BuTel ARC536 + BCD536HP Step by Step?

[guruuno]

I'm in need of step by step understanding, I've played, listened, absorbed, tested, wiped out 3x the memory card (Serial woes), used the DB9 serial w/null modem way to connect, used ProScan, Sentinel, used ARC536 (previously had a HP1, never really understood how, why, what, how, etc.), and looked at some YouTube videos by K4DPS, but I want to do EVERYTHING via the software, NOT the buttons, knobs, etc. (after all, that is what software is supposed to do, make it easier, correct?)...so I'm looking for a beginners guide, intermediate, then maybe in time advanced leaning tools to master this. I am sometimes stuck just because of the inability to do simple stuff. As an example, I used to own Radio Shack Pro-2006 scanners with all the mods, etc., and you knew between X & Y, or specifically where or what you wanted to do via software, and it was not so difficult. If I want to scan trunked, or basic, it's needed to know the basics, and I'm not finding any simple 1-2-3 solutions anywhere.
As a part time hobby, I cannot spend gobs of time, dwaddling, I already feel like I've wasted a large amount of my life doing nothing by pushing buttons and waiting, with nothing happening.
Anyone have some starting line simple to follow guidance?

 

[fxdscon]

I'm in need of step by step understanding, I've played, listened, absorbed, tested, wiped out 3x the memory card (Serial woes), used the DB9 serial w/null modem way to connect, used ProScan, Sentinel, used ARC536 (previously had a HP1, never really understood how, why, what, how, etc.), and looked at some YouTube videos by K4DPS, but I want to do EVERYTHING via the software, NOT the buttons, knobs, etc. (after all, that is what software is supposed to do, make it easier, correct?)...so I'm looking for a beginners guide, intermediate, then maybe in time advanced leaning tools to master this. I am sometimes stuck just because of the inability to do simple stuff. As an example, I used to own Radio Shack Pro-2006 scanners with all the mods, etc., and you knew between X & Y, or specifically where or what you wanted to do via software, and it was not so difficult. If I want to scan trunked, or basic, it's needed to know the basics, and I'm not finding any simple 1-2-3 solutions anywhere.
As a part time hobby, I cannot spend gobs of time, dwaddling, I already feel like I've wasted a large amount of my life doing nothing by pushing buttons and waiting, with nothing happening.
Anyone have some starting line simple to follow guidance?

As far as the Arc536 software, the best instructions would probably be the software manual that came with it.

As far as Sentinel, have you seen the manual for that?

Sentinel BCDX36HP Software Manual

.

 

[guruuno]

VIDEO'S, EXAMPLES, STEP BY STEP REAL WORLD EXAMPLES, not written words.

 

[fxdscon]

VIDEO'S, EXAMPLES, STEP BY STEP REAL WORLD EXAMPLES, not written words.

No need to shout with all caps....

Have you searched Youtube, lots of videos there that deal with the software.

.

 

[guruuno]

I already pre-qualified my inquiry by indicating there is NOTHING along the line I sm requesting, hence my inquiry. If something exists please provide links to such items
Shhheeeesh

 

[fxdscon]

I already pre-qualified my inquiry by indicating there is NOTHING along the line I sm requesting, hence my inquiry. If something exists please provide links to such items
Shhheeeesh

OK, good luck.

 

[JoeyC]

Not sure how far you'll get if you don't want to learn the beast you are trying to control. The x36HP scanners are complex scanners that handle many types of radio systems and are very flexible in programming which is what users over the years have asked for so there are many variables that come into play when trying to set them up, particularly with trunked systems.

Just like you could not be expected to fly an airplane without any basic instruction or theory, neither can (optimally) running/operating an x36HP scanner.

I would suggest you continue watching the MANY Youtube videos, and if you haven't been to UPMANS channel, I would suggest watching them all.

 

[ProScan]

guruuno, IMO, The draw-backs with videos are you can't search for topics or key words unlike documents. Another draw-back is the videos may be too detailed or not detailed enough.

If you are looking for video on the software, don't be disappointed that it doesn't cover the scanner operation or trunking basics. Software producers as myself don't include the scanner operation as there are other documents for that and it would be redundant and info changes.

I would start with these documents on the scanner operation
Easier to Read BCD436/536HP Digital Scanner Manual

http://info.uniden.com/twiki/pub/NewScanners/WebHome/BCD436-536HPOM_EN_10182013.pdf

For documents on trunking or conventional systems, check out the RadioReference Wiki
Main Page - The RadioReference Wiki

I have a PRO-2006 also and did the mods such as cutting a diode or two and the Bill Cheek CE-232 interface. Those are from the simple era before trunking and can't be compared to today's technology.

 

[guruuno]

Thanking all so far for the follow up....I'll check back in in 6 months if my brain doesn't crap out from overload.
Happy Holidays.

 

[ofd8001]

The Youtube video below might be of some help. It is for the Arc Patrol software for the HP series. While this ain't exactly the Arc 536 software, how it works is quite similar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVJ1NlRbWTs

 

[CapStar362]

or you could just suck it up and RTM

 

[guruuno]

RTFM don't work for me, I want to fall asleep reading and fading off attempting to digest the information.
However, VISUALLY, I can absorb, rewind, digest, review, and go over and over the example being viewed, and get a real world, VISUAL hands on, not just words from RTFM'ing

 

[ofd8001]

I understand your situation - I too "learn" better by hearing/seeing, versus reading.

Another good learning method for me is simply jumping in and trying - "learn by doing".

There isn't anything you are going to ruin in the scanner through programming. You can always wipe the slate clean and start over again.

Also give yourself permission to make programming errors. That's all part of the learning, as frustrating and time consuming as it may be. Most all of us started out knowing little and gained our knowledge by simply trying this and that, just to see what happens.

 

[JoeyC]

and I agree. Youtube is amazing. You'll find a video or 12 for just about anything you wish to learn. Keep looking.

 

[radiogeek76]

Not to revive an old post but I just purchased a 536hp and the arc536pro software. My gog 4 hours messing with this thing and I still can't even scan just 5 depts that I want to. I work with Motorola radios all day and am not unfamiliar with the basics, but MAN is this software and scanner convoluted. I can't find any good Video tutorials on using the arc536 sw either. Has anybody found any since this thread started.

 

[Voyager]

When you are used for software X, software Y will always seem bad. I went through the same thing when switching from GE to Motorola back in the 80s. It's not the software that is convoluted - it's the fact that you are used to something different that uses different terms for the same thing. (such as Motorola Modes are called Channels in other SW)

The easiest way to add a FL is to use Sentinel and just copy the data from the main dB into a FL. It's just about a one-step process if the channels you want are in the RR dB.

 

[sdm0964]

I have to agree with radiogeek76. I am in the same boat as he. I deal with not only the Motorola radios daily, but also dealt with many previous different versions of scanners and various scanner softwares and I notice these Unidens keeps getting more convoluted and complicated. The RadShack ones are not so bad.

I realize as more and more features are added, there's more to learn, but my G_d, what a PITA with the BCD536HP. The worst part is plugging and un-plugging the programming cable into the scanner after each up_or_download.

I just spent the past few days learning this thing. Now I need to figure out the Wifi doo-hickey.

 

[radiogeek76]

Sirene app outside home wifi

Speaking about the wifi thing has Anybody figured out a way to use the sirene app outside of the home? I thought according to unidentifiable you could use the app all over the world? I guess that would be a future release? The soles at scanner master in the us told me that you could do it now with some use of a VPN Client but that it was not supported. With space foe only an IP ADDRESS. And no port number in the Sirene app I'm kind of lost. Anybody found a way to use sirene app outside of home network?

 

[ofd8001]

I believe I may have read some posts in the Uniden forum where some folks may have done this using port forwarding. However, I'm not that tech savvy and didn't dig too much into that.

Uniden plans to expand the horizons of the Siren App so that you can access your scanner from outside your home network. Their next version of the Siren App will be to include the full scanner menu. Following that, Uniden will work on the internet accessible version.

 

[RamFanYo]

You would think that for a $70.00 price tag, ARC536 would at least have a manual to go along with the CD which does not have programming instructions.