Types of Communication

Youwillbe able to monitor communication such as:

. Police and fire department (including rescue and

paramedics)

. Weather broadcasts
. Business/industrial radio

. Motion picture and press relay

. Utility

. Land transportation frequencies, such as trucking firms,

buses,taxis, towtrucks, and railroads

. Marine and amateur (ham radio) bands

. Airband

. PublicService800MHzband
. Cellularband

And many more inthe following frequency ranges:
25-28.995 MHz, 29-55.995 MHz,56-69.950 MHz,
70-87.995 MHz, 88-107.950 MHz, 108-136.9875 MHz,

137-173.995 MHz, 174-221.995 MHz, 222-399.9875 MHz,

400-519.9875 MHz, 520-549.950 MHz, and 760-1300 MHz.

2

Unpacking

Carefully check the contents against this list:

. UBC2500XLT Auto Scanner
. RubberAntenna
. ACAdaptor/Charger(AAD-2500U)

. Earphone

. Leather-like Carrying Case

. BeltClip

. ThisOperatingGuide

If any items are missing or damaged, contact your place of
purchase immediately.

Please read this Operating Guide thoroughly before operating

the scanner.

OptionalAccessories

The followingoptional accessories for your UBC 2500XL Tare

available from your local Uniden Dealer or through the Uniden

Technical Service Division.

StraightCigaretteLighterPowerCord(UASO2)-Usefor

temporary operation from your vehicle's cigarette lighter.

Coiled Cigarette Lighter Power Cord (UA502A)

temporary operation from your vehicle's cigarette lighter.

-Use for

I

Spare Battery Pack (BP2S00)

3

Feature Highlights

. Turbo Scan This lightning-fast technology enables

the UBC 2500XL T to scan and search nearly 100
channels or steps per second. Because the frequency
coverage is so large (see "Technical Specifications"

section for band listing), a very fast scanning system is

essential. That is why we combined our latest

technology - Turbo Scan - into the UBC 2500XL T.

. VFOControl (Variable Frequency Oscillator) Turn

the Rotary Tuner to select the desired frequency or
channel.

. 400Channels You can program each of these

memorychannels to store one frequency.

. 20 Banks Eachbank contains 20channels, usefulfor

storing similar frequencies in order to maintainfaster
scanning cycles.

. 25 MHz - 1.3 GHz Indicatesthe range offrequencies

that can be searched within the bands of your scanner.
(Note: The frequency coverage is not totally
continuous from 25.0 MHzto 1.3 GHz.)

. PriorityChannelsYou can assign one Priority

Channel in each of Banks 1 through 10. Assigning
priority channels allows you to keep track of activity on
your most important channel(s) while monitoring other

channels for transmissions.

. Weather Channels Letsyour scanner function as a

weather information radio.

. Auto Store Automatically stores all activefrequencies

within the specified bank(s).

. Auto Sorting Programmedfrequencies are

automaticallysorted within each bankfor faster
scanning.

. Battery-Free Memory The stored channels are

retained in memory when the Battery Pack is removed
from the scanner.

Note: Currently the Weather Service is not available

in Australia.

4

TopView

Controls and Indicators

Emmal
Speaker

Earphone

Channel!

Frequencyl

Lock

I

Antenna

Connec1Dr

OriOlf

Volume

Squelch

Rotary
Tuner

EXTERNAL When using an optional ExternalSpeaker
SPEAKERJACK system, connect the External Speaker plug

here.

EARPHONE
JACK

ANTENNA
CONNECTOR

ON-OFFNOLUME (Inner control) This control turns the scanner
CONTROL on or off, and also adjusts the volume.

SQUELCH
CONTROL

Plug the earphone into this jack for private
listening. When the earphone is connected,

the internal speaker is disconnected.

Connect the rubber antenna to this BNC

connector and turn clockwise until it locks.

(Outer control) Adjust the outer control to set
the scan threshold. When monitoring a

single channel in Manual Mode, adjust the

Squelch Control to eliminate the background
rushing noise heard in the absence of an
incoming signal.

CHANNEL! (Outercontrol) Turn the [CIFIL] Selectorto

FREQUENCY! "C" to enable channel selection, or to "P' to
LOCKSELECTORenable frequency selection. In the "L"

position, the Rotary Tuner is disabled, and
cannot be used to select (display) channels

or frequencies.

VFOCONTROL (Innercontrol) Usethe RotaryTuner to
(ROTARYTUNER)select a channel or frequency. Turnthe

control clockwiseto STEP UP, orcounter-
clockwiseto STEP DOWN, a channel or

frequency.

5

FrontView

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DLY (DelIY) Key

LJO(Lock Out) Kay PAl (PrIority) Key

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6

LCD DISPLAY

The liquid crystal display (LCD) shows the
current channel and frequency. It also

displays the mode, status, and bank
indicators.

SCAN KEY

MANUAL KEY

WX KEY

Press [SCAN] to start scanning all
programmed channels that are not locked
out. ("SCAN" appears on the display during

scanning.)

In Scan or Search Mode, press [MANUAL]
to stop scanning or searching, and to select a
channel. After you stop the scanner, press

MANUAL] again to STEP UP a channel or

f

requency. Press and holdto rapidly step
through the channels or frequencies. Use
the numeric keypad to enter a channel

number, and then press [MANUAL] to
access the channel.

There are 7 weather channels. Press

[WX]to find the active weather

channel in your area. ('WX' appears on the
display in Weather Mode.)

Note: Currently the Weather Service is not available

in Australia.

DELAY KEY

UO KEY

PRI KEY

Use [DL V] to turn ON or OFF the automatic

2-second delay during scanning or searching
for active frequencies. (In Delay Mode, "DLY"

appears on the display.) In this mode, when
the scanner monitors an active frequency,
searching or scanning will not resume until
transmission stops for 2 seconds.

Press rUe] to "lock out" or prevent scanning

of the displaxed channel, including Priority

Channels. ('ud' appears on the display.) To

unlock a channel, press rUe] again. rUe]

can be used in Manual Mode, or Scan Mode,

only on programmed channels. To display

locked out channels, turn the Rotary Tuner,

or press [HLD], [LMT], [MANUAL] to manually
step through the selected bank. (Note: Locking

out a channel willnot erase the programmed

frequency.)

You can assign "priority" to one channel in

each of Banks 1 through 10. To assign

priority, first display the selected channel,

and then press and hold [PRI] for more than

2.5 seconds. A "P" appears on the display
beside the Priority Channel. In Priority Mode,

the scanner monitors the Priority Channel(s)

every 2 seconds. If activity is detected, the

scanner monitors that channel until no signal

is present. ("PRt' appears on the display.)

I

7

SPD (SpIed) Key

LCK (Keypad LocII) Key

CNT (COIIII) Key

LHT (Ughl) Key

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NumellcKeypad

SFT(ShIft)Key

8

SPEEDKEY

COUNT KEY

Press rSPD] to select the scanning speed,
normar or Turbo Scan. (In Turbo Scan

Mode, "TURBO" appears next to "SCAN" on
the display.) At normal speed, the scanner
scans 16 to 20 channels per second. In
Turbo speed, the scanner scans nearly 100
channels per second.

Use [CNT] to indicate the number of times
the scanner stopped on a channel during its

last scan. First press [MANUAL] to stop

scanning. Then press [CNT]. (In Count

Mode, "COUNT" appears on the display.)

Turnthe RotaryTuner (with[C/F/L] selector

set to "C") or press [MANUAL]to display

each channel and number count.

I

KEYPAD LOCK

LIGHT KEY

NUMERIC
KEYPAD

Bank Channel Bank Channel

1 1 - 20
2
3 41 - 60
4 61 - 80
5 81 -100
6 101- 120
7
8 141 - 160
9 161 - 180

10

SFT[.]

(SHIFT)KEY

Press and hold [LCK] for 2 seconds to turn

the keypadON or oF1=. "KEYLOCK"appears

on the display when the keypad is disabled.

Use this key to avoid any accidental key

entries.

Press [LHT] to turn the display light ON for
15 seconds. Press [LHT] again to manually

turn the light OFF.

Use these keys to program a channel for

scanning. Also use to access a channel

directly with [MANUAL]. During Scan
Mode, use these keys to select or deselect
any of the 20 memory banks. (Only the
selected bank indicator(s) appear on the

display.)Note: Youcannotdeactivateall20 .

banks.

11 201 - 220

21 - 40

12 221 - 240
13

241 - 260

14 261 - 280

281 - 300
301 - 320

341 - 360
361 - 380

121 - 140

15
16
17 321 - 340

18
19

181- 200 20 381 - 400

This key has several functions: (a) During
scanning, press ['l with a numeric key toenter a bank num er from 11 -20. For

examle, to select Bank 13, ress ]3].
To se ect Bank 20, press [.] 0]; (b ress
this ket twice to clear a number you entered

during programming; )Press this key

twice to reset the num er count in Count

Mode.

9

LMT(LInt)K'V

SIP(Slep)Key

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At1TOKey

E(EN"')Key

HLD(Hold)Key

SND (Send) K'V

10

LIMIT KEY

STEP KEY

ENTERKEY

SEARCH KEY

This key has two functions in Search Mode:

(a) to step down a frequency; and (b) to set
the search band limits. To manually step
down, press and hold [LMT]. Press and hold
for more than one second to rapidly move
down the frequencies.

To set the lower and upper limits of the
search band, first enter the number for the

lower limit and press [LMT]. Then enter the

number for the upper limit and press [LMT].

Use [STP] to change the step increment
when accessing frequencies. Press [STP] to
change thE;factory preset auto step to 5 kHz,

12.5 kHz, 25 kHz, or 50 kHz, or press [.]
twice to reset back to auto steps. (The
selected step setting appears on the display.)

(Within the numeric keypad) Press [E] to

store a displayed fre_quency into any
displayed channel. Note: If you try to store

the same frequency into another channel, the
display will show the original channel for that

frequency. To store the same frequency into

the selected channel, press [E] again.

Press [SRC] to start searching for active
frequencies within preset ranges of any
band. Normally, the search continues from
the frequency where it left off in the previous
search. The scanner will automatically start
searching upward from the lowest frequency
of its band. ("SRCH" appears on the display

in Search Mode.)

I

HOLD KEY

AUTO KEY

During Search, you can press [LMT] to hold
the displayed frequency, and press [LMT]
again to manually step down a frequency, or
press [HLDl to manually step u~a
frequency. ~ress and hold [LMTj or [HLD]
to rapidly step through the frequencies.

Press [HLD
searching. 'HOLD"appears on the display.)

Press [HLD again to step up one channel.

Press and hold[HLD] for more than 1
second to rapidly move through the
frequencies. In Hold Mode, press [LMT] to
STEP DOWN to the next lower fre9..uency.
To resume the search, press [SRCj.

Use [AUTO] to automatically store active
frequencies Into open (empty) channels of

specified banks. To use Auto Store, first set
the upper and lower limits of the band to be
searched. In Search Mode, press [AUTO] to

activate the Auto Store feature. Press the

numeric key(s) for the bank(s) to store the
frequencies. ("AUTd' appears on the display

in Search Mode to stop

~

11

when Auto Store is activated.) To stop Auto
Store, press [HLD], [MANUAL], or [AUTO].

SEND KEY

Press [SND] to transfer a displayed
frequency to any open (empty) bank channel.
When the bank Indicators start flashing,

press the numeric keys for the selected bank.
Then press [E) to complete the transfer.

LCD Display

BANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20

TURBO SCAN PRI DLY AUTO SRCH COUNTqBAITA

P8 8 8 18 8 8. 8 8 8 8 MHz

HOLD UO WX 1 2 . 50KHz AM NFM WFM IKEYLOCKI

MEMORYBANK
NUMBERS

MODE
INDICATORS

STEP

INDICATOR

SIGNAL MODE
INDICATOR

LOWBATTERY
INDICATOR

CHANNEL
NUMBER

FREQUENCY
NUMBER

(1 through 20) Each memory bank consists
of 20 channels that you can select or

deselect during scanning operation, using the

numeric keypad. When you select a bank, its

number appears on the display. When you

deselect a bank, its number disapRears from
the display. When you press [MANUAL] to
stop scanning, only the bank of the current
channel appears.

Indicate the current mode(s) of operation

(TURBO,SCAN,PRI,DLY,AUTO,SRCH,COUNT,

HOLD, UO, WX,KEYLOCK). Each of these
modes is described in the Front Panel

features section, in the related key

description. Note: Only the active mode(s)

are displayed during operation.

Indicates the frequency step automatically

when the scanner moves through the
selected band. While searching for active
frequencies, you can change the factory

preset auto step to 5 kHz, 12.5 kHz,

25 kHz, 50 kHz, or press [.] twice to reset

back to auto steps. Note: Manually

selected steps are erased when you turn off
the power.

Displays the automatic signal selection: AM,
NFM, orWFM.

Appears on the display when the Battery

Pack is Iow and needs recharging.
Indicates the current channel that the

scanner ISon.

Indicates the frequency being received by the

scanner.

.

12

Setup

The UBC 2500XL T comes with a rechargeable Nickel-Cadmium

Battery Pack. When fully charged, this Battery Pack will

supply up to 5 hours of dependable use.
Before using the UBC 2500XL T for the first time, or whenever

the LOWBATTERYIndicator appears on the LCD display, you
should fully charge the Battery Pack.

Note: When the Battery Pack is Iow, the Low Battery

Indicator will start to blink. After about 10 minutes, the
scanner will shut itself off to prevent the battery from becoming

completely discharged.

Before charging, you must first install the Battery Pack
according to the steps below.

Installing the Battery Pack

1. Turn the On-OffNolume Control OFF.

2. Slidethe pack onto the bottom of the scanner until it
clicks.

I

D

~

Charging the Battery Pack

1. Plug the AC Adaptor ICharger (AAD-2500U) into the
Charging Jack located on the back of the Battery Pack.

WARNING! Use only the supplied AC Adaptor/

Charger. Any other AC adaptor or external power plug
having over-voltage or reversed polarity can cause
overheating or damage to the circuitry.

2.

Plug the AC Adaptor /Charger into a standard AC outlet.

13

To fully charge the battery, leave the Adaptor/Charger
connected for 14 to 16 hours. Note: You can operate

the unit while the battery is charging.

3. When charging is complete, disconnect the Adaptor/

Charger from the AC outlet and from the Battery Pack.

Note: Disconnect theAC Adaptor/Charger from the unit
during a power failure.

Mounting the Flexible Antenna

Place the end of the antenna onto the BNC connector on top
of the scanner and turn clockwise until tight.

Installing the Belt Clip

Place the Belt Clip slightly above the mounti:lg area on the
back of the scanner, and press downward and in.

14

~

Scanning Overview

Note: Before operating the uac 2500XLT for the first time,

make sureyou have fullycharged the Battery Pack.

1. Beforeturning on the scanner,rotate the Squelch
Controlfully clockwise.

2. Turnthe scanneron by rotating the On-OttNolume
Controlclockwise until you hear a click.

3. Adjust the volume to a comfortable listeninglevel.

4. Turn the Squelch Control counterclockwise just until the

"rushing" noise disappears. At the squelch threshold,
any incoming signal just slightly stronger than the noise
will open the squelch.

Note: When squelch is open, you can hear the broadcast

(scanning is stopped). If squelch is set too tight, that is, too far

counterclockwlse from the threshold point, a stronger signal

is required to open the squelch. If squelch is set on a point

clockwise from the threshold, you will hear a constant sound

(noise, if no signal is present) The scanner will not scan.

The UBC 2500XL T has 400 memory channels, each of which

can be programmed to store one frequency. The channels are
divided into twenty 20-channel banks, useful for storing similar
frequencies in order to maintain faster scanning cycles.

You can monitor communication in one of two ways:

. Bank SCAN Ifyou haveprogrammed channels, you'

can scan all programmed channels in the selected

bank(s), except locked out channels. When scanning

stops on an active frequency, it remains on that channel
as long as the transmission continues. Ifthe Delay

Mode is on, the scanner remains on the same channel
for 2 more seconds, waiting for a responding
transmission. If there is no responding transmission

within 2 seconds, the scanning cycle resumes.

I

. Band SEARCH The Search function is differentfrom

Scan. When you select a frequency band to search, the
scanner searches for any active frequency within the
lower and upper limits of the band. When an active

frequency is found, the scanner stops on that frequency

as long as the transmission lasts. If the Delay Mode is
on, the scanner remains on the same channel for 2

more seconds, waiting for a responding transmission. If

there is no responding transmission within 2 seconds,
the scanning cycle resumes.

15

Programming Channels

Before you can scan, you must program the channels within a

bank. You can store one frequency per channel, up to 400
channels.

Each time you store a frequency, the list of scanning

frequencies in the bank is automatically sorted by frequency

number. This unique Auto Sort feature enables faster
scanning. When you manually step through a bank, however,
frequencies are sorted according to channel number.

With the UBC 2500XL T, there are a number of ways to program

a channel:

. Manually selecting a channel and frequency, using the

numeric keypad

. Using the Rotary Tuner to select a channel and

frequency

. Searching a band to find active frequencies, and then

storing them into channels

. Using the Auto Store feature to automatically program

channels

. Transfer a programmed frequency from another channel

Try each of the following programming methods, and then use

the one that's right for you!

A. Programming ByManual Entry

Before you begin, if "KEYLOCK"appears on the display, press

and hold [LCK] for 2 seconds to unlock the numeric keypad

and enable manual programming.

1. Select a frequency.
Example: Program 460.150 MHz into Channel 23.

2.

Press [MANUAL] to stop scanning.

3.

Press [2] [3].

4. Then, press [MANUAL].

5.

Enter the frequency number using the numeric keypad.

Note: Be sure to include the decimal point.

[4] [6] [0] [.] [1] [5] [0]

If you make a mistake and want to clear the entry, press
[.] twice and re-enter the correct frequency.

16

6.

Press [E] to store the entry.

. If the frequency is already stored in another

channel, the other channel will appear on the
display. To resolve the conflict, just enter another
frequency for the cu"ently selected channel.
(Later, we'll discuss how to delete a stored
frequency.)

. Any frequency already stored in a channel will

automatically be replaced by the new one.

. "Error" appears on the display if an e"or is made

during programming, or if the frequency is out of
range. To clear the error, enter a valid channel or
frequency number.

To program another channel, repeat the above procedures.

B. ProgrammingWith the RotaryTuner

To program a channel usingthe Rotary Tuner:

1. Ifthe UBC 2500XLT is scanning, press [MANUAL] to
stop scanning.

2. Select a channel to be programmed by turning the
RotaryTuner to displaythe channel. (Rotate the control
clockwiseto step upa channel, or counterclockwiseto
step down a channel.)

Note: IftheChanneVFrequency/LockSelector[CIFIL] .

is set toilL"(lock), turn the control to "C"to enable
channel selection using the Rotary Tuner.

3. Turn the Channel/Frequency/LockSelector to "F"to

enablefrequency selection.

4. Select a frequencyto be stored byturning the Rotary
Tunerto displaythe frequency. (Rotatethe control

clockwiseto step up a frequency, or counterclockwise

to step down a frequency.)

Note: Whenyou rotate the Rotary Tuner, the channel

selection flasheson the display. Thismeans that the
frequencydisplayed isnot programmed in that channel.

5. To store the displayed frequency into

channel, continue with Step 6

-OR-

the current

--

I

To store the displayed frequency into another

selected channel,

-OR-

To store the displayed frequency into another bank's

skip to Step 7

open (empty) channel, skip to Step 10.

17

6.

Press [E]. The frequency is now programmed into the

current channel.

You are finished, and may now skip to the next section.

7.

Press [SND] twice. When the channel number blinks,
enter the new channel number using the numeric keys.

8.

Press [HLD] to see if the selected channel is already

programmed.

If the selected channel already has a stored

frequency:

The display alternates between the current channeV
frequency and the selected channel! frequency. Ifyou
wish to keep the selected channel's frequency, press [.]

twice to return to Step 7. Otherwise, that frequency will
be replaced by the new frequency selection when
programming is completed.

If the selected channel is open (empty):

The display alternates between the current
channellfrequency and the selected channeVopen
frequency (000.000).

Note: Be sure you have pressed [HLD] before
continuing with the next step. Otherwise IlError"
appears on the display when you try to complete the
programming entry. This is to avoid accidentally

erasing a frequency you want to keep.

9.

Press [E] to complete programming.

You are finished, and may now skip to the next section.

10. Press [SND].

"BANK" flashes on the display, and the current bank

number is shown.

11. Press the numeric key(s) for the new bank selection.

The new bank indicator appears, and its lowestopen
channel starts flashing. When programming is

completed, the frequency will automatically be stored
into the channel. Note: After entering the selected bank
number if the screen displays a message indicating the
bank is IIFULL",inthis case select another bank.

12. Press [E] to complete programming.

The frequency is stored, and the bank channel is
displayed with its new frequency. (The old channel will
retain its original frequency.)

18

~ramming With SEARCH

'ch feature enables you to rapidly search for active
jes within the specified band limits. When an
Ig frequency is found, you can store it into a channel

t procedure below.

ress[MANUAL] to stop scanning.

Jse the numeric keypad to enter the lower limit and

Ipper limit of the band to be searched. (See "Technical

3pecifications" for a list of search bands.)

Note: When you first use the scanner, you must set

the search limits before activatingSEARCH. Other-

wise, when you try to start SEARCH, error tones are

emitted and "Error" appears on the display.

Example: Set search limits of 137.000 to 144.000

MHz.

FIrst enter the lower limit by pressing:

[1] [3] [7] [.] [0] [0] [0]

Press[LMT].

Then enter the upper limit by pressing:

I'

[1] [4] [4] [.] [0] [0] [0]

Press[LMT].

The search limits of the selected band are now set, and

remain in effect even when you turn off the scanner.

3.

Press [SRC] to start the search.

Note: During the search, you can manually change the

step increment, if desired. To change the step, press

[STP]one time foreach selection: 5 kHz, 12.5kHz,

25 kHz, or 50 kHz, or press [.] twice to reset to default.

4. When Search stops on an interesting frequency, press

[HLD] to stay on that frequency.

Note: Ifyou press [HLD] again, you step up a
frequency. Ifyou press [LMT], you step down a
frequency. Press and hold either key to rapidly step
through the frequencies.

19

5. Tostore the displayed frequency into:
(a) the current channel

(b) another selected channel
(c) another bank's open (empty) channel

Please refer to Step 5 of the previous section. The
procedures are the same.

To leave the Search Mode, press [MANUAL] or [SCAN].

D. ProgrammingWith AUTO STORE

The AutoStore feature automaticallystores all active

frequencies into open (empty) channels of specified bank(s).

To use AUTO STORE:

1. Press[MANUAL] to stopscanning.

2.

Use the numeric keypad to set the lower limit and upper
limit of the band to be searched. (See "Technical
Specifications" for a list of search bands.)

Note: When you first use the scanner, you must set

the search limits before activating AUTO STORE.

Otherwise, when you try to start

errortones are emitted and "Error" appears on

the display.

Example: Set search limits of 137.000 to 144.000

MHz.

AUTOSTORE,

Firstenter the lower limit by pressing:

[1] [3] [7] [.] [0] [0] [0]

Press[LMT].

Then enter the upper limit by pressing:

[1] [4] [4] [.] [0] [0] [0]

Press [LMT].

The search limits of the selected band are now set, and

remain in effect even when you turn off the scanner.

Note: During AUTO STORE, you can manually

change the step increment, if desired. To change the
step, press [STP] one time for each selection: 5 kHz,

12.5 kHz, 25 kHz, or 50 kHz, or press [.] twice to reset

to default.

3.

Press [AUTO] to activate AUTO STORE.
All bank numbers begin flashing, and "AUTO" appears

on the display.

20

Select the bank(s) to be programmed. The indicators of
the selected banks stop flashing.

Note: If the selected bank is full, that is, all 20

channels are programmed, "FULL:'appears on the

display. In this case, select another bank.

Press [SRC] to start programming.

On the display, only the indicators of the selected banks

remain. The indicator of the bank currently being
programmed starts blinking. The channel currently
being stored is also displayed.

Note: During AUTO STORE, the search does not stop

on any active channel. You will not hear any audio, and

no duplicate frequency will be stored.

TO STORE stops automatically when all available channels
.he selected banks are stored. "FuLL:' appears, and the last

:mnel stored is displayed.

stop AUTO STORE manually, press [HLD], [MANUAL],

[AUTO]. The last channel number and its frequency are

;played.

. Transferring a Programmed Frequency to

~nother Open Channel

his feature allows you to reassign a stored frequency to

nother bank's open channel.

Note: You cannot transfer a Priority Channel (preceded by

a uP" on the display). You must assign the Priority to
another channel in the same bank before transferring the

frequency. (Priority Channels are described later in "Setting

Up Priority Channels".)

I

1.

Press [MANUAL] to stop scanning.

2.

Use the Rotary Tuner (or any other previously

described method) to select a programmed channel.

3.

Press [SND] to activate the Transfer feature.

All bank indicators start flashing on the display.

4.

Press the numeric key(s) of the selected bank.

Only the indicator of the selected bank remains on the

display. The bank's lowestopen channel flashes,

waiting to be programmed.

5.

Press [E] to complete the transfer.

The frequency is now stored in the new channel, and

the old channel is empty.

21

Deleting a Stored Frequency

To delete a frequency from a channel:

1. Displaythe channel and frequency that is to be deleted.

2.

Press [0] on the numeric keypad.

3. Press[E].
The current channel is erased,and the display shows

"000.000".

22

Scann ing

1. Turn on the power, or press [SCAN] to start scanning.

Note: When the scanner is turned on, it is automati-

cally in Scan

The indicators for the selected banks (1 through 20)
appear on the display. The indicator of the bank
currently being monitored flashes.

While the UBC 2500XL T is scanning, the "SCAN"

message moves across the display. Scanning stops
on any active channel automatically and displays its
frequency, except those channels programmed with
"UO" (Lock Out). Scanning resumes automatically after
the channel becomes inactive, unless DELAY is

activated.

2.

Deselect any bank(s) from being scanned by entering

the number of the bank.
The deselected bank indicator(s) disappear from the

display, and its channels will not be scanned. This
procedure helps to speed up the scanning cycle.

Note: One bank must always remain active. You

cannot deactivate all 20 banks at the same

Mode.

time.

Note: When you turn off the scanner and turn it back

on, the previous bank selections

To restore any bank for scanning, just enter its number again.

(The bank indicator will appear on the display.)

To stop scanning any time, press [MANUAL]. When you

press [MANUAL] to stop scanning, you are out of Scan
Mode. The scanner remains on the displayed channel, and
only the bank indicator for that channel appears. If you press

[MANUAL] again, you will step up a channel. If you press
[LMT], you will step down a channel. Press and hold either

key to rapidly step through the channels.

Note: You do not skip a locked out ("UG'? channel using

any of these keys.

To start scanning again, press [SCAN].

To directly access a specific channel:

1. Press[MANUAL].

2.

Enter the channel number using the numeric keys.

3.

Press[MANUAL] again.

will remain in effect.

23

I

Weather Channel Scanning

The USC 2500XL T allows you to search for your local
weather channel.

Press [WX] to find the active weather channel in your area

from 7 preprogrammed channels. "wx" appears on the

display.
To exit Weather Mode, press [SRC], [SCAN], or [MANUAL].

It is possible that your area is covered by more than one

weather station.

When you press [WX], the USC 2500XL T will find an active

broadcast immediately. Ifthe broadcast sounds weak and

distant, press [WX] again to look for a closer station.

Note: Currently the Weather Service is not available

in Australia.

24

Customizing Scanner Operation

Setting the Scanning Speed

Press [SPD] to select the scanning speed, normal or Turbo
Scan. (In Turbo Scan Mode, "TURBO" appears on the display
next to "SCAN".)In Normal Scan Mode, the UBC 2500XL T

scans 16 to 20 channels per second. In Turbo Scan Mode,
the unit scans nearly 100 channels per second.

Setting the Delay Mode

In the normal default setting, when Search or Scan stops on
an active frequency, searching or scanning will not resume
until the transmission stops for 2 seconds. If no response is
detected, the scanning cycle resumes until another

transmission is received. To turn off the automatic 2-second
delay (except in Auto Store Mode), press [DL Y]. (The "DLY"

Indicator disappears from the screen.)
To enable the 2-second delay again, press [DL Y]. (The "DLY"

Indicator reappears.)

Setti ng the Step Size

Use [STP] to change the step increment when moving
between frequencies of a search band. Press one time each

to change the factory preset auto step to 5 kHz, 12.5 kHz,
25 kHz, or 50 kHz, or press [.] twice to reset back to auto

steps. Manually selected step is displayed "flashing 11

during the search and erased when you turn off
the power.

Setting the LCD Display Light

To illuminate the LCD Display at night, or under dim conditions
when it is difficult to view, press [LHT]. The display will

remain illuminated for 15 seconds. To turn off the light sooner,
press [LHT] again.

Preventing Accidental Programming

The UBC 2500XL T has a Lock feature to prevent accidental

programming entries. Simply press and hold [LCK] for 2
seconds to turn off the numeric keypad. "KEYLOCK"appars on

the display when the keypad is disabled. Press and hold

[LCK] again for 2 seconds to turn on the keypad.

Locking the Rotary Tuner

You can lock the Rotary Tuner to prevent changing channels
or frequencies accidentally while monitoring a broadcast. To
disable the Rotary Tuner, turn the ChanneVFrequency/Lock

[CIFIL] Selector to "L". To enable the RotaryTuner, turn
[CIFIL] to "C" to enable channel selection, orto "p' to enable

frequency selection.

25

I

Channel Lock Out

You can lock out any programmed channels (including Priority
Channels) so they will not be scanned, if desired.

Note: Locking out a programmed channel does not erase

the frequency in the channel.

This feature is active in Manual Mode or Scan Mode.

To lock out a channel:

Press [LlO] when the scanner is on a channel you do not want

to hear.
"ud' appears on the screen to indicate that the displayed

channel is now locked out.

Note: Ifyou lock out allPriorityChannels and press [PRQ,

the screen displays "Peh Loe our' for 3 seconds, and
Prioritycannot be activated. (Priority Channels are

described shortly in IISettingUpPriorityChannels.'/

To restore a locked out channel:

1. Displaythe locked out channel, using one of the
previously described methods.

2. Press[LlO].

"ud' disappears to indicate that the channel is now
unlocked and restored for scanning.

To restore all locked out channels of a selected bank at
one time:

1. Press[SCAN] to start scanning.

2. When the indicator of the selected bank starts flashing,
press [MANUAL] to stop scanning.

3. Press and hold [LlO] for more than 2.5 seconds.
You will hear 2 short beeps, indicating that all channels

are unlocked and restored for scanning.

Searching for Locked Out Channels

During scanning, you will not see locked out channels. To look
for locked out channels and display them on the screen, first
press [MANUAL] to stop scanning. Then use the Rotary
Tuner to step through the bank. "ud' will appear on the

screen to indicate the locked out channels.

26

Setting Up Priority Channels

When you assign "priority" to a bank channel, you designate
one bank channel as your most important channel.

During scanning the UBC 2500XL T works like a "dual watch"
function. It starts "sampling" or keeping track of the activity on
the Priority Channel while listening to other channels. Every 2

seconds, the scanner checks the Priority Channel for activity.

If a signal is present, the Priority Channel will be monitored
until the transmission ends, and scanning resumes. If DELAY
is activated, scanning resumes after 2 seconds.

Note: The Priority feature is also active in Manual,

Search and WX Modes.

Each bank comes with one programmable Priority Channel

(the lowest channel in each bank). You can reassign Priority
Channels to any bank channel if the displayed Channel

Number is 200 or less (Banks 1 through 10). In multi-Priority
Channel operation, the lower channel number has higher
priority .

Note: Prioritysettings are not erased whenyou turnoff the
scanner, or after a power failure.

To set up a Priority Channel:

1. FIrstprogram your most importantfrequency into a
bank channel.

2. Pressand hold [PAl] for more than 2.5 seconds.
A "P" appears on the display to indicatethe designated

channel.

Any previously assigned Priority Channel within

Note:

the same bank is automatically deselected.

27

I

Using COUNT to Monitor Channel Activity

To determine the amount of channel activity during a scanning
session, use the Count feature. It counts the number of times
scanning stops on an active channel.

To activate the Count feature:

1. Press[SCAN], and allow the scannerto scan for about
5 to 10 minutes, or longer if desired.

2. Press[MANUAL] to stop scanning.

3.

Press [CNT].

"COUN1'appears on the display.

4. Turn the Rotary Tuner or press [MANUAL] to display
each channel and the number count (up to "99").

To reset the Count number to "00", press [.] twice.
To exit Count Mode, press [CNT].

28

Care and Maintenance

Replacing the Rechargeable Battery Pack

When it is time to install a new Battery Pack, use only the one
made for this scanner. Any other type of battery may damage

yourunit.

To replace the BatteryPack:

1. Removethe BeltClipby liftingthe tab and carefully
slidingitupwardand out.

2. Removethe Battery Pack by pressing inand slidingit
downand off.

3.

Install the new Battery Pack by sliding the pack onto the
bottom of the scanner until it clicks.

4.

Replace the Belt Cljp.

Note: Be sure to recharge the Battery Pack before using

thescanner.

Battery Maintenance

Most rechargeable batteries typically suffer from "memory

effect"whichoccurs graduallyover time, shortening the usable

time of the Battery Packwhen it isfully charged. After 2 to 3

monthsof use, when the Battery Pack holds a charge for a
somewhatshorter period than when first used, follow these
steps:

1. Leavethe scanner on untilthe Battery Pack is drained.
(Seethe Low Battery Indicatordescription inthe
"Controls and Indicators"sectionfor more information.)

2. Rechargethe Battery Packfor 14to 16 hours to ensure
afull charge.

3. After the Battery Packis fully recharged, you may need

to reprogram the channels.

GeneralUse

. Turn the scanner off before removingthe Battery Pack.

. Always write down the programmed frequencies inthe

event of memory loss. If memory is lost, simply
reprogram each channel.

. Always press each keypad buttonfirmly until you hear

the entrytone for that key entry.

I

29

Location

. Ifstrong interference or electrical noise is received,

relocate the scanner or its antenna away from the
source ofthe noise. A higher elevation, ifpossible, may
provide better reception.

. Do not use the scanner inhigh-moistureenvironments

such as the kitchen or bathroom.

. Avoidplacing the unit in direct sunlight or near heating

elements or vents.

Cleaning

. Disconnectthepowertothe unitbefore cleaning.

. Clean the outside of the scanner with a mild detergent.

. To prevent scratches, do not use abrasive cleaners or

solvents. Be careful notto rubthe LCDwindow.

. Do not useexcessive amounts ofwater.

Repairs

Do not attempt any repair. The scanner contains no
serviceable parts. Contact the Uniden Technical Service

Division.

Birdies

All scanners are subject to receiving undesired signals or
birdies. Birdies are the products of internally generated
signals that make some frequencies difficult or impossible to

receive. If your scanner stops during Search Mode and no

sound is heard, it may be receiving a birdie. If the interference

is not severe, you might be able to turn the Squelch Control

counterclockwise to cut out the birdie. Or, press [SRC] to

resume searching.
If you program one of the following frequencies, you will hear

only noise on that channel.
Frequencies found to have birdies on the UBC 2500XL Tare:

27.3550 161.0500 359.3125 921.5875

29.0350 162.8400 422.2500 936.8875

38.3950 162.8450 468.8500 1024.0125

51.1950 167.3550 805.4375 1112.6375

140.7950 218.5550 818.2875 1125.4625

143.1550 256.9125 819.2125 1227.7000

153.5950 308.3000 856.6625

154.5150 323.9000 911.2875

30

Troubleshooting

If your UBC 2500XL T is not performing properly, try the steps
listed below.

PROBLEM

Scanner won't work.

.Check the power connections.

SOLUTION

.Check the volume and squelch.

. Make sure the power switch is

turned on.

Improper reception.

Scan won't stop. . Adjust the Squelch Control.

Scan won't start. . Make sure there are some

Search won't start.
Keypad won't work.

If you still cannot get satisfactory results and want additional
information, or to return the unit for service, please call or write
the Uniden Technical Service Division. The address and

phone number are listed in the Warranty (at the end of this
manual).

.Check the antenna connection.

. You may be in a fringe area.

Reposition the scanner.

. Check the antenna connection.

. It is possible that none of the

programmed frequencies are
active at the time. Try the

band search.

programmed channels.

. Adjust the Squelch Control.

. Adjust the Squelch Control.
. Check the Keypad Lock.

31

I

Technical Specifications

Banks:

WX:

Search Band:

Display

25 -29
29 -56
56 -70

70 -88

88 - 108

108 - 137

137

-174

174-222

222

-340

-520

400

520 -550

760 -824

824 -849

849 -869

869 -894
894-1300

Scan Rate:

Scan Delay: 2 seconds
Audio Output: Max 0.4W

Antenna: Rubberantenna included

Total 20 banks

7 programmed (Weather Channel)

Total12 Search bands (N FM, AM, or WFM)

Frequency Coverage

25.0000 to 28.9950 MHz(AM)

29.0000 to 55.9950 MHz(NFM)

56.0000 to 69.9500 MHz (WFM)

70.0000 to 87.9950 MHz (NFM)

88.0000 to 107.9500 MHz (WFM)

108.0000 to 136.9875 MHz(AM)

137.0000 to 173.9950 MHz(NFM)

174.0000 to 221.9950 MHz(WFM)

222.0000 to 399.9875 MHz(AM)

400.0000 to 519.9875 MHz(NFM)

520.0000 to 549.9500 MHz (WFM)

760.0000 to 823.9875 MHz (NFM)

824.0100 to 848.9700 MHz(NFM)

849.0000 to 868.9875 MHz (NFM)

869.0100 to 893.9700 MHz (NFM)

894.0000 to 1300.0000 MHz (NFM)
100channels per sec. (TurboScan Mode)

20 channels per sec. (NormalScan Mode)

Default

Steps

5.0 kHz

5.0 kHz

50.0 kHz

5.0 kHz

50.0 kHz

12.5 kHz

5.0 kHz

50.0 kHz

12.5 kHz

12.5 kHz

50.0 kHz

12.5 kHz

30.0 kHz

12.5 kHz

30.0 kHz

12.5kHz

Operating

Temperature:

Size:

Weight:

Power
Requirements

-20°C to + 60°C

70mm(L) x 38mm(W) x 190mm(H)

0.39 kg.

12V DC (internal battery, AC Adaptor/
Charger, or cigarette lighter adaptor)

Note:For bandswith 30 kHzdefault. no stepindicatorwill beshown

on the LCDdisplay.
Weather Channel Broadcasting Service is currently

not available in Australia.

Features, specifications, and availability of optional accessories
are all subject to change without notice.

32

WARRANTY

Uniden UBC 2500XLT Scanning Receiver Australian 1 Year
Warranty (Accessories are covered for 90 days only).

NOTE: Please keep your sales docket as it provides evidence of
warranty.
WARRANTOR: Uniden Australia Pty. Limited. ACN 001 865498
ELEMENTS OF WARRANTY: Uniden warrants to the original
retail owner for the duration of this warranty, its UBC 2500XLT

Scanning Receiver (hereinafter referred to as the Product), to be free
from defects in materials and craftmanship with onlythe limitations

or exclusions set out below.
WARRANTY DURATION: This warranty to the original retail

owner only, shall terminate and be of no further effect One (I) Year
after the date of original retail sale. This warranty will be deemed
invalid if the product is; (A) Damaged or not maintained as reasonable
and necessary, (B) Modified, altered or used as part of any conversion
kits , subassemblies , or any configurations not sold by Uniden.
(C) Improperly installed, (D) Repaired by someone other than an

authorized Uniden Repair Agent for a defect or malfunction covered

by this waITanty, (E) Used in conjunction with any equipment or parts

or as part of a system not manufactured by Uniden , (F) Installed,
programmed or serviced by anyone other than an authorized Vniden
Repair Agent, (G) Where the Serial Number label of the product has
been removed or , damaged beyond recognition.
PARTS COVERED: This warranty covers for I year, the
UBC 2500XLT Scanning Receiver only. Battery, Antenna, AC
Adaptor and other accessories (Earphone, Leather Carry Case,
Belt Clip) are covered for 90 days.

STATEMENT OF REMEDY: In the event that the product does
not conform to this warranty at any time while this warranty is in effect,
the WaITantorat its discretion, will repair the defect or replace the
product and return it to youwithout charge for parts and service.

TIllS WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER OR PROVIDEFOR THE
REIMBURSEMENT OR PAYMENT OF lNCIDENTAL OR

CONSEQUENIW., DAMAGES.
WARRANTY CARD: Ifa warranty card has been included with
this product then please fill it in and return it to us within 14 days of
purchase. Your name and serial number of the product will then be
registered in our database and this will help us process your claim
with greater speed and efficiency should you require warranty service.

PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING PERFORMANCE OF
WARRANTY: Inthe event that the Product does not conform

to this waITanty, the Product should be shipped or delivered, freight

pre-paid , with evidence of original purchase, (eg/ a copy of the sales

docket) , to the warrantor at :

UNlDEN AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD.- SERVICE DIVISION

345 Princess Highway, Rockdale, NSW 2216

Ph [phone] FAX [phone]

Customers in other States should deliver the Product freight pre-paid

to their nearest Uniden Authorized Repair Centre.

(Contact Uniden for the nearest Warranty Agent to you.)

unid~n~

GP)

@ 1994 Uniden Australia Pty. Limited. All rights reserved.

UBUEO1230DZ Printed in the Philippines