New to scanning need uniden Bcd436hp help

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Robert8668

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Nov 29, 2021
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Hello, I am basically bran new to scanning. Been very interested in it for years decided to jump in it.
Just received a new uniden bcd436hp and tried to study instruction manual watched some youtube videos ended up with more questions than answers. I imputed my zip which I live in Dodge County, Fremont NE and have yet to receive local police or sheriff's department only state patrol. I did not get the voice upgrade or the dmr upgrade and there is one more pay for upgrade I elected not to get yet, I am at a loss, even tho playing around with unit on hold I have it displayed on Dodge County sheriff and then Dodge County police department with nothing.
I would love a crash course on beginners here from what I've seen this unit does way more than I realize and would love to learn. Right now it's just an expensive paper weight. Thank you for any advice...
 

bbs71364

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Mar 1, 2020
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Hello, I am basically bran new to scanning. Been very interested in it for years decided to jump in it.
Just received a new uniden bcd436hp and tried to study instruction manual watched some youtube videos ended up with more questions than answers. I imputed my zip which I live in Dodge County, Fremont NE and have yet to receive local police or sheriff's department only state patrol. I did not get the voice upgrade or the dmr upgrade and there is one more pay for upgrade I elected not to get yet, I am at a loss, even tho playing around with unit on hold I have it displayed on Dodge County sheriff and then Dodge County police department with nothing.
I would love a crash course on beginners here from what I've seen this unit does way more than I realize and would love to learn. Right now it's just an expensive paper weight. Thank you for any advice...

Dodge County and Fremont are now on the ORION network so while the Database still lists some analog frequencies for them, you probably should make sure you're scanner is set on the ORION network and monitoring the Dodge County and Fremont TalkGroups. Your scanner might also need a database update for the ZIP code feature to work correctly, but I would encourage you to program it manually with the relevant software so you can make sure you can listen to exactly what you want.
 

fxdscon

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Hello, I am basically bran new to scanning. Been very interested in it for years decided to jump in it.
Just received a new uniden bcd436hp and tried to study instruction manual watched some youtube videos ended up with more questions than answers. I imputed my zip which I live in Dodge County, Fremont NE and have yet to receive local police or sheriff's department only state patrol. I did not get the voice upgrade or the dmr upgrade and there is one more pay for upgrade I elected not to get yet, I am at a loss, even tho playing around with unit on hold I have it displayed on Dodge County sheriff and then Dodge County police department with nothing.
I would love a crash course on beginners here from what I've seen this unit does way more than I realize and would love to learn. Right now it's just an expensive paper weight. Thank you for any advice...
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Welcome to Radio Reference.

Since you just received the scanner, the very first thing to do is install the free Sentinel software on your computer (Windows only), and follow the instructions on page 16 of your owner's manual for updating the firmware, and then updating the database (database updates are available through the Sentinel software every Monday). Those updates are very easy, just follow all of the steps carefully.

Download the latest version of the Sentinel Software at this link:


And if you don't have your owner's manual, download one at this link:

 

Whiskey3JMC

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Hi & welcome:
I'd suggest perusing the easier to read manual to gain a basic understanding of the 436HP and how it works, there is a bit of a learning curve involved but once you get to know the radio its operation becomes second nature. ALSO FAIR WARNING you may encounter a phenomenon known as simulcast distortion since it looks to me like all sites on ORION are simulcast. You'd probably be better off with an SDS100 to reliably track the system if you encounter the symptoms mentioned in the simulcast distortion wiki I linked. Then again you may be able to track the system just fine. It all depends on your location relative to two or more simulcasting towers, it's a gamble
 

Ensnared

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Yes, programming a digital scanner is a daunting task for me and others. Keep reading the manual and make sure the "service types" are checked in the "Profile" section of Sentinel. Good luck. If you have specific questions about this, maybe we can help you. Don't give up. It is worth the brain drain.
 

W0JJK

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Jan 25, 2006
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Rural fire has not moved yet to my knowledge. I was there last week and they were still on UHF Repeaters.
 

W0JJK

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Have you used the Uniden Software? If so, I can look at the file and help. I am familiar with what is being used there until the rest of the county switches to the Dodge County site of Orion.
 

tvengr

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Baltimore County, MD
I would love a crash course on beginners here from what I've seen this unit does way more than I realize and would love to learn.
Here is a hpe favorites list file for Fremont. You will be able to see how to program. The favorites list has 3 systems. The first is a P25 trunked system for Dodge County using the Washington Co/Fremont site of the ORION system. The second is a P25 trunked system with NE State Patrol using the Cedar Bluffs site of the NE State Radio System. The third contains the conventional frequencies for Dodge County. Save the attached zipped file to your computer and extract. Using Sentinel, go to the File tab and Import from hpe file (Favorites List). Click on New Favorites List and name it Fremont NE Click on OK. In the Downloads folder, highlight and Open the extracted file (Fremont NE.hpe). It will appear as a favorites list in Sentinel. In the profile editor, make sure that Download and Monitor are both On for the favorites list and that Custom 1 service type is enabled before writing to the scanner.
 

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dmchalmers

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You Tube is your best friend figuring out Sentinel also Marks scanners. Digital is a whole new learning curve i'm still figuring out 2 yrs later.
 

Robert8668

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Nov 29, 2021
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Sorry everyone who responded and thanks for taking your time to help with my beginning scanner delima, I just got back to the scanner today and I want to read all your responses carefully. Will do and I'll let you know my progress and maybe more questions lol. Thank you all
 

Robert8668

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Nov 29, 2021
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Here is a hpe favorites list file for Fremont. You will be able to see how to program. The favorites list has 3 systems. The first is a P25 trunked system for Dodge County using the Washington Co/Fremont site of the ORION system. The second is a P25 trunked system with NE State Patrol using the Cedar Bluffs site of the NE State Radio System. The third contains the conventional frequencies for Dodge County. Save the attached zipped file to your computer and extract. Using Sentinel, go to the File tab and Import from hpe file (Favorites List). Click on New Favorites List and name it Fremont NE Click on OK. In the Downloads folder, highlight and Open the extracted file (Fremont NE.hpe). It will appear as a favorites list in Sentinel. In the profile editor, make sure that Download and Monitor are both On for the favorites list and that Custom 1 service type is enabled before writing to the scanner.
THANKYOU FO TAKING YOU TIME AND MAKING THAT FILE, IT HELPED TEMENDOUSLY!
 

Robert8668

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Nov 29, 2021
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HELLO FELLOW CORNHUSKERS, I HAVE HAD SEVEAL DAYS NOW SINCE LAST POST TO REALLY DIVE INTO THIS SCANNING WORLD, WITH THAT SAID AND NOT TO BORE ANYONE to death I tried like heck to create a favorites list on the scanner itself and could not for the life of me and finally after several migraines I took your advice and created one on the computer in the sentinel program that actually worked! I have managed to tweak the list to somewhat of my liking. I'm still learning a lot especially maneuvering through sentinel and radio reference radio lists and getting just what you need migrated on a list without the sites you don't want, you then have to go into them on the scanner and avoid them? I must need to keep trying different things? I cant seen to pick up any local fire or EMS as of yet hmm? Well so far I'm getting local PD that's a win I'll take it, and thanks for all your replies...
 

W0JJK

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Jan 25, 2006
Messages
618
What part of the county are you in specifically?

Can you post your file here and I can look at it?
 
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