BCD436HP/BCD536HP: GPS Question

[ThomasMcKean]

Heading out on a road trip Friday so I bought the Uniden GPS gizmo.

Just how does this gadget work? Do I just plug it into the 436? Does it need programming? Do I need to tell the scanner it is plugged in?

What about frequencies that don't have a coordinate? I'd love to scan FRS/GMRS on the road while the GPS is going.

How do I work this thing?

Ack! So many questions!

TIA,

Thomas

Sent from my SM-S820L using Tapatalk

 

[KK4JUG]

https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Uniden_Scanner_GPS_Features

 

[ThomasMcKean]

K apparently I wasted a lot of money on this thing. From what I am seeing, you have to program favorite lists in order to use this feature. I didn't think that would be necessary because you can just plug in a zip code and go.

I am not going to spend hours and hours and hours and hours and hours programming favorites for a trip I am only taking once.

Very disappointing.

 

[ThomasMcKean]

Now I am seeing that if you scan the whole database, that will work as well?

I wish this was all a bit easier to understand. This should not be have to be rocket science.

 

[troymail]

K apparently I wasted a lot of money on this thing. From what I am seeing, you have to program favorite lists in order to use this feature. I didn't think that would be necessary because you can just plug in a zip code and go.

I am not going to spend hours and hours and hours and hours and hours programming favorites for a trip I am only taking once.

Very disappointing.

Actually, you don't.

The radio will use the Full Database (if you let it - but I wouldn't unless you just want to hear something/anything) with the GPS.... you'll really want to consider making some choices on service types and the "range" settings to limit what the radio tries to scan.

Ultimately, I find it much better to create basic favorites lists and then turn on Location Control in that FL. My FL avoid (as much as is possible) alot of garbage - conventional (particularly low band), etc.

From my experience, you really want to do some test runs locally before trying it for the first time on long drives. Its hard to drive and try to figure out why things aren't working as you thought they would.

Also, the GPS/location control relies entirely on how accurate the location data is in RRDB. I've been submitting corrections/improvements for years.... There are "big" circles and there are "little" circles. Even with your "range" set to zero, you'll find the radio trying to scan alot of stuff that is no where close.

There are lots of threads of discussion. You can do some searches for "location" ("GPS" is apparently too short of a term to search).

Here are a few I looked up but there are tons of threads of discussion.

https://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-tech-support/357348-gps-travelling.html

https://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-tech-support/355526-uniden-gps-puck.html

https://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-tech-support/355076-gps-rrdb-data.html

 

[UPMan]

No, that is incorrect. Every system in the main database is geotagged. Just put in your zip code and drive.

To turn on Nationwide stuff (like GMRS/FRS), see BCDX36HP Sentinel Software Manual. Also, make sure that the service type for the nationwide channels is enabled (varies depending on which nationwide channels you selected) Easier to Read BCD436/536HP Digital Scanner Manual

 

[marksmith]

K apparently I wasted a lot of money on this thing. From what I am seeing, you have to program favorite lists in order to use this feature. I didn't think that would be necessary because you can just plug in a zip code and go.

I am not going to spend hours and hours and hours and hours and hours programming favorites for a trip I am only taking once.

Very disappointing.

Untrue.

The entire full database has coordinate info embedded, and this is what you want to use for your trip.

If you build your favorites lists from the database, they will also have coordinates data.

Only if you are building favorites lists from scratch, which few people do, do you need to add coordinate info to GPS scan properly.

You should be fine if using the database. Not all systems have the best location data, so you might want to use 5 or 10 mile range rather than the recommended zero.

Remember that zero range only means it will select all systems within range, and not 5-10 miles beyond.

Mark
536/436/ws1095/996p2/996xt/325p2/396xt/psr800/396t/HP-1/HP-2 & others

 

[ThomasMcKean]

These replies are very helpful.

I had thought that a 20 mile range would be a good thing, but after reading these replies and the links, it is obvious that 0-5 miles is much better, counter intuitive as it is.

I also thought there had to be a way to scan everything? I just couldn't figure it out and what little I saw said there wasn't. It also does not help that one cannot do a search for GPS in the forums. I am guessing I am far from the only person annoyed by that.

Selecting what to scan for is also a good idea. I usually have everything on. But I can see how you would not want that while you are driving. Police/Fire/EMS are a must (elsewise what is the point) and maybe a couple of others. I have always enjoyed listening to businesses, nosey cuss that I am, I will likely turn that one on.

Now if only I could check all of this out before my trip. But it is very cold and very rainy outside at the moment. I think I have some kinda lighter extension plug in my trunk, maybe I can add a powerpole connector to one end and use the power supply from the TH-D710 to check it out here in the house.

I have a fused direct to battery powerpole connection in the Audi, so it would be a good idea to have a gizmo like that anyway.

 

[marksmith]

Watch how you connect GPS to power if you are not using lighter plug as designed.

Also, unless you turn off a bunch of service types while traveling GPS with the full database, you are likely to miss any important transmissions while listening to some stupid chatter about nothing.

Just a thought from someone who uses GPS on trips frequently.

Mark
536/436/ws1095/996p2/996xt/325p2/396xt/psr800/396t/HP-1/HP-2 & others

 

[jonwienke]

The Uniden plug converts 12v to 5v, so you can't just wire the GPS directly to 12v power or you will fry the puck. If you want something more convenient than the factory puck, installing a GPS in the scanner is possible.

 

[ofd8001]

I had thought that a 20 mile range would be a good thing, but after reading these replies and the links, it is obvious that 0-5 miles is much better, counter intuitive as it is.

It's a little better for the beginner to start low and then increase. As you become more familiar, you'll hit that "just right" range.

I also thought there had to be a way to scan everything? I just couldn't figure it out and what little I saw said there wasn't. It also does not help that one cannot do a search for GPS in the forums. I am guessing I am far from the only person annoyed by that.

If you select all Service Types, as in check the box or turn on, the scanner will attempt to receive "everything" in range. Probably to the point you are overwhelmed and will want to scale back some of the Service Types.

GPS scanning is kind of variable based on the brand of scanner, so it's hard to have a "one size fits all" forum. With a Uniden 396XT it is set up one way, but the 436 its another way.

Now if only I could check all of this out before my trip. But it is very cold and very rainy outside at the moment. I think I have some kinda lighter extension plug in my trunk, maybe I can add a powerpole connector to one end and use the power supply from the TH-D710 to check it out here in the house.

I have a fused direct to battery powerpole connection in the Audi, so it would be a good idea to have a gizmo like that anyway.

The only consideration is whether your GPS device can "see" the satellites. Inside a building might not work too well and lead to frustration. It only takes about ten minutes to give it a trial run. Best thing to do is without connecting the GPS unit, is to program the zipcode of 90210 (California), then connect the GPS to power and to the scanner and watch the local "stuff" load. That confirms correct operation of the GPS.

Once you've confirmed the GPS works, then you can disconnect and go back inside. From there, you could program various zip codes along your route to see what comes on and what goes off. Obviously you won't be receiving much if anything, but should give you a preview of what to expect.

 

[KK4JUG]

If you select all Service Types, as in check the box or turn on, the scanner will attempt to receive "everything" in range. Probably to the point you are overwhelmed and will want to scale back some of the Service Types.

He's right. In some areas, you'll hear water works, garbage collectors, street maintenance, etc. While you're listening to a garbage truck driver talking about his compactor that won't work, you miss the stuff you really want hear.

 

[ThomasMcKean]

Not so. I love hearing that stuff. A lot of times it is just loads of fun. You never know what those people are going to say.

But then again, if I am driving, I might wanna be more concerned with public safety.

Sigh.

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[troymail]

Another example: Bit by "bad data" again

Took a drive to the mountains today and allowed the GPS to control the 436 for the drive using the RRDB/library data (a hand rolled favorites list with systems of interest along the route).

Where is this going? Well, it's a good thing I had other radios monitoring the same system(s).....

Driving through Union County NC, I was hearing lots of activity on my TRX-2 and Unication G5 from the Charlotte UASI Region multi-county system -- and NOTHING from the 436.

I've seen this movie so many times...

Upon arrival at my destination I looked at the location data for this system and found that someone did a reasonable job applying location data (lat/lon/range) for the Union County Simulcast site. However, all the talkgroups for the county (as well as lots of others) have been set to centered in Charlotte with a range/radius that basically only partially overlaps the Union County simulcast site for a small area on the northwest side.

Looks like I'll be submitting bunches of changes to the database at some point in the near future (and not just talkgroups).