BCD436HP/BCD536HP: Help Needed - BCD436HP & Sentinel Questions

[Gunner_Ed]

Hello - When I first configured my BCD436 for local/fixed scanning, I wiped the scanner's database and built favorites in the ProScan app and downloaded them to the scanner. I will be traveling across the country and would like to bring the scanner with me but have a couple of questions:

1) How do I restore the complete and current Sentinel US database (or better yet, just the state and local PSAP systems/freqs) so that when I am driving across the US, I can receive local police, fire, ems, etc?

2) Is the internal GPS receiver sufficient for location determination, or will I need an external GPS antenna?

3) How do I configure automatic location-based scanning that updates itself as I am driving?

I searched for answers on RR and in the BCD436 user manual, but it wasn't clear to me how to do this. Any help is greatly appreciated!

/Ed

 

[jtwalker]

1) use Sentinel to download current database version and load to scanner… don’t know what PSAP means

2) there is no internal gps, unless you had someone do a one-off modification to install one

3) use full database, or favorites lists with location control turned on, and a gps

 

[nessnet]

1) use Sentinel to download current database version and load to scanner… don’t know what PSAP means

Public Safety Answering Point (basically 911).

 

[Gunner_Ed]

1) use Sentinel to download current database version and load to scanner… don’t know what PSAP means

2) there is no internal gps, unless you had someone do a one-off modification to install one

3) use full database, or favorites lists with location control turned on, and a gps

Thank you. So if there is no GPS receiver in the unit,, how does location control work?

 

[hiegtx]

1) How do I restore the complete and current Sentinel US database (or better yet, just the state and local PSAP systems/freqs) so that when I am driving across the US, I can receive local police, fire, ems, etc?

As long as you keep the main database, in Sentinel, up to date, whenever you write a Favorites list to the scanner, the main database in the scanner will be updated as well.

Uniden | A World Without Wires - Uniden Repair Center

2) Is the internal GPS receiver sufficient for location determination, or will I need an external GPS antenna?

There is no 'internal GPS' built into the scanner, unless you had someone make that modification installed, Are you actually referring to the GPS puck itself, and wondering if you need an external antenna (on your vehicle) as opposed to placing the puck on your dash, or somewhere it can 'see' the sky?

3) How do I configure automatic location-based scanning that updates itself as I am driving?

jt's already covered this. Make sure that location control is activated, for any list that you are using. Under ''Set Scan Selection ->Select Lists to monitor, be sure that scanning the full database is selected. Make sure that your range is set where you want it. When traveling, using a GPS, in most cases you'd be comfortable with a shorter range range, like 5 or 10 miles. Remember that the actual range in selecting a system to be scanned is the sum of the range you set, in the scanner, as well as the range for the system or site. See this page for a more complete description. You might also want to ensure make sure that you have that you have the correct service types of interest enabled. Beside public safety dispatch types, there are related "Talk" & "Tac" types as well.

You might also want to review the Nationwide Systems. Many of those have a very long range figure, and would be scanned. Access that via the menu & make any changes you desire.

 

[jtwalker]

Thank you. So if there is no GPS receiver in the unit,, how does location control work?

Use one of the following:
1) enter your zip code
2) enter your gps coordinates
3) use a gps
4) use auto-locate, but everyone seems to agree this is not very accurate so I would not recommend it

 

[hiegtx]

4) use auto-locate, but everyone seems to agree this is not very accurate so I would not recommend it

""Auto Locate" was a feature on the original database scanner, the Home Patrol I. It tells the scanner to check signals from trunked systems in range, and tries to match them with systems that are in the database, and take a stab at designating your location based on what it can "hear". In most urban areas now, there are so many trunked systems in use, that the scanner will not do an accurate determination of where you are.

 

[Gunner_Ed]

""Auto Locate" was a feature on the original database scanner, the Home Patrol I. It tells the scanner to check signals from trunked systems in range, and tries to match them with systems that are in the database, and take a stab at designating your location based on what it can "hear". In most urban areas now, there are so many trunked systems in use, that the scanner will not do an accurate determination of where you are.

Thank you all for your responses.

 

[dave3825]

Fwiw, I have always laid gps puck right on dashboard and never had an issue. For densely populated areas like major NYC, a range of 1 or even a half mile will work. If scanning with gps and full database, set only the service types of interest. You can also go in full db and set anything you’re not interested in to avoid.