BCD436HP/BCD536HP: How to use GPS

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kmh603

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I just bought a BCD436HP and want to use it as I travel across country on Hwy 80. I am trying to figure out how to use the GPS function? If I set Location to YES and then select the Service Tags of PD and FD. The Scanner will populate all the PD and FD departments as I travel down Hwy 80? I do have the Uniden GPS Puck and so I hook that up and go and that is? A little confused? Is there anything else I need to do?

Thanks
 
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K1IWN

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I just bought a BCD436HP and want to use it as I travel across country on Hwy 80. I am trying to figure out how to use the GPS function? If I set Location to YES and then select the Service Tags of PD and FD. The Scanner will populate all the PD and FD departments as I travel down Hwy 80? I do have the Uniden GPS Puck and so I hook that up and go and that is? A little confused? Is there anything else I need to do?

Thanks

My experience with this...

Make sure you load the most recent full database.

Turn OFF any favorites lists outside of you local area. Make sure you turn ON full database.

For me, I prefer to listen only to the service types Fire Dispatch and Law Dispatch and turn all others off.

Set your range to a desired area. For me, I set it to 5.0 to focus on the highway and areas close by.

Once the GPS is plugged in, location no longer matters. It takes care of itself automatically.

If you are running on battery power, make sure you have at least one spare set fully charged (I have two spare sets with me at all times).

If you are running on AC power through the cigarette lighter, keep in mind you need a port for the GPS. There are several adapters on Amazon that can turn the single port into a dual or triple, pending on need, and they are reasonably priced.

An external antenna in conjunction with the GPS works best.

Enjoy!
 

kmh603

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Ok Sounds Great. Can you post a link in amazon on that dual connection? Guess I need to purchase a Cigarette Lighter Adapter as well.

Thank You
 

kmh603

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Im confused.. The GPS plugs into the Scanner via a USB Port. The Cigarette Lighter adapter with cord plugs into the USB port to power Scanner? So how does both accessories plug into the scanner? I see the Amazon link where you show a Dual USB Power Adapter, but I can not figure out how both the Power Adapter and the GPS Adapter plug into one USB port on the BCD436HP Scanner?

Thanks for your Replies!
 

phask

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You need power to the GPS - hence 2 cigarette outlets required.

I semi-permanently mounted my GPS in the corner of the dash, fed the wire under the panel and wired a lighter outlet in to an always on circuit with a switch and pilot light. Have the GPS powered this way and heavily taped into the lighter outlet so it does not loosen. You can't remove the cig. plug as it is a voltage reducer.


Im confused.. The GPS plugs into the Scanner via a USB Port. The Cigarette Lighter adapter with cord plugs into the USB port to power Scanner? So how does both accessories plug into the scanner? I see the Amazon link where you show a Dual USB Power Adapter, but I can not figure out how both the Power Adapter and the GPS Adapter plug into one USB port on the BCD436HP Scanner?

Thanks for your Replies!
 

K1IWN

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Im confused.. The GPS plugs into the Scanner via a USB Port. The Cigarette Lighter adapter with cord plugs into the USB port to power Scanner? So how does both accessories plug into the scanner? I see the Amazon link where you show a Dual USB Power Adapter, but I can not figure out how both the Power Adapter and the GPS Adapter plug into one USB port on the BCD436HP Scanner?

Thanks for your Replies!

The GPS does NOT plug into the USB port. It plugs into the right side of the unit, top port, ABOVE the micro USB port. Flip the cover down... there are two plug-ins. The plug styles are different. Be careful that you don't jam the wrong plugs in to the wrong ports as they are somewhat close.

The Uniden GPS needs its own power feed. The 436 needs its own power source, either battery or AC. The link provided was supplied in case you need to split the cigarette lighter in order to accommodate both the GPS and AC power for the 436.
 

dave3825

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My experience with this...

Make sure you load the most recent full database.

Turn OFF any favorites lists outside of you local area. Make sure you turn ON full database.


My method is slightly different.

I live on Long Island and have 3 well edited favorite lists for Nassau/Suffolk counties, NYPD, NYFD and New York State. Those are more or less my local favorites because I spend time in those areas. When I travel upstate or out of state, I set those counties in the main database to avoid, so I am using my favorite lists that I am familiar with and also know the quick keys should I want to enable or disable something on the fly. Before I leave, I set those fav lists to location on. Turn off all service types of non interest. Enable full database , set my range for 1 to 2 miles and then just plug in the gps and start driving to the deli. (can't drive on an empty stomach). It all works great.
 

K1IWN

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My method is slightly different.

I live on Long Island and have 3 well edited favorite lists for Nassau/Suffolk counties, NYPD, NYFD and New York State. Those are more or less my local favorites because I spend time in those areas. When I travel upstate or out of state, I set those counties in the main database to avoid, so I am using my favorite lists that I am familiar with and also know the quick keys should I want to enable or disable something on the fly. Before I leave, I set those fav lists to location on. Turn off all service types of non interest. Enable full database , set my range for 1 to 2 miles and then just plug in the gps and start driving to the deli. (can't drive on an empty stomach). It all works great.

I don't use avoid because there may be freqs in other areas / states that are the same. I shut off the local favorites lists for that reason. Short distances, I can see that rationale, as they likely would not overlap.
 

K1IWN

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This is my set up (h/t to jonwienke for the RAM mount tip).

GPS top right port. When plugged in properly with power, "GPS" will show on the lower right of the screen.

USB goes in the bottom right port. I don't normally use it as I have enough wires going and use battery power.
 

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marksmith

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I don't use avoid because there may be freqs in other areas / states that are the same. I shut off the local favorites lists for that reason. Short distances, I can see that rationale, as they likely would not overlap.
If you are using the full database, avoiding a particular local item in the database will not avoid something else, as you are not avoiding freqs, but named departments or users in the database. This will only be true if you avoid statewide or nationwide items.

Mark
536/436/WS1095/HP1/HP2/996T/996XT/996P2/396XT/325P2/PSR800/15X/others
 

K1IWN

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If you are using the full database, avoiding a particular local item in the database will not avoid something else, as you are not avoiding freqs, but named departments or users in the database. This will only be true if you avoid statewide or nationwide items.

You are more than likely 100% correct, Mark. Call me old school because when I avoided a freq ("lockout" was the function) back in the day it didn't matter where I was, I wasn't going to get it. It was blocked until I unlocked it.

I may be older, and definitely slower, but I will figure it out. :lol:
 

marksmith

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You are more than likely 100% correct, Mark. Call me old school because when I avoided a freq ("lockout" was the function) back in the day it didn't matter where I was, I wasn't going to get it. It was blocked until I unlocked it.

I may be older, and definitely slower, but I will figure it out. [emoji38]
Being in this hobby since the 70's I fully understand your explanation. The database being a new animal in the scanning hobby, changes things.

You can now fully avoid certain local counties in your full database and replace with location controlled favorites lists. Works just fine with GPS scanning.

Mark
536/436/WS1095/HP1/HP2/996T/996XT/996P2/396XT/325P2/PSR800/15X/others
 

ofd8001

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I think you are both right, saying the same thing a little differently.

Let's say you are scanning right along as you travel. While passing through Louisville, you monitor the Louisville Police on 460.0025. It's a little noisy, so you Avoid/Lock-out that frequency/channel.

Your next big city is Indianapolis who also uses 460.0025. However, it will be scanned because the Indianapolis 4060.0025 is a differently entry in the database as compared to the Louisville 460.0025. In other words, all you are Avoiding/Locking-out is 460.0025 as it applies to the Louisville Police.

Thus when you Avoid/Lock-out something, it applies to one entry versus a frequency. It's all about context. The database contains thousands of entries. Because of the limited number of frequencies available, any given frequency can be used 100s of times throughout the database/country.
 

K1IWN

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I think you are both right, saying the same thing a little differently.

Let's say you are scanning right along as you travel. While passing through Louisville, you monitor the Louisville Police on 460.0025. It's a little noisy, so you Avoid/Lock-out that frequency/channel.

Your next big city is Indianapolis who also uses 460.0025. However, it will be scanned because the Indianapolis 4060.0025 is a differently entry in the database as compared to the Louisville 460.0025. In other words, all you are Avoiding/Locking-out is 460.0025 as it applies to the Louisville Police.

Thus when you Avoid/Lock-out something, it applies to one entry versus a frequency. It's all about context. The database contains thousands of entries. Because of the limited number of frequencies available, any given frequency can be used 100s of times throughout the database/country.

Bingo.

As I mentioned to Mark, I am old school. I am leaning heavily on RR and the community to educate myself on the new lingo as well as the new scanner technology and how to use it. I feel like I just got out of a long prison sentence going from an 890XLT I had for 23 years to the 436/536/HP2 models I have now. I'm glad I have decent computer savvy, not afraid to make mistakes, and have a high curiosity streak to play around and figure things out. This is an absolute trip!

Back on subject, driving around New England with the 436 with the GPS is both eye opening and mind bending. I've only been hooked up for a couple weeks, but road trips are a lot more fun now, hearing things I haven't heard before. I am driving to Florida in the end of April, and I can't wait. Pure scanner nerdy awesomeness. :D

Hopefully kmh603, who OP'd this thread, gets organized and has as much thrill out of this as I am.
 

frazpo

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This is my set up (h/t to jonwienke for the RAM mount tip).

GPS top right port. When plugged in properly with power, "GPS" will show on the lower right of the screen.

USB goes in the bottom right port. I don't normally use it as I have enough wires going and use battery power.

What kind of holder is that? link to purchase?
 

ofd8001

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The only "beef" I have with traveling is with frequencies in the database that cannot be decoded by the scanner. For example, DMR and ProVoice require the upgrades to decode and NXDN which is not yet "decode-able" with Uniden.

When the scanner stops on such things, all you hear is noise. So keep the scanner where you can hit the Avoid button when you encounter these.
 

marksmith

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The only "beef" I have with traveling is with frequencies in the database that cannot be decoded by the scanner. For example, DMR and ProVoice require the upgrades to decode and NXDN which is not yet "decode-able" with Uniden.

When the scanner stops on such things, all you hear is noise. So keep the scanner where you can hit the Avoid button when you encounter these.
While traveling, and using the full database, I avoid a whole lot of legitimate public service tac channels, most of the nationwide stuff, and others as there is just s ton of stuff that I am not interested in going down the highway in unfamiliar territory.

Since most of what is on DMR and the other new formats tend to be business or really off things, I would not be interested in DMR just to hear some tow truck or whatever in area I am not familiar with.

I tend to stay with police, fire, and EMS dispatch during full database GPS trips interstate, and maybe if there is a big military base I am going by. Anything else is just noise/chatter.
What kind of holder is that? link to purchase?


Mark
536/436/WS1095/HP1/HP2/996T/996XT/996P2/396XT/325P2/PSR800/15X/others
 

3King

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Bcd436hp gps cable

This is my set up (h/t to jonwienke for the RAM mount tip).

GPS top right port. When plugged in properly with power, "GPS" will show on the lower right of the screen.

USB goes in the bottom right port. I don't normally use it as I have enough wires going and use battery power.

Question, what brand of gps cable should I buy for my 436? I see it's like a 4 pin or somethin like that. Just not sure where to find a gps or gps cable for this radio.
 
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