Question about those who purchased either of the X36 line.

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Subliminal87

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So I have been torn on the 436 and 536. Then I decided for sure I wanted the 436. Because of the form factor of grab and go. I had a 396XT to hold me over and I loved the grab and go factor. However, I hated the extra processes to do menu functions. With the 15X, I had the radio under the seat in the car and a remote head upfront, it was perfect. I also loved the controls of the 15x without the remote head. I returned the 396xt because, one I didn't like the layout and couldn't get used to them. I also returned it because everywhere I go, is Phase 2. I go to Maryland a decent amount of times each year and where I go, the county is Phase 2.


So I am back to deciding between the 436 and 536.

For those who ONLY have a 436 and it's your primary scanner and it sits on a desk how is it? Grab and go factor in the car I get. (I am kind of blah about having to buy an amplified speaker in the car. Instead of connecting a regular speaker). How do you like it as your primary speaker.


I am leaning about towards the 536 because by the time I get it (June), the Wifi should hopefully work and I'll use the app to control it and it'll be similar to the 15x with the remote head. I wont mind carrying it from inside and to the car and whatnot.

For those that chose the 536 over the 436 and it's your primary scanner how do you like it? I am not interested in the war about the wifi. I am not too concerned about it, since for me, I think it would be there when I buy it.

I am a little put off with the price, but I am hoping that maybe I'll find it cheaper come June. I can't buy both so I can only pick one and go from there. Maybe later I'll pick up the 436.
 

Jay911

Silent Key (April 15th, 2023)
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I have just the 436. If I had the money, I'd get a 536 for a permanent mount in the truck, simply because it's tedious to me to connect & disconnect cabling every time I want to use the 436 in the truck.

I drive a vehicle with a high-powered engine with loud sound. Sometimes when I have my windows down and am on the highway, the sound from the 436 can be completely washed out, even at full volume. If the 536 behaves the same way, I would definitely get an amplified speaker installed. On the other hand, with the windows closed, the 436 is adequate during normal driving, and due to its design with the speaker at the bottom of the radio, putting it in a cup holder gives the illusion of amplification (making it "loud enough" for my tastes).

It's a very good performer as a handheld. With a better antenna than the stock rubber duck, I get reception I could only dream of with past radios. (With other scanners I have to park the radio in an east-facing window to even get a poor signal from the trunk system of the city ~30 miles to my east. With the 436, I can be almost anywhere in my house and get good enough reception to decode digital P25 voice on the same system.)

I chose to get the 436 first over the 536 because like you I wanted to be able to go places rather than be tethered to either a desk or the cab of the truck. I think you probably would be wise to go the same route I did; get a 436, and if you like it, when funds permit, get a 536 for home or car (or one for each! :D).
 

Subliminal87

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I have just the 436. If I had the money, I'd get a 536 for a permanent mount in the truck, simply because it's tedious to me to connect & disconnect cabling every time I want to use the 436 in the truck.

I drive a vehicle with a high-powered engine with loud sound. Sometimes when I have my windows down and am on the highway, the sound from the 436 can be completely washed out, even at full volume. If the 536 behaves the same way, I would definitely get an amplified speaker installed. On the other hand, with the windows closed, the 436 is adequate during normal driving, and due to its design with the speaker at the bottom of the radio, putting it in a cup holder gives the illusion of amplification (making it "loud enough" for my tastes).

It's a very good performer as a handheld. With a better antenna than the stock rubber duck, I get reception I could only dream of with past radios. (With other scanners I have to park the radio in an east-facing window to even get a poor signal from the trunk system of the city ~30 miles to my east. With the 436, I can be almost anywhere in my house and get good enough reception to decode digital P25 voice on the same system.)

I chose to get the 436 first over the 536 because like you I wanted to be able to go places rather than be tethered to either a desk or the cab of the truck. I think you probably would be wise to go the same route I did; get a 436, and if you like it, when funds permit, get a 536 for home or car (or one for each! :D).

Thanks for the info! It sounds like for you both are a good choice!

I personally don't mind carrying it back and forth between. I'd rather have one big purchase and have it for awhile before having to buy the other one. Probably be over a year until I'd get the other scanner.


The one thing, I really didn't touch base with was the Wifi and siren app. because it always goes off topic. I would love when the everything works to be able to be at work and use my phone to change the channels or lock on something, which is something I think can be done when it's finish (I think). SO the 536 would be better in that part.
 

woody_46

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I have the 436 for portability and cost savings due to prices in Canada. I had no interest in the wifi feature of the 536 and couldn't justify the price difference. It's a great radio and rivals my 898T for receiving on all bands. I'm not overly concerned about the missing features at this point so I'm a happy camper. Having said that Uniden needs to put their rear in gear and get the promised features working. The natives are getting restless and rightfully so.
 

Subliminal87

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I have the 436 for portability and cost savings due to prices in Canada. I had no interest in the wifi feature of the 536 and couldn't justify the price difference. It's a great radio and rivals my 898T for receiving on all bands. I'm not overly concerned about the missing features at this point so I'm a happy camper. Having said that Uniden needs to put their rear in gear and get the promised features working. The natives are getting restless and rightfully so.

So if the price difference in Canada wasn't higher, would you have still gotten the 436?
 

ofd8001

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I've got two 536's. One is in my truck and I'll use the siren app for remote control purposes when it is released. Previously my truck had a 996XT with the remote head.

The second scanner is a house scanner. The siren app should give me the "grab and go" feature - as long as I'm interested in listening to stuff in my home area.

I still have a 396XT for "grab and go" purposes for when I'm traveling. Of course I'll still have to do programming before I leave. Having said that, if the money tree out back bears enough fruit, I'd get a 436 because of the database feature.

I'm kind of negative on using a handheld scanner for routine mobile use. While it is good for having something to take with you when you leave the vehicle, there are other down-sides. The volume isn't the greatest and to get the best reception an external antenna is needed.
 

woody_46

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So if the price difference in Canada wasn't higher, would you have still gotten the 436?

I probably would get one of each if I could afford them. Never had a handheld before and enjoy the portability of the 436. It also handles an outdoor antenna well without overload and intermod.

For others the lack of promised working features is holding them back. The release of the missing apps and features may be important to them
 

Subliminal87

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I probably would get one of each if I could afford them. Never had a handheld before and enjoy the portability of the 436. It also handles an outdoor antenna well without overload and intermod.

For others the lack of promised working features is holding them back. The release of the missing apps and features may be important to them

Ahh ok thanks!

Yeah when I had the 396 I hated having to press other buttons to be able to do the same thing with one button. SO the 536 seems easier to me in that part as well. The one feature that isn't there yet for me is the wifi and app. But I assume when I pick one of these up, that will be there. I would love to use my phone to remote control it, or remote control it from work. It wouldn't be great for me to bring a 436 with me, but to be able to use my phone and listen that way, would be cool.
 

Jay911

Silent Key (April 15th, 2023)
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The one thing, I really didn't touch base with was the Wifi and siren app. because it always goes off topic. I would love when the everything works to be able to be at work and use my phone to change the channels or lock on something, which is something I think can be done when it's finish (I think). SO the 536 would be better in that part.

There are at least two apps people are developing (look in the Uniden Software forum, if I recall correctly) that do control of your scanner if it is connected to your PC. Uniden hasn't released the full specifications for the remote command set (commands to operate the scanner remotely) yet, but what has been figured out so far works pretty well. If I was going to use my scanner as a base station, it would be hooked up to the computer so I could use this software, which IMO (as far as I can guess since we don't have Siren yet to compare) does everything I'd need in a remote control app. Granted, I couldn't pause/change volume/resume etc from across the room or in another part of the house, but I haven't needed that so far. ;)

Here are the two apps I was talking about. The first one is a Chrome app, so I think you have to have that browser installed. (It's my default browser so I haven't ever tried it without.) It does work on either Mac or Windows.

http://forums.radioreference.com/un...536-scanner-monitor-app-both-mac-windows.html

The second one doesn't need Chrome but only runs on Windows, AFAIK.

http://forums.radioreference.com/un...285096-scanner-screen-software-436-536-a.html
 

Subliminal87

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There are at least two apps people are developing (look in the Uniden Software forum, if I recall correctly) that do control of your scanner if it is connected to your PC. Uniden hasn't released the full specifications for the remote command set (commands to operate the scanner remotely) yet, but what has been figured out so far works pretty well. If I was going to use my scanner as a base station, it would be hooked up to the computer so I could use this software, which IMO (as far as I can guess since we don't have Siren yet to compare) does everything I'd need in a remote control app. Granted, I couldn't pause/change volume/resume etc from across the room or in another part of the house, but I haven't needed that so far. ;)

Here are the two apps I was talking about. The first one is a Chrome app, so I think you have to have that browser installed. (It's my default browser so I haven't ever tried it without.) It does work on either Mac or Windows.

http://forums.radioreference.com/un...536-scanner-monitor-app-both-mac-windows.html

The second one doesn't need Chrome but only runs on Windows, AFAIK.

http://forums.radioreference.com/un...285096-scanner-screen-software-436-536-a.html


That's pretty neat!! I'll check the rest out!

I'm hoping towards June there is stuff out that will sway me towards the 536 or the 436 so I can say "I for sure want this one over the other model".
 

WM8L

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Jan 11, 2004
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Miamisburg, OH
Both 536 & 436

I bought my 536 in April over the 436 primarily because of the Siren app for the 536 and low and behold I didn't realize or do enough research to find out the Siren app wasn't available. So I bought my 436 several months later after the Siren app still is not available.

Well needless to say I am still waiting on the Siren app which I have almost given up on. Still I really like both radios and glad I have both. I load the same FL's and profiles in both which makes it nice to keep up with. The menu is the same on both with a few differences in settings. The sensitivity is just as good on the 436 as the 536. Audio quality is good on both with of course more volume capability on the 536 due to the larger speaker.

I have used a GPS with both while traveling on trips and they work great.

The only other thing I can say, " I wish the Siren APP was available".
 

jonwienke

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I have a 436 and it works well for handheld, mobile, and base use. I got some RAM mounts to secure it in my truck and in the house (otherwise it won't stay upright when I connect the external antenna coax).
 

mciupa

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For those that chose the 536 over the 436 and it's your primary scanner how do you like it?

I like it and bought it mainly for the P25 Phase II decode.Only one system around here using it but there will be more to come.

In general, I find it to be more sensitive than the 996XT (that I sold) when picking up weak transmissions.

I like using Sentinel to customize my favorite lists for order and putting systems into my lists that are not downloadable from the weekly database update.

I've made myself a VHF-Lo Skip fave list to keep tabs on tropo conditions. When things appear in that band, I simply click off the local and listen to what's going on from miles away. :cool:
 
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