should I wait to buy the 436?

[Hulca]

I am starting to read the posts and to my untrained eye, there seems to be a lot of issues.
Should I wait to buy the 436? Maybe in 30-60 days the firmware upgrades will correct the issues?

Or are the issues just minor in nature.

 

[Dafe1er]

Well, it really depends on if you live in an area that these units are having troubles or not.

For me, I read all the reviews and negative remarks and once I had seen people from my area having issues on the STARS system thought....Hell, it cannot be that bad. So, I went and bought the 436 to see for myself what was going on. Truthfully, it was not that bad....for me.

Glad I bought it! Glad I did not let issues make me wait on getting it.I am happy with it for the most part and cannot wait to see what other goodies will be coming this year for the 436.

I still have a couple places and systems to test the unit out on, but for my main scanning needs this unit is working just fine and was worth the money!

 

[Dafe1er]

Also, there is a learning curve for those that never used the HP-1 and or the Sentinel software. Once you get the hang of either you will really enjoy this newer technology.

 

[WILSON43]

Hang in there a few more months. The Whistler (formerly GRE) models will be out

and all will be well once again in the scanning world!

 

[Hulca]

From Massachusetts if that makes a difference.

 

[K2KOH]

I have both the 436 and 536. I have had microSD card problems, but you may not. Other than that, I am VERY happy with my new scanners. Massachusetts? I would go for it. I have used the scanner on the Connecticut system and it works quite well. Works well on the Waterbury P25 system. Works very well on the Rockland County P25 Phase II system. I'm going to assume it will work very well with MSP, both the old and new systems.

 

[whsbuss]

Hang in there a few more months. The Whistler (formerly GRE) models will be out

and all will be well once again in the scanning world!

Well I'm in an area where the 436 and 536 do not do well. Poor digital decoding, missed transmissions, etc. Reading some of the comments in the Whistler/GRE forum others have already returned their Unidens hoping Whistler will come thru. Check with someone in your area and see if a feed provider can answer questions about the systems.

 

[SCPD]

question

Well I'm in an area where the 436 and 536 do not do well. Poor digital decoding, missed transmissions, etc. Reading some of the comments in the Whistler/GRE forum others have already returned their Unidens hoping Whistler will come thru. Check with someone in your area and see if a feed provider can answer questions about the systems.

Did you update yours?
Are you using the stock antenna ?

 

[Hit_Factor]

My 436 will replace the psr500 real soon. No difference in reception that I have noticed.

I have listed a couple firmware wish list items in that thread, but if implemented I'll consider it a treat.

Primarily monitor Michigan Public Safety Communications System in SW Michigan.

 

[Hulca]

Thanks for the input.

 

[Vonskie]

I have the 436 and am very happy with it, I am surrounded by P25 Phase II systems.

I have the 800mhz antenna on it from Radio Shack and I have no complaints.

Sites that are close sound great, come in loud and clear. I do not have another scanner to compare it with.

 

[Hulca]

Thanks Vonskie!
I appreciate your advice.

 

[mrkelso]

I have to agree with Vonskie, the 436 is a nice machine and works well The 536 i'm not so sure about.

 

[Ishmole]

Same here. The 436 works great, but I would encourage you, if you live in an area with many 800 & 700 systems, get the Radio Shack 800 antenna. It brought in 800/700 systems that I could not get with the stock antenna, or with a rooftop non 800 antenna. I also receives local (15 miles?) VHF signals well.
Mike
W2MDM

 

[dcriner]

I have the 436. It's reasonably solid, but there are still advertised features that will only be implemented (hopefully) in future firmware updates, but there seems to be no schedule for them. The RR database, linked to the scanner by Uniden, doesn't correspond to some of my nearby stations, and telling RR has not helped - they tell me it's up me to tell them how to fix their problem. And Uniden refers me back to RR.

Personally, I would suggest you hold off and wait for the smoke to clear.

 

[mikewazowski]

The RR database, linked to the scanner by Uniden, doesn't correspond to some of my nearby stations, and telling RR has not helped - they tell me it's up me to tell them how to fix their problem. And Uniden refers me back to RR.

I checked your submission history and only found one submission. All you've told us is that the police and public works frequencies have changed to digital. The DB Admin that worked your submission asked for more information on what type of digital was in use but you never replied back as far as I can see.

If you tell is what type of digital, we'll change it. There are several different types of digital we can choose from but there's no point in guessing. The database is built from information supplied from users. Without that information there's nothing we can do.

Figure out what they're using and we'll get it changed. The ball is in your court.

 

[mikewazowski]

As a follow up that was suggested in another thread where you brought the same issue up, have you asked for help in the Illinois forum? Maybe somebody there could check for you and get you the information required to change the database?

 

[dcriner]

I checked your submission history and only found one submission. All you've told us is that the police and public works frequencies have changed to digital. The DB Admin that worked your submission asked for more information on what type of digital was in use but you never replied back as far as I can see.

If you tell is what type of digital, we'll change it. There are several different types of digital we can choose from but there's no point in guessing. The database is built from information supplied from users. Without that information there's nothing we can do.

Figure out what they're using and we'll get it changed. The ball is in your court.

No, Mike, the ball is not in my court. I am a self-admitted doofus who bought the 436 Uniden, tied inextricably to RR. I have no knowledge about how to discern the type of digital being used by my local police - and when you have presented me with a list of alternatives, it's all complete gobbledegook to me.

Doesn't RR access FEC data bases, or do you just rely on uniformed people like me? If you tell me step by step how to figure out the info RR needs to update the data base for Princeton; IL, let me know, and I will give it a try.

 

[dcriner]

As a follow up that was suggested in another thread where you brought the same issue up, have you asked for help in the Illinois forum? Maybe somebody there could check for you and get you the information required to change the database?

Well, yes - The RR person who contacted me, Stratrac, something or other, is a moderator of the Illinois sub-forum.

 

[dcriner]

See, here's my issue. The Uniden 436 was advertised, for a pretty penny, for doofus's like me - just enter your zipcode, and all my frequencies would be loaded,.based on Uniden's partnership with RR. But then when there is a frequency problem, it's my obligation to solve it.- and to take grief via the internet.