BCD436HP/BCD536HP: Program BCD436HP to avoid agencies across entire database?

[6XssUQ3vE]

Hi, long-time BCD396XT user here, new to the BCD436HP. Very late to the table on this, but having always programmed my own on the older model, I'm having trouble figuring out how to work with the HP database. And of course, there have always been huge swaths of capability in each Uniden that I've never touched or understood, going back to my 396T.

My question: I'd love to be able to download and look at the whole database on Sentinel or Butel, look at it across the board, and start avoiding (and potentially "un-avoiding") entire agencies, so that when I "Select Service Types" anywhere in the country, I can just hear the agencies I'm interested in. For example, if I select "Federal," I generally only want to hear USFS, NPS, BLM because I'm out in the back country. I don't normally want to monitor the FBI, USCG, US Customs, USPS or dozens of other agencies under Federal. And I'd rather not have to avoid all of these other agencies over and over as I pass through multiple zip codes on a road trip.

I've tried to figure out how to do something like this from the Uniden and Nifty manuals, but if it's there, I'm not seeing it. Or I may simply not have a proper understanding of the architecture here.

 

[iMONITOR]

Select Service Types

Easier to Read BCD436/536HP Digital Scanner Manual

 

[6XssUQ3vE]

Okay thanks. I'll look this over. But I'll probably have more questions.

 

[drdispatch]

You can also do it in the radio's menu:
"Set Scan Selection" > "Set Nationwide Systems" (You must have the full database turned on.)
Then you can turn off the FBI, CBP, DHS, ATF, and the rest of the alphabet soup agencies that you don't want. This allows you to leave the "Federal" Service Type on to capture those agencies that you do want to monitor.

 

[ofd8001]

Unfortunately this is not easily done. Also, even if you could, such avoiding/unavoiding can potentially be overwritten each time you update the full database.

The full database was not created with the intention of people editing it in its entirety, given it's huge size. Rather, it was meant as a fountain of information from which one could download and create their own Favorites Lists if they wanted to manipulate items as time goes along.

Generally as I travel, I will create Favorites Lists for along my journey and destination. If I am interested in general scanning, I will enable the full database and set my location's zip code. Then the scanner loads only the items pertinent to my location.

 

[RichardKramer]

Most of those agencies you don't want to hear use encryption about 95% of the time anyway, the 436 will skip over them while scanning, so I wouldn't worry too much about avoiding them.

 

[drdispatch]

Most of those agencies you don't want to hear use encryption about 95% of the time anyway, the 436 will skip over them while scanning, so I wouldn't worry too much about avoiding them.

True, but it will still scan the frequencies, thus slowing down your scan time.

 

[dave3825]

My question: I'd love to be able to download and look at the whole database on Sentinel or Butel, look at it across the board, and start avoiding (and potentially "un-avoiding") entire agencies, so that when I "Select Service Types" anywhere in the country, I can just hear the agencies I'm interested in. For example, if I select "Federal," I generally only want to hear USFS, NPS, BLM because I'm out in the back country. I don't normally want to monitor the FBI, USCG, US Customs, USPS or dozens of other agencies under Federal. And I'd rather not have to avoid all of these other agencies over and over as I pass through multiple zip codes on a road trip.

I travel with a 436 and use gps. I also created my own favorite lists for anything federal that I am interested in locally and nationwide. That being said, when on road trips I did not like it scanning all the nationwide stuff, since I made my own lists. I avoided most of that in the database and it uses my lists as long as they are loaded and on.

You can open sentinel, and read the scanner. Then go in sentinel and under the any state, click and expand Nationwide and avoid anything you wish. If you for instance, had a fav list with all NYPD and FDNY, you can avoid those in the db as well as it will use your favorite list if enabled. After you make any changes, make sure you write back to the scanner.

 

[6XssUQ3vE]

Thank you all for the information, and the different approaches to this question!