BCD436HP/BCD536HP: Ordering a 436 next week, what do I need to know?

Subliminal87 · Oct 21, 2014

So radio shack listed the 436 for sale, I have gift cards so I'll order it from there.

I was originally set on the 536 after going back and forth for months. I've decided to get the 436 first, and either A pair it with a 996xt later on, or late late next year pick up a 536 just for the app (if it's there).

The 996xt would only really be to stream, or remote control. and 436 grab and go.

What do I need to know right away about this scanner, I really dug in the 536 about reading, but not the 436. I will just use the uniden software and maybe later switch over to Proscan.

I will be monitoring two P25 Phase 2 systems 700mhz.

One p25 Phase 1 500 Mhz.
One P25 Phase 1 400mhz system.

and one EDACS Standard system.

What type of cheap speaker is good for home that I guess needs plugged in since it needs to be amplified? It may not even be connected to a speaker at all at times.

How will the stock antenna work? Really have limited options for indoor since it will be moved room to room.

I had this for my car when I had the BC 15x and it was great.
SpectrumForce Wideband Antenna with Mag Mount and SMA

When it was on the desk I had this one connected and it was fantastic.
In-Car Mobile Antenna with SMA

obviously I had BNC's but would need the SMA versions now.

I thought if I needed to replace the stock one i'd grab this:
WSMA-801 Regular Gainer SMA Portable Antenna

Until my county system goes live I'll be monitoring 33mhz and 154-155mhz. I'll also hopefully be doing discovery to figure out our new system as they are getting it set up.

What should I know so there are no surprises? I had a 396xt but returned it, I hated the display. So I can only assume this one is much better.

What kind of display protector should I get?

I am going to use a spare iPhone charger to plug it in at home, and use my car charger adapter for my iphone for the scanner at times, will that be ok?

Any problems leaving the scanner on for hours at a time?this will be my only and primary scanner.

WILSON43 · Oct 21, 2014

The very first thing you will need to do is leave it on for hours at a time, some here say at least 50 hours just to get the clock battery charged so you do not have to re-set the clock every time you power on the scanner.

Or, you can just leave it on forever.

As for your other questions, most asked and answered many times in these forums. A quick search should do it.

lep · Oct 21, 2014

The antenna you have chosen will not likely do much at 33 Mhz.

AZScanner · Oct 21, 2014

Gotta love ya dconti.

I have set the clock on this scanner twice. Once when I first got it and once the other day when I realized it was set to use daylight savings settings and it was an hour off (we don't change the clocks here in AZ). I do not leave the scanner on forever - I've found that keeping it plugged in and turned on here at my desk at work for a few hours was enough to keep the clock from forgetting things.

Something to keep in mind when using this radio is that it's quite unlike any other scanner you might be used to, even earlier Unidens. One thing that trips people up when first programming these units is the Service Types - you can program all the favorites lists in the world but if you don't activate the appropriate Service Types then you'll get the dreaded "Nothing to Scan" message no matter what else you try. The Service Types can act as a scanner-wide lockout which is really useful if you understand how it works and really frustrating if you don't.

The other thing to realize is that lots of people got all excited about these scanners when they were first announced and a lot of other people started calling Uniden everything in the book when the scanners finally shipped sans a few things (mostly on the 536 side of things). So while dconti's suggestion of searching the forums was accurate, you'll have to sift through a lot (and I mean a LOT) of noise to get anything useful. Fair warning.

Hope that helps - if you get stuck once you have this thing, put a post up on the Tech Support forum and one of us will get you going. It's overall a very nice scanner and I think you'll be happy with it. I'm happy with mine.

-AZ

WILSON43 · Oct 21, 2014

I know....there's a lot to love.....

troymail · Oct 21, 2014

Get a good 2nd and maybe even a 3rd SD cards and keep it ready to go...just in case. I haven't had any card issues with the x36 yet but I'm always ready. Given what you want to listen to, you should probably stick with the stock antenna...but don't count on really food reception in VHF low...the radio isn'tgeared for that.

The 436 is essentially just a handheld 536 given the extra bells and whistles promised on the 536 haven't yet materialized.

As others had said...there are some "quirks" that you will certainly run into...most notably, the fact that only a small number of "services" are enabled out of the box. I recommend enabling them all at the start. And, you probably want to try Mable's zip code feature at least once. But in the end, you will probably dive in and do some Sentinel programming.

The biggest tip...be patient while figuring things out...experiment...learn.

ofd8001 · Oct 21, 2014

You might visit the following link:

BCD436HP < UnidenMan4 < TWiki

Then, if you haven't already, you could see if there are any YouTube videos on the 436 that are of interest.

Before I my 536 arrived, I started building Favorites Lists, just to get a sense of the Sentinel software. But it took having the scanner to learn the software's ins and outs.

Subliminal87 · Oct 22, 2014

Thanks everyone for the tips. I have searched the forums a bit but mostly non relevant stuff comes up.

I should only have to deal with low band for a few months so that shouldn't be too bad.

I've been playing around with the Uniden software for literally months and have that pretty much figured out.

I have a few micro SD cards already so that should be good I think.

cm · Oct 23, 2014

Easier to Read BCD436/536HP Digital Scanner Manual Bookmark this link, My 436 came with a manual, ditch that thing and use this link.

Subliminal87 · Oct 23, 2014

So I'm hopefully going to go order this later this morning and I'll get next week, I guess I can consider it a bday gift since tomorrow is my birthday. I just wont tell the wife. It was down to this, or an xbox one...I think she has plans for the xbox for Christmas, so she'd kill me if I brought that home today. Maybe she wont care too much about the scanner.

Also, while browsing for an amplified speaker, I am not finding to much to use indoors, mostly the searches are for in car.

Another issues, is the car chargers, it seems mixed, use only unidens, or use only A, or use B, don't use C....I think the usb adapter I use in the car for my iphone is the same 1A 5.0v.

I just have to buy a AA battery charger. I am thinking of ordering later the Amazon Basics 2400 batteries, they seem to be just about the same as the good panasonic ones.

troymail · Oct 23, 2014

I see no special needs for a USB adapter/charger. I use generic USB cig lighter adapters in the car and a variety of different AC to USB adapters at home - no problems. The one thing folks generally say (including me) is avoid charging batteries in the radios - use an external charger and at rotation of at least two sets of good batteries (Sanyo/Panasonic Eneloops are best in my opinion).

Also see this: http://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-tavern/300500-uniden-you-should-embarrassed.html#post2272762

Subliminal87 · Oct 23, 2014

troymail said:
I see no special needs for a USB adapter/charger. I use generic USB cig lighter adapters in the car and a variety of different AC to USB adapters at home - no problems. The one thing folks generally say (including me) is avoid charging batteries in the radios - use an external charger and at rotation of at least two sets of good batteries (Sanyo/Panasonic Eneloops are best in my opinion).

Also see this: http://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-tavern/300500-uniden-you-should-embarrassed.html#post2272762

Thanks, yeah and I am going to charge them externally, I'll hopefully have an external one before it comes. I'll probably just pick up a Panasonic eneloop charger. I don't really want to spend $30 on a charger right now.

I saw and read that topic. Little nervous about it, hopefully I like it. Not a die hard scanner listener but would be nice to know what's going on.

Jay911 · Oct 23, 2014

I've had a 436 for quite some time and use it every day. Here are the observations I'll make.

I do like the Diamond SRH-789 telescoping antenna for portable use. The SRH version has an SMA connector so it screws directly onto the radio, but if you would rather have a BNC version in case you want to use it with other radios, the RH version is BNC and the 436 comes with a BNC to SMA adapter.

For power, at home, I simply plug my radio into my computer (well, into a powered USB hub which is connected to my computer) and select Serial Mode on the scanner. I don't start up any programs on the computer, so it just ignores the radio but keeps it powered.

In my vehicle, I have a fender-mounted Austin Spectra NMO antenna which does excellently. The cable terminates in a PL259 connector, so I have a small SO239 to SMA pigtail that the scanner hooks into. I have the old GPS (a Garmin 18) that I used to use with my HomePatrol-1, and that works just fine with the 436. Power-wise, a cigarette lighter to USB adapter and a regular old USB cable (same with the computer connection above - any old USB A to mini-B will do) does the trick. Again, just selecting "Serial Mode" lets the radio be powered from USB while it's switched on.

The one issue I have with my vehicle configuration is that when I have my phone plugged in to charge, there is significant RFI to the VHF band of the scanner. It is probably related to the fact that the cig-USB adapter I'm using has two 2.1A ports, and I use one for the scanner and one for the radio - pushing out a lot of power. One of these days I'll bother to do something about it.

On my vehicle dash, I have put a ProClip - I have a Ford F150 and the clip snaps right into the dash very easily. To the front of the ProClip, I attached a mic hangup clip I had in my radio junk bin. The button on the back of the 436 fits perfectly into this and keeps the radio in my line of sight.

Of the stuff I've mentioned so far, I've only really had issues with the portable antenna - the wear and tear of taking it off and putting it on at least twice a day causes it to fail just above the connector. If I can find a comparable one with a more sturdy construction, I might consider it. As mentioned in the "embarrassed" thread, the rubber dust cover does tend to pop open once you've used it for a while - especially if you are using it often like I do when I plug stuff in in the truck, then put it on my belt clip when I get out of the truck, then plug the radio back in when I'm at home or the office, etc. But I've yet to encounter a radio that doesn't have that problem, including my 396T, 396XT, and my Yaesu VX8G ham radio. The only radio that has resisted this is my professional two-way that has a hard plastic cover which is held on with a screw.

Batteries - I use Sanyo eneloop XX batteries. They're black with silver lettering on them. I do not charge the batteries in the radio, more because it takes too long than out of any concern with the hazards of charging batteries in an enclosed space/with a "dumb" charger/etc. I use a Powerex Maha charger which can charge anywhere from 1 to 8 cells individually (wish it was 9, because that would work well with the radio which uses 3 at a time). Consumption wise, the batteries last about 8-10 hours at a time, so I almost always keep one spare set with me at all times to swap out when needed.

With regards to the programming and performance, if you know what you're doing and do it carefully/properly, you shouldn't have much trouble. I was quite used to the Uniden design from having x96T/XT radios and the HP1, so it wasn't a big deal to learn the x36. I would suggest to download the Sentinel software from the wiki page (mentioned in another post above) and teach yourself how to use it while you're waiting for your radio to be delivered. Build some favorites lists, learn how the options are configured and how things you do in the software affect what happens to the radio.

Marksscanners.com also has a great article known as the "Easier to Read BCDx36HP Manual". It is, essentially, the scanner equivalent of the "for Dummies" line of books. This is not to say that only idiots benefit from it, of course - I find myself referring to it very frequently to either do something myself or help out with someone else. If you search for it, either on here or Google, you will find it. I believe he also has an "Easier to Read Sentinel Manual".

I have taken my 436 on many trips around the continent (Canada and the US). I've used it on conventional (both analog and P25 digital, known on the Uniden radios as "One Frequency Trunk"); Motorola Type II (3600) systems, both analog and digital; and Motorola, Harris, and other P25 systems, both Phase 1 and Phase 2. Normal and simulcast systems too, and never had a problem with it. Unfortunately there's no EDACS near me, so I don't spend much time listening to those systems. I think when I went to Vegas in June I might have spent some time monitoring one, but I didn't focus too much on how it was performing on a system flavor I never really use (and you know what they say about what happens in Vegas, anyway

).

Like others have said above, if you run into problems, post and someone will have an answer.

Subliminal87 · Oct 23, 2014

Jay911 said:
I've had a 436 for quite some time and use it every day. Here are the observations I'll make.

I do like the Diamond SRH-789 telescoping antenna for portable use. The SRH version has an SMA connector so it screws directly onto the radio, but if you would rather have a BNC version in case you want to use it with other radios, the RH version is BNC and the 436 comes with a BNC to SMA adapter.

For power, at home, I simply plug my radio into my computer (well, into a powered USB hub which is connected to my computer) and select Serial Mode on the scanner. I don't start up any programs on the computer, so it just ignores the radio but keeps it powered.

In my vehicle, I have a fender-mounted Austin Spectra NMO antenna which does excellently. The cable terminates in a PL259 connector, so I have a small SO239 to SMA pigtail that the scanner hooks into. I have the old GPS (a Garmin 18) that I used to use with my HomePatrol-1, and that works just fine with the 436. Power-wise, a cigarette lighter to USB adapter and a regular old USB cable (same with the computer connection above - any old USB A to mini-B will do) does the trick. Again, just selecting "Serial Mode" lets the radio be powered from USB while it's switched on.

The one issue I have with my vehicle configuration is that when I have my phone plugged in to charge, there is significant RFI to the VHF band of the scanner. It is probably related to the fact that the cig-USB adapter I'm using has two 2.1A ports, and I use one for the scanner and one for the radio - pushing out a lot of power. One of these days I'll bother to do something about it.

On my vehicle dash, I have put a ProClip - I have a Ford F150 and the clip snaps right into the dash very easily. To the front of the ProClip, I attached a mic hangup clip I had in my radio junk bin. The button on the back of the 436 fits perfectly into this and keeps the radio in my line of sight.

Of the stuff I've mentioned so far, I've only really had issues with the portable antenna - the wear and tear of taking it off and putting it on at least twice a day causes it to fail just above the connector. If I can find a comparable one with a more sturdy construction, I might consider it. As mentioned in the "embarrassed" thread, the rubber dust cover does tend to pop open once you've used it for a while - especially if you are using it often like I do when I plug stuff in in the truck, then put it on my belt clip when I get out of the truck, then plug the radio back in when I'm at home or the office, etc. But I've yet to encounter a radio that doesn't have that problem, including my 396T, 396XT, and my Yaesu VX8G ham radio. The only radio that has resisted this is my professional two-way that has a hard plastic cover which is held on with a screw.

Batteries - I use Sanyo eneloop XX batteries. They're black with silver lettering on them. I do not charge the batteries in the radio, more because it takes too long than out of any concern with the hazards of charging batteries in an enclosed space/with a "dumb" charger/etc. I use a Powerex Maha charger which can charge anywhere from 1 to 8 cells individually (wish it was 9, because that would work well with the radio which uses 3 at a time). Consumption wise, the batteries last about 8-10 hours at a time, so I almost always keep one spare set with me at all times to swap out when needed.

With regards to the programming and performance, if you know what you're doing and do it carefully/properly, you shouldn't have much trouble. I was quite used to the Uniden design from having x96T/XT radios and the HP1, so it wasn't a big deal to learn the x36. I would suggest to download the Sentinel software from the wiki page (mentioned in another post above) and teach yourself how to use it while you're waiting for your radio to be delivered. Build some favorites lists, learn how the options are configured and how things you do in the software affect what happens to the radio.

Marksscanners.com also has a great article known as the "Easier to Read BCDx36HP Manual". It is, essentially, the scanner equivalent of the "for Dummies" line of books. This is not to say that only idiots benefit from it, of course - I find myself referring to it very frequently to either do something myself or help out with someone else. If you search for it, either on here or Google, you will find it. I believe he also has an "Easier to Read Sentinel Manual".

I have taken my 436 on many trips around the continent (Canada and the US). I've used it on conventional (both analog and P25 digital, known on the Uniden radios as "One Frequency Trunk"); Motorola Type II (3600) systems, both analog and digital; and Motorola, Harris, and other P25 systems, both Phase 1 and Phase 2. Normal and simulcast systems too, and never had a problem with it. Unfortunately there's no EDACS near me, so I don't spend much time listening to those systems. I think when I went to Vegas in June I might have spent some time monitoring one, but I didn't focus too much on how it was performing on a system flavor I never really use (and you know what they say about what happens in Vegas, anyway ).

Like others have said above, if you run into problems, post and someone will have an answer.

Thanks for the detailed information!!

joeuser · Oct 23, 2014

Jay911 said:
I've had a 436 for quite some time and use it every day. Here are the observations I'll make.

I do like the Diamond SRH-789 telescoping antenna for portable use. The SRH version has an SMA connector so it screws directly onto the radio, but if you would rather have a BNC version in case you want to use it with other radios, the RH version is BNC and the 436 comes with a BNC to SMA adapter.

For power, at home, I simply plug my radio into my computer (well, into a powered USB hub which is connected to my computer) and select Serial Mode on the scanner. I don't start up any programs on the computer, so it just ignores the radio but keeps it powered.

In my vehicle, I have a fender-mounted Austin Spectra NMO antenna which does excellently. The cable terminates in a PL259 connector, so I have a small SO239 to SMA pigtail that the scanner hooks into. I have the old GPS (a Garmin 18) that I used to use with my HomePatrol-1, and that works just fine with the 436. Power-wise, a cigarette lighter to USB adapter and a regular old USB cable (same with the computer connection above - any old USB A to mini-B will do) does the trick. Again, just selecting "Serial Mode" lets the radio be powered from USB while it's switched on.

The one issue I have with my vehicle configuration is that when I have my phone plugged in to charge, there is significant RFI to the VHF band of the scanner. It is probably related to the fact that the cig-USB adapter I'm using has two 2.1A ports, and I use one for the scanner and one for the radio - pushing out a lot of power. One of these days I'll bother to do something about it.

On my vehicle dash, I have put a ProClip - I have a Ford F150 and the clip snaps right into the dash very easily. To the front of the ProClip, I attached a mic hangup clip I had in my radio junk bin. The button on the back of the 436 fits perfectly into this and keeps the radio in my line of sight.

Of the stuff I've mentioned so far, I've only really had issues with the portable antenna - the wear and tear of taking it off and putting it on at least twice a day causes it to fail just above the connector. If I can find a comparable one with a more sturdy construction, I might consider it. As mentioned in the "embarrassed" thread, the rubber dust cover does tend to pop open once you've used it for a while - especially if you are using it often like I do when I plug stuff in in the truck, then put it on my belt clip when I get out of the truck, then plug the radio back in when I'm at home or the office, etc. But I've yet to encounter a radio that doesn't have that problem, including my 396T, 396XT, and my Yaesu VX8G ham radio. The only radio that has resisted this is my professional two-way that has a hard plastic cover which is held on with a screw.

Batteries - I use Sanyo eneloop XX batteries. They're black with silver lettering on them. I do not charge the batteries in the radio, more because it takes too long than out of any concern with the hazards of charging batteries in an enclosed space/with a "dumb" charger/etc. I use a Powerex Maha charger which can charge anywhere from 1 to 8 cells individually (wish it was 9, because that would work well with the radio which uses 3 at a time). Consumption wise, the batteries last about 8-10 hours at a time, so I almost always keep one spare set with me at all times to swap out when needed.

With regards to the programming and performance, if you know what you're doing and do it carefully/properly, you shouldn't have much trouble. I was quite used to the Uniden design from having x96T/XT radios and the HP1, so it wasn't a big deal to learn the x36. I would suggest to download the Sentinel software from the wiki page (mentioned in another post above) and teach yourself how to use it while you're waiting for your radio to be delivered. Build some favorites lists, learn how the options are configured and how things you do in the software affect what happens to the radio.

Marksscanners.com also has a great article known as the "Easier to Read BCDx36HP Manual". It is, essentially, the scanner equivalent of the "for Dummies" line of books. This is not to say that only idiots benefit from it, of course - I find myself referring to it very frequently to either do something myself or help out with someone else. If you search for it, either on here or Google, you will find it. I believe he also has an "Easier to Read Sentinel Manual".

I have taken my 436 on many trips around the continent (Canada and the US). I've used it on conventional (both analog and P25 digital, known on the Uniden radios as "One Frequency Trunk"); Motorola Type II (3600) systems, both analog and digital; and Motorola, Harris, and other P25 systems, both Phase 1 and Phase 2. Normal and simulcast systems too, and never had a problem with it. Unfortunately there's no EDACS near me, so I don't spend much time listening to those systems. I think when I went to Vegas in June I might have spent some time monitoring one, but I didn't focus too much on how it was performing on a system flavor I never really use (and you know what they say about what happens in Vegas, anyway ).

Like others have said above, if you run into problems, post and someone will have an answer.

Outstanding post! Sticky worthy IMO!

Hulca · Oct 23, 2014

If you are ordering a 436, you need to know it is not supported at all.
The last promised firmware update was back in March 2014. Nothing since then.
That says it all!

Jay911 · Oct 23, 2014

Hulca said:
If you are ordering a 436, you need to know it is not supported at all.
The last promised firmware update was back in March 2014. Nothing since then.
That says it all!

I'm going to let you in on a secret.

The GRE/Whistler radios haven't had any firmware updates in that exact same time frame.

There's another thread in the forums with Attorneys General information in it, if you feel the need to contact the authorities.

By the way, can anyone tell me how that class action lawsuit is going? I've been too busy using my scanner to keep track of it.

Hulca · Oct 23, 2014

Don't care about GRE and class action suit. Just want what I bought supported. To date, we got a promise.

joeuser · Oct 23, 2014

This is not the place, there are threads devoted to the fact there is no analyzer nor siren app, use them please...

SCPD · Oct 23, 2014

The biggest thing you need to know before buying this scanner .. is how to use and program it. Don't read the manual .. as has been posted already, there are much better sources out there for information on this thing.

Soak the information on this forum in particular and go and program your favorites lists before your scanner arrives. I know I did .. at least the programming part and I was up and running in less than 5 min.

Contrary to one of my recent posts, the 436HP is still feature wise a pretty good scanner. The quality .. is not what I am used to, but is still on par with other consumer products. Sad thing is that many people are just not willing to pay the price that a quality product would demand. So you get what you get ..

Enjoy your scanner

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