BCD536HP Post-Release Thread

[Ncfirewire]

I have the same Windows OS as you. I got the files downloaded and unzipped and
ran the installs just fine. The very last step, the place you point the program to
the dongle COM port and to the program location is where mine aborts.

I think I'll wait a little longer until the instructions can be made more clear.

Besides, we cannot use the dongle yet anyway because the app for it has
not been released yet.

Before you run the last step

right click the firmware updater program

select properties

choose compatibility tab

check the box that says run this program an compatibility mode and choose windows xp service pack 3

check the box that says run this program as an admin

apply

then run the program it should not abort

 

[tsalmrsystemtech]

Thanks for the last few comments and its nice to hear right from the horses mouth. But I will get back on topic.

I received my BCD536HP yesterday and its a fine piece of equipment. It has been sure of a learning curve but its fun to figure out this new high tech radio. FIRST I just love the display screen. This is the most favorite part of the radio that I noticed first.

I have been so use to my GRE PSR 600 that I just sold before it gets too old, but I still like my BCD996XT because it was just so easy to program with Butel Software. I guess I am not use to programming with the Sentinel Software. This software is so easy to update the database and also the firmware.

I have not even taken the wireless dongle out of the box yet. This will be something to look forward to in the next couple of days once I get more comfortable with the new 536.

Well Uniden has done wonders this time around. This new radio with its new display blows away any other scanner that has ever been made. I love how you can hold on a channel and hit the FUNC + 9 and it displays everything that you are scanning. Its also nice to have a clock on the radio too.

Just learned how to program and hit the record and playback tonight too. Nice feature too.

The radio does wonders on P25 Conventionals and Phase I Trunking in my area.

Good Luck to the radios that are still in transit to customers that are still waiting for that GEM to be delivered.

 

[mikewazowski]

Gentlemen, a reminder that this thread is not the place for discussing encryption.

I've deleted all the off topic posts discussing it.

 

[whooey]

Well, I sold a few items from another hobby and just placed an order at Ham Radio Outled for a BCD536HP!

Now the long wait begins.

 

[FirstClass]

WiFi

To me the update software need a little work. It needs a info page. You have version xx version xx is available etc. since I cannot tell if it worked. My WiFi version is showing 4.06. Is this the latest. Other than the software issues I am happy with the purchase.

 

[wfrancis16]

Maybe someone that has the 536 can answer this for me. When you set a recording, does it create a real time audio file or does it only record when the squelch opens up?

 

[safetyobc]

Maybe someone that has the 536 can answer this for me. When you set a recording, does it create a real time audio file or does it only record when the squelch opens up?

Only when the squelch is opened.

 

[drdiesel1]

To me the update software need a little work. It needs a info page. You have version xx version xx is available etc. since I cannot tell if it worked. My WiFi version is showing 4.06. Is this the latest. Other than the software issues I am happy with the purchase.

If I go Menu > WiFi Setup > Show Wi-Fi Information: I have version 5.01, I'd say your dongle firmware upgrade didn't work.

 

[FirstClass]

Wifi

If I go Menu > WiFi Setup > Show Wi-Fi Information: I have version 5.01, I'd say your dongle firmware upgrade didn't work.

Thanks. That is what I thought.

 

[freherman]

I would say Ham Station would be a good place to buy from given a lot of the posts from this forum. So I'd add them to your search. And search them on this forum to see the satisfied posts. I am in no way affiliated with them. In fact, I have not purchased from them. I have from scannermaster.com listed here but due to a lot of people on here I'm changing that going forward.

 

[Ncfirewire]

Here is one great thing the 536 does that my homepatrol and 996 would not do

I set up the tone out for my local fire dept for 30 seconds and then record it when i am at work it will record every dispatched call without all the talking in between.

the homepatrol recorded but i would have all the talking in between and had no tone out

the 996 had tone out but no record

 

[troymail]

Question: does "SERV" types apply to favoirites/scanlists? In the past I had only seen these apply to searches but I think I'm seeing it affect favorites lists also.

For example, the default doesn't appear to include "Fire-Tac" so I hear nothing on the fireground. I just enabled "Fire-Tac" and that seemed to address the problem....

...and so have I answered my own question?

EDIT: Another question that Home Patrol folks may be able answer. Yesterday, I played with "RANG"e - even setting it to 1.0 and 0.0 at times and wonder why it appears to be loading stuff from Virginia and Pennsylvania when I enter a zip Code for downtown Baltimore.... For a while yesterday, I was also listening to frequencies labelled as "Dominion Power" in Virginia (I know that's not who the user was -- not from my area).

FWIW - I'm posting most of my observations in the Maryland forum for the benefit of my fellow Maryland Scanning Enthusiasts...
http://forums.radioreference.com/maryland-radio-discussion-forum/282754-bcd536.html

 

[AK9R]

Here's the link to the RR Wiki article about Uniden's location-based scanning:

Location Based Scanning - The RadioReference Wiki

Basically, your location settings along with the location info encoded into the RR database work together to determine what you scan. Of particular note is the radius in the DB for any particular system. If that radius overlaps the geocode of your ZIP code, even with a range of 0, you're going to scan that system unless you avoid it or lock it out.

 

[phask]

Here's the link to the RR Wiki article about Uniden's location-based scanning:

Location Based Scanning - The RadioReference Wiki

Basically, your location settings along with the location info encoded into the RR database work together to determine what you scan. Of particular note is the radius in the DB for any particular system. If that radius overlaps the geocode of your ZIP code, even with a range of 0, you're going to scan that system unless you avoid it or lock it out.

What you see is one of the big issues - IMHO in the RR database re: location. There are entries that have a range of some ridiculous number. Some of these are legit - maybe a statewide with a few sites. But others not. These need to be reported to get revised.

Some admins are very good at this, others not and some - no idea.

I'm not going into it more - I've griped enough and I understand and am aware of the limitations.

I also remember some states that had very little geocode for a particular state police system.

Please if you see this - report it. Mobil using the entire Db and a GPS can really be a PITA when this is an issue.

 

[trunker]

EDIT: Another question that Home Patrol folks may be able answer. Yesterday, I played with "RANG"e - even setting it to 1.0 and 0.0 at times and wonder why it appears to be loading stuff from Virginia and Pennsylvania when I enter a zip Code for downtown Baltimore.... For a while yesterday, I was also listening to frequencies labelled as "Dominion Power" in Virginia (I know that's not who the user was -- not from my area).

That department has a range setting of 225 miles to cover the whole state (of Virginia) and the scanner found that freq before the local (duplicate) freq. That's what I don't like about using the database; too much overlap, especially on the Eastern coast.

The best way to scan is to build FLs by appending (adding) systems from the database to a FL. You won't know what you get if you use 'Set Your Location'. If you want to use just the database, you will have to figure out what to avoid.

 

[troymail]

The best way to build FLs is to append (add) systems from the database to a FL. You won't know what you get if you use 'Set Your Location'.

Yea - I agree. The most useful part of the ZIP load is to load and then find a local system. It appears that once I do that, I want to HOLD on that system.

I rarely if ever used the PSR800 location based imports.

 

[wfrancis16]

Only when the squelch is opened.

Thank you. I might get in line to get ones these. .

 

[03msc]

What you see is one of the big issues - IMHO in the RR database re: location. There are entries that have a range of some ridiculous number. Some of these are legit - maybe a statewide with a few sites. But others not. These need to be reported to get revised.

Some admins are very good at this, others not and some - no idea.

I'm not going into it more - I've griped enough and I understand and am aware of the limitations.

I also remember some states that had very little geocode for a particular state police system.

Please if you see this - report it. Mobil using the entire Db and a GPS can really be a PITA when this is an issue.

As another angle to this I would say that the database is only as good as the information submitted. Admins are tasked with overseeing the databases but that doesn't mean it is their sole responsibility to keep it up to the minute and accurate - they rely on the submissions of RR users like you and I.

So, while I don't believe you were suggesting it was their sole responsibility, I wanted to use this opportunity to point out the importance of submitting accurate information whenever discovered by going to the proper page in the database and clicking the submit tab. If it is geo info that is wrong, submit that as well.

[Yes, this was off-topic as far as specifics to the 536 but since the 536 uses the db and has GPS, and because it was brought up by phask, I thought I'd mention it here.]

 

[radios4bill]

Frequency input error?

Hi Group; Well I received the radio yesterday and like it. I have a issue about the way is scans, I have been trying different settings and found if you remove non control frequencies it help something to look at in future firmware updates I still can't figure out the way to get to the S0-S9? I also found a issue with the frequencies that are in Database or the way it transfers to unit. I am monitoring MARCS-IP (Cleveland) and found all the frequencies that are in the unit transferred as 774.531200 and it is 774.531250 has anyone seen this yet? Thanks Bill

 

[phask]

That department has a range setting of 225 miles to cover the whole state (of Virginia) and the scanner found that freq before the local (duplicate) freq. That's what I don't like about using the database; too much overlap, especially on the Eastern coast.

The best way to scan is to build FLs by appending (adding) systems from the database to a FL. You won't know what you get if you use 'Set Your Location'. If you want to use just the database, you will have to figure out what to avoid.

Is it a dept. or a site? I don't think there is really any issue with a dept. It's sites that it scans.

I'm assuming it's a trunked system. If it's conventional that is WRONG.