How do you record your logs?

Subject: How do you record your logs? 2009-01-15, 06:03

Would love to hear from member on how they record their logs.

Do you sit there with a pen and paper and write it down as it happens? Do you record it and visit it later? Do you have logging software running in conjuction with your scanner that notes freq and records audio?

Location : grimsby Spotter Watch Member : no

Hi i also have a ubc3500 and use the free software called bctool to log and record transmissions because some the speech happens so fast it needs a coupleb of listens to understand what has been said.
The softwares fre you just need a coupleof cables. one is the data cable the other a simple phono cable with a 3.5mm jack each end.

Subject: Re: How do you record your logs? 2009-01-15, 08:23

Cheers for the info on BCTool. I never knew it had those sort of recording / logging features. I think I might have to invest in that.

Where is the best place to get the USB cable from to connect the scanner to PC?

Admin Location : East Midlands Spotter Watch Member : Yes

I would have thought Maplins or RS Components.

Possibly even try Belkin. They make & sell cables with every type of connection and variants known to man.

Subject: Re: How do you record your logs? 2009-01-15, 09:20

I'll have a look at the scanner when I get home tonight. I can't remember if it is a standard USB connection on the scanner or a specialist uniden only connection.

Location : Ramsey, Huntingdon Spotter Watch Member : no

ironic thing is i just read this thread befor i posted lol brian not in gear

Admin Location : Bristol, UK

jingernut wrote:: I'll have a look at the scanner when I get home tonight. I can't remember if it is a standard USB connection on the scanner or a specialist uniden only connection.

It's a specialist Uniden I believe, I got mine with the scanner - A Serial one. But you can get them on eBay.

Mike

Location : Near RAF Aldergrove

I got my scanner with a serial cable but I got this baby to connect it to laptop. This is the third one I have tried and the only one that I could get to work!

Click here for amazon

Location : St.Ives, Cambridgeshire

jingernut wrote:: Would love to hear from member on how they record their logs.

Do you sit there with a pen and paper and write it down as it happens? Do you record it and visit it later? Do you have logging software running in conjuction with your scanner that notes freq and records audio?

If it helps, this should give you an idea of what you see in bcTool (a brilliant programme) in conjunction with the Uniden 3500.

This is a screen dump of my pc recording 'Grim' (an F-15) talking to Swanwick a few minutes ago. If I Left double click with the pc mouse on the frequency in the far left column, the 3500 will hold it, useful if you want to continue listening to a conversation or a flight calls a frequency change back to one used earlier. If I Right click it offers me the option to play the recording of that conversation back - as long as you have the record option set of course.

I did buy the Uniden specific USB cable which is expensive.

How do you record your logs? BcToolScreen

How do you record your logs? BcToolScreen

Andrew

Subject: Re: How do you record your logs? 2009-01-15, 11:34

Andrewausfa, thanks for that. Looks exactly what I could do with. Probably get a serial cable though as they are not as expensive as the USB ones and easier to get hold of.

Location : Worcester Spotter Watch Member : No

jingernut wrote:: Would love to hear from member on how they record their logs.

Do you sit there with a pen and paper and write it down as it happens? Do you record it and visit it later? Do you have logging software running in conjuction with your scanner that notes freq and records audio?

both lol, logging with pen & paper requires a degree of abbreviating at times to get details down fast enough though. Logging with a pc connected scanner with software is great along with a vox type audio programme that time stamps the audio recorded, ie recallpro from sagebrush.

Subject: log 2009-01-16, 10:54

I just note down whatever i hear when i spend a few hours with the scanner

Cheers

Location : worcestershire Spotter Watch Member : Yes !!!!

Jim

If you have MS Excel you can copy and paste.

Then highlight all the text.

Then click on Data in the menu

And then click on Text to Colums.

You will then need to choose Delimited

Click on Next

And make sure that SPACE is the only box ticked and then check that everything is lined up in the Data Preview.

You might have to do a bit of manual tweaking.

If you don't have MS Excel or any other Spreadsheet software.

You can download Open Office www.openoffice.org which is 100% free and some same 100% better than MS Office.

You will need to have alook at doing the samething in their spreadsheet version software.
But I have read that all the features are the same and everything saved in MS Office can be edited and saved in Open Office and read and edited in both vice versa.

Hope this helps.

Hi all, Amost interesting thread this, so many thank's. I'm not sure if this is the best place to post this question, but it has to do with BCtool. How do you transfer the freq: list from say, Klammond. f2.com military aviation base to the BC prog: I tried with ARC 3500 software by copy and pasting, but it just puts everything on the same line, ie: FREQ, AIRBASE, RADAR (for example). I can see from Andrews post how it should end up, but I don't know how to get there. I hope this makes sense.
Many thank's..Kindest..Jim.. :D ...

Mods; Please move this if it's in the wrong place

Location : various

MikeB wrote:

jingernut wrote:: I'll have a look at the scanner when I get home tonight. I can't remember if it is a standard USB connection on the scanner or a specialist uniden only connection.

It's a specialist Uniden I believe, I got mine with the scanner - A Serial one. But you can get them on eBay.

Mike

Actually the 3500 uses RS232 but at reduced voltages. It's easy eough to make up your own cable if you can find a suitable lead (several of the cheap FM transmitters for mp3 players use the same connector.

For some examples and further info see: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/tony.ling/radio/reviews/ubc3500xlt/3500interface.html

Location : Workington Cumbria

Expensive but my USB cable come from here a few years ago, they also pop up on ebay now and again..

http://www.webbedingen.com/uniden/-------USB-Cables-E_grp_35-1.html

Subject: Re: How do you record your logs? 2009-01-19, 13:26

I ended up with a serial cable and am annoyed I did not get one sooner along with BCTool. The program is fantastic. Cheers for all info.