BCD436HP / BCD536HP Repair Campaign

[SCPD]

What problems are you seeing?

That's the thing .. nothing that I can tell. The reason for my comment is that the repair campaign web page did not say that "I did not need to send it in and gave me a number". I mostly wanted to see if there was an issue with my unit.

So I will just ignore sending it in .. the clock seems fine, and no dimming but it is only a few days old.

But I did find an issue with the 536HP wav files .. but do not know how to get you this information. It is definitely a bug.

 

[UPMan]

If you are not having a problem, you don't need to send it in.

 

[SCPD]

Thank you ..

Is there someplace where I can send Uniden some information re the wav file so that it can be looked at ?

 

[Whelen]

My Experience With The Repair Campaign

UPMAN, I have a question for you a little further down in the e-mail.

I requested a shipping label last Tuesday. I received the label the next day. I dropped it off at the local UPS Store that same day. It is due to be delivered back to me tomorrow. 10 days total, 4 days in transit, and two of the days the were weekend. Pretty impresses and props to Uniden for the fast turn around.

UPMAN, however this is were I am a tad bit skeptical;

This is what was repaired, at no cost to me:
Parts Used
BATTERY MODIFICATION
D415 D416 D417 D418

NO other parts used based on my issues listed below?

Here is the notes I included with the unit when shipped back for repair:
• VERY dim backlighting on screen.
• RTC loosing time.
• The rear USB port is damaged.
o I plugged the GPS unit in the USB port when I installed the 536 in my vehicle originally. It was never moved, uninstalled, or tampered with until I removed the unit from my vehicle this morning to ship back for repair. When I pulled the USB plug out of the scanner, tiny pieces of black plastic fell out in my hand. I smelled the USB plug and it had a slight smell of burnt electronics.
• Poor reception issues;
o I also have a 436 model. The 536 has a center of roof mounted 800 MHz permanent mount antenna on my vehicle. When compared side by side, the 436 with the factory rubber duck antenna will pick up the transmissions far better than the 536. Both units have the EXACT same programming/frequencies/settings, etc. The 536 only picks up approximately 40-50% of the transmissions that the 436 picks up 95% of.

I will post a reply again in a few days once I receive it back and start using it again.

 

[buddrousa]

If you had been following this long thread you would know all the problems you listed are on the same printed circuit board. The fix is a total board swap and factory flash the serial number and you have fixed the 436.

 

[Whelen]

If you had been following this long thread you would know all the problems you listed are on the same printed circuit board. The fix is a total board swap and factory flash the serial number and you have fixed the 436.

So the rear USB port is on the same PCB as the front display with the dimmed LEDs?

 

[JStemann]

I thought the rear USB port was supposed to be for the Wifi dongle only. The serial port is supposed to be for GPS. Was the GPS actually working (location based scanning) when plugged into the USB port?

Jeff.

 

[Whelen]

Sorry, should have clarified. I got the GPS power from the 5v coming out of the USB. Cleaner install, rather than the cigar plug. Basically I made my own "direct wire" GPS.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bdub5]

UPMAN, what is the normal time between receiving the unit and the status page being updated?

My unit was delivered on Wednesday and still no indication on the status page that it was received.

 

[Whelen]

UPMAN, what is the normal time between receiving the unit and the status page being updated?

My unit was delivered on Wednesday and still no indication on the status page that it was received.

From my experience, it took about 24 hours for the "Repair Status" page to be accurately updated. Just my $0.02.

 

[cjvail13]

repair campaign help

Upman, I am hoping you are able to help me. My bcd436hp is now showing issues with the internal battery. I have followed the directions and received an email from Uniden to send the scanner in. The problem is that when I click the link(UPS) and enter in my information for a label I get the following error "The Shippers shipper number cannot be used for the shipment (5208179)". I have attempted to call Uniden's customer service several times today and each time I was either told to visit the website or try again.

Any help on getting this resolved so that I can send my scanner in would be greatly appreciated.

 

[kinerity]

I got the e-mail to print the shipping label, but when I enter my name and address and click "process shipment", I get:

The Shippers shipper number cannot be used for the shipment (5208657)

 

[UPMan]

There was some kind of issue with our UPS account that is being worked on, now. Being told that it should work by the end of the week.

 

[organized_mayhem]

Just got my 536 back today. They even replaced the LED's, even though it wasn't having a problem with them yet. Awesome job Uniden.

 

[AE7Q]

My BCD536HP repair timeline

This is for information only, not a complaint:

2017-01-04 (Wed): Applied for repair shipping on Uniden site.
2017-01-05 (Thu): Received link to UPS label, printed it, & dropped scanner off at UPS.
2017-01-11 (Wed): UPS reports scanner delivered to Uniden.
2017-01-18 (Wed): Uniden reports scanner received.
2017-01-20 (Fri): Uniden reports scanner repaired & shipped back; UPS reports receiving same.
2017-01-27 (Thu): UPS delivers scanner to me.

The process did not ask me what problems I had with the unit. I included no comments in the shipment, because I wanted to see what Uniden would do. I never had a problem with the battery, because even after being off for a month or two, the attached GPS data stream would set the time within ten minutes. However, the LED lighting on the screen was barely noticeable (or usable) at night at full intensity (and had been that way for over a year)

When I received the scanner, a service status page was included, with the notations "BATTERY MODIFICATION" and "D415 D416 D417 D418". I now run the lighting at medium intensity during the day. The reception sensitivity seems a bit better than before, but that could just be my imagination.

 

[mickh]

Quick Question here.

I just did some swapping and trading with my friends at Universal Radio,
in Ohio. While I was there, I couldn't help myself and I used my newly
gotten money for a pair of new 436 and 536. When i got home here, in
PA. and opened them up, the serial numbers are older than I had hoped.
One starts at 3752 and the other starts at 3762. In guess it's older stock,
but new and unopened. I registered and have been running both here for a few
days. No clock or LED trouble as yet. Now the question is, down the road,
if I have trouble with either, will Uniden cover me on the send in program?
I hope I have no trouble with either. I have run Bearcat/Uniden from back in
the 70's. The old crystal days. I don't ever remember having any repair work
done on any scanner I owned. So, i can hope for the best. BTW, they are both
great scanners...

Mickh...

 

[RT48]

I have been following this thread from the beginning and I don't think Upman has ever said there is an expiration date on this repair campaign. As for your serial numbers, my 436 will be three years old this coming May and I have yet to experience either the RTC clock problem or the dimming display problem.

 

[UPMan]

The last four digits of the S/N only indicate how far down in the sequence you are for that production year. The digit after the "Z" indicates the last digit of the production year. In any event, you should only send the unit in if it actually exhibits one of the symptoms. The repair facility will charge a standard repair fee for units received without one of those issues.

 

[garys]

It seems very random. I had one 536 that displayed the RTC issue. My early production 436 had the RTC problem as well. I sent them both in early on in in the repair campaign. Both got the RTC fix and the dim display fix.

My other 536 never exhibited the RTC failure. What happened to that was that the large scroll knob started skipping over selections and it was a PITA to get to the item I wanted on the menu. I sent it in for that repair and was charged since it was out of warranty. In addition, even though I didn't mention it in my note, it got both the RTC and display fixes.

So, I wonder if no matter what you send a x36HP in for, they do those fixes routinely.

I have been following this thread from the beginning and I don't think Upman has ever said there is an expiration date on this repair campaign. As for your serial numbers, my 436 will be three years old this coming May and I have yet to experience either the RTC clock problem or the dimming display problem.

 

[AE7Q]

Knob skipping

... What happened to that was that the large scroll knob started skipping over selections and it was a PITA to get to the item I wanted on the menu. I sent it in for that repair and was charged since it was out of warranty.

That's VERY interesting. This never happened before I sent mine in for the LED repair early this month, and now it is VERY common. It sometimes beeps but does not move the selection, and sometimes it skips, as you note.

Is there a simple cleaning (eg, vacuum cleaner or a contact spray) that one can use to fix the problem? I'm not fond of sending it in again.