Trying to decide for car - Homepatrol HP-2 or BCD436hp???

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rvacs

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So I had a Homepatrol HP-2 for home - but sent it back because of reception in my home and got a BCD536hp which I absolutely LOVE !!

But now I need something for the car...to use with the Uniden GPS receiver. I already have the window mount for the HP-2. But would I be better off with the bcd436hp in the car? I think the HP-2 might fit better (small sports car). But I love the bcd436hp being a carry around, probably better than the HP-2.

I assume the bcd436hp would have better reception than the HP-2?


I know I want one of the 2 as I see Phase 2 move into more areas.
 

marksmith

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Have both and the hp2 has more volume and is easier to read in the car. Don’t think either has an advantage in reception.

Mark
WS1095/536/436/996P2/HP1e/HP2e/996XT/325P2/396XT/PRO668/PSR800/PRO652
 

rvacs

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Thanks

Thanks Mark - what do you use for an antenna in the car for the HP2. I have a suction cup antenna for inside window - not sure how that will do...its all for Trunked Traffic 800mhz.

This is what I needed to hear.
 

ButchGone

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Really depends on what you want to hear. Having used HP and x436 line, I can say hands down the 436 is a much better choice using it mobile and driving around town. The 436/536 have better filtering and next generation circuitry, whereas the HP2 doesn't. Also. If you want to hear simulcast digital trunking, the 436 is much better. So the HPs will get overwhelmed with interference and RF. Now when, and if the HP series gets the latest trunk tracker circuitry and better filters, then the HP2 would be a good choice in a mobile environment. Now, if you just want to hear conventional analog repeaters, then the HP2 would be fine.
BG..
 

rvacs

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Butch - I get that - that is why I switched initially from the HP-2 to the 536hp for home - I live in a Simulcast area of Phase 1 trunking. I will just have to make a hard decision.
 

lelanjlaborde

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HP2 is a lot better....for those not hearing signals they must not be important....all major fire and law enforcement are using the 700 and 800 digital which you can hear for at least 50 miles!
 

nosoup4u

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I went through the same thing. I found that in the car the 436 display was hard to read and the audio was horrible. I went with an HP-2 and I am glad I did. I wanted to use my 536, however I could not find a suitable mounting spot.

Of course your mileage will vary depending on where you are and what you listen to, but I find that the HP-2 is close to my 536 experience.
 

lelanjlaborde

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Scanner software

The guts on both scanners are the same...the reason for the BCD436 is that some people like to push buttons, you know like old school! There is no better range on the 436 than the HP2! Good luck in scanning and hope none of your favorites go encrypted!
 

Gilligan

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I personally use a 436 in my car and am hoping to switch to an HP2 for the car soon, mainly due to the ease of changing favorites list without having to memorize quick keys.
 

mitbr

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The guts of the hp2 and 436 are NOT the same as a previous poster stated.
The 436 has a better rf filter to filter out interference in a high rf environment.
I have the HP1 and the 436 and have used them both in my car in my area. The HP1 lost the data channel on my local trunking system here do to front end overload. The 436 did not.
If you want the radio to work reliably in this kind of environment choose the 436.
P.S If the radio doesn't work nothing else matters!!
Tim
 

lelanjlaborde

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how can you lose a front end overload...can you explain to me where a class c amplifier is biased as to cutoff? Some of these so called latrine engineers talk some good scanner stuff! Keep the 436 in your home and use the HP2 in your car with just the normal antenna not GPS!
 

northzone

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The guts on both scanners are the same...the reason for the BCD436 is that some people like to push buttons, you know like old school! There is no better range on the 436 than the HP2! Good luck in scanning and hope none of your favorites go encrypted!

Not at all true. The 436 and 536 have true narrowband filters, the hp2 does not. The 436 & 536 also use the advanced ambe +2 vocoder (the same exact vocoder used in real digital radios such as Motorola and Harris). They are completely different radios and the x36 series is way ahead.
 

UPMan

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Yep. Basically we shell out a lot (really, really, a lot) of money and DVSI gives us a "black box" code block that does the decoding. We use the same code block in all the Phase-2 capable scanners.
 

ofd8001

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While I have done it, I'm not a big fan of using a portable radio in a mobile application. The volume isn't there to overcome highway noise and for long trips there is a battery chargring issue. Plus you may not get as good of reception with the antenna inside versus using a mobile antenna.

On the other hand, you don't have to do a lot of programming if you use the 436.

I've got a second 536 mounted in the console of my truck with an external speaker, mobile antenna and GPS. For remote control I'm using a decommissioned iPhone in a holder on the dash. It works pretty well, except for access to the volume control (have to open the console lid, a little awkward).
 

woodpecker

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Yep. Basically we shell out a lot (really, really, a lot) of money and DVSI gives us a "black box" code block that does the decoding. We use the same code block in all the Phase-2 capable scanners.

How about feeding the code block with some DMR voice bits :)
 

rvacs

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HP -2

Yes that is what I went with - HP2 for car / 536hp for home....

Screen is great easy to set - using audio out and audio in connection to play on radio - yes volume otherwise is not loud enough in my sports car.

Only part I may adjust is a low profile antenna for 800mhz for my car. (Porsche).
Just not crazy about the magnet mounts...

Thanks everyone...
 
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