Somebody please help me before Uniden drives me insane

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W4UVV

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PROBLEM: My registered 536 and today purchased $60 vaild key for a valid DMR upgrade only key for my 536 will not accept it as valid after using uniden's own exact instructions!

Ok....almost success attempting to follow Uniden's instructions per a DMR only upgrade to my 536. I now am on hour 5 after wading through their instructions, i.e., do this and then do that, but if your Wi-Fi dongle is V5, etc. do this, etc., etc. I do not have a SDR dongle and do not want one. I only wanted to upgrade my 536 to the latest OS and install the DMR upgrade. Finally almost I am 100% finished with a successful DMR upgrade to my 536.

My 536 is working fine. I created almost a year now 99FLs with no creation or performance problems. I use ARC536PRO to program it....works great. Today I decided to attempt upgrading it only for DMR. I previously four years ago configured three home MOTOTRBO receive systems and not exactly a stranger to DMR.

Please bear with me...here is what I did and where I am now...dead in the water, with my secret valid DMR upgrade code key:

1. Installed the latest version of Sentinel Software to 1.07.05 OK.
2. Successfully upgraded upgraded 536 OS to 1.11.20 OK Successfully upgraded RR database OK
3. Waded through the uniden website to register my 536 successfully OK
4. Managed to find the uniden instruction page for upgrading my 536 to DMR mode OK
5. Managed to successfully pay uniden via credit card $60 upgrade only for DMR upgrade. OK
6. While on that website sub-link manually wrote down (correctly) the secret code key for my DMR upgrade. OK
7. Also to be safe I did a screen capture of the secret code DMR upgrade key and uniden was kind enough also send me an email with it. OK Also additionally accessed the "All my Radios" on Uniden's website sub-link.OK
8. Confirmed registering my 536 OK and secret code key also displayed in the appropriate website sublink. OK
9. Per Uniden's website sublink "Applying the upgrade instructions" (See attached) I complied with all of the instructions to the best of my ability correctly. For instructions line 1, line 2 OK at which point I disconnected my usb cable interface and proceeded to do line 3, selected "MENU" OK and line 4, "Upgrades" and pressed "E". OK. Also the "Applying the upgrade instructions" do not specifically mention I had to disconnect my 536 to view the 536's menu DMR key entry window. Next I scrolled to "DMR Mototrbo Up Upgrade" and pressed "E". OK/ So far so good.
10. Then per the instructions on line 6 I entered all the secret code key data and sight checked each entry before and after selecting the correct letter/digit, as appropriate, including a hypen where appropriate, what result then do I get? "INCORRECT KEY ENTERED Press any key". I tried first with moving the cursor after the last entry to the first position(blank) after the last key digit with the same error message. So I decided to try again and leave the cursor on the last digit in the key string. Surprise surprise...."INCORRECT KEY ENTERED Press any key".

I am NOT happy! Really this is ridiculous!

After 10 attempts basically of entering two data strings of the an entry with two options with an error message makes no sense.

Question: With the key code data entered in my 536 should I then next reconnect my usb interface cable and select "Firmware Upgrade" on the 536 and then WHAT? I cannot reaccess the DMR upgrade 536 menu window as it is now will display either an "E" or a ".

I GIVE UP! I made no typo errors and followed the uniden instructions such as they were listed. Now Uniden has $60 of my money and I have a useless secret code access key for a DMR upgrade only that my 536 does not accept as valid.

Can anyone also give me Uniden's tech help phone number?

I went to the uniden help site which, of course, is email only. Of course no phone number to call for human voice communication help.

Does anybody have ideas as to what is wrong? Am I doing something wrong? If so please tell me step by step what to do. Tnx.

John
 
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jonwienke

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You have to upgrade the scanner to latest firmware FIRST.

Then you can enter the key code.
 

buddrousa

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OK I have done 3 of these 5 if you count my 2 996P2's
#1 Turn the tuning knob to select the LETTER NUMBER -
#2 It enters just like you see it on your MY UNIDEN PAGE you even have to enter the - dash
#3 enter xxxxxx-xxxxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxx (6characters-8characters-6characters-4characters then press enter
 

JamesO

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Was the proper serial number entered into the Uniden web site?

I recall there is something different between the physical serial number and the electronic serial number.
 

Ubbe

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Go to the 536 menu and choose Settings/See scanner information/Firmware version.

Check that the serial number displayed are the same as you entered on the Uniden website.
The key is calculated from the serial number and wont work if you did a type error on the web site.

/Ubbe
 

W4UVV

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OK I have done 3 of these 5 if you count my 2 996P2's
#1 Turn the tuning knob to select the LETTER NUMBER -
#2 It enters just like you see it on your MY UNIDEN PAGE you even have to enter the - dash
#3 enter xxxxxx-xxxxxxxx-xxxxxx-xxxx (6characters-8characters-6characters-4characters then press enter
I understand that the function control scrolls limited alpha, 0-9 digits and a hypen period data field.... Tried that and reconfirmed all entries as correct. Result was the same error message with completed. Tnx.

John
 

W4UVV

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Serial Number correct

Go to the 536 menu and choose Settings/See scanner information/Firmware version.

Check that the serial number displayed are the same as you entered on the Uniden website.
The key is calculated from the serial number and wont work if you did a type error on the web site.

/Ubbe

Yes, that's right. The serial number was sight checked before submitting the ECN info:
The rear printed label SN is: 375Z48004595.
The new 536 number is SN is: 37526048004595.

Don't ask me to explain it. That's what the 536 shows. Tnx.

John
 

fxdscon

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According to Sentinel Software "Help/About" selection it is "1.07 revision 5. Tnx.

John

That's your Sentinel Software version, not your scanner's firmware version.

Go to the 536 menu and choose Settings/See scanner information/Firmware version.
 

W4UVV

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Firmware version

That's your Sentinel Software version, not your scanner's firmware version.

Go to the 536 menu and choose Settings/See scanner information/Firmware version.

When it rains it pours....

RR will not allow me to make new attachments at the present time. I have exceeded my maximum somewhere in past posts. I will have to find them and delete them later.

All I can do now is relay what Sentinel Software displays are for the "Update firmware" displays:

ECN=37526-04004595-151
Firmware upgrade returns: "The version of the scanner is the current version".

John
 

W4UVV

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Prince George, Virginia--Central Va.
Possible Serial number/ECN conflicts/problems

Was the proper serial number entered into the Uniden web site?

I recall there is something different between the physical serial number and the electronic serial number.


This may be the source of the problems/conflicts:

I do recall when attempting to enter my 536's original ECN full number "37526048004595". Uniden would NOT allow me to enter the full 14 character numbers. I had to begin with "048004595" which is reflected in what I would think would be part of the new ECN but it says in firmware update display "SN" not "ECN" "SN37526048004595". Uniden in a separate number print in lighter type listed "37526" as prohibited for entering these first 5 ECN numbers automatically were reserved and replaced it with "Z" etc.

However, the original serial is correct on the Uniden website for when I registered my 536 today. So the conflict(s) should be somewhere after that.

Unfortunately no local help is available. Anyone who can provide me any telephone help would be appreciated. Please send me a private message and I will send my phone number. Tnx.

Guys, thanks for your help. I GIVE UP.

Absent any subsequent help, the only thing I know to do is send it in to Uniden Repair for a RA number and pay a shipping and repair cost plus another $60 and let them do the "easy" simple DMR update.

As a 20 year retiree now any phone tech help would be appreciated.

Tnx to all those who responded.

John
 

JamesO

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Hopefully UPMan will drop in here and PM you or give you a good phone number to call.

I also recall the Uniden web site to register the radio you can easily screw up and choose the wrong radio model in the drop box.

There are a few pit falls you have to look out for and getting the proper serial number and format is one of them.
 
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