436hp/536hp tips and tricks

[mitbr]

I thought I would start a thread with user tips and tricks on these new scanners since they have now been out for awhile.


I will start...
When managing a multisite trunking system there are a number of ways to manage the sites.
If you want to keep all sites and depts. active you can select the site to be scanned by assigning them quick keys.....
Now here is the tip ....
Do not assign a quick key to the site that is the same number as any depts. you want scanned. This is because depts. and sites share the same button sequence to select them.

E.g.... if you want to select site 1 and one of the depts. has a quick key number of one and you select the sequence ..# or nono# you will affect both the dept. and site to be scanned in your selection. Instead, assign the site the number 11 or whatever quick key number is not being used.... now when you use the key selection ..1 and then E turns dept. on or off , if you select ..11 E it turns the site on and off without affecting the dept.
This assumes you have a number of different sites and at least one is enabled.

Bring it on with your tips and tricks.....
Tim

 

[jonwienke]

I thought I would start a thread with user tips and tricks on these new scanners since they have now been out for awhile.


I will start...
When managing a multisite trunking system there are a number of ways to manage the sites.
If you want to keep all sites and depts. active you can select the site to be scanned by assigning them quick keys...

Or you could just set your location via GPS or zip code, and let the range setting select which sites get scanned. Much simpler than toggling a bunch of quick keys. Quick keys are better utilized to turn favorites lists on and off. Have separate favorites for categories of stuff (such as a LE list that has law dispatch, law tac, etc) and assign quick keys to the favorite lists.

 

[mitbr]

Or you could just set your location via GPS or zip code, and let the range setting select which sites get scanned. Much simpler than toggling a bunch of quick keys. Quick keys are better utilized to turn favorites lists on and off. Have separate favorites for categories of stuff (such as a LE list that has law dispatch, law tac, etc) and assign quick keys to the favorite lists.

Yep there is a few ways to do it. Zip code doesn't work in my case because the sites are too close together and don't have gps.

I'm sure your way works for some folks though. As far as hitting quick keys I find it much more accurate because you get exactly what you want and can be selected in 1 second ..#E

Thanks for your input....
Tim

 

[AA6IO]

I agree with the OP about quick keys for sites vs departments. Although not my original idea (someone else, can't remember who, posted this back in Feb or March somewhere), I reserve QKs 90 to 99 for sites. I do this with several trunking systems here in Los Angeles/Orange/SBDO counties. 90, 91, and 92 go to the most common sites heard at my location, and the rest, to less used sites, but available if travel near them.
Setting location may be an option for some, but in a radio-dense area like the heart of Los Angeles, where my QTH Cerritos is located, that is not useful. As I posted somewhere a couple of months ago, I can enter my zip code, than enter a distance of 0 miles, and if try to just use the entire database, my scanner will load several thousand channels, TGs, and trunking sites.
Favorite lists with QKs for departments and sites is the way to go here.
Steve AA6IO

 

[garys]

Thanks for the site/department QK trick.I'll have to change that when I redo all of my systems. Which will be a gradual process.

This tip isn't function related, but I found it helpful. Unfortunately I find that the 536 has a fair amount of screen glare in mobile use. My solution was to get an "anti glare screen protector" and cut it to fit. As it happened the one I found was for the Galaxy S5, but I'm sure there are others. It didn't completely eliminate the glare, but it controlled it quite a bit.

 

[DMSROX2]

Tim, thanks for the Site QK suggestion. I reworked most of my database today using this technique. I can see it will be a huge help on North Carolina Statewide VIPER system. The system has over 205 tower sites scattered throughout the state. In my SUV my 536 has the gps, but my 436 doesn't. The QK for sites will be great for it.

 

[mitbr]

I just wanted to mention if you do the site QK and turn all sites on a system off either accidently or purposely, to get it back you have to use this key format...6.6.6 E if your FL was 6,system QK6, and site QK6.
Any more tips and tricks you would like to share? Post them here.
Tim

 

[joeuser]

If you hold AVOID, SYSTEM, DEPT, & CHAN while pressing down on the squelch/volume knob & press the power button to turn it on you'll hear something funny. Easter egg maybe?

 

[N2ICV]

Now on FB https://www.facebook.com/pages/Uniden-BCD536hp-Fansite/452491374874161

 

[joeuser]

Site is prejudiced against the BCD436HP. I will not support it!

Now on FB https://www.facebook.com/pages/Uniden-BCD536hp-Fansite/452491374874161

 

[mitbr]

New tip
If doing id search on a trunking system and unknown dept. shows up, if you hold on that, only unknown talk groups will be searched. Easy way to find new talk groups without hearing everything else.

If you have a tip or trick please post it here. Thanks.
Tim

 

[jonwienke]

That's only true if the talk groups are under the "unknown" department. If a new talkgroup is added under an existing department, you won't hear traffic on it while holding on the "unknown" department.

 

[mitbr]

If you are deep into the menu and want out quick just press the system key.

Any more tips and tricks post them here.
Tim

 

[alphaacres]

Searching for new id's

Did anybody also mentioned the other "hidden feature" to monitor only unknown TGs?




Once you have enabled ID Search, you can Hold on Department and scroll to the scanner created "Unknown" department group and keep it monitoring there for TGs you don't have already programmed. Even better, it seems to search amongst all your individual programmed sites for the particular system you're in.



Thank You JETorres

 

[mitbr]

Just learned something new today on the 436hp.
When on hold on a channel and you hit a talkgroup number and then channel it goes to that talkgroup channel. This comes in handy if you are listening to a tac channel and want to return to main disp assuming you know its talkgroup without using a tag number .
Tim

 

[Whistle-Shack]

Number one tip buy alot of sd cards.

 

[mitbr]

Number one tip buy alot of sd cards.

A good tip and funny as well .
Tim

 

[Voyager]

He must have stock in an SD card company. While there are some issues with the OEM cards, most replacement cards function without the same issues.

 

[kandrey89]

I'm still rather figuring out the scanner, slowly, but it didn't take long to get me listening. I setup a favorite group for home, commute and work, all in the same and it's nice because when at work I can just lock the system, when commuting, unlock all, when at home unlock all or lock local only. There's probably better ways of using quick keys, and more favorites, but I'm satisfied so far.

What about the SD cards? Do many of you record 24/7 when the radio is on?

Audio is pretty light, compared to my dashcam, dual 64GB microSD cards, 8 hours of driving. 1080p30

What I don't like is when I hear something important and 2 second delay is not enough, if I hit the channel button to HOLD it, it'd cut out the audio for a second and sometimes it cuts into the transmission.

Also don't like the fact that I can't treat the scanner as a cellphone, in terms of charging it and keeping it plugged in. This is my first scanner, and I want it to be portable, I can't justify buying a mobile scanner for my car, I want it in my house, or out on a walk. Hence the portable handheld. Problem is that the stupid charging circuit is not built to charge and keep the power on. Not to mention the re$arded "Charge?" prompt that pops up that asked you to charge the batteries. I don't intend to run it on non-rechargeables, so I don't want to see that stupid prompt, and it also stops reception until the prompt is answered, so I'm double fahKKed.

And also concerned about the LCD display going dark some months later. When I invest in equipment, I expect it to work for years, not 1 year.

 

[mitbr]

I'm still rather figuring out the scanner, slowly, but it didn't take long to get me listening. I setup a favorite group for home, commute and work, all in the same and it's nice because when at work I can just lock the system, when commuting, unlock all, when at home unlock all or lock local only. There's probably better ways of using quick keys, and more favorites, but I'm satisfied so far.

What about the SD cards? Do many of you record 24/7 when the radio is on?

Audio is pretty light, compared to my dashcam, dual 64GB microSD cards, 8 hours of driving. 1080p30

What I don't like is when I hear something important and 2 second delay is not enough, if I hit the channel button to HOLD it, it'd cut out the audio for a second and sometimes it cuts into the transmission.

Also don't like the fact that I can't treat the scanner as a cellphone, in terms of charging it and keeping it plugged in. This is my first scanner, and I want it to be portable, I can't justify buying a mobile scanner for my car, I want it in my house, or out on a walk. Hence the portable handheld. Problem is that the stupid charging circuit is not built to charge and keep the power on. Not to mention the re$arded "Charge?" prompt that pops up that asked you to charge the batteries. I don't intend to run it on non-rechargeables, so I don't want to see that stupid prompt, and it also stops reception until the prompt is answered, so I'm double fahKKed.

And also concerned about the LCD display going dark some months later. When I invest in equipment, I expect it to work for years, not 1 year.

I personally don't use the record function, the delay is user selectable to the talkgroup in the menu, I found that after the latest firmware upgrade when hitting channel hold while someone is talking the signal was no longer cut off.
Tim