Program BCD436HP for Smyrna PD?

[seldomseen65]

you think you could help me program Smyrna PD into my uniden 436 I just bought ? realy having a hard time it has way too many features on it and I can't even listen to my home city police ...

 

[DonnieDog]

Have you tried loading your area by entering the zipcode location?

 

[rwier]

you think you could help me program Smyrna PD into my uniden 436 I just bought ? realy having a hard time it has way too many features on it and I can't even listen to my home city police ...

Hi Noob,

Since this was your first post, I will be fairly detailed in my attempt to help.

You got a 436 and you are making your first post to the RR Forums. Your location is quite complex as to radio frequencies, lol. Luckily, you have scanner that MIGHT sort it all out, lol.

First I went to the RR Frequency DB. https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/

Then I click on TN and get https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?stid=47

Then I click on Rutherford County and get https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?ctid=2502

Then I scroll down to Smyrna. I see "Smyrna now operates on this system using the converted Smyrna Public Safety TRS. Site 1-64" in the right pane.

Then I see "Project 25 Phase II" in the left pane. Oh, oh, now I must see if the 436 "does" Phase II.

I do a GOOGLE search for "project 25 phase ii scanner". The GOOGLE search offers many results, among which is https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/APCO_Project_25

I click on it, and scroll down and see "Scanner Support for TDMA. The following scanners can decode P25 Phase II and Motorola X2-TDMA systems. Note that if a scanner can do Phase II then it can do Phase I"

"GRE PSR-800 (with firmware upgrade, not out of the box)
Radio Shack Pro-668
Uniden BCD325P2, BCD436HP, BCD536HP, BCD996P2, HomePatrol-2
Whistler WS1080, WS1088, WS1095, WS1098, TRX-1, TRX-2"

Yahoo baby!!! In the last described pane, I click on "Tennessee Advanced Communications Network (TACN)" which takes me to https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=6355

I scroll down to "System Frequencies". I peruse the entries under "Name". Gadzooks!!! There is a listing for Smyrna. I click on "Smyrna" and it takes me to

https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?siteId=25707

Look at the map in the right pane. Are you located close to "Murfreesboro"? If yes we will continue. If not, you will have to find another location under "Name" that presents a map circle close to you. (There are some possible factors that would make my last two sentences incorrect, but we won't go there unless necessary).

Ok, now I THINK I have enough information to go into the Sentinel Software for the 436.

I open the Sentinel 436 Software. I create (Left Icon, Second Line of Icons) a new Favorite Lists, and name it "Test FL Smyrna Rutherford TN".

Now I go up and left and click on "+USA". Then I click on "+Tennessee". Then I click on "+Rutherford". I am looking for "Tennessee Advanced Communications Network (TACN)". I click on "+Statewide". There it is, six lines down!

I click on "+Tennessee Advanced Communications Network (TACN)". I peruse a mind boggling list, lol. I see "TN-Rutherford County (149)-Public Safety". I click on it, and look at the right pane!!!

No sense settlin for just the PD, heck, let's get them all into the FL first! Then we can delete or avoid as desired!

I highlight (right-click on) "TN-Rutherford County (149)-Public Safety" and select "Append Favorites List ... ". I select (highlight) "Test FL Smyrna Rutherford TN" and click "OK". Viola!! The Left Pane changed dramatically! I now show the "TACN" System, the "TN-Rutherford County (149)-Public Safety" Department, and about 100 "Sites".

Others may recommend something different than the following. I am looking for the "Smyrna" Site (The one centered on "Murfreesboro"). I click on it and see 5 frequencies. I will leave them alone. If it contained 10, 20, 30. or more frequencies, I would go back to the RRDB for comparison, and keep only the red and blue entries.

Now I am going to delete all the Sites except "Smyrna". I could do that here in the present screen but only one at a time. Up top, I click on "Edit Favorites List" Icon (gold star with little pencil). I select (highlight) "Test FL Smyrna Rutherford TN" and click "OK".

In the Left Pane, I click on (TACN). In the Right Pane I click on "Sites". I highlight all entries except "Smyrna", and click on the Red "X".

Now, back to the Left Pane. I click on "TN-Rutherford County (149)-Public Safety". I peruse the "Channels" and decide to "Avoid" numbers 1, 3, 11, 12 and 13. You may choose differently.

Now, back in the Left Pane. I select the FL. In the Right Pane I select "Option". I leave "Location Control" set to "No". I set "FL Quick Key" to "1". At the far upper left I click "File" "Save" and I close the "Editor".

We are back at the Main Screen. Up at the top I click on "Edit" and select "Edit Profile".

A new screen pops up with a multitude of options! I will try to simplify at this stage.

Under "Scan Selection" I set both "Monitor" and "Download" to "On". I check that the QK is "1" and "Location" is "No".

Under "Service Types" (up top) I leave them all checked (on).

Under "QK Status" (up top) I check only "1". I close this screen.

It should be noted at this time, that all the above can be done while one's scanner is shipping.

Now we connect the scanner to the computer. I will skip the instructions for the connection and set-up.

Up top again, select "Scanner" and "Write to Scanner". I usually select (check) "Erase FLs on Scanner" so a bunch of "dupes" don't build up a mess. I want my scanner to look just like my "Profile". Send to scanner and unplug the cable. When your scanner comes on it should be scanning QK#1 (Your local PD and FD).

If you would desire to separate the PD from the FD, I would make a new FL and put the FD or PD only in it, and delete the unwanted entries from the existing FL.

Try to go through the steps above and report on your success or not. If unsuccessful, I will attach a copy of the FL I created while working up this answer with instructions on how to get it into your Sentinel.

The two important things to remember are "APPEND TO FL" and the "GOLD STAR WITH LITTLE PENCIL".

 

[W4EMS]

You will find Smyrna under the State TACN system where you can append it as noted above. It will by default download both the Smyrna departments etc but also ALL of the TACN sites for TN which you will not need if just monitoring Smyrna. I have a FL that is just Rutherford Co with the usual agencies set as systems and the broken down by departments. Unfortunately systems cannot be mixed mode (for example P25 and conventional) so Smyrna stands alone as a system.

For Smyrna, you only need the Smyrna site if you live in Rutherford County.
So set up a Favorite as noted above and a system for Smyrna. Under the Smyrna system delete all the other sites except Smyrna (you will likely have a lot as when you appended this site from TACN it brings all TACN sites with it. If you want to monitor THP then append it to another system). Open the Smyrna site and delete all the frequencies except 853.4000 or set the others to avoid. Either way. Speeds up the search. Using avoid you could more quickly adapt if they ever change the control frequency.
Now set your departments and channels in the usual way. I have mine site with the digital AGC ON but not required, just personal preference.
I use Sentinel software. Other programming software is available but suggest you use one of them. Makes setup much easier.
Sound simple, yes, sort of. But it is a complex scanner that requires some hours over time getting to learn the different settings and options. I am just now comfortable with the basic settings and exploring DMR. Good luck.

 

[stewart00311]

Seldomseen, You get it figured out ?