BCD436HP/BCD536HP: BCD436HP Question

[BinaryMode]

I'm thinking about buying a 436HP, but before I do I seem to remember reading years ago that some of these models had a solder issue or some other alignment? If this is true what should I be looking for as I plan on buying on the used market?

I look forward to any and all information with my token of appreciation.

Thanks.

 

[tvengr]

What is your city, county, and state and which systems and agencies do you want to monitor? We need to know to determine if simulcast distortion may be a problem at your location.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

To answer the OP's question I've bought three 436HPs between 2014 and 2023. Never noticed a "solder issue" with any of them...

 

[kg4ehv]

I picked one up used for mobile use. Its a great scanner, but it has the clock issue, just wait a couple seconds and it goes away and scans just fine.

 

[K9KLC]

I bought a used one 5-6 years ago, and have since sold it, the current owner has had it a year or so now, no problems. He tells me almost weekly how well it's working for him. We live pretty far east in a Simulcast system and honestly it works pretty well up here.

 

[BinaryMode]

Thanks for the responses so far. Could have sworn there was some manufacture issue I read about years ago.

What is your city, county, and state and which systems and agencies do you want to monitor? We need to know to determine if simulcast distortion may be a problem at your location.

Fort Meade, Maryland. West break room. Where the mouse reads the Epoch Times...

 

[Ubbe]

these models had a solder issue or some other alignment? If this is true what should I be looking for as I plan on buying on the used market?

Uniden change their circuit boards layout and components with a couple of years intervals to save money and also to replace obsolete components with new ones. And at some revision they got rid of one capacitor they shouldn't have that created RF interference when used with the rubber antenna on the scanner. There's a Uniden BCD436 wiki where all revisions of the circuit board are explained.

/Ubbe

 

[tvengr]

Fort Meade, Maryland. West break room. Where the mouse reads the Epoch Times...

The BCD436HP most likely will have problems with simulcast distortion on the new Anne Arundel County P25 simulcast system. That will result in missed transmissions and garbled audio. The SDS100 will work much better. I have a favorites list for Anne Arundel County, with the AA County trunked system, MD Aviation Admin, and the BWI airport ATC frequencies. I would be happy to add the Fort Meade trunked system to the favorites list for whichever scanner you decide to purchase.

 

[dave3825]

The SDS100 is what had a solder issue know as CSJ. Cold Solder Joint

SDS100/SDS200: - Has the SDS100 CSJ problem been solved?

Haven't seen any complaints lately about the infamous widespread cold solder joint problem with J401 of the SDS100. Maybe they finally fixed it with the latest production run?

forums.radioreference.com

Early 436 had clock issue and display issues.

 

[lamarrsy]

FWIW I was one of the early adopters of the 436, and mine had the clock issue, the display issue, and was an horrible performer on VHF analog —with its rubber duck—.
I sent it to Uniden and the clock and display were corrected, but the VHF performance stayed what it was, even if I applied copper tape to the inside of the battery compartment (a trick I learned here).
But more than 10 years later, now in 2025, you shouldn’t meet any of these problems if you’re buying new.
As for the cold solder problem, I think it was related to one of the newer model (SDS-100 or 200, can’t remember).

 

[BinaryMode]

The SDS100 is what had a solder issue know as CSJ. Cold Solder Joint

SDS100/SDS200: - Has the SDS100 CSJ problem been solved?

Haven't seen any complaints lately about the infamous widespread cold solder joint problem with J401 of the SDS100. Maybe they finally fixed it with the latest production run?

forums.radioreference.com

Early 436 had clock issue and display issues.

Ah, that's what I probably read. Thanks.

Uniden change their circuit boards layout and components with a couple of years intervals to save money and also to replace obsolete components with new ones. And at some revision they got rid of one capacitor they shouldn't have that created RF interference when used with the rubber antenna on the scanner. There's a Uniden BCD436 wiki where all revisions of the circuit board are explained.

/Ubbe

I'll check that out, thanks.