For some reason I've always struggled with the quick keys on the 436. On my old 396 the quick keys were second nature and I never had a problem with them. I think I just gave up on the 436. I keep everything separated by system and use the favorites numbering to toggle them off/on.
Yea, they take some getting used to.... When I first got the 536 and actually used it (for a time), I set up some quick keys and took a drive. I kept getting "nothing to scan" (or whatever the Uniden error is). Between that and the sun glare on the display, I was ready to toss the thing out the window at 70 MPH. But I don't let these things beat me - I kept at it and finally figured it out. I still apply them quite often in favorites lists - even when using GPS on the 436 (I never should have bought that 536).
I agree with what you are saying with jumping control ch. I don't know why but it always seems to be better when the radio sits on one CC without having to jump to another site.
Yup - with exception of simulcast - which when I lived in Maryland was a killer more than here in Brunswick County - I found the radio performed better on trunk systems if you hold on a single system/site control channel (as one might expect) and even better if you change the hold/dwell time to something alot higher than 0. If you're only monitoring that single CC and using the radio for nothing else (no priorities, no close call, etc.), I highly recommend setting the hold time to the max (255?).
Off topic a bit - but I see you are using a G5. I just ordered one, and my code plug is all built and ready. I'm looking forward to trying it out. LSM distortion has been a pain for too long.
Yes it has. A friend in Maryland bought several Unications due to the severe simulcast issues on systems up there. Once he got past some issues in programming, he couldn't say enough about them - so, I finally bought a G4. I wouldn't make that purchase prior to hearing such positive reports about simulcast reception due to the price coupled with warnings that there was a "no returns" policy.
I recently upgraded to a G5 (sold the G4 on eBay) because I got an offer I couldn't refuse.
For simulcast systems, the G4/G5 can't be beat. In Maryland, not only was I able to finally clearly receive all of the simulcast systems in the area, the Unication was also able to receive other P25 systems that were several counties away (usually using a RS 800 Mhz handheld antenna)!
However, here in southern Brunswick County, particularly when inside my house, the Unication struggles receiving county VIPER sites just as much as any other radio I have. Of course, VIPER isn't simulcast and wasn't designed/built (as far as I know) for in-building coverage. I don't know if this is a plug/thumbs up for simulcast systems, a plug for in-building coverage, or both.
We get to Myrtle Beach quite often. Sometimes I can listen to the new Horry County P25 system from home with the Gx and it definitely receives Horry on the drive
long before any other radio I have.
EDIT: Forgot to mention - the Gx programming is a bit tedious. After creating dozens of systems and manually entering (cut and paste) well over a thousand talkgroups, I finally got tied of typing and wrote a proof-of-concept Python script to make programming a bit easier. I'm in the process of re-writing the script this week to make improvements.
