Help with uniden bcd536hp not receiving Tucson Police...

[sklam66]

Hello my fellow Tucson scanner heads. I just purchased a Uniden BCD536HP, and was able to figure it out, the only thing I can not get worked out is getting Tucson pd to work. I am kind of certain I set it up correctly in Sentinel but just will not work. I can receive Sheriff, dps and others on pcwin just not tpd. I'm offering free beer to any one that can help! I'm on the N/W side [Orange grove and Shannon] Any help would be greatly appreciated as I've become very frustrated with it. hpe file would be great, but I also want to understand what I'm doing wrong. Thanks in advance for any help! Dave

 

[Ronaldski]

I dont see where it shows at least in the text, Tucson police, Pima County Wireless Integrated Network (PCWIN) Trunking System, Tucson, Arizona
Of course those in this AZ forum would know best.

Also look at New talk of encryption in Tucson

First thing to try is updating the database in it. All the zipcode scanners come with several years old databases.
Your date is press MENU, scroll with silver knob to manage full database, press E button and scroll to Information and press E button to see how old it is.
Then press Menu a few times to get back to scanning.

If you use a Favorites list, it wont update those as they are user generated.
I couldn't find a 536hp update video, but use this one, the concept is the same.

Firmware update as well for it in the last several weeks -

 

[clareconley]

Check your sites. North Simulcast should be your best site in your area. If you don't have Tucson Fire Department
turned on, turn it on. They do most of the fire dispatching in your area. If you don't hear them you probably have done something wrong. FYI. Arizona DPS is not PCWIN. They are on AZWIN and have a conventional system. That could be part of your problem.

 

[Ronaldski]

Also I can add check your Service Types be sure to have all the 911 items on.

 

[sklam66]

Thank you for your time, I appreciate it! But none of the above are the issue. All systems are updated with sentinel, all sevice types correct. I get every thing I want on the pcwin p25 system except Tucson Police. They seem to be programed correctly, I can pull them up and see all of them but only receive them 1 out of 100 calls and very distorted. adjusted threshold any were from 5 to 13, 7 seems to help a little but not to much. when I do pick em up around 10 to 20 errors. Have a decent outdoor ant. also set for only the closest repeater{site} to lower confusion, nothing seems to work. Very annoying as that is one of the most important to me.

 

[DanRollman]

The BCD536HP is technically 'capable' of monitoring a Project 25 Phase II system such as PCWIN, but doesn't always do a very good job of it. The BCD536HP doesn't handle simulcast signals very well, and PCWIN is full of simulcast signals. Location can make all the difference. If you get a signal of similar strength from multiple system transmitters at your location, the scanner may not work as well as compared to a location where one signal is much stronger than the rest. So if it is working, but not working very well (i.e. missing some transmissions but not all, or transmissions just don't sound great), it is probably just the fact that the BCD536HP uses an older, cheaper technology that isn't well suited for monitoring these types of systems. The cure for this is an SDS100 or SDS200 scanner, or a Unication receiver, all of which use the proper technology to decode a Project 25 Phase II system such as PCWIN better.

The other possibility is which site you are listening to. All TPD talkgroups are found on Simulcast A and other sites as needed. TPD A3 (Team 2) is almost always also heard on North Simulcast. But the other TPD talkgroups aren't always heard on North Simulcast - it depends on whether a system subscriber on the northwest side is affiliated with North Simulcast and monitoring or scanning a particular talkgroup. At Orange Grove and Shannon you should be able to hear Simulcast A ok, even though that area is best served by North Simulcast. If your monitoring interest is TPD, I suggest you try locking onto Simulcast A only, so that you at least know you're listening to a site that is carrying that talkgroups that interest you, and try that for a while. If that doesn't work well, you may just need to switch to a scanner that was actually designed for better monitoring of this type of system.

I can hear all TPD talkgroups nearly perfectly when traveling in the Orange Grove & Shannon area, but I use a SDS100 scanner.

 

[DanRollman]

Have a decent outdoor ant. also set for only the closest repeater{site} to lower confusion, nothing seems to work. Very annoying as that is one of the most important to me.

That's not possible. PCWIN uses simulcast technology. You're scanner is being forced to receive and differentiate between simultaneous signals reaching it from multiple towers, regardless of your settings. That's part of what the BCD536HP doesn't do as well as an SDS scanner. You may be choosing North Simulcast rather than Simulcast A, but even then, your scanner is simultaneously receiving signals from a tower near Ina & I-10 (Ted Walker Park), a tower near Coachline & Silverbell, a tower near Marana Park, and a tower near Oro Valley PD headquarters, and having to try to make sense of it all. That's how simulcast works. It's really cool technology as long as you have capable hardware. You might actually be better off trying Simulcast A, because at least then the signals might be coming mostly from one direction. Your scanner might not have as much trouble differentiating between simultaneous signals from Tumamoc and from North Swan Road, the two closest Simulcast A towers to you.

You could also try listening on the Keystone Peak site. That site is not part of a Simulcast, so can be easier for some scanners to decode. If that site happens to be carrying the Tucson PD talkgroups of interest to you (and it might not), that might be an alternative. Simulcast A is the only site that is guaranteed to be carrying all Tucson PD talkgroups, all the time.

 

[Ronaldski]

Less antenna in simulcast the better,

Look at

Brief explanation

 

[Foresigt]

You don't mention what antenna you are using but when it comes to simulcast less is more. I'm in Phoenix but on my 536HP I only use the telescopic antenna collapsed almost completely and I have no simulcast issues. More antenna hears more signal which causes the issues.

 

[sklam66]

Thanks for your input and will try all the above! Also do think adjusting the nac or filter in sentinel would do anything?

 

[sklam66]

Ok sorry It took so long to get back with ya. I sure you've been bubbling with anticipation, been a bit busy as of late. I gave up on the bcd 536, its sad you can pay that much much for old technology. So I returned it to Amazon. But then I took a risk and purchased a sds200 on Ali express, ya I know I made sure I paid with a very secure credit card. But it actually arrived brand new in great condition in less then 8 days. Confirmed it with Uniden and its the real deal, and I love it! So much better Im blown away! Best part drum roll please, I PAID 420.00 US FOR IT! About 200 less then the the outdated 536 crap. Me happy. See my happy face? Thank you fellows for all the great advice, and I owe you all a cold beer, just have to come to Tucson.

 

[kb9klc]

Ok sorry It took so long to get back with ya. I sure you've been bubbling with anticipation, been a bit busy as of late. I gave up on the bcd 536, its sad you can pay that much much for old technology. So I returned it to Amazon. But then I took a risk and purchased a sds200 on Ali express, ya I know I made sure I paid with a very secure credit card. But it actually arrived brand new in great condition in less then 8 days. Confirmed it with Uniden and its the real deal, and I love it! So much better Im blown away! Best part drum roll please, I PAID 420.00 US FOR IT! About 200 less then the the outdated 536 crap. Me happy. See my happy face? Thank you fellows for all the great advice, and I owe you all a cold beer, just have to come to Tucson.

If you're ever looking for something small to carry while out and about, consider one of the Unication Voice pagers for that system. The G4 or G5 will blow the SDS 100 hand held out of the water. (on that system) NO, it's not a scanner per se and has limitations but for simulcast, I've found nothing better. Some people have said it even is as good or better than an actual subscriber radio these days.

 

[ScanRafael]

If you're ever looking for something small to carry while out and about, consider one of the Unication Voice pagers for that system. The G4 or G5 will blow the SDS 100 hand held out of the water. (on that system) NO, it's not a scanner per se and has limitations but for simulcast, I've found nothing better. Some people have said it even is as good or better than an actual subscriber radio these days.

Can these be programmed with Sentinel?

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Can these be programmed with Sentinel?

The G4 and G5? No. Sentinel is a Uniden product

Sentinel (Uniden software) - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

 

[ScanRafael]

The G4 and G5? No. Sentinel is a Uniden product

Sentinel (Uniden software) - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

What software is used to program Unication G4 and G5?

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

What software is used to program Unication G4 and G5?

UniCATION ≠ UniDEN. Some folks confuse the two

Downloads- G2-G5 P25 Voice Pager | Unication USA

Access PPS (Pager Programming Software), Product Manuals, Brochures and other resources for the G-Series P25 Voice Pagers.

www.unication.com

 

[kb9klc]

Can these be programmed with Sentinel?

No, Unication has its own PPS software. It's free and not all that hard to pick up on now that they allow RR database import. It's important to note, the Unication voice pagers have certain limitations over a scanner but, to monitor a simulcast system, I can't imagine anything better.

 

[DanRollman]

No, Unication has its own PPS software. It's free and not all that hard to pick up on now that they allow RR database import. It's important to note, the Unication voice pagers have certain limitations over a scanner but, to monitor a simulcast system, I can't imagine anything better.

My BK Radio KNG-P800 and KNG2-P800 radios - which are available to consumers and do have a true "Receive-only" option in the programming and do not require system keys - work much better on simulcast systems than my Unication G5, which in turn works better than my Uniden SDS100, which in turn works better than every other consumer grade scanner I've used. In that order.

 

[kb9klc]

My BK Radio KNG-P800 and KNG2-P800 radios - which are available to consumers and do have a true "Receive-only" option in the programming and do not require system keys - work much better on simulcast systems than my Unication G5, which in turn works better than my Uniden SDS100, which in turn works better than every other consumer grade scanner I've used. In that order.

Jezzz....now I need to look at one of those! Can you define "works better"? Was the G5 missing calls the BK picked up on or more features or?? Curious now. I tried the G5 against a /\/\ subscriber radio for a short period of time, and at least at that moment in time, there was zero difference

 

[DanRollman]

Jezzz....now I need to look at one of those! Can you define "works better"? Was the G5 missing calls the BK picked up on or more features or?? Curious now. I tried the G5 against a /\/\ subscriber radio for a short period of time, and at least at that moment in time, there was zero difference

On rare occasions I will notice that the G5 misses a call the KNG radio receives, especially with the weaker signals of more distant systems or sites. But more importantly I do find the G5 to sometimes begin proper decode slightly later (resulting in occasional clipping at the start), and overall decode and audio quality to be slightly better on the KNG, even on strong signals. I am surprised you experienced no difference at all - even as to decode and sound quality - between a Motorola subscriber radio and a G5. If that is true for you, you should definitely stick with your G5 and feel very good about it and save the incremental money a KNG costs over a G5. It isn't my experience unfortunately. I like the G5 a lot and it sounds much, much better than any consumer grade scanner, even the SDS radios, but for me it is not quite on par with my KNG radios. It is a close second.

I also much prefer the form factor, the controls, the ease of activating and manipulating scan lists and site selections, the button and switch customization and things like that of the KNG over the G5.