BCD436HP/BCD536HP: Some help needed.

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Awz1287

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Hi this is my first post I am new to the digital scanners. I have had scanners since I was 15 years old, but this my first digial one the last one I got about 10 years ago it is a radio shack dual trunking model.

I just got the bcd436hp yesterday and I set up some favorites lists. But I am having problems with a few things.
1. I can't get the noaa weather working. I go to weather scan and it goes to the scan screen but it doesn't pick anything up. what am I doing wrong? My old one is picking up the weather in the same room.

2. I haven't used trunking before I am trying to get the nj State police. I made a favorites list and copied the whole list for the New Jersey state police from the database. I tried scanning and nothing is coming up. What am I doing wrong? Other channels work fine.

3. I was thinking of upgrading the antenna. I looked on the forums and see a lot of people said the radio shack 800mhz with adapter is a good antenna. Should I go with this for a all around antenna?
 
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JamesO

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McLean, VA
Radio Shack 800 MHz antenna is a good antenna. I have a number of them and they tend to be my default antennas.

As for your Favorite List not working correctly. Most common problems are Service Type defaulting to Custom 1 if you manually make up your Favorite List from scratch. Suggest for now to turn on ALL Service Types until you get comfortable with the scanner operation.

Also make sure you set the Range or Distance to Max until you get the hang of the scanner.

As for the Weather channels, you may just have the Weather Priority enabled?? I forget on my 536HP how to get the weather up, but on my 996, press and hold the WX button and the weather broadcast scan will come up.

Have fun.

Read these as well

Sentinel X36HP Software Manual

Easier to Read BCD436/536 Digital Scanner Manual
 

Awz1287

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Monmouth County, NJ/now Wake County, NC
Thanks for the reply,
I went to service type in the menu. every thing is on except some had dash marks and could not be turned on or off. By range do you mean in the set location menu I set that one. Although when I also try to enter location it will not let me because I have full database off so just my lists scan is this right? The state police database list had a lot of stuff and I put it all in the favorites list but it does pick up anything.
The weather I got it to scan but it just doesn't pick up anything. I even made a list with just the frequencies and they just scan and not receive anything.
 

DaveIN

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As James pointed out, for the weather scan, you may have just put it into the WX priority mode. Press Channel/HOLD, tap the scroll control, then press Func+WX/6 button ~5 seconds to activate the weather scan. When done, press Func+System to go back to scanning the favorites.

I use the Radio Shack 800MHz antenna as well as others, but the 800 is great for general monitoring.
 

Essexscan

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Oct 14, 2008
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Awz1287 if you are in North Jersey and looking for NWS 162.550 it's been off the air for some time now due to an interference issue with the Coast Guard. They only Turn it on during major storms or for testing. I miss it also as it was a great help during Severe storms and was always there during a power outage or when I had my computers off during lightning storms. Longtime Listener to KWO65.

Try 162.500 or manually scan the channels and see if you can hear the other weather channels further away. I use an external antenna and can grab a couple from NY in the Evening
 

JamesO

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Awz1287 if you are in North Jersey and looking for NWS 162.550 it's been off the air for some time now due to an interference issue with the Coast Guard. They only Turn it on during major storms or for testing. I miss it also as it was a great help during Severe storms and was always there during a power outage or when I had my computers off during lightning storms. Longtime Listener to KWO65.

Try 162.500 or manually scan the channels and see if you can hear the other weather channels further away. I use an external antenna and can grab a couple from NY in the Evening

Wow, off the air, due to interference?????

This should be a priority to get resolved, the interference issue should not be that difficult to soft out.
 

Essexscan

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North Jersey
Been like this for a long while JamesO.

NWR Stations Listing for New York

I don't understand it myself. I miss the automatic weather alerts from my radios especially the HP-1
The NYC area is deaf to radio weather alerts and anyone who uses a radio based alert system has to keep a sharp eye-out for severe weather
 

Essexscan

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Oct 14, 2008
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North Jersey
First, did you do the updates to the firmware and the database?

It sounds like you didn't put your zip code in and/or have the range set wrong. I would go with the zip code first. Push the ZIP/Services button and enter your zip code then press the E.yes key (lower right black key) I use the NJSP as is without setting up a favorites list and have no problems. If that gets it working go into the services F+ Zip/services key and turn on all the law services that should get you to hear everything on the NJSP(you can turn everything on in the services then play with it later as you go)

This should get you up and running don't forget when you do a firmware update you probably will have to re enter your zip code so if your scanner goes deaf after the upgrade just put the zip code back in.
 

Essexscan

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Oct 14, 2008
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North Jersey
Just a reminder KWO35 NOAA weather is back on in DEGRADED trarsmission power but it is up and ready for all us weather radio junkies
 
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