Uniden BCD436/536HP range setting

[Wally46]

I set the range to 0 so my scanners wouldn't have to scan through so many things, but I see they are still scanning areas out of my zipcode. They are also still picking up transmissions outside my zipcode. I don't get it.

 

[W8RMH]

Understanding Range

1. The range setting will only work with departments/sites that have locations programmed and with Favorites Lists that have Location Control set to 'On'. Everything in the full database has locations programmed. If you manually program departments/sites with no location information included, the range setting will have no effect on them because the scanner doesn't know where they are.

2. You will receive departments and sites that have a range equal to your scan range setting plus the programmed range of the departments and sites. For example, if your scan range is set to 10 miles and a department/site range is set to 10 miles, and that department/site is less than 20 miles away from your current location setting, it will be enabled in your Favorites List according to both range settings.

3. If you Add Channels On Range with a 20 mile range and then set the range to 30 miles, Location Control will not add the other channels included that extra 10 mile range.

(from the Easier to Read Manual)

 

[Wally46]

OK thanks. I just put in my zipcode and started scanning. I haven't made a favorites list. I suppose I should

 

[phask]

How it Works: Location, Location, Location

 

[dave3825]

I live on long island. I put in my zip code to scan from the full db, not a fav list. I set my range for 5 miles.

Should it be scanning new jersey state police and systems in Connecticut and ny city?

Again I am in suffolk county and its 20 miles to Nassau with the city being about 35 miles away from me...

What setting do I have set incorrectly?

 

[phask]

Did you even read my link above?

I live on long island. I put in my zip code to scan from the full db, not a fav list. I set my range for 5 miles.

Should it be scanning new jersey state police and systems in Connecticut and ny city?

Again I am in suffolk county and its 20 miles to Nassau with the city being about 35 miles away from me...

What setting do I have set incorrectly?

 

[dave3825]

Yes I did read it and am not understanding why if my circle is set to 5 miles, why stuff 40 to 50 plus miles away is being scanned. I am using a 436.

 

[phask]

Because their circle is set to something overlapping your circle.

FYI - in some areas the DB is in dire need of having location data corrected. Some places it is done well, some places it's harder than stone getting it corrected.

Best way - find the offenders and submit for correction.

- example - a location has a 60 mile range, it's a city with a single digit radius. It should be 10 miles or so.

State wide systems can be an issue - range of 200 miles to cover the state, yet only 10 miles from one in another state. Large cities or county wide systems are similar, though in the Eastern US a county > 50 would be unusual (more or less)

Only fix for these is create a FL. However, if you are scanning from a fixed location and not using a FL - have fun .

 

[dave3825]

I looked at the transmitter sites and the closest one to me is still about side my 5 mile range. In the pic, I am about where it s in long island is on the map.

 

[Voyager]

Are you SURE they don't have a site that is portable, and listed with a much greater range than the one you quoted?

 

[15plus1]

Did you even read my link above?

+ 1

 

[phask]

Look here

New Jersey Interoperability Communications System (NJICS) Site Location Data Report

I do not see the site you posted. I might even be in the wrong system.

IMHO, that is the easiest way to see location errors in a system.

 

[Kingmobileaudio]

not to steal the OPs topic but have a small question. how do you set the range on the 436hp? on my 536hp has a button but don't see it on the 436hp.

 

[dave3825]

Look here

New Jersey Interoperability Communications System (NJICS) Site Location Data Report

I do not see the site you posted. I might even be in the wrong system.

IMHO, that is the easiest way to see location errors in a system.

Unless I missed a transmitter site, Their range cirle should not be and from what I can tell, is not overlapping my 5 mile range circle.

This is the system and I live in east islip new york..

New Jersey State Police Trunking System, Statewide, Multi-State - Scanner Frequencies

 

[phask]

There are talkgroups at 88 miles

New Jersey State Police Talkgroup Category Location Data Report

Looks like those might get into your range, I did one of them very rough and had 54 miles from it to your location.

You must take both sites and TG's into consideration.

 

[Triangulum]

Just a question...slightly off-topic, but nevertheless...

When manually setting the location by entering in the latitude and longitude, does this benefit the scanning area any more or less than the zip code? At times the scanner will be used near a border and I would prefer to listen to more of the activity that is *not* in my town. There are also radio towers in the distance, but in line of sight...but again, are across the border.

This is putting aside the software aspect because I know it is much easier to set favorites and then then this wouldn't even be an issue.

 

[phask]

It could/would and maybe...

In my case, I only use location while mobile. But if you take my small, 1 zip code town for an example. I am 5 miles from the zip location and there is a max of 9 miles or so from that center within that zip.

So in my example, it could affect a range setting if I am x miles from a site, but is is calculating x miles from a location that is already 10 miles away.

You can drill down into your Sentinel files and there is a text file with all the zip codes and lat/lon. Copy it an drop in Goggle map to see. You can also Google map search the are a code and it will show what all is actually covered by the zip.

 

[Voyager]

Not much difference. The zip code uses the geo center of that zip code while your lat/lon may be a little more accurate for your specific location.

 

[phask]

Define not much

10 miles could be a huge difference trying to explain why some one is or is not loading a system.

In my example, I have no idea if that distance is a fluke or not. It's a mixture of city and rural. I wouldn't doubt that some are even greater. In my example, I would not even call it the center, but off center by a few miles, then the Zip is a zip zag mess

Not much difference. The zip code uses the geo center of that zip code while your lat/lon may be a little more accurate for your specific location.

 

[Voyager]

Depends how far away you are from the center of your zip code.