BCD436HP / BCD536HP First Impressions
- Thread starter safetyobc
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Personally I am at a loss because I own an HP-1 and it has been nothing but trouble from day one. I was interested in the HP-2 but there are too many things about it that just don't work for a long term radio in my truck. Don't get me wrong, I love the style/ format of the HP series.
Come on is it really a good radio to use as a portable? No, it is bulky and the batteries do not last long.
On the HP-2 they went to a micro USB as the charging input. I have not had a cell phone that had one that held up a full year that is why i went to a charging pad so they would charge.
The so called data port (micro USB) on my HP-1 has never worked (even with your special cable) and I have always just unmounted the SD card and modified the programming by inserting into my computer, easy.
The external speaker/ headphone jack... Come on guys every phone manufacturer has the ability to drop the volume by at least 1/3 when anything is plugged in but you cannot make the jack produce adequate volume because someone is too stupid to turn down the volume?
The SMA antenna connector on the HP-1 constantly comes loose and has had to be repaired several times because of loss in reception where it breaks the solder joints on the board.
Lately you will see it stop on channels without any audio which means powering down the radio and powering back up.
I was interested in getting rid of the HP-1 and replacing it with the BCD536HP but there are posts of it being a disaster also. I just cannot afford to pour money down the drain.
Just so you know my first Bearcat was an Electra back in the 70's and I have updated as needed and really hate the thought of moving to another brand, but unreliability and high cost is a big issue.
Come on is it really a good radio to use as a portable? No, it is bulky and the batteries do not last long.
On the HP-2 they went to a micro USB as the charging input. I have not had a cell phone that had one that held up a full year that is why i went to a charging pad so they would charge.
The so called data port (micro USB) on my HP-1 has never worked (even with your special cable) and I have always just unmounted the SD card and modified the programming by inserting into my computer, easy.
The external speaker/ headphone jack... Come on guys every phone manufacturer has the ability to drop the volume by at least 1/3 when anything is plugged in but you cannot make the jack produce adequate volume because someone is too stupid to turn down the volume?
The SMA antenna connector on the HP-1 constantly comes loose and has had to be repaired several times because of loss in reception where it breaks the solder joints on the board.
Lately you will see it stop on channels without any audio which means powering down the radio and powering back up.
I was interested in getting rid of the HP-1 and replacing it with the BCD536HP but there are posts of it being a disaster also. I just cannot afford to pour money down the drain.
Just so you know my first Bearcat was an Electra back in the 70's and I have updated as needed and really hate the thought of moving to another brand, but unreliability and high cost is a big issue.
I have a 436 and a 536 the 536 has impressed me greatly on the audio quality out of the speaker
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