Taking my BCD536 on the road (using my GPS)

[paramedic228]

I am wondering if someone can help me get my ducks in a row for an upcoming road trip when I take my BCD 536 and plug in my GPS module and head north across several states. Can someone review for me those (basic) settings that I SHOULD change for that trip?

 

[ve1sef]

If everything is connected correctly, the settings that will be most useful are;

1 - Zip code or Auto Locate

2 - Nationwide List set avoids of agencies you don't wish to listen to.

3 - Service types set avoids on services you don't wish listen to.

4 - Range adjusted to how big an area you wish to monitor 0.0-50.0 miles.

If you have the time look-up K4DPS on YouTube, he has several videos dealing with these topics.
That well assist you in setting up you 536 for your trip.

I've been using the GPS feature for 3 years and it's great. Have range set at 0.5 miles, more than that I receive to much and miss
a lot of locate transmissions. Last summer drove from Nova Scotia to Quebec and back, it was great the only adjustment I had to
make was to the volume

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

This is helpful. Curious, I have been relying on some favorite lists a long time. If I turn them all off, assuming I can , will everything in the area, service types I previously selected now be scanned?

 

[paramedic228]

If everything is connected correctly, the settings that will be most useful are;

1 - Zip code or Auto Locate

2 - Nationwide List set avoids of agencies you don't wish to listen to.

3 - Service types set avoids on services you don't wish listen to.

4 - Range adjusted to how big an area you wish to monitor 0.0-50.0 miles.

If you have the time look-up K4DPS on YouTube, he has several videos dealing with these topics.
That well assist you in setting up you 536 for your trip.

I've been using the GPS feature for 3 years and it's great. Have range set at 0.5 miles, more than that I receive to much and miss
a lot of locate transmissions. Last summer drove from Nova Scotia to Quebec and back, it was great the only adjustment I had to
make was to the volume

I used the GPS module one time, when I first bought the 536 and drove from Houston to San Antonio and back. I will check out the videos on his YouTube channel that you mentioned to see if what I am thinking is correct or not. I seem to remember that when you plug in the GPS unit, the scanner knows that and does prompt you for some info/input, such as the radius. But, it has been maybe three years or so, and I just don't recall for sure. I do have the Service Types set, so that part should be OK.

 

[buddrousa]

What I have always done when I travel with my scanners and GPS
#1 Update the database
#2 Turn off all FL
#3 Turn on National Database
I have had good luck when I travel doing this. I have just never set up and done with FL.

 

[paramedic228]

What I have always done when I travel with my scanners and GPS
#1 Update the database
#2 Turn off all FL
#3 Turn on National Database
I have had good luck when I travel doing this. I have just never set up and done with FL.

Good idea...So, I created a new profile called On The Road. When I did that, by default, it automatically put a tick mark in the Monitor Full Database box (your #3). It also turned OFF all of my Favorites Lists, both for monitoring and for downloading, (which accomplishes your #2).

 

[nessnet]

Depending on how long of a trip.....
If you have the time, setting up favorites and rectangles for jurisdictions along the way allows for monitoring just what you want, where you want.
It does take effort, but the results are worth it, IMO.

 

[buddrousa]

I knew that was an option just have not taken the time to learn it.

 

[drdispatch]

Full database and GPS are the way to go for a road trip. I tried it for the first time on a 1400-mile trip last year and I'm hooked. I would, however recommend that if you will be spending a day or two or three in a particular area, whether it's along the way or your final destination, that you build a Favorites List for that area.

 

[paramedic228]

Full database and GPS are the way to go for a road trip. I tried it for the first time on a 1400-mile trip last year and I'm hooked. I would, however recommend that if you will be spending a day or two or three in a particular area, whether it's along the way or your final destination, that you build a Favorites List for that area.

I do have my FLs already built for my destination city. And, I was thinking about maybe doing what you are suggesting for the cities that I have to stop in for the night, of for some extended time.

 

[jonwienke]

If everything is connected correctly, the settings that will be most useful are;

1 - Zip code or Auto Locate

2 - Nationwide List set avoids of agencies you don't wish to listen to.

3 - Service types set avoids on services you don't wish listen to.

4 - Range adjusted to how big an area you wish to monitor 0.0-50.0 miles.

1 is wrong. Auto locate has nothing to do with GPS, and should never be used with GPS. It has worse location accuracy than entering a ZIP code. And there's no reason to enter a zip code either, if GPS is available. Doing either of those things will reset your range setting too high, and you'll have to lower it again.

When the GPS is inactive or unplugged, the scanner will continue to use the last position it got from the GPS, until you reconnect the GPS, manually enter coordinates, enter a ZIP code, or run auto locate.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

What exactly is autolocate? Does it scan for all the trunk system IDs and determine by results where it is?

 

[jonwienke]

It does a band scan and looks for NACs and site IDs and guesses a location from that.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

I guess that useful if you have no GPS and were dumped by the side of the road at night.

 

[paramedic228]

1 is wrong. Auto locate has nothing to do with GPS, and should never be used with GPS. It has worse location accuracy than entering a ZIP code. And there's no reason to enter a zip code either, if GPS is available. Doing either of those things will reset your range setting too high, and you'll have to lower it again.

When the GPS is inactive or unplugged, the scanner will continue to use the last position it got from the GPS, until you reconnect the GPS, manually enter coordinates, enter a ZIP code, or run auto locate.

So, it sounds like it is really as simple as just plugging the GPS unit in and perhaps setting the desired range (besides the other stuff already built into the profile). I can even keep select Favorites Lists selected if I want to?

 

[drdispatch]

So, it sounds like it is really as simple as just plugging the GPS unit in and perhaps setting the desired range (besides the other stuff already built into the profile). I can even keep select Favorites Lists selected if I want to?

You may have to turn off additional service types.
And you should turn any Favorites Lists OFF while monitoring the full database, or you will be scanning stuff twice.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

For a test, I turned off my favorites lists entirely and it says I have "nothing to scan".

I was a neophyte dummy (on Uniden) when I programmed this years back. I am just as dumb now because ever since I simply switch it on, select a FL and avoid some channels.

Would like to know how to do this GPS stuff before summer when hopefully the world has not ended and I can take a long road trip.

 

[drdispatch]

Yeah, that "Nothing To Scan" message is rather disconcerting the first time it pops up. Scared the crap out of me the first time.

If you want to avoid it, turn the database on BEFORE you turn FL's off, and vice-versa.

 

[buddrousa]

Turn on the Nation Wide Database and plug up the GPS.

 

[paramedic228]

I am curious about something else, since I am on the subject of the (Uniden) GPS device. I am wondering if I can use it day-to-day to "tell" the scanner where I am, as opposed to entering in my Zip Code. I live in the Houston area, but drive a considerable distance around town everyday. So, I am really not just limited to the Zip Code that I have entered in to the scanner. So, the question is, using my regular profile, with my everyday Favorites Lists, would I be better to plug in the GPS unit and use it all of the time? If I make a trip out-of-town, I would change profiles, so as to turn on the entire Nationwide database.