BCD436HP First Impressions

[kikito]

Overall, this IS A GREAT scanner. And it looks like it's only getting better with upcoming updates and additions. I will try to update this list of my own as I discover new things and issues get resolved.


What I like:

- Being able to easily and quickly Select or Hold on Systems, Sites, Service Tags, Depts.
- Bigger screen with lots of info displayed
- Alert LED light (Like it much better than the whole screen changing colors and blinking like in past radios)
- 'Squelch Open' backlight function seems to work much better than past radios
Radio externals: great tactile feedback buttons, nice shape and weight and don't mind the bigger size compared to the 396XT radios.
- Trunking and Conventional Discovery: great tool for leaving the scanner doing something when not in active use by you
- Recording feature: very nice to replay audio almost as if it was live with all the transmission info on the screen
- UID (Radio ID) alerts with lights and audio


What I don't like:

- Already have some dust specks inside the screen
- STILL won't do P25 Trunked System patches correctly
- Digital AGC: At this time, I'm noticing some Digital AGC issues where it seems to not be regulating audio properly i.e. scratchy or over/under-modulated sounding transmissions
- Analog AGC: I'm not sure if the AGC is doing much on analog frequencies either. More testing will continue.
- Can't see UIDs while on Hold on encrypted TGs anymore
- 'Squelch Open' backlight still not functioning quite right on P25 systems
- A small issue I've notice in the recording feature is the UIDs are not always caught up with audio, so you might get misleading info about the actual radio transmitting
- Automatically recorded audio doesn't get saved indefinitely as I thought. Apparently, if there wasn't any transmissions in the last 4 minutes (240s or whatever setting you have), nothing is recorded. So it records strictly based on time and not on transmission activity. I know I could initiate constant recording manually but would be nice if it would automatically, all the time, save the last 4 minutes and just start overwriting the oldest audio recorded after that. Heck, let's even make it a nice and even 5 minutes instead.


Would like to have:

- Option to stop on or skip encrypted TGs while scanning
- Bring back showing control channel info when paused on one
- Bring back all the TG info while paused on an encrypted TG
- Bring back Control Channel Only during searches
- Screen to light up during turn on (boot up)
- P25 Trunked Radio Emergency Alarms (Radio Emergency Button)
- P25 Pre-emptive Priority
- P25 Talkgroup Patch support
- Different options on what info to display and font size on the screen
- A little more obvious info when locked in to a control channel
- Be able to have an alert on newly discovered TG IDs that come up and are not programmed in radio

 

[Wes]

Just got mine about 15 minutes ago. Lots to learn, but I'm impressed with a radio, that right out of the box, is receiving my local P25 simulcast system without any tweaks. Firmware updated and still listening to the P25 system with no issues. Call me happy.

 

[AZScanner]

I've got one more for your "like to have" list: Unit ID following. Wouldn't that be cool to be able to hold on a unit ID and follow it all over the system? This would be great for monitoring a unit such as the police helicopter who roams all over doing things we scanner heads usually find interesting.

And while I'm thinking of it, I have one for your "don't like" list as well: If I hold on a department and then hold on a site, I have to stop holding the site before I can stop holding on the department. Those two should function independent of each other, I think.

Other than those two I really don't have much to complain about or request. This scanner is freaking awesome!

-AZ

 

[racin06]

Just got mine about 15 minutes ago. Lots to learn, but I'm impressed with a radio, that right out of the box, is receiving my local P25 simulcast system without any tweaks. Firmware updated and still listening to the P25 system with no issues. Call me happy.

And you are one of many, like myself, who is having complete success in monitoring a simulcast system. Enjoy your 436. I'm spending more time tuning into my 436 and and less time reading the posts of the naysayers in the Uniden forums. Seems like most of the naysayers don't even own the x36, which is quite laughable.

 

[kikito]

I've got one more for your "like to have" list: Unit ID following. Wouldn't that be cool to be able to hold on a unit ID and follow it all over the system? This would be great for monitoring a unit such as the police helicopter who roams all over doing things we scanner heads usually find interesting.

Absolutely! That would be great.

And while I'm thinking of it, I have one for your "don't like" list as well: If I hold on a department and then hold on a site, I have to stop holding the site before I can stop holding on the department. Those two should function independent of each other, I think.

Yep, that's a minor quirk that I would think could be changed with firmware.

Other than those two I really don't have much to complain about or request. This scanner is freaking awesome!



-AZ

Absolutely agree again! Out of my "don't like" list I think the most serious one that really bothers me is the AGC issues some of us are experiencing. After that gets fixed, the rest is a nice bonus to have.

 

[TedRHayes]

Overall, this IS A GREAT scanner. And it looks like it's only getting better with upcoming updates and additions. ....
- Automatically recorded audio doesn't get saved indefinitely as I thought. Apparently, if there wasn't any transmissions in the last 4 minutes (240s or whatever setting you have), nothing is recorded. So it records strictly based on time and not on transmission activity. I know I could initiate constant recording manually but would be nice if it would automatically, all the time, save the last 4 minutes and just start overwriting the oldest audio recorded after that. Heck, let's even make it a nice and even 5 minutes instead.
...

You can turn on indefinite recording. Hit FUNC key then Replay Button. It will then record .wav files on the MicroSD card into folders by date and time. It does store channel related data pertinent to the transmision into the header fields of the file (see Windows Explorer File Property dialog). Haven't figured the best way to make use of the header data yet.

 

[kikito]

You can turn on indefinite recording. Hit FUNC key then Replay Button. It will then record .wav files on the MicroSD card into folders by date and time.

Yes, that's correct.

I just don't always want to be recording or don't always remember to turn it on or off. So I thought a good compromise would be to always have the radio automatically recording the last 5 mins. of all audio coming through the radio and keep it overwriting anything older than that.

 

[SCPD]

Yes, that's correct.

I just don't always want to be recording or don't always remember to turn it on or off. So I thought a good compromise would be to always have the radio automatically recording the last 5 mins. of all audio coming through the radio and keep it overwriting anything older than that.

Ok I'm confused will the 436 record each transmission individually or stop after the time I've set to record (ex: 30s)


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

 

[dupree617]

I'm trying to program one for a friend. And it did load a bunch of stuff into it. But the only thing he was able to pick up was the weather channel. I've been playing with it for more then 4 hours now. I've manually programed in some of the local TG's for the Southeast Texas Regional Radio System. The scanner isn't decoding the P25 signal from it. It stops on the TG when there is a transmisions. But there isn't any audio form the speaker. From that I know I not want one. If someone knows something I'm missing your welcome to message me. Thanks.

Note it seems to work just fine in analog. But not wanting to decode the P25 signal.

Mike Dupree
Silsbee, Tx 77656

 

[kikito]

Yes, that's correct.

I just don't always want to be recording or don't always remember to turn it on or off. So I thought a good compromise would be to always have the radio automatically recording the last 5 mins. of all audio coming through the radio and keep it overwriting anything older than that.

Another drawback I just noticed is that when you're manually recording, you can't playback audio that just happened quickly without stopping it and going to it, etc.

 

[kikito]

Ok I'm confused will the 436 record each transmission individually or stop after the time I've set to record (ex: 30s)

From what I know, it'll record each transmission individually and up to the 30s. However, if nothing happens for 30s, when you hit Replay, nothing is there to play. Even the last thing you heard won't be there because it gets overwritten by time passing by. Don't know if I'm explaining it correctly.

 

[KSDeputy]

Uniden BCD436HP

I just got mine today and the battery is charging. I bought it so I could listen to the new SN County Sheriff P 25 digital system, as I am retired from that agency. I have been reading the operators manual, it is totally different from any scanner I ever had. I am not sure I like it. I guess time will tell.

 

[kikito]

I just got mine today and the battery is charging. I bought it so I could listen to the new SN County Sheriff P 25 digital system, as I am retired from that agency. I have been reading the operators manual, it is totally different from any scanner I ever had. I am not sure I like it. I guess time will tell.

You should download the latest manual in PDF format if you don't have it yet. And make sure you update the radio to the latest radio firmware using the latest computer software version. All can be found here:

BCD436HP < UnidenMan4 < TWiki

 

[phask]

I'm trying to program one for a friend. And it did load a bunch of stuff into it. But the only thing he was able to pick up was the weather channel. I've been playing with it for more then 4 hours now. I've manually programed in some of the local TG's for the Southeast Texas Regional Radio System. The scanner isn't decoding the P25 signal from it. It stops on the TG when there is a transmisions. But there isn't any audio form the speaker. From that I know I not want one. If someone knows something I'm missing your welcome to message me. Thanks.

Note it seems to work just fine in analog. But not wanting to decode the P25 signal.

Mike Dupree
Silsbee, Tx 77656

Maybe it's above your skill level

Uniden BCD436/536HP FAQ. and INFO READ THIS 1st!! - The RadioReference.com Forums

 

[dupree617]

Maybe it's above your skill level

Uniden BCD436/536HP FAQ. and INFO READ THIS 1st!! - The RadioReference.com Forums

Thank you I'm going to work on that as well. I know my Pro-106 has about the same problem with the Bragg site. So let me see. Thank again.

Mike Dupree

 

[BoboPinky]

My first impression was, boy does this thing feel cheep, I wonder how long that flimsy battery cover will last? Of course my GRE 800 isn't really any better. I can't figure out why these scanner makers (I guess now there is, again, really only one - Uniden.... yea, yea, we'll see what "Whistler" does), for $500 can't make something in a more durable case, that uses a battery pack (rechargeable) and has a slightly bigger speaker?

Heck, I'd pay "a little more $" for these things. They all feel, in my hand, like the Radio Shack "walkie talkie" I had as a kid.

Oh, then of course mine wouldn't work anyway: http://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-scanners/284208-436hp-not-connecting-computer.html

 

[KSDeputy]

My BCD436HP has no specks in the window, but it does have a place on the side. I do not know what it is, or how to remove it. It looks like a drop of some substance dripped on it. I downloaded the latest manual as you suggested. Before doing anything else, I want the portable fully charged. I charged it for about 5 hours yesterday, and I am putting it on charge this morning. Any idea how long it has to be on normal charge right out of the box, before it is fully charged? Once charged, it is supposed to work for 8 hours before it needs charging again. I have 6 analog scanners to sell. One is a portable that will not pick up re-banded freqs. The other ones are base and some will pick up re-banded freqs. I thought I would try to sell them either on e-bay or craigslist in parts of the country, such as back east, that still use analog systems. All I need in the new portable are TPD, SN Sheriff. Lawrence PD & DG Sheriff. Weather with three counties on SAME.That should be simple enough to use the favorites for. It is obvious that Kikito & many others are a lot smarter on this generation of scanners than I am, so thanks for your help !!

 

[kikito]

The default on the scanner is set to charge the batteries for 14 hours and then it stops. That can be changed through the menus.

I think for most batteries 12 hours would be a safe compromise between charging enough and not overcharging them in the scanner. I personally charge my batteries with an external charger because I don't trust leaving them in the scanner charging and have them meltdown by accident. Which has happened to some people.

 

[SCOTTER]

Are you sure the screen cant blink a color that stinks when I go across the room my city pd blinks blue on dispatch and my county pd blinks tan on dispatc I see them out of the corner of my eye. I like that because they sound the same at times. I hope they can fix that.

 

[kikito]

There's a nice and bright LED light on the bottom left corner of the BCD436HP that you can see across the room. You can make it steady, blink fast or slow in a bunch of different colors and you can also set audible alerts for it.