I have a 436HP on the way and my plan is to purchase ARC 536 to go with the Sentinal software. My question is will I find the ease of use with it as compared to what I have already been doing with FreeScan and my 996XT. I did not find it to be very difficult to pull directly what I wanted from the RR database and create my own scan lists in the past. Can someone let me know how similar the experience will be? I do have a premium subscription to RR as well.
Getting Started with Sentinal and ARC 536
- Thread starter thrownout27
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gonefishn1
Member
PROSCAN is the best software !!! Try it free with a free 30 day try before you buy.
k0aa
Member
I've been using PROSCAN for years. It is phenomenal in its ease of use and features. PROSCAN is my choice for my Uniden scanners, and WIN500 is my choice for my Whistler and Radio Shack scanners. These two programs and a Premium Radio Reference membership ($30 per year) are a powerful trio for serious radio monitoring enthusiasts.
ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
Except you can't edit favorites in ProScan...
You need to think in a somewhat different paradigm. Instead of pulling from the database, you create favorites from a version of the database that's stored on a SD card.
Perhaps the Easier to Read manual would be a good place to start...
Easier to Read BCD436/536HP Digital Scanner Manual
BCDX36HP Sentinel Software Manual
And we have a 2 page FAQ on these scanners here...
BCD436HP and BCD536HP Scanner FAQ - The RadioReference Wiki
Mike
You need to think in a somewhat different paradigm. Instead of pulling from the database, you create favorites from a version of the database that's stored on a SD card.
Perhaps the Easier to Read manual would be a good place to start...
Easier to Read BCD436/536HP Digital Scanner Manual
BCDX36HP Sentinel Software Manual
And we have a 2 page FAQ on these scanners here...
BCD436HP and BCD536HP Scanner FAQ - The RadioReference Wiki
Mike
To answer your question: Yes.
You might find the buttons, boxes and other input fields to be in different places, but the software functions pretty much the same. If you have other scanners, you can import programming files so they can be used for the 436. You'll have to add some data, such as Service Types as earlier scanner models may not have used these.
I'd suggest the Pro version rather than basic. You'll get logging and virtual control.
Be sure that if you create a FL in Arc, you read the scanner in Sentinel to avoid later confusion. Vice versa too - a Sentinel created FL should be read with Arc.
Sentinel is may main workhorse. Arc is used to pretty up Favorites List tags and vitual control.
So what you're saying is that whatever I do with one piece, I need to have that exist in the other program as well?
Yes.
The HPD Favorites List file that Arc "manipulates" is completely different from the HPD Favorites List file that Sentinel "manipulates".
Spend a month or so creating and editing FLs with your Sentinel. If you become proficient you won't need additional software. If you don't become proficient, additional software will probably not help you. If you don't need the virtual scanner (scanner screen shows on your computer monitor) Sentinel will get the job done.
Yes ... but you don't have to manually recreate the information.
If you create a favorites list in ARC536 and write it to your scanner, if you read back from the scanner in Sentinal it will be there. Similarly, you can create in Sentinal and save to scanner then read back in ARC536.
Try them then decide
Going back to your original question. My advice would be to download the trial versions of ARC536 and Proscan (after you get your scanner, since the 30 day clock starts when you download) and then try all three packages and see which one(s) you prefer.
This is definitely a YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary) thing. Some people are comfortable just using Sentinal, and you still need to have it to update the scanner's firmware and the onboard database. It also comes free with the scanner, which is a plus.
Personally, I don't use the database at all, and prefer to create favorites lists based on RR downloads, just like I do with all my other scanners. So I do all my programming with ARC536. The one exception is when I want to delete a number of favorites lists and start over; I use Sentinal for that since I haven't figured out how to do it with ARC536. But that's just how *I* do it; not saying that will work best for you or anyone else.
I also prefer to use virtual control on my scanners, and I ended up buying a copy of Proscan as well, because I found the VC in ARC536 to be lacking. But Proscan currently doesn't support programming the 436/536, although the author has indicated he may be adding that in the future. That was what kept me from buying Proscan instead of ARC536 in the first place. Proscan also has the advantage that it works with a number of other Uniden scanners too.
So again, my recommendation would be to download the trial versions of ARC536 and Proscan and try all three packages, then decide what works best for you. If that turns out to be Sentinal, great ... you've saved yourself some bucks.
Going back to your original question. My advice would be to download the trial versions of ARC536 and Proscan (after you get your scanner, since the 30 day clock starts when you download) and then try all three packages and see which one(s) you prefer.
This is definitely a YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary) thing. Some people are comfortable just using Sentinal, and you still need to have it to update the scanner's firmware and the onboard database. It also comes free with the scanner, which is a plus.
Personally, I don't use the database at all, and prefer to create favorites lists based on RR downloads, just like I do with all my other scanners. So I do all my programming with ARC536. The one exception is when I want to delete a number of favorites lists and start over; I use Sentinal for that since I haven't figured out how to do it with ARC536. But that's just how *I* do it; not saying that will work best for you or anyone else.
I also prefer to use virtual control on my scanners, and I ended up buying a copy of Proscan as well, because I found the VC in ARC536 to be lacking. But Proscan currently doesn't support programming the 436/536, although the author has indicated he may be adding that in the future. That was what kept me from buying Proscan instead of ARC536 in the first place. Proscan also has the advantage that it works with a number of other Uniden scanners too.
So again, my recommendation would be to download the trial versions of ARC536 and Proscan and try all three packages, then decide what works best for you. If that turns out to be Sentinal, great ... you've saved yourself some bucks.
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