BCD436HP vs. TRX-1

Today I sold my Uniden BCD396T that I bought new in 2008 so that I could upgrade to a newer hand-held scanner either the Uniden BCD436HP or Whistler TRX-1. I want to monitor the Eastern Idaho Cooperative Agencies Wireless Interoperable Network (EICAWIN) and the Idaho Cooperative Agencies Wireless Interoperable Network (ICAWIN). Both trunked systems are Project 25 Phase I. Which scanner would be best? Thanks in advance.

Best, is a very subjective term. I've owned both. All my life I've used Uniden and was familiar with their way of programming the scanner. A while ago, decided I wanted to try something different and try a Whistler, was put off by the steep learning curve of a new way to do things, and abandoned the idea. In my case,exposure to other radios in the professional realm, and their programming methods, equipped me with enough knowledge to figure out Whistler's way. Is easy really, you just have to keep an open mind and dig into it.

Eventually, got me a TRX-1 and liked it a lot. Immediately apparent to me, unlike the Uniden, the TRX-1 would break squelch a couple of seconds faster. From reading the forums here and there, apparently this is a bug with the Uniden.

I liked that on the Whistler, when telling the scanner what to scan, I did not have to remember quick key numbers as in the Uniden. You look at the scan lists available and choose what to scan (that is, if you taken the time and labeled each scan list with something meaningful to you) but, IMO by far, way better than coming up with a numbering scheme and mind trick to to remember what number you used to what you wanted to scan.

The Whistler can record on a per talk group basis, but have no easy way to enable this via front panel keys (is easier to do it via software). On the Uniden is just a matter of hitting a couple of keys and have it record everything right away. Oh, and the Uniden also has a replay key that you can hit and immediately hear something you didn't hear or understood, right away. On the Whistler, you have to get into the menu. It takes a little longer but is even more rewarding because you can choose exactly what you want to hear. You can listen to each recording individually or tell the scanner to start playing continuously at any point, say you have 10 recordings and you want to start listening in on from recording number 5 and the radio will play all files from there on. It can still be done with the Uniden but it takes a bit more button pressing.

You really have your work cut out for you, each radio has their own weaknesses and strengths. I suggest you start with what's more familiar to you and stick with that.

bcreasey said:

Today I sold my Uniden BCD396T that I bought new in 2008 so that I could upgrade to a newer hand-held scanner either the Uniden BCD436HP or Whistler TRX-1. I want to monitor the Eastern Idaho Cooperative Agencies Wireless Interoperable Network (EICAWIN) and the Idaho Cooperative Agencies Wireless Interoperable Network (ICAWIN). Both trunked systems are Project 25 Phase I. Which scanner would be best? Thanks in advance.

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I currently own both the TRX-1 and 436HP (2 of these).

I'm in a heavily metro area, with a number of cell towers close to me. The TRX-1 overloads on those, and misses transmissions on many of the local trunked systems. The 436HP does not have that problem.

However, if you are in a more rural environment, the TRX-1's sensitivity (which overloads for me) could instead be to your advantage. I do like the smaller, hand/pocket friendly size of the TRX-1 compared to the larger 436HP, but for my purposes it comes in second due to the tendency to overload. While the TRX-1 is better than the earlier models produced by GRE (which went out of business), and the follow-on versions produced by Whistler, it is not as resistant to signal overload as the Uniden models. The TRX-1 does have DMR and NXDN capability via free upgrades, whereas Uniden has DMR for a fee, as well as ProVoice (also a fee), but no NXDN. One group of medium suburbs (population 25K to 50K) use NXDN, and that was the main reason I opted to try the TRX-1.

I do like the way the TRX-1 handles recordings better than the 436HP, but can work with either.

I want to thank you both for taking the time to answer my post and for the helpful information you each provided.

I have had all three now a

HP-2. Has some limitations but great for here in SW Idaho

thx 1 and 436 were fine with lots of features but HP-2 quick and easy to operate.

Depends on your listening preferences and skill lever ( me 40 years of scanning )

John

Boise

John,

Thank you for your reply and info on the HP-2. Are you currently monitoring the Idaho Cooperative Agencies Wireless Interoperable Network (ICAWIN) on your HP-2? I want to monitor that trunked system as well as the EICAWIN trunked system.

Bert Creasey

Works fine

Bert

Yes it works great receiving all agencies on the EICAWIN and when we travel in Idaho to other areas.



Only disadvantage of the HP-1 HP-2 is it is solely dependent on the RR database and periodic download for updates with members from around the country adding data. So far, since their inception the database has worked great.

John

Thank you

John,

Thank you for confirming that the HP-2 picks up the EICAWIN trunked system.

EICAWIN and ICAWIN systems functionally are exactly the same systems. The agencies in the 5 eastern Idaho counties that use EICAWIN wanted their own system, and for whatever reason, didn't want to be part of statewide ICAWIN system. Users on both systems can communicate with each other through the use of patched talkgroups, although not a lot of that takes place.

thewenk said:

EICAWIN and ICAWIN systems functionally are exactly the same systems. The agencies in the 5 eastern Idaho counties that use EICAWIN wanted their own system, and for whatever reason, didn't want to be part of statewide ICAWIN system. Users on both systems can communicate with each other through the use of patched talkgroups, although not a lot of that takes place.

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Users can also communicate across both systems without patches.

TRX-1 hands down.

HP2 is the best all round scanner on the market period. It has the largest and easiest to see color display, the same decoders as the x36 scanners, clearest sound, both analog and digital. Makes a great desktop, mobile, or even a portable. Using it is as easy as using a tablet or smart phone with most functions performed with the touch screen. Even uses a common cell phone charger

muskrat39 said:

HP2 is the best all round scanner on the market period.

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Oh well it must be if you say so. :roll:

safetypro79 said:

Only disadvantage of the HP-1 HP-2 is it is solely dependent on the RR database and periodic download for updates with members from around the country adding data. So far, since their inception the database has worked great.
John

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True but you can also add your own frequencies and systems via Favorite Lists using the (free) Sentinal software. One of the things you can't do out of the box is manually add new frequencies or systems via the unit itself. You need to add the $50 Extreme Upgrade option to enable that (and other) feature.
HomePatrolExtreme < HomePatrol < TWiki

Even with this option the HP-1, HP-2 is missing some of the features found on most Uniden and Whistler scanners.

For what its worth, a BCD996XT worked fine in Madison County for everything that was listen-able. Sadly Bonneville County was rarely listen-able except for Fire. Thankfully that was our primary reason for loading Bonneville County stuff during the Henry's Creek Fire of 2016.

I used FreeScan to program it.

No TRX yet but I have a 1095, a 1098, and a Pro-18/668 both upgraded to 1080 spec. I've also owned a 436 for about 2 months.

Depending on what you want to do the 436 can be a good scanner. I find that if you have too many sites programmed however it misses a lot of traffic that the Whistlers catch with the same sites/talkgroups programmed. They seem to handle having more sites programmed markedly better. I also like the Whistler audio better but that will be a personal preference. Likewise, the Whistler display I find much easier to read at a glance, but again that's going to be personal preference.

So It's going to come down to what you want to do with it and how many sites/talkgroups you want to scan at once.

Agree

I just picked up a NOS PRO-106 here in Boise off of Craig'slist works perfect.
It's a nice all around scanner with great audio and features put just phase 1

We gone over to the Oregon coast each summer. Depoe Bay and area LE/FD's is still on UHF/VHF
The HP-2 works great in those areas.

As previously mention the HP 1/2 series is totally reliant on user and accuracy thereof input into the data base. I have had both the 436 and the TX-1 but returned or sold both both worked well here in SW Idaho

The features are great sometimes a bit comberson and complex.

The biggest mistake 436 users make is setting the Range too high. People often mistakenly think that if you want to listen to something 15 miles away, you have to set Range to at least 15 miles. In most cases, it should not be set to more than 5 miles, or the scanner will try to monitor sites it can't actually hear.

The scanner Range setting is added to the service range setting of sites in the database when deciding whether to monitor the site. So if the site is listed as having a 15-mile service radius, and you set the scanner Range to 15 miles, the site will be scanned anytime it is within 30 miles of the scanner location. Setting Range to 5 miles means the scanner will not try to monitor that site until it is less than 20 miles (15-mile site service range + 5-mile scanner Range) away.

The 436 is better at handling large statewide and multistate trunked systems with dozens of sites and thousands of talkgroups. You can program them all (or just monitor the USA/Canada database), tell the scanner where you are (either by entering a ZIP code or connecting a GPS) and the scanner will scan only nearby sites within reception range.

If you scan from a vehicle, the GPS-based scanning offered by the 436 makes it a clear winner, as the scanner will automaticlly toggle sites and frequencies so that the scanner is always scanning nearby stuff, even if you're driving cross-country. The data in the database is not 100% perfect, but it works as advertised maybe 97% of the time.

I ordered the BCD436HP today and will be returning my TRX-2. I'm going to give mobile scanning a shot and also picked up the GPS unit which rules out Whistler. I didn't enjoy the intermod on the TRX-2 and didn't want issues with an overloading TRX-1 as mentioned here and elsewhere. It has a tiny screen (probably flickers as well since it's the same one), lack of software support (can use same BuTel software) and probably has a painful long boot/load time like the TRX-2 which is annoying; just going to the menu and back causes it to load again and wait.

With the price I got the Uniden for, I will get the DMR upgrade and bring it up to the same price as the TRX-1. I can care less about NXDN since what is available in my area is of no interest to me. The only thing Whistler gets a nod on is the software, but that still leaves a lot to be desired.

Funny how NewEgg has been dropping their price a couple of dollars at a time and then amazon has been following.

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0R3-000D-00043
Can't beat it for the current 416.55 price.