BCD436HP/BCD536HP: thinking about it

hi all im thinking about a bcd436 i like being able to usb charge rechargable batt in the unit. has any one had a problem with this ..like overheating..fire etc also can any owners tell me what they really like about this scanner.. im also thinking of a diamond rh77 antenna upgrade ..anyone using this antenna? how is it on vhf and on 700/800...thanks !

Don't charge the batteries in the unit. The charger is on timer only. It does not read the batteries to determine when the charge should be completed. If the batteries need a top-off, you'll still get 14 hours worth unless you want to try to speculate on how long they should charge. Not a good idea.

The battery charge function works, but is far from ideal. The Diamond RH77CA is an excellent performer on the 436, and is well worth the money.

The 436 is my favorite scanner. It performs well as a base, mobile, or handheld. Even though I live near a pager transmitter, I still get occasional Close Call hits from Virginia when connected to my base antenna.
It has excellent sensitivity and interference rejection.

I modded my scanner with an internal GPS, so I don't need external wiring to scan with the database and GPS while traveling. It makes scanning on the go a lot more convenient than using the Uniden external GPS kit.

The 436 is a very nice scanner with one exception. It absolutely stinks (as do many other consumer-grade scanners) at dealing with P25 simulcast systems. If you don't have a need to monitor such a system, you'll be quite happy with it.

One way you can determine what a P25 system in your area might sound like is to grab a police scanner app for your phone and listen to your local system on it. Most of those apps use feeds from consumer-grade scanners, and if there are going to be P25 issues, you'll usually hear it in the app. In my case, I hear choppy audio and sometimes audio that's completely unintelligible. I only wish I had done that before I bought my 436.

Jim