This videos gives a lot of good information. Let my add my $0.02. The best way to program the BC-125AT is to use the PC programming to enter all of the AAR analog channels into the radio. I program the "splinter channels" in, along with the standard channels. The BC-125AT has plenty of memory channel space available (500 channels). I put the AAR channels into the radio in AAR channel order, and that doesn't "mix" splinter channels with "regular" channels. I also enter the Alpha tag for the AAR channel--e.g.--AAR 097 for AAR channel 097. NO ONE in the railroad industry except a radio tech EVER refers to a railroad channel by its frequency; they always use the AAR Channel Name. I also program in the UHF digital train telemetry channels. There are 6 of them--one for Head-Of-Train device, one for End-Of-Train Device, and 4 for Distributed Power. I usually program those into channels 2-6 in the BC-125AT, and start programming the voice channels with AAR 007 in Channel 7 of the radio. Channel 1 I program for a Weather Channel. When railfanning, I just add or subtract channels on the scan list from the keypad, depending on what channels that I plan to use at the time. On final caveat about the BC-125AT: Never, never, never use the USB adapter charger to charge rechargeable batteries in the radio. Besides being abysmally slow to charge the radio (usually 8-14 hours to charge it), at least some of the BC-125AT's have defective charging circuits that will allow the charger to overcharge the batteries, overheating them, and causing a potential fire hazard. Mine did that several years ago. It had started to melt the case and could have started a fire if I had not smelled the hot electronics and plastic and unplugged the radio from the cable. Just take the rechargeable AA batteries out of the radio and charge them in a separate charger. Or just use regular AA batteries and replace them as necessary. Now, briefly about NXDN digital. There are a few railroads using NXDN, but very few and for generally limited applications. I'm quite familiar with NXDN and have been using it and programming radios with it for 10 years. I own one of the Uniden SDS-100 scanners that has optional NXDN capability. I'll be blunt about it. For railfanning, it is a lousy performing, obtuse to use and program, overpriced radio. For the same price or less, one can buy a high quality Icom or Kenwood commercial two-way VHF NXDN portable radio that will perform much, much better than the SDS-100 (those commercial models will not monitor UHF train telemetry, however). The bad news in that they must be PC programmed by someone who has the software AND knows how to program them correctly. Finally, for the record, I've worked in the railroad industry and also have maintained radio systems--including base stations, mobile radios, portables, and repeaters. I've been using 2-way radios and scanners for both business and pleasure (including railfanning) for almost 40 years. EDIT: There is a newly released Uniden BC-160DN scanner that will receive NXDN digital transmissions. I have seen no testing or reviews on this radio, but it looks intriguing. Reading the specs between the lines, I suspect that it was designed with railfans in mind. It's name BC-160DN may be a subtle reference to the beginning of the railroad VHF channel spectrum in the 160mHz frequency range.
You taught me something helpful with my 125 as when I got it, my dad told me that the higher the squelch the better it will work, but now that I know that's not the case I'm going to have to fix that as I'm sure my scanner could pick more then it does, at first I thought it was the antenna, but maybe now that I think about it it was the squelch, thanks Danny, you sure do have some helpful tips and information, and if I didn't discover your channel, I would never have known half of the things I know now.
Great video as always! This scanner got me into one of my favorite hobbies! I never would have been interested in amateur radio if I hadn't bought this scanner for railfanning.
I use this scanner a lot - it's a neat way to augment my railfanning and train riding enjoyment. I do all of my scanner programming via the Uniden app on my computer. I have all of the AAR channels programmed into banks 1/2 like shown here, but I use other banks for specific trains/routes, so I don't need to scan all frequencies all the time. So when riding Amtrak, I have specific banks programmed for each route, so if (for example), I'm on the California Zephyr, I can set only that bank to active, and it only scans the frequencies that the California Zephyr uses on its route. I can also change the tags for that bank to show that it's CZ AAR 13, etc. Adding tags to specific bank frequencies also really helps identify specific railroads if you often railfan in a location that has multiple railroads. So if you have a bank with only local railroads A, B, and C, you can add tags in that bank to show which railroad it is, along with the AAR number. If you have all the AAR freqs in banks 1 and 2, then if you add regional/train freqs to other banks the software will let you know that it already exists, but that's fine, because you're setting up a bank for specific uses without needing to scan the whole set of AAR freqs.
Danny, thank you for making this video. As a Dad, it was very helpful to use in setting up my son’s scanner. I like to extend an invitation to come to Ashland, Virginia for Train Day on April 27,2024. My family would love to show you around. Thanks again for your help.
Another great instructional video from the one who spurred my purchase of the "125" and started my railfan journey. Great idea to program ALL of the AAR channels, never thought about that since the short line next to the house just uses one. As I've ventured out, and found 2 Class 1 roads close by, scanning them all is very helpful. Think I will round out my scanning banks with the HOT and EOT frequencies. Thanks Danny! Superb video as always.
Daniel-San, you've really got to stop bombarding me with the potent memory-triggers riddled throughout these superb vids you favor us with!! I still miss the good old Bearcat I got for my 10th birthday. It picked up everything - fire, police, railroads, truckers, air traffic control, and even the odd ham radio broadcast on occasion. Living where I did in St. Louis, I had the Mopac, Frisco, and the Terminal Railroad Association as my first three "presets." On clear nights in the summer, I could also pick up the B&O, Illinois Central, Southern, and the Louisville & Nashville terminals on the east side of the Mississippi river - I once tracked an SR 4501 excursion from Carbondale Illinois all the way down to Paducah Kentucky, before the signal gave out! That Bearcat was as rugged as all get-out; it was with me for a full 30 years, and loyally served all through my brief time as a collegiate, plus a half-dozen moves from one side of the Midwest to the other and back again, whilst also functioning as a dandy sidekick during my road-rat days as a blues band drummer {to the tune of an easy 50,000+ miles documented in my driver's logbook}. When it finally gave up the ghost in 2008, I knew that it would be a right pain in the Vertical Smile to find something half as durable and reliable in this day and age, but Uniden seems to have proven me wrong - my BCD 996 hasn't had one single issue during its' first 15 years of service, and remains virtually maintenance-free in the bargain. Oh yeah - just like his predecessor, my current rig is a breeze to program. 10-Q Sir, and mega-kudos to Uniden!! 😎
Danny love your voice and presentation in all your videos! You did a great job explaining quickly and succinctly how to properly program this scanner for Railfans.
I got one of these for Christmas and I love it. I?'m looking forward the the software programming video. I use that method and it's amazing how easy it is. If you use your scanner for other things, like police/fire, or auto racing it's awesome to be able to tag the channel so you know what you're listening too. This one is SO much easier than the old 80"s era BC 200 I started out with .
This scanner is also great for listening to aircraft traffic. I set up a different bank for my local air traffic control frequencies. BTW, if you don't have time to learn how to program it yet, you can just hit Func > Svc and it will scan all "service" frequencies. Deactivate everything except service bank 5, which is the railroad freq bank, and it will search all railroad freqs in your area. Useful if you have no idea which freqs your local railroad is using.
Six more frequencies I highly recommend you add. I put these into Bank 3 (channels 101-106) so it's easy to turn the bank on/off. HOT 452.9375 and EOT 457.9375. Also DPU1-4 as 452.9250, 452.9500, 457.9250, and 457.9500. HOT/EOT are the communications on trains without DPU and it's between the lead locomotive and the FRED (Flashing Rear-End Device). The DPU channels are the communications on trains with DPU and it's the signals from the engineer to those remote locomotives mid/end of train. All of these are great for (somewhat) short-range confirmation that a train is near. I get about 4-5 miles of reach on these signals, though I live in a rougher terrain area (hills/mountains, trees) and flatlanders might get more range. None of the audio is "intelligible"; we call them "blips", but they go off every 20-40 seconds for DPUs and 45-60 seconds for HOT/EOT. However, if things are changing (locomotive commands being sent, brake pipe pressures changing, end of train starting to roll or stopping), these channels go crazy. Hence, sometimes it's useful to disable bank 3 and just ignore those for a while, especially near yards and such. I have also heard these channels go a little crazy when there is truly no train near by. The Gold Bar mini-yard on the BNSF Scenic Sub is one example. Can't figure that one out. But having this bank enabled is great for that short-range confirmation that a train is nearby, and often is a great reminder that if you hear the blips, get to the tracks quick!
I bought my scanner 3 years ago just for listening on train frequencies along with police ones. It does have a few hiccups. Sometimes the frequency catches up the weather broadcast which interrupts the CPKC Laredo Sub. Other than that, the scanner helped me and my railfan friends inform.
Awesome Danny. I really like that you did this. I also use the BC125AT but I wanted to point out that the 125 already has the railroad frequncies programmed into it. Its under one of the pre-programmed service banks. Selecting function and selecting the Srch/SVC button will allow you to switch to the railroad service bands. If I'm not mistaking it does have the channels in order the ARR has them on paper.
I highly recommend the Uniden programming software Danny recommends. You either type in the info from your PC channel by channel, or you can cut/past frequencies and names from an Excel spreadsheet. It sure beats entering 97 frequecies and text names by hand! Just cut and paste the AAR database into an Excel spread sheet, then transfer to the Uniden software, upload to the scanner and you are done in about 5 minutes. There are also two other BC125AT apps I have discovered so far. One is Scan125 by Nick Bailey (very nice, and free, but consider donating) and the other is ARC125 (which will ask for money eventually).
Yep...programming it with the cable and a PC is the only way to go when adding bulk frequencies. Takes less than 10 minutes. Can't imagine doing it one at a time.
The 125 is a great scanner and it is what I use when I go out to photograph trains. If you want to listen to railroads on a small budget ($35 or so) get one of the Beofeng UV5R ham radio transceivers and program in the AAR channels. If you program using the CHIRP software, you can disable the transmit function on the rail frequencies, just to be in the safe side.I saw a person using a UV5R when I was out watching trains a few weeks ago. He could hear everything my 125 could hear. The UV5R is a terrible transceiver, but it is a good utility FM receiver for not a lot of money.
Two things I can recommend... I leave the AA batteries out of the BC125AT. I purchased a short mini USB B to USB cable and a cigarette lighter USB car charger adapter and power the scanner from the vehicle. Also, I have a magnetic mount external antenna thats sized to railroad radio frequencies. Going to an external antenna helps reception a lot.
I only use FRED frequencies when I'm in dark territory and far from a terminal. If you're within 10 miles or a yard where multiple engines are parked, they're all chirping when EOTs. Very annoying to listen to.
Wow! A Danny video without a train in it? Gotta be some kind of record! All that aside, very good informative video for all railfans that use Uniden scanners.
I have this exact radio! The best way to program it is to download the Bearcat BC125AT app to your PC. NOT smartphone! It only works on PC! Once you enter in the frequencies and the names you want, and then connect the USB, it automatically programs it for you!
Ive got my uniden bearcat sds100 digital ready to go ! (I actually showed it to you down in Folkston one year) Great scanner and has much better ears than my older scanner . But you are right about the price . Thank you for this video. I know it will be helpful for many folks.
I want to say you can program BC125AT direct from your computer. I would give the software link, but YT will block this. The software is on the Uniden sight. (UnidenMan4/BC125AT) At this point it is just cut/copy/paste and save it to the BC125AT. Takes a few minutes to program the BC125AT from this point on. You can also save programs, One for NASCAR and One for Railroads etc.
How do I get past the locked condition, brand new unit? No channels selected. Tried software on computer, com port not selected. ??? I can't even do the first things.
As a railroad buff, I am excited for this video. I just ordered mine. Thank you for this video as I have been waiting on a recommendation of a radio...Thank you
Thank you so so much for making this video. I bought this exact model and I've got to work a few times, but it never really felt consistent and I was never confident enough to keep it with me out on the road. Can't wait to try it again!
I prefer to punch in my frequencies with the keypad, saves me time and is relatively simple. And to answer what priority DND is, it will scan your priority channel but it stops if you’re receiving transmissions from another channel. Hopes this helps and another great video Danny!
For those of you who intend to use this scanner while mobile, I would highly take Danny’s advice to get an external antenna. Inside my car, I can’t hear diddly squat (even with a train a train a mile or two away) unless I roll down my window and stick the antenna (and my hand/scanner) out the window 😂. The range in a vehicle without an antenna is AWFUL.
My head was spinning when i first got the 125, but then I found the software and it was so easy. I have the banks set up in a few different ways, and the software makes it easy to visualize.
Slammed the Like Button on this video! This is one very helpful video as I just moved to Raleigh and am rail fanning starting from scratch. Thanks again Danny!
I just bought the 125AT, didn't have too many problems manually programing the scanner since I already have the Uniden SR30C scanner which isn't that different form the 125. Using the program on the computer is pretty easy as long as you know which COM port to use. I like the heft or feel of the 125 and the audio is very good. I mostly monitor the aviation bands or public service comms there's only a couple railroad frequencies I listen around here, not much traffic though. Thanks to your video for introducing me to the fabulous UNIDEN BC 125!
Really good info. My hope is the railroads don’t go to digital encrypted and shut us railfans out of what’s been a really big part of the railfan experience.
Great video for scanner beginners, Danny. Using priority "Do Not Disturb", or "DND" would solve the problem you mentioned, about the scanner jumping to a priority channel when you are listening to another active channel. Priority DND lets you set the Priority feature to check each channel set as priority, every 2 seconds as long as the scanner is not receiving transmissions. If the scanner has stopped on an active channel (or frequency) the priority feature will pause until the activity stops. I suppose it could still jump to a priority channel if they pause too long between replies.
New subscriber here, I gotta say, this has to be my favorite railfan channel on the internet! All of your videos are super informational, entertaining, and enjoyable! Thank you for the great work!
great video Danny !!! I am actually looking into buying a 125 to use this summer at the Indycar race in Toronto to hear the teams radio transmissions and I would like to be able to switch quickly back and forth to each teams radio... and I hit the thumbs up button before I even start watching your videos as I know I am going to like it a lot... Thanks Again Sir Tim in Toronto
This is the scanner I use for the St. Pete Grand Prix and it works a treat. Just set all your driver frequencies and the broadcast frequency and let it scan. You can always hold on your favorite driver and listen into the strategy and spotter during quali and the race. 100% endorsement for race listening from me!
Hello Mr. Harmon, up here in Southeastern Pennsylvania the New Hope & IvyLand RR have gone to IDAS/NXDN. I know that SEPTA Regional Rail serveral years ago have replaced their Motorolas with ICOMs, since ICOM's IDAS is compatable with Kenwood's NXDN. I was lookig around on Ebay for an ICOM or KENWOOD VHF portable to add AAR channels and a group of MURS for casual chit-chat. Talk to you later
Danny you are such a great source of information. I have been railfanning for years and never bought a scanner, always afraid I wouldn't know how to use it. I'm now seriously considering one. You seem so comfortable with it and once it's programmed it looks easy; now will I be able to program it !?!
Thanks for the video. Got a good idea how to manually program the scanner. I have already programmed some frequencies through the software. I think there is a benefit to making a frequency NFM or AM. It keeps other transmissions from affecting the channel. If you made all your 97 channels Auto that is making the scanner work harder and longer. And we all do this but I try not to use the letter O for the number zero. Thanks for the video.
As A Railfan And Someone Who Also Enjoys Listening To Scanners I Approve This Video. On My BC125AT I Have The Railroad Lines That I Frequently Go To Saved On My 125, But When I’m On A Line I Don’t Know The Road Frequency To, I Rely On The EOTD Device Frequency, Or I Turn On My Close Call Mode To Hear Any Train Talk Nearby.
The BC125AT is a great scanner. I will point out that you can also connect the BC125AT to a computer via the USB. There is free software to enter frequencies which I find less tedious, especially with adding text tags. I use the software since I also program Air Traffic Control frequencies in addition to AAR frequencies for railroads.
awesome video the radio i use to listen to train is the baofeng uv-5r because its a very cheap radio .also the railroad freqencys in my area go around 400 mh
Danny, thanks for the hand holding. Had the BC125AT for two years and never used it. Appeared to work following your instructions but weeks later I find all the frequencies gone, replaced by something from the factory? However, I did discover “services” (Func followed by Srch = Svc) and band 5 Svc is Railroad! Check it out. Maybe not as flexible as your approach but, in my case, hopefully more durable!
Programming software for the 125AT is available. Found some on eBay for $25. Software makes programming almost any radio soooo much quicker and easier.
Thanks you sure are on top of your game with this video Danny! Any chance we will see you on The Scanner Guys, or Train Aficionado real soon? You qualify for both! 🤠 I have used both the BCT125AT and BCD160DN track side and will be sticking with the 125 for me it out performs the 160! Sure hope Uniden doesn’t stop production on the 125 it’s still the best out there for Railfans at this time!
Well hi there.. I have a BC125 and a BC75 but I only use them to scanning finding channels if I don't know the area. I got to know most of the dispatchers in the area, having worked with them and the channels we need to use. My dispatcher was from the NYSW, NJTR Mainline, and rarely the CSXT NI which the NYSW dispatcher took care of for us. I see you use commercial gear in the car. I have a 1000 channel Kenwood V71A dual band amateur radio... antennas are cut for 146 mhz...but work fine for AAR channels. But I have the NMO mount and an antenna cut for 160 mhz and one for 146 mhz which I swap out for railfanning and for the local volunteer fire company, which I belong to ( their license WRFN475 is for RR Ch 4, 160.050) and ham radio. The old Wallkill valley line was pulled up by Conrail 40 years ago but the CSX River Division is 4 miles away. There are lots hills and mountains here in NY so I'm lucky to hear anything 10 miles away when they are behind the mountains in the valleys the the 1/4 wave 18" antenna works best in the hills and the 5/8 wave out by you. The bearcat always has a mag mount 1/4 wave like a Diamond MR77a when in the car, out of the car I use my wideband ham gear, most tune 134-174 from the keypad and I have the license to use them. The antenna gain is only 3 or 4 dB on a properly tuned/cut antenna but it is enough to justify changing and up to 10 dB when attaching an external antenna in the car which is 10 times better reception. Getting on the porch... love the move.. gets you higher above the obstructions... away from the cars which can block your signals. At best the radio horizon on flat earth is 12 miles from the ground and from the porch holding the radio high and clear 15 miles. Antenna height is everything in this situation. A receiver on a 500 ft mountain runs it out to 35 miles. Our amateur repeater is at 3000ft elevation and you can hear it 80 miles away in New Jersey in the NYSW yard in Little Ferry at CP4 on the NI. The Kenwood TM V71a is dual band radio, you can listen to two channels at once, we have a road channel (AAR58) and a dispatcher channel (AAR34) to get the NI dispatcher. Channel 34 is 934 on my radio and 58 is 958, my railroad the MNJ used 36-36 so 936. and the tourist line is on AAR17...besides NY has a scanner law about radios capable of receiving police transmissions so be extra careful scanning in New York (V&T Law Sec 397) Paul N3EYQ Collecting my Railroad retirement
Newbie here... I watched another tutorial and saw you can do all that tedious programming in the USB software, took me only 10 minutes of copy/paste from the list LOL
Only got 2-3 hours using generic batteries. Switched to Panasonic Enloop and improved to 6-8 hours. Also used feature that allows you to remove batteries and power thru usb with pocket battery bank when out all day.
There’s another function on that radio that makes listening easier. There’s a function called service bands. You could actually scan the entire band for police, fire, aircraft, railroad, and also public service. If I’m in an area, I’m not sure of what the railroad frequencies are I will just set it to railroad and leave the scan going in one direction. As soon as a transmission is picked up, I can hold and then save it later on because it is a frequency that is within the area that I’m listening to.
@@yukonjack18517 I didn’t have the radio with me and that’s what I was talking about. However, the step of the frequency is different and some of the US railroad frequencies are off by a couple of hundred kilocycles. The spacing between each frequency is not standard. If you look up a certain frequency for the railroad and try to program it, it will change to a different frequency by a couple of hundred kilo cycles. This has presented a problem when I did a scan of the band. If it picked up any conversation, it was very distorted because it was not keyed directly on frequency. In most cases, it will just skip right over that conversation.
Danny, What kind of receiving range do you get down in flat land Florida? I’m about 20 miles from the railroad action in Nashville with a couple of very low hills in between. Not sure whether it would be a worthwhile investment for me. I don’t get out to chase trains these days. Thanks for another of your wonderful and informative videos.
Thank you Danny! I have the BC125 and use it at the race track, and it is the perfect little entry scanner. With the links provided I will be able to bulk load the AAR frequencies using the software. Appreciate it!
Interesting. I've got an older BC75XLT and will have to review this. When I first got it, I programmed the 97 channels but when scanning, I often pick up static on random channels and had to block them. In some cases, I picked up extraneous communication (like marine weather info).
Had no problems programming mine, I keep getting that "Close proximity" thing where it picks up another (non-railroad) frequency that's transmitting nearby. Actually got the scanner for Christmas but haven't really used it all that much, still have my old one I bought from Radioshack years ago.
It’s that time again. Get your popcorn, get in your seat. A new Danny video has arrived!
Agreed
Seems like it's been forever .......
Grow up
Npc
This videos gives a lot of good information. Let my add my $0.02. The best way to program the BC-125AT is to use the PC programming to enter all of the AAR analog channels into the radio. I program the "splinter channels" in, along with the standard channels. The BC-125AT has plenty of memory channel space available (500 channels). I put the AAR channels into the radio in AAR channel order, and that doesn't "mix" splinter channels with "regular" channels. I also enter the Alpha tag for the AAR channel--e.g.--AAR 097 for AAR channel 097. NO ONE in the railroad industry except a radio tech EVER refers to a railroad channel by its frequency; they always use the AAR Channel Name. I also program in the UHF digital train telemetry channels. There are 6 of them--one for Head-Of-Train device, one for End-Of-Train Device, and 4 for Distributed Power. I usually program those into channels 2-6 in the BC-125AT, and start programming the voice channels with AAR 007 in Channel 7 of the radio. Channel 1 I program for a Weather Channel. When railfanning, I just add or subtract channels on the scan list from the keypad, depending on what channels that I plan to use at the time. On final caveat about the BC-125AT: Never, never, never use the USB adapter charger to charge rechargeable batteries in the radio. Besides being abysmally slow to charge the radio (usually 8-14 hours to charge it), at least some of the BC-125AT's have defective charging circuits that will allow the charger to overcharge the batteries, overheating them, and causing a potential fire hazard. Mine did that several years ago. It had started to melt the case and could have started a fire if I had not smelled the hot electronics and plastic and unplugged the radio from the cable. Just take the rechargeable AA batteries out of the radio and charge them in a separate charger. Or just use regular AA batteries and replace them as necessary.
Now, briefly about NXDN digital. There are a few railroads using NXDN, but very few and for generally limited applications. I'm quite familiar with NXDN and have been using it and programming radios with it for 10 years. I own one of the Uniden SDS-100 scanners that has optional NXDN capability. I'll be blunt about it. For railfanning, it is a lousy performing, obtuse to use and program, overpriced radio. For the same price or less, one can buy a high quality Icom or Kenwood commercial two-way VHF NXDN portable radio that will perform much, much better than the SDS-100 (those commercial models will not monitor UHF train telemetry, however). The bad news in that they must be PC programmed by someone who has the software AND knows how to program them correctly. Finally, for the record, I've worked in the railroad industry and also have maintained radio systems--including base stations, mobile radios, portables, and repeaters. I've been using 2-way radios and scanners for both business and pleasure (including railfanning) for almost 40 years.
EDIT: There is a newly released Uniden BC-160DN scanner that will receive NXDN digital transmissions. I have seen no testing or reviews on this radio, but it looks intriguing. Reading the specs between the lines, I suspect that it was designed with railfans in mind. It's name BC-160DN may be a subtle reference to the beginning of the railroad VHF channel spectrum in the 160mHz frequency range.
Danny always puts on a great show for us! Hope you’re doin great Danny!
You taught me something helpful with my 125 as when I got it, my dad told me that the higher the squelch the better it will work, but now that I know that's not the case I'm going to have to fix that as I'm sure my scanner could pick more then it does, at first I thought it was the antenna, but maybe now that I think about it it was the squelch, thanks Danny, you sure do have some helpful tips and information, and if I didn't discover your channel, I would never have known half of the things I know now.
Great video as always! This scanner got me into one of my favorite hobbies! I never would have been interested in amateur radio if I hadn't bought this scanner for railfanning.
You and me both!
I use this scanner a lot - it's a neat way to augment my railfanning and train riding enjoyment. I do all of my scanner programming via the Uniden app on my computer. I have all of the AAR channels programmed into banks 1/2 like shown here, but I use other banks for specific trains/routes, so I don't need to scan all frequencies all the time. So when riding Amtrak, I have specific banks programmed for each route, so if (for example), I'm on the California Zephyr, I can set only that bank to active, and it only scans the frequencies that the California Zephyr uses on its route. I can also change the tags for that bank to show that it's CZ AAR 13, etc. Adding tags to specific bank frequencies also really helps identify specific railroads if you often railfan in a location that has multiple railroads. So if you have a bank with only local railroads A, B, and C, you can add tags in that bank to show which railroad it is, along with the AAR number. If you have all the AAR freqs in banks 1 and 2, then if you add regional/train freqs to other banks the software will let you know that it already exists, but that's fine, because you're setting up a bank for specific uses without needing to scan the whole set of AAR freqs.
Instead of trains, we got training! 😁 Thanks, Danny!
Danny, thank you for making this video. As a Dad, it was very helpful to use in setting up my son’s scanner. I like to extend an invitation to come to Ashland, Virginia for Train Day on April 27,2024. My family would love to show you around. Thanks again for your help.
Another great instructional video from the one who spurred my purchase of the "125" and started my railfan journey. Great idea to program ALL of the AAR channels, never thought about that since the short line next to the house just uses one. As I've ventured out, and found 2 Class 1 roads close by, scanning them all is very helpful. Think I will round out my scanning banks with the HOT and EOT frequencies. Thanks Danny! Superb video as always.
Daniel-San, you've really got to stop bombarding me with the potent memory-triggers riddled throughout these superb vids you favor us with!! I still miss the good old Bearcat I got for my 10th birthday. It picked up everything - fire, police, railroads, truckers, air traffic control, and even the odd ham radio broadcast on occasion. Living where I did in St. Louis, I had the Mopac, Frisco, and the Terminal Railroad Association as my first three "presets." On clear nights in the summer, I could also pick up the B&O, Illinois Central, Southern, and the Louisville & Nashville terminals on the east side of the Mississippi river - I once tracked an SR 4501 excursion from Carbondale Illinois all the way down to Paducah Kentucky, before the signal gave out!
That Bearcat was as rugged as all get-out; it was with me for a full 30 years, and loyally served all through my brief time as a collegiate, plus a half-dozen moves from one side of the Midwest to the other and back again, whilst also functioning as a dandy sidekick during my road-rat days as a blues band drummer {to the tune of an easy 50,000+ miles documented in my driver's logbook}. When it finally gave up the ghost in 2008, I knew that it would be a right pain in the Vertical Smile to find something half as durable and reliable in this day and age, but Uniden seems to have proven me wrong - my BCD 996 hasn't had one single issue during its' first 15 years of service, and remains virtually maintenance-free in the bargain. Oh yeah - just like his predecessor, my current rig is a breeze to program.
10-Q Sir, and mega-kudos to Uniden!!
😎
Danny love your voice and presentation in all your videos! You did a great job explaining quickly and succinctly how to properly program this scanner for Railfans.
I got one of these for Christmas and I love it. I?'m looking forward the the software programming video. I use that method and it's amazing how easy it is. If you use your scanner for other things, like police/fire, or auto racing it's awesome to be able to tag the channel so you know what you're listening too. This one is SO much easier than the old 80"s era BC 200 I started out with .
I bought my BC75XLT a couple of years ago, and had it pre programmed with the 97 AAR channels. It was worth it!
I use software to program my BC125AT and it's very easy to program and use, great video Danny!!!!
This is awesome. You are so thoughtful to explain how to program our scanner Danny. Thank you so much for filming this video and sharing with us. ❤😊
This scanner is also great for listening to aircraft traffic. I set up a different bank for my local air traffic control frequencies. BTW, if you don't have time to learn how to program it yet, you can just hit Func > Svc and it will scan all "service" frequencies. Deactivate everything except service bank 5, which is the railroad freq bank, and it will search all railroad freqs in your area. Useful if you have no idea which freqs your local railroad is using.
Thanks, great info,
I muddled through programming mine. I'm going to go back in and redo with your info.
Six more frequencies I highly recommend you add. I put these into Bank 3 (channels 101-106) so it's easy to turn the bank on/off. HOT 452.9375 and EOT 457.9375. Also DPU1-4 as 452.9250, 452.9500, 457.9250, and 457.9500. HOT/EOT are the communications on trains without DPU and it's between the lead locomotive and the FRED (Flashing Rear-End Device). The DPU channels are the communications on trains with DPU and it's the signals from the engineer to those remote locomotives mid/end of train. All of these are great for (somewhat) short-range confirmation that a train is near. I get about 4-5 miles of reach on these signals, though I live in a rougher terrain area (hills/mountains, trees) and flatlanders might get more range. None of the audio is "intelligible"; we call them "blips", but they go off every 20-40 seconds for DPUs and 45-60 seconds for HOT/EOT. However, if things are changing (locomotive commands being sent, brake pipe pressures changing, end of train starting to roll or stopping), these channels go crazy. Hence, sometimes it's useful to disable bank 3 and just ignore those for a while, especially near yards and such.
I have also heard these channels go a little crazy when there is truly no train near by. The Gold Bar mini-yard on the BNSF Scenic Sub is one example. Can't figure that one out. But having this bank enabled is great for that short-range confirmation that a train is nearby, and often is a great reminder that if you hear the blips, get to the tracks quick!
I bought my scanner 3 years ago just for listening on train frequencies along with police ones. It does have a few hiccups. Sometimes the frequency catches up the weather broadcast which interrupts the CPKC Laredo Sub. Other than that, the scanner helped me and my railfan friends inform.
What better way to enjoy your breakfast, lunch, or dinner break period then watching the latest upload from Danny Harmon.
Awesome Danny. I really like that you did this. I also use the BC125AT but I wanted to point out that the 125 already has the railroad frequncies programmed into it. Its under one of the pre-programmed service banks. Selecting function and selecting the Srch/SVC button will allow you to switch to the railroad service bands. If I'm not mistaking it does have the channels in order the ARR has them on paper.
I highly recommend the Uniden programming software Danny recommends. You either type in the info from your PC channel by channel, or you can cut/past frequencies and names from an Excel spreadsheet. It sure beats entering 97 frequecies and text names by hand! Just cut and paste the AAR database into an Excel spread sheet, then transfer to the Uniden software, upload to the scanner and you are done in about 5 minutes.
There are also two other BC125AT apps I have discovered so far. One is Scan125 by Nick Bailey (very nice, and free, but consider donating) and the other is ARC125 (which will ask for money eventually).
Yep...programming it with the cable and a PC is the only way to go when adding bulk frequencies. Takes less than 10 minutes. Can't imagine doing it one at a time.
The 125 is a great scanner and it is what I use when I go out to photograph trains. If you want to listen to railroads on a small budget ($35 or so) get one of the Beofeng UV5R ham radio transceivers and program in the AAR channels. If you program using the CHIRP software, you can disable the transmit function on the rail frequencies, just to be in the safe side.I saw a person using a UV5R when I was out watching trains a few weeks ago. He could hear everything my 125 could hear. The UV5R is a terrible transceiver, but it is a good utility FM receiver for not a lot of money.
Two things I can recommend... I leave the AA batteries out of the BC125AT. I purchased a short mini USB B to USB cable and a cigarette lighter USB car charger adapter and power the scanner from the vehicle. Also, I have a magnetic mount external antenna thats sized to railroad radio frequencies. Going to an external antenna helps reception a lot.
Well done, Danny. I add the EOT/FRED telemetry frequencies on a separate bank to clue me in when a train is near.
The only downside to that is it can get annoying when you’re trying to listen to voice traffic.
I only use FRED frequencies when I'm in dark territory and far from a terminal. If you're within 10 miles or a yard where multiple engines are parked, they're all chirping when EOTs. Very annoying to listen to.
@@distantsignal - yes, I should have added that to my post. It’s why I put them on their own bank - usually 9 or 0 - easy to turn on and off!
Wow! A Danny video without a train in it? Gotta be some kind of record!
All that aside, very good informative video for all railfans that use Uniden scanners.
THANK YOU, Danny! You made programming my BC125AT a LOT easier.
I have this exact radio!
The best way to program it is to download the Bearcat BC125AT app to your PC. NOT smartphone! It only works on PC!
Once you enter in the frequencies and the names you want, and then connect the USB, it automatically programs it for you!
Ive got my uniden bearcat sds100 digital ready to go ! (I actually showed it to you down in Folkston one year) Great scanner and has much better ears than my older scanner . But you are right about the price . Thank you for this video. I know it will be helpful for many folks.
I want to say you can program BC125AT direct from your computer. I would give the software link, but YT will block this. The software is on the Uniden sight. (UnidenMan4/BC125AT) At this point it is just cut/copy/paste and save it to the BC125AT. Takes a few minutes to program the BC125AT from this point on. You can also save programs, One for NASCAR and One for Railroads etc.
I seem to have jumped the gun as you talk about the PC program part at the very end of the video....
How do I get past the locked condition, brand new unit? No channels selected. Tried software on computer, com port not selected. ??? I can't even do the first things.
Thank you for this information on programming the BC125AT, Danny.
As a railroad buff, I am excited for this video. I just ordered mine. Thank you for this video as I have been waiting on a recommendation of a radio...Thank you
Fantastic and Helpful video by the man, the myth , the legend the one and only Danny Harmon
You are too kind. Thanks!
Thank you so so much for making this video. I bought this exact model and I've got to work a few times, but it never really felt consistent and I was never confident enough to keep it with me out on the road. Can't wait to try it again!
Thanks for the tips Danny. Really hoping to meet you when you return to Ohio.
I prefer to punch in my frequencies with the keypad, saves me time and is relatively simple. And to answer what priority DND is, it will scan your priority channel but it stops if you’re receiving transmissions from another channel. Hopes this helps and another great video Danny!
For those of you who intend to use this scanner while mobile, I would highly take Danny’s advice to get an external antenna. Inside my car, I can’t hear diddly squat (even with a train a train a mile or two away) unless I roll down my window and stick the antenna (and my hand/scanner) out the window 😂. The range in a vehicle without an antenna is AWFUL.
My head was spinning when i first got the 125, but then I found the software and it was so easy. I have the banks set up in a few different ways, and the software makes it easy to visualize.
WOW...I just bought a Uniden SR30C, simple. I only scan local UP, BNSF anyway. Thank for the info
It is a complex little scanner to program but if you hook it to a PC it is much easier to program.
I can't get it to connect, com port not selected, USB connected. Roadblocks every way I turn.
Slammed the Like Button on this video! This is one very helpful video as I just moved to Raleigh and am rail fanning starting from scratch. Thanks again Danny!
I just bought the 125AT, didn't have too many problems manually programing the scanner since I already have the Uniden SR30C scanner which isn't that different form the 125. Using the program on the computer is pretty easy as long as you know which COM port to use. I like the heft or feel of the 125 and the audio is very good. I mostly monitor the aviation bands or public service comms there's only a couple railroad frequencies I listen around here, not much traffic though. Thanks to your video for introducing me to the fabulous UNIDEN BC 125!
Really good info. My hope is the railroads don’t go to digital encrypted and shut us railfans out of what’s been a really big part of the railfan experience.
Great video for scanner beginners, Danny. Using priority "Do Not Disturb", or "DND" would solve the problem you mentioned, about the scanner jumping to a priority channel when you are listening to another active channel. Priority DND lets you set the Priority feature to check each channel set as priority, every 2 seconds as long as the scanner is not receiving transmissions. If the scanner has stopped on an active channel (or frequency) the priority feature will pause until the activity stops.
I suppose it could still jump to a priority channel if they pause too long between replies.
That was a "Fantastic" video Danny! Thanks so much, I sure learned a lot! Had Steve program my BC125AT for me! (Dave).
Wow thanks Danny, I will be programming my Uniden now.!
Y'know it's a good day when he uploads!
New subscriber here, I gotta say, this has to be my favorite railfan channel on the internet! All of your videos are super informational, entertaining, and enjoyable! Thank you for the great work!
Hi Mr Danny hope your having a good Tuesday
Great Video, made it easy to program the Bearcat 125. Thanks!!
I don't have a scanner Danny but rest assured when I do, I'll be returning to this tutorial video. Be well!
great video Danny !!!
I am actually looking into buying a 125 to use this summer at the Indycar race in Toronto to hear the teams radio transmissions and I would like to be able to switch quickly back and forth to each teams radio...
and I hit the thumbs up button before I even start watching your videos as I know I am going to like it a lot...
Thanks Again Sir
Tim in Toronto
This is the scanner I use for the St. Pete Grand Prix and it works a treat. Just set all your driver frequencies and the broadcast frequency and let it scan. You can always hold on your favorite driver and listen into the strategy and spotter during quali and the race. 100% endorsement for race listening from me!
Hello Mr. Harmon, up here in Southeastern Pennsylvania the New Hope & IvyLand RR have gone to IDAS/NXDN. I know that SEPTA Regional Rail serveral years ago have replaced their Motorolas with ICOMs, since ICOM's IDAS is compatable with Kenwood's NXDN. I was lookig around on Ebay for an ICOM or KENWOOD VHF portable to add AAR channels and a group of MURS for casual chit-chat.
Talk to you later
Thank you Danny! It's great to be on the same frequency! 😉
Thanks Danny ! Always enjoy your videos and this one was a big help.
Watching this as I’m stuck in traffic waiting for a train to move past!
Danny you are such a great source of information. I have been railfanning for years and never bought a scanner, always afraid I wouldn't know how to use it. I'm now seriously considering one. You seem so comfortable with it and once it's programmed it looks easy; now will I be able to program it !?!
Remember when all else fails, follow the directions.
Easy for you to say ! haha@@dkupy100
Thanks for the video. Got a good idea how to manually program the scanner. I have already programmed some frequencies through the software. I think there is a benefit to making a frequency NFM or AM. It keeps other transmissions from affecting the channel. If you made all your 97 channels Auto that is making the scanner work harder and longer. And we all do this but I try not to use the letter O for the number zero. Thanks for the video.
Nothing like another great video by ya Danny! This "Legendary Cheering Railfan" gives ya another woohoo for keeping these great videos coming! :)
As A Railfan And Someone Who Also Enjoys Listening To Scanners I Approve This Video. On My BC125AT I Have The Railroad Lines That I Frequently Go To Saved On My 125, But When I’m On A Line I Don’t Know The Road Frequency To, I Rely On The EOTD Device Frequency, Or I Turn On My Close Call Mode To Hear Any Train Talk Nearby.
I think the CLOSE CALL mode is very handy. I'll probably do a video on that soon.
Sound good Dan!
Great info, Danny. This should give everyone a good start. Thanks!
The BC125AT is a great scanner. I will point out that you can also connect the BC125AT to a computer via the USB. There is free software to enter frequencies which I find less tedious, especially with adding text tags. I use the software since I also program Air Traffic Control frequencies in addition to AAR frequencies for railroads.
Great video Danny. I may have to purchase one of these since NS is sending atcs monitor bye bye in my area. This is a great help. Thanks.
Another great video. Getting a scanner soon.
Always so Good...nah GREAT...THANX Again Mr. DANNY HARMON
Great info on the 125!
Manually programming any scanner can be a nightmare. A PC interface is worth its weight in gold
Thanks Danny for that information i will put them all in I've been missing conversations and didn't know why
Everyone drop what they’re doing, Danny has a new video up!
Thank you for brilliant video Danny
awesome video the radio i use to listen to train is the baofeng uv-5r because its a very cheap radio .also the railroad freqencys in my area go around 400 mh
Danny, from what I understand, the first six channels are reserved for Canada, but don't quote me on this. Thanks for the video. Jon
I used the app. I actually used MS Excel first, then exported the list into the app, then right into the scanner. Much easier doing this on a PC.
Danny, thanks for the hand holding. Had the BC125AT for two years and never used it. Appeared to work following your instructions but weeks later I find all the frequencies gone, replaced by something from the factory? However, I did discover “services” (Func followed by Srch = Svc) and band 5 Svc is Railroad! Check it out. Maybe not as flexible as your approach but, in my case, hopefully more durable!
Thx for the tutorial on the uniden Bearcat BC125AT scanner danny I already had mine for a long time and I love it thx for the help danny!
Programming software for the 125AT is available. Found some on eBay for $25. Software makes programming almost any radio soooo much quicker and easier.
Great video, and very helpful.
Thank you Danny I need to buy a BC125AT scanner
If your in Canada, the Canadian Trackside Guide has all of the frequencies. But you have to order the book. The 2024 edition is in pre-order now.
Thanks you sure are on top of your game with this video Danny! Any chance we will see you on The Scanner Guys, or Train Aficionado real soon? You qualify for both! 🤠 I have used both the BCT125AT and BCD160DN track side and will be sticking with the 125 for me it out performs the 160! Sure hope Uniden doesn’t stop production on the 125 it’s still the best out there for Railfans at this time!
I used the bearcat software, simply cut and paste the list from radio reference into to program and save and write. easy peasy
Thanks again for another great video! I use my computer to program mine, 😊
Thanks Danny great video
Great stuff Danny, thanks!
Very good information THANKS !
Well hi there.. I have a BC125 and a BC75 but I only use them to scanning finding channels if I don't know the area. I got to know most of the dispatchers in the area, having worked with them and the channels we need to use. My dispatcher was from the NYSW, NJTR Mainline, and rarely the CSXT NI which the NYSW dispatcher took care of for us.
I see you use commercial gear in the car. I have a 1000 channel Kenwood V71A dual band amateur radio... antennas are cut for 146 mhz...but work fine for AAR channels. But I have the NMO mount and an antenna cut for 160 mhz and one for 146 mhz which I swap out for railfanning and for the local volunteer fire company, which I belong to ( their license WRFN475 is for RR Ch 4, 160.050) and ham radio. The old Wallkill valley line was pulled up by Conrail 40 years ago but the CSX River Division is 4 miles away. There are lots hills and mountains here in NY so I'm lucky to hear anything 10 miles away when they are behind the mountains in the valleys the the 1/4 wave 18" antenna works best in the hills and the 5/8 wave out by you. The bearcat always has a mag mount 1/4 wave like a Diamond MR77a when in the car, out of the car I use my wideband ham gear, most tune 134-174 from the keypad and I have the license to use them.
The antenna gain is only 3 or 4 dB on a properly tuned/cut antenna but it is enough to justify changing and up to 10 dB when attaching an external antenna in the car which is 10 times better reception.
Getting on the porch... love the move.. gets you higher above the obstructions... away from the cars which can block your signals. At best the radio horizon on flat earth is 12 miles from the ground and from the porch holding the radio high and clear 15 miles. Antenna height is everything in this situation. A receiver on a 500 ft mountain runs it out to 35 miles. Our amateur repeater is at 3000ft elevation and you can hear it 80 miles away in New Jersey in the NYSW yard in Little Ferry at CP4 on the NI.
The Kenwood TM V71a is dual band radio, you can listen to two channels at once, we have a road channel (AAR58) and a dispatcher channel (AAR34) to get the NI dispatcher. Channel 34 is 934 on my radio and 58 is 958, my railroad the MNJ used 36-36 so 936. and the tourist line is on AAR17...besides NY has a scanner law about radios capable of receiving police transmissions so be extra careful scanning in New York (V&T Law Sec 397)
Paul N3EYQ
Collecting my Railroad retirement
Newbie here... I watched another tutorial and saw you can do all that tedious programming in the USB software, took me only 10 minutes of copy/paste from the list LOL
Only got 2-3 hours using generic batteries. Switched to Panasonic Enloop and improved to 6-8 hours. Also used feature that allows you to remove batteries and power thru usb with pocket battery bank when out all day.
Another great info video !!!
There’s another function on that radio that makes listening easier. There’s a function called service bands. You could actually scan the entire band for police, fire, aircraft, railroad, and also public service. If I’m in an area, I’m not sure of what the railroad frequencies are I will just set it to railroad and leave the scan going in one direction. As soon as a transmission is picked up, I can hold and then save it later on because it is a frequency that is within the area that I’m listening to.
Bank 5 has all the preprogrammed AAR frequencies, by pushing the Function button then the search button accesses all the preprogrammed banks
@@yukonjack18517 I didn’t have the radio with me and that’s what I was talking about. However, the step of the frequency is different and some of the US railroad frequencies are off by a couple of hundred kilocycles. The spacing between each frequency is not standard. If you look up a certain frequency for the railroad and try to program it, it will change to a different frequency by a couple of hundred kilo cycles. This has presented a problem when I did a scan of the band. If it picked up any conversation, it was very distorted because it was not keyed directly on frequency. In most cases, it will just skip right over that conversation.
Danny, What kind of receiving range do you get down in flat land Florida? I’m about 20 miles from the railroad action in Nashville with a couple of very low hills in between. Not sure whether it would be a worthwhile investment for me. I don’t get out to chase trains these days. Thanks for another of your wonderful and informative videos.
Very informative thanks Danny ,safe travels from ballarat in Oz,👏🙏👋👍🚂🇦🇺
Thank you Danny! I have the BC125 and use it at the race track, and it is the perfect little entry scanner. With the links provided I will be able to bulk load the AAR frequencies using the software. Appreciate it!
Thanks very helpful for new folks
Thanks! I don't have this yet but will save this for ref.
Thanks Danny
Interesting. I've got an older BC75XLT and will have to review this. When I first got it, I programmed the 97 channels but when scanning, I often pick up static on random channels and had to block them. In some cases, I picked up extraneous communication (like marine weather info).
Had no problems programming mine, I keep getting that "Close proximity" thing where it picks up another (non-railroad) frequency that's transmitting nearby. Actually got the scanner for Christmas but haven't really used it all that much, still have my old one I bought from Radioshack years ago.
Thanks Danny you are the best
Can I use it one csx Pittsburgh subdivision and the Norfolk southern Pittsburgh division.