Page Type: SYMPTOM
Certain models of Uniden scanner (including the BCD-536 and SDS-200) include a SD card that stores critical information defining the operation of the radio. This error message indicates the PC attempted to access the scanner's SD card, but was unable to establish a connection. There are four likely causes: (1) This may be a transient issue (for example, related to timing of operations) that will clear if the software is simply relaunched. (2) The radio may have a temporary fault and need to be power-cycled. (3) The necessary programming cable connecting the scanner to the PC may be missing or loose. (4) The scanner's SD card may have failed, and need to be replaced.
Special note for users of the Uniden BCD-536 scanner in 2019: Rangecast is changing its software to take advantage of a recent firmware upgrade from the manufacturer that makes it possible to automatically reprogram the scanner (which was formerly not possible in an automated mode of operation.) This change requires adding an additional cable connecting the scanner and PC. If this error message is reported on a BCD-536 scanner where this additional cable has not been put into service, that is the likely issue.
There are four likely causes for this error message.
(1) This may be a transient issue (for example, related to timing of operations) that will clear if the software is simply relaunched.
The startup process includes steps that are expected to happen within predefined time intervals, and if (for whatever reason) something happens to run slowly during startup on the PC or scanner, the timing window may be missed resulting in the symptom of not detecting the SD card. Since this cause would be a random outlier event, it is not a cause for concern, and everything should work fine when restarted.
The easiest step to try is simply relaunching the software. This can be done by rebooting the PC. If you have access to the Windows desktop, a faster method is to press the Rangecast icon and then press Stop, wait for the software to close, then press the Rangecast icon again and this time press Start.
(2) The radio may have a temporary fault and need to be power-cycled.
This must be done on-site, by turning the scanner off and back on, then restarting the Rangecast software.
(3) The necessary programming cable connecting the scanner to the PC may be missing or loose.
For all Uniden scanners with SD cards, Rangecast requires that the scanner be connected to the PC through a USB data cable that seats on the front panel of the scanner. (This is in addition to the standard connection via the RCX interface box that mounts onto the back of the scanner.) This is because only the front port on the scanner can be used to reprogram the radio, but audio and normal data communications are conducted via the back panel connectors under the RCX box.
If this front panel cable is missing, loose, or defective, Rangecast software will not be able to communicate with the scanner's SD card (resulting in this error message.) Check that a cable is installed, and that it is seated securely.
(4) The scanner's SD card may have failed, and need to be replaced.
If the problem persists, consider the possibility that the SD card in the scanner may have failed. There has been a chronic problem with heavily used Uniden radios of certain models where the radio (by its design) writes to the SD card so frequently that its limited lifespan (defined by a number of write cycles) is exhausted and the card fails, often within a matter of years. This is a common problem, and if this is the issue, you may see an indication on the scanner's display.
If you replace the SD card, the scanner can be used with Rangecast without any special work to reprogram the radio. (Rangecast will automatically detect that the scanner does not contain the current intended programming, and reprogram the radio.)
However, since the radio stores its Rangecast identity, you may need to reassociate the scanner with Rangecast after replacing the SD card. Depending on the exact circumstances, this may not be necessary - it's fine to simply relaunch the software after installing a new SD card and seeing if it works normally. But if you get a "Radio Missing" error (indicating that the PC cannot detect the specific scanner with a specific Rangecast identity), follow the normal steps for installing a new radio (launching the Rangecast configuration screen on the PC, waiting for the hardware scan to complete, entering the desired Rangecast scanner ID for a scanner without this information, and pressing Save.)
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