I just ordered a 436 today from Amazon this am.
Was wondering if Uniden has a serial number range of clock/display issue 436's ?
realize mine is dependent on vendors stock resupply so may or may not have these future issues.
Anyone know ?
I doubt that there is any way to tell whether these repairs have made their way into the distribution chain. Uniden is likely going to remain silent on this. The experience with Uniden being forthright and upfront with TIMELY answers is dismal at best; at worst, there are many words which have been used that I will not repeat.
I purchased both the 536, and then the 436, both within the past two months, knowing full well what problems may lurk sometime in the future. Had either unit had the problem "out of the box", I would have immediately sent it back for a replacement. But as has been pointed out, there problems generally surface 6+ months after purchase.
Now the truth is that the 436 and the 536, when working properly, are the best, most efficient and effective scanners every produced. Having been forewarned about the dimming display problem, which occurs both in the 436 and 536 series, most of us have learned that by running the display at less than full brightness (I usually run mine at minimum), we can forestall or completely eliminate the problem from occurring.
The RTC (real time clock) problem is, by its nature, less conducive to preventive measures. It involves the actual battery that is used, along with the charging circuitry and algorithms used. BUT, unlike the dimming display issue, will not lead to complete non-usability of your unit. There are work-arounds.
With certain care and feeding, your 436 and 536 can provide years of reliable service. No other unit provides either the quality of reception or the collection of "bells and whistles" that make the units so effective at monitoring and so much fun to use.
Uniden has also started a repair "campaign" to address the RTC issue--- while it is a step forward, I believe that there is a more effective way to handle these issues which Uniden either did not contemplate or chose to ignore. I will cover this in a separate post last this week.
So for those contemplating the purchase of either the 436 or 536, I would say DO IT ! Follow the recommended precautions listed in these forums and keep your eyes open for any additional information on future "campaigns" by Uniden to repair issues which may occur.
