Uniden 436 or HP for Char-Meck

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tommul05

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Looking to listen to Char-Meck and Union Counties... Will the 436 or the HP be a better option for me? Thanks in advance
 

kg4pbd

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If the choice is between the '436 & the HP, you would be better off with the '436. Both are good radios except on simulcast systems like the Charlotte UASI system. The '436 does better but until you try it where you plan to use it, it's hard to say how well it will work for you. Depending on where you are using the radio you may have no problems or the system may be difficult to monitor on those radios.

If you wanted to ensure you don't have an issue then go for the new SDS 100 which is just now coming out, and should handle simulcast systems well. Or if you wanted to go with an alternative to a scanner you could look at the Unication G4/G5 pagers, which do very well on simulcast systems, but at the expense of more typical scanner features.
 

jonwienke

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A Unication pager costs about the same as the SDS-100, only does P25 and analog on 2 bands, and can only scan a limited number of channels on a single system. Given the existence of the SDS-100, there's pretty much no reason to consider a Unication any more. If simulcast is a concern, go with the SDS-100, otherwise get the 436.
 

newsnick175

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I’ve been getting good clear reception on my 436 on the UASI system 85 to 90% of the time. I’m mostly mobile with it so that might be why. I’m going to pick up a 536 when the price drops when the 100 is in full swing. I expect there will be a mobile/desk version of the 100 later on that I’d invest in.
 

tommul05

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The SDS looks like a sweet choice and I would love to have one, but I am not looking to spend 700.00, The 436 is like 400.00 on Amazon, which is still high but I guess it is what it is... The cost of a scanner is getting up there with the cost of an actual radio, at least a used one anyway... I live in Union County (Indian Trail) but hoped to be able to listen to both Meck and Union...
 

kg4pbd

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The SDS looks like a sweet choice and I would love to have one, but I am not looking to spend 700.00, The 436 is like 400.00 on Amazon, which is still high but I guess it is what it is... The cost of a scanner is getting up there with the cost of an actual radio, at least a used one anyway... I live in Union County (Indian Trail) but hoped to be able to listen to both Meck and Union...

If you are in Indian Trail you may find you get good reception of the Union simulcast site but not the Mecklenburg site, or vice versa, you just don't know until you get the radio and that is the gamble with a 436.

If you don't need to be mobile with the radio you can always try a yagi antenna. I have an older HP1 that does extremely well on the Charlotte system as long as it is attached to a yagi. At the very least you will need to get an 800 mhz duck for the '436, rather than using the stock antenna.

You will be fairly close to the Matthews Charlotte UASI site, so you may be ok. Remember that Union traffic is only carried on the Union site, and Charlotte traffic is only carried on the Charlotte site. You will want to have two separate systems set up, one with Charlotte talkgroups and the other with Union.
 

jonwienke

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You will be fairly close to the Matthews Charlotte UASI site, so you may be ok. Remember that Union traffic is only carried on the Union site, and Charlotte traffic is only carried on the Charlotte site. You will want to have two separate systems set up, one with Charlotte talkgroups and the other with Union.

No. One system, with two sites (Union and Charlotte), and two Departments (Union & Charlotte). Many systems have roaming talkgroups that can appear on more than one site. They may not be used very often, but if you program as separate systems you are guaranteed to miss that traffic.
 

tommul05

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Scott, I'll have 30 days to return the 436, if its terrible I guess I will return it and spring for the new one.. Any idea how the "zipcode" programming will do for me in my area or will I have to do a manual program.. I have programmed radios (Motorola) in the past but not actual scanners, and have never used a home pro with that zipcode search..
 

UPMan

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How it Works: Location, Location, Location

One methodology for programming is to enable the desired service types, enter the zip code, and scan (actually all of this after updating the database to the most current).

If the scanner stops on a channel you don't want to hear again, press AVOID twice to permanently avoid it.
If the scanner stops on a department you don't what to hear again (including all the other channels in that department) press DEPT then AVOID twice.
If the scanner stops on a system you don't want to hear again (including all departments/channels in that system) press SYSTEM then AVOID twice.

Relatively quickly, you will be scanning almost entirely things you want to continue to scan. If desired, you can then turn that into a Favorites List that you can further fine tune by MENU --> Manage Favorites Lists --> New Favorites List --> Add Current dB Channels

You then rename the FL, add quick keys, etc. Easiest at that point to use Sentinel to read from scanner, then edit in Sentinel before writing back to scanner.

One advantage of this method is that you might find some agencies that were "off your radar" that you would actually be interested in scanning.
 

jonwienke

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Zip code scanning is a great way to get started.

But as you use the scanner, you will find you want to refine what you scan, and for that you'll want to start making favorite lists.

If you travel with the scanner, then you will want to look into GPS options. Connecting a GPS to the scanner eliminates the need to constantly enter zip codes as you travel. The scanner will automatically change what it scans so it is always scanning nearby stuff, anywhere in the US or Canada.
 

tommul05

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If I were to buy the new SDS 100 would it require one of the upgrades they are selling to be able to ensure best monitoring of these simulcast systems?
 

UPMan

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The upgrades add additional digital modes (DMR, NXDN, Provoice) and have nothing to do with Simulcast systems. The SDS100 performs phenomenally on simulcast out of the box.
 

tommul05

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Thanks UPMAN... From your vantage point am I going to be happy with the 436? I have not owned a scanner in years, really hate to shell out the 650.00 on the first one in years.. I have ordered the 436 should be here this week... It seems the two systems I am wanting to hear are both simulcast systems.. Just as much as I hate to spend 650, I date to be spending 400 and it not work, if you know what I mean..
 

UPMan

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I have not been to Charlotte in more than a decade. You are better off listening to responses from locals.
 

kg4pbd

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No. One system, with two sites (Union and Charlotte), and two Departments (Union & Charlotte). Many systems have roaming talkgroups that can appear on more than one site. They may not be used very often, but if you program as separate systems you are guaranteed to miss that traffic.

What I am saying Jon, is that the typical Charlotte talkgroups i.e. PD & FD are carried only on the Charlotte site. Same with Union. So I am correct in that if you want to listen to Meck talkgroups you listen to the Meck site, and if you want to listen to Union talkgroups you listen to the Union site. You can still keep the regional mutual aid talkgroups in both.

I realize it is one "system", as far as the database treats it, that was not my point. My point is that in my experience monitoring this system on a daily basis, is the best solution is to set up two "systems" in the scanner, one for Meck and one for Union.

I prefer to create custom systems tailored to what I want to hear and how I want things organized. Doesn't mean it is wrong.......
 

yardbird

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Just my advice,

I have a 436 and I have good service out of it.

If you are planning to listen to the NC Highway Patrol.

I would strongly suggest you listen to them on the state Viper 700/800 Mhz. radio system.

The Highway Patrol does have a talkgroup on the UASI Char-Meck System.

However it is one-way. Meaning you will not hear the cars replying back to dispatch.

All you hear will be dispatch only.

With the state Viper System, you will be able to hear both sides of the conversation.

Like I said my 436 works great.

Hope this helps

David
 

kg4pbd

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Scott, I'll have 30 days to return the 436, if its terrible I guess I will return it and spring for the new one.. Any idea how the "zipcode" programming will do for me in my area or will I have to do a manual program.. I have programmed radios (Motorola) in the past but not actual scanners, and have never used a home pro with that zipcode search..

You can start out using the zip code approach, but as you learn the radio and the system you will probably want to create your own favorites lists. That was the point I was trying make earlier. For example, I have separate favorites lists broken down by Charlotte North, Charlotte South, Union County, etc. That way I can easily toggle between lists depending on where I am and/or what I want to hear.
 

jonwienke

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What I am saying Jon, is that the typical Charlotte talkgroups i.e. PD & FD are carried only on the Charlotte site. Same with Union. So I am correct in that if you want to listen to Meck talkgroups you listen to the Meck site, and if you want to listen to Union talkgroups you listen to the Union site. You can still keep the regional mutual aid talkgroups in both.

So you're duplicating the regional and mutual aid talkgroups unnecessarily; if anything changes there you have to program any updates twice. Programming a system twice takes twice as long to scan, and increases the odds of missing traffic.

If you program as one system with everything, you can program both sites as actually configured (one for Union and one for Charlotte), and have 3 departments, one for Charlotte, one for Union, and one for the mutual aid stuff that may appear on either site. You can use quick keys or GPS to toggle the site(s) and department(s) individually without having to program the system multiple times.
 

kg4pbd

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So you're duplicating the regional and mutual aid talkgroups unnecessarily; if anything changes there you have to program any updates twice. Programming a system twice takes twice as long to scan, and increases the odds of missing traffic.

If you program as one system with everything, you can program both sites as actually configured (one for Union and one for Charlotte), and have 3 departments, one for Charlotte, one for Union, and one for the mutual aid stuff that may appear on either site. You can use quick keys or GPS to toggle the site(s) and department(s) individually without having to program the system multiple times.

No arguments with any of that. It's all about how you want to configure your radio and how you want to listen. I don't listen to two counties concurrently so I'm not concerned about scan speed. And talkgroups rarely change on this system. That's the great thing about this hobby and these radios, lots of ways to do it and none of them are wrong if it works for you.
 

tommul05

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So I got the 436 today... I have created a favorites list in the PC software, I have entered talkgroups in Union and Meck.. When I wrote to the scanner if I have it on hold on like CMPD Hickory Grove Div Dispatch it looks to be scanning the Meck and Union Simulcast site, or at least its flashing between those two.. I am not hearing nothing n the channel either so I think I have done something wrong.. When I did zip code search it added all sorts of stuff even SC... So I then tried it by the Sentinel... I want to monitor CMPD, Meck Fire and EMS... Then Union Fire and EMS and Union Sheriff... That's really all for now... Any quick tips on how I maybe set it up wrong..... Thanks in advance
 
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