Can not get West Chester on my BCD436HP

[madirishman1916]

I just bought the BCD436HP and I don't know what I am doing wrong. I loaded West Chester PD, PA in as it's own favorite list from the sentinel program and I've barely heard a word. I can get Chester County PD and Fire EMS. Anyone know why WCPD won't work? I tried it as a direct transfer set up as a favorite from the computer and also from the memory card and deleted everything else. Any help would be much appreciated. I've been stumped for days.

 

[mlmummert]

I never had much luck picking them up even when close to / in West Chester.

 

[madirishman1916]

Yeah, I am right down the street. I can't seem to pick them up. Bits and pieces rarely.

 

[Audiodave1]

Hello,
Are are listening to the trunked system or local 500Mhz conventional channels?

Dave

 

[u2brent]

W Chester PD

I don't believe W Chester PD has moved onto the County system. They use the 500 Mhz frequencies listed on the county page..
under municipal..

https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?ctid=2255

 

[soberbyker]

I don't believe W Chester PD has moved onto the County system. They use the 500 Mhz frequencies listed on the county page..
under municipal..

https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?ctid=2255

They also have 4 listings on the county trunked system. If you're not hearing them on conventional try the trunked system.

1154 482 T WC PD 1 West Chester PD Dispatch Law Dispatch
1155 483 T WC PD 2 West Chester PD Ch 2 Law Tac
1156 484 T WC PD 3 West Chester PD Ch 3 Law Tac
1157 485 T WC PD 4 West Chester PD Ch 4 Law Tac

https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=7690

 

[madirishman1916]

WCPD

Thanks for the replies. I tried the trunked settings and I have heard next to nothing. I will try the 500's and see if that helps. Either I live in the safest town in the US or the frequencies in Sentinel aren't working. I will let you know what happens with the conventional channels.

 

[u2brent]

They also have 4 listings on the county trunked system. If you're not hearing them on conventional try the trunked system.

1154 482 T WC PD 1 West Chester PD Dispatch Law Dispatch
1155 483 T WC PD 2 West Chester PD Ch 2 Law Tac
1156 484 T WC PD 3 West Chester PD Ch 3 Law Tac
1157 485 T WC PD 4 West Chester PD Ch 4 Law Tac

https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=7690

The TG's exist, They are not used based upon my observation. Yet. The Op would seem to be confirming this.

 

[u2brent]

5533 Sometimes becomes active when a patch to the TRS is required.

FWIW: The University TG's are now in use, 1675, 4675. If you have the system set up correctly you should definitely hear activity on them.

 

[madirishman1916]

Yeah, it's probably operator error. At least partly. I am not hearing anything from WCPD on trunked or conventional and nothing from WCU PD either. I just set up a favorites list from sentinel and moved it over. I probably missed something along the way. Thanks for the info.

 

[HM1529]

WCPD still operates on their UHF P25 channels right now. There are plans for them to migrate to the TRS, but I believe there is going to be some enhancement to allow for better in building coverage before they make the move. I thought that was what I had heard.

I can hear the UHF on my BCD436 all around West Chester and even as far north as the turnpike between Valley Forge and Downingtown with an external antenna on the car.

On a good night, their UHF channels have broken squelch on my BCD436 in my house 20 miles north with just a handheld antenna...not good enough to make out much, nut got enough signal to hear bits.

 

[madirishman1916]

HM1529 can you walk me through how you set it up because I can’t get anything? It would be much appreciated.

 

[HM1529]

I have a favorites list for the county TRS and a separate favorites list for all the various conventional frequencies in the county (local FD/PD/PW frequencies).

Trying to hear the county TRS is a miserable experience on the 436 or any other scanner. Reception is very sketchy in some areas because of the known issues that scanners have with the simulcast distortion on P25 simulcast systems.

I don't really know what the issue would be if you have simply imported the West Chester conventional channels. If you haven't changed any settings, what is imported should work.

Some BCD436 units have a known issue with internal interference from the circuit board causing reduced reception on the UHF band. I know mine has this problem. It is not an issue when I have an external mobile antenna attached to the scanner, but reception does drop off when using a rubber duck antenna. I have noticed issues in the 450MHz range on mine...bad enough that a UHF repeater a few miles from me is barely readable on this scanner when it will be full quieting on any other scanner or two-way I have. Perhaps you have this issue, too...only more pronounced? The spurious signal on UHF is not a myth. I can set a commercial two way radio near my 436 and have the signal strength bar light up more and more the closer I slide it to the scanner. For a flagship unit, there is a lot I find frustrating or disappointing with the BCD436. I only continue to suffer with it because I got mine at a discount and like the on board database since I travel around a lot.

 

[madirishman1916]

That is possible. I haven't messed with the settings. I just imported it as a favorites list. I am getting very hit and miss traffic or WCPD is very slow. The scanner does have a Watson W-801 antenna on it. I don't know if that makes a difference. Again, thanks for the help.

 

[soberbyker]

The TG's exist, They are not used based upon my observation. Yet. The Op would seem to be confirming this.

Prior to my comment it wasn't clear to me what the OP had tried, so suggesting to try both seemed appropriate.

 

[royldean]

Two points regarding the BCD436:

1) If you send the scanner to Uniden (your cost), they will replace the board and/or add the capacitor required to fix the UHF interferance.

2) Make sure all "services" are enabled (or, at the very least, the police related ones)

 

[madirishman1916]

Thanks to everyone that offered help. I guess I’ll send it off to get fixed. Seems like a pain to have to do. I should be getting more than I am as I’m only two blocks from their tower. Hopefully that fixes it.

 

[troymail]

If it is a brand new 436 and you have a tower right down the street (are you sure that is part of the system you are trying to monitor?), I'm not sure there is anything to get "fixed".

It looks like you are receiving other things...

If anything, it is likely digital simulcast and Uniden can't fix that - at least, not in that radio - or inactivity on the system you are trying to monitor.

The database is full of talkgroups that do actually exist but aren't necessarily used all the time (or in some cases, at all).

I'd just hate to see you go through sending it in to find there is nothing wrong (as far as Uniden says).

 

[u2brent]

Hard to believe (but not impossible) the radio is that bad!!

The most active groups on the TRS are the following..

East Fire Response 2150
Central Fire Response 2250
West Fire Response 2350
East Police Dispatch 1150
Central Police Dispatch 1250
West Police Dispatch 1350
County Dispatch 1450
Sheriff 1457
Prison 1458
+ some of the Private PD Groups.

If your receiving traffic those would be the busiest.