purchasing new scanner

[cino]

I was getting ready to click buy on a BCD396XT and thought i might should read a bit more. after about 2 hours of reading and some fluid leaking from my left ear and right eye i started looking at the BCD325P2. The area I follow does not use any phase II yet but its only a few dollars more for the BCD325P2 and maybe I wont have to upgrade next week.

does anyone know or have any reason to keep looking or look at another model? if not im just going to buy the BCD325P2. I live near Asheville NC and like to follow the county. I would have no issue spending 500.00 or so not to have to upgrade for a while and have a product that works.

My aor1000xlt cost way more and has done me well for 15+ years probably

*** Ugh Now looking at just going to the BCD436HP****


Tia

 

[W8RMH]

You may want to read up on the BCD436HP as well....many, many problems.

 

[AA6IO]

BCD396XT is a great scanner. But the 325P2 is better on P25 decode quality (phase 1), has Phase 2 capability, and really, is in my opinion is the scanner I would buy if given the choice between a 396XT and 325P2. I like the 436HP very much for its recording and database features. But as an everyday carry for a portable scanner, the 325P2 is more convenient. I find myself using the 325P2 more often than any other portable at the time.
The only thing I do miss on the 325P2 is the built-in record/replay feature of the 436HP. That is a real plus. In my opinion, the 436HP is still the top of the line, despite some of the issues. If I could only have one portable, it would be the 436HP. But the 325P2 would also be great. Forget the 396XT. A great scanner, but now an older model. If you're only going to buy one more scanner, go for the phase 2 capable units.

 

[EvilLithiumMan]

I'm an ardent 396XT owner, a terrific hand held - but yes, starting clean, I would opt. for the 325P2.

As for the ability to record, which the 326P2 does not, I have mixed feelings. It's great when an exciting transmission occurs, but in the end, I end up with dozens/hundreds of files with nothing but a time & date in the name. It would be great if the alpha tag was pre-pended, but it isn't.

The 436HP is worth considering, but it has issues. I think the general consensus is 5%, but I am not clear on how anyone can verify that. (Maybe it's 1%, maybe 25% - again, how to really know?)

Spend $15 for a six month RR Premium Subscriber account. If you think you have fluid leaking now, just wait until you start programming via the keypad. (There have been days, just a single day, where I am certain RR has regretted giving me six months for $15 - bargain of the century!)

And don't forget some quality Eneloop/Imedion batteries and a LaCrosse or MAHA charger.

 

[cino]

thanks for the info.
I do see some complaints on the 436HP. I wonder when they will replace it with a newer model that seems to be a flagship scanner for them.

 

[Syncopations]

I've yet to see the issues people have complained about on the 436. I've had mine almost since launch and it's been doing great.

thanks for the info.
I do see some complaints on the 436HP. I wonder when they will replace it with a newer model that seems to be a flagship scanner for them.

 

[kc2kth]

Another mention of the bcd436hp

I was pretty critical of this radio when I first received it but now I love it. I won't even qualify that by saying i love it in spite of any warts, it really is a great rig. My issues at first were due to a paradigm shift - a learning curve basically - in how this radio works. The flexibility of the HP features (full RR database installed, scan by zip code or gps) are something I will not give up now that I've used those features. Being able to enable a favorites list and then narrow down what I'm listening to by category makes this a very powerful radio. My pro106 and 197 have been very lonely since I got my 436.

 

[marcotor]

Maybe I am lucky, or those of us who's devices work fine don't complain about it loudly in multiple posts across hundreds of threads.

The 436 is hands down the best scanner I own. There is a learning curve if you are coming from object/DMA scanners but it isn't as daunting as it looks at first. If you're looking at the smaller form, I would skip the 396 and go straight for the 325P2 - it's great to have if you want the smaller form, and have no wish for recording, etc.

Or just do what I did - buy both

 

[brcoz]

I am looking at the same scanners. I see Phase II and Phase II TDMA. The 436 shows both and the 325 does not. Are two types of Phase II? I don't know enough about P25.

 

[W8RMH]

I am looking at the same scanners. I see Phase II and Phase II TDMA. The 436 shows both and the 325 does not. Are two types of Phase II? I don't know enough about P25.

Phase II is TDMA. There is also a Motorola X2-TDMA. Prior to the final Phase II standard being approved, Motorola developed and implemented their own TDMA protocol known as "X2-TDMA". Both of those scanners will decode both of these systems.

Read more here:
APCO Project 25 - The RadioReference Wiki

 

[Tramagod]

I don't understand all the negative comments on the 436HP, I've owned a variety of scanners since my first crystal controlled scanner, and the 436HP is by far the best scanner I've ever owned. Including my Home Patrol 1. I just added the GPSK GPS antenna last week and travelled a distance of 6 counties and it performed flawlessly.

 

[brcoz]

Thank you W8RMH for the info.

 

[rkh]

Good to here from those that are happy with the 436. Like anything I guess it boils down to YMMV due to the different environments the radio lives in. Along with a few bad apples that probably get through QA. Thought the RTC issue seems to be a huge design flub that took a year to come up with a temporary workaround.

After reading probably too many discussions, I even found some complaints about the 396T display and dust but mines still as good (inside and out) as the day I bought it 6 years ago. For years I carried it outside every day.

 

[cino]

I thought i saw that the rtc problem was resolved. has it not been?

 

[Voyager]

Thought the RTC issue seems to be a huge design flub that took a year to come up with a temporary workaround.

The RTC issue may yet turn out to be a firmware issue and not a hardware issue, thus can be corrected via a firmware update. As the first reports were only about 6 months ago, where do you get a year for the workaround that was posted two months ago? In my old school math, that works out to 4 months for the workaround and that time includes looking into the cause and researching possible solutions.

 

[cino]

Yea i just went back and was reading were i thought it had been resolved. but you are correct it was more of a work around than a fix. sure wish they would release a version of the 436 that doesn't have the quirks.

 

[XTS3000]

The RTC issue may yet turn out to be a firmware issue and not a hardware issue, thus can be corrected via a firmware update. As the first reports were only about 6 months ago, where do you get a year for the workaround that was posted two months ago? In my old school math, that works out to 4 months for the workaround and that time includes looking into the cause and researching possible solutions.

It could be a firmware problem that caused the destruction of the RTC battery. Most people's 436HP worked one day, the next day the RTC failed. This problem has been documented that the battery is dropping voltage real fast after the power is removed (AA's or USB power plug). Uniden will not be able to fix all our RTC failures with new firmware. This RTC failure could have nothing to do with Uniden's design and just a bad/defective/cheap/counterfeit battery that needs replacing with a higher quality one. It worries me a bit that it's been 2 months and no word from Uniden. This has to be a high priority issue for the team without a doubt, yet little word on a real fix or timeframe.

Once Uniden figures out what's causing the RTC failure, the existing stock of 436's sitting in warehouses ready for sale will be sold for months and months before the factory fixed units reach the streets. There are so many other Uniden scanners to choose from, seriously they have a ton of models out there, most proven to be great scanners. If I were a betting man, I'd say it will be 2016 before any fixed 436's hit the street.

 

[Voyager]

Depending what the issue is, the RTC batteries that have not failed may be saved. Even some that have failed might be able to be saved.

It's a complex issue, and not an easy fix, so 2 months is nothing to locate the exact issue let alone fix it. I suspect we may hear something soon, but I don't know if Uniden isolated the cause yet. Maybe UPMan could comment on that much even if he cannot project a timeline; Not looking for an explanation - just a "We know the cause" or "We are still looking for the cause".

 

[rkh]

As the first reports were only about 6 months ago, where do you get a year for the workaround that was posted two months ago? In my old school math, that works out to 4 months for the workaround and that time includes looking into the cause and researching possible solutions.

I based my calculations on UPMan's comments of reports coming in soon after the product began shipping.

Also from other posts like this about 12 months before the firmware update.

http://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-owner-tech-support/288417-bye-bye-uniden-436hp.html

I wonder what parallels exists in other products - that need to have internal rechargeable batteries because they are not intended to be replaced and these batteries are used to retain memory or time.

I guess it's a costs or space issue, but I don't see why they can't design in a slot for one of the super thin button batteries available today that I can replace every year or two. That would seem to completely eliminate the issue and even the confusion around having to keep the scanner ON in order to charge this battery. I still don't get that logic.

I think I read here that even charged and functioning properly, it (RTC charge) will only last a couple of weeks.

 

[cino]

I b
I wonder what parallels exists in other products - that need to have internal rechargeable batteries because they are not intended to be replaced and these batteries are used to retain memory or time.

I guess it's a costs or space issue, but I don't see why they can't design in a slot for one of the super thin button batteries available today that I can replace every year or two. That would seem to completely eliminate the issue and even the confusion around having to keep the scanner ON in order to charge this battery. I still don't get that logic.

I think I read here that even charged and functioning properly, it (RTC charge) will only last a couple of weeks.

odly enough i have an aor1000xlt that was in a drawer for literally years I got it out popped batteries in and it still had all of my presets . i don't think it has a visible battery inside of it. I had to take it apart once to fix a short and didnt see any type of battery