Use BCDx60DN SS, not Sentinel.
These scanners use Uniden's BCDx60DN SS programming software. The native file preserves the program structure that the software expects, including banks, channel names and scanner settings.
Important: A Sentinel .hpe file will not work with these models. Renaming an HPE, CSV or text file does not convert it into a native BCDx60DN SS setting file.
Back up, review and write the native file.
- 1
Connect the correct scanner
Open BCDx60DN SS, connect the BCD160DN or BCD260DN by USB and wait for Windows and the software to recognise it.
- 2
Read from the scanner
Open the Scanner menu and choose Read from Scanner. Let the transfer finish so the program contains a current copy of the radio before you change anything.
- 3
Save a backup
Open the File menu, choose Save As and save the scanner's existing programming somewhere safe. Give the backup a name that includes the scanner model and date.
- 4
Open the ScanLocal file
Open the File menu, choose Open and select the supplied model-specific setting file. Confirm that the filename ends in .bcd160dn_ss for a BCD160DN or .bcd260dn_ss for a BCD260DN.
- 5
Review the banks and names
Check that the ScanLocal banks contain named conventional channels. Review the frequencies and confirm the model shown by the program before writing.
- 6
Write to the scanner
Open the Scanner menu and choose Write to Scanner. Wait for the transfer to finish completely, then disconnect the USB cable and test the enabled banks.
Check the model, banks and first few channels before relying on the new setup.
The open filename and BCDx60DN SS window identify the same BCD160DN or BCD260DN model as the connected scanner.
The file contains only the banks needed for the supplied channels, up to ten banks of 100, with readable channel names.
The transfer completes without an error and the scanner can step through the enabled ScanLocal banks after disconnection.
Restore your backup: Reconnect the scanner, open the untouched backup saved before the change and use Write to Scanner again. Stop if the backup is for a different model.
If BCDx60DN SS will not open or write the file.
The file will not open
Download a fresh copy and open it directly in BCDx60DN SS. Do not edit it in Notepad, a spreadsheet or another scanner program.
The wrong model is shown
Stop before writing. Check that a BCD160DN received .bcd160dn_ss and a BCD260DN received .bcd260dn_ss, then open the matching file.
The scanner is not detected
Reconnect the USB cable, try another USB port and confirm any required Uniden driver is installed. Close other programs that may be using the scanner connection.
The channels are present but silent
Make sure the relevant scan banks are enabled. Listed channels are discovery possibilities and may not transmit continuously.
A native setting file with named conventional channels.
ScanLocal creates only the banks needed for the supplied channels, up to ten banks of 100, with cleaned 16-character names and the nearest local results prioritised when more than 1,000 are available.
The file is a conventional discovery list. It does not create a fully mapped trunked-radio system or guarantee that every listed assignment is active at the time you listen.
Official references: Uniden BCD160DN downloads ↗
Questions
Can I open this file in Sentinel?
No. The BCD160DN and BCD260DN use BCDx60DN SS and their own native setting-file extensions. Sentinel HPE files are for different Uniden scanner families.
Why do some channels use Audio Type All?
Ofcom does not always state an analogue or digital voice mode, and some published assignments are data or another signal type. ScanLocal keeps these tuneable rows and sets them to All rather than hiding them or inventing a protocol.
Can I use a BCD160DN file in a BCD260DN?
No. Select the exact scanner model when ordering and use the matching model-specific file.
Will writing the file remove my existing programming?
Writing a complete setting file changes the scanner configuration. Read from the scanner and save a backup first so you can restore the previous setup if needed.
How many channels can the supplied file contain?
The scanner provides ten banks of 100 channels. ScanLocal limits the native file to the nearest 1,000 compatible results.