Uniden BCD436HP not receiving much in Chester county

[KC3SCV]

Hello I'm new to scanners, I recently purchased a uniden BCD436HP. I have it set up using the sentinel software and ran the updates before hand, and I'm not hearing much. It keeps scanning the same locations but I don't hear anything. When I manually tune to other saved frequencies I don't really hear much just an occasional EMS pager or rebroadcasts. I heard one nearby police law tac, but that was one time
I looked on the RR websites and there's only certain ones that are encrypted, in Chester county, and most are FM narrow band but I'm not sure if I have the wrong settings or need to upgrade to DMR or Pro voice, or what? Any feedback would be appreciated

 

[cavmedic]

Hello I'm new to scanners, I recently purchased a uniden BCD436HP. I have it set up using the sentinel software and ran the updates before hand, and I'm not hearing much. It keeps scanning the same locations but I don't hear anything. When I manually tune to other saved frequencies I don't really hear much just an occasional EMS pager or rebroadcasts. I heard one nearby police law tac, but that was one time
I looked on the RR websites and there's only certain ones that are encrypted, in Chester county, and most are FM narrow band but I'm not sure if I have the wrong settings or need to upgrade to DMR or Pro voice, or what? Any feedback would be appreciated

Chester County is a P25 phase 2 system. I would start by taking everything else out of the scanner but that system. Enable all the sub categories ( law tac etc). Once you see that it’s locked to a control channel , you should start to see Talk group ID’s pop up and audio or garbled audio. If that happens, I would then start to research the different settings to help decode better along with attenuation settings. There is a high probability that you will or are suffering from simulcast distortion.

P25 phase 2 systems are best monitored by either uniden SDS series scanners or unication pagers.

 

[doctordialtone]

Any feedback would be appreciated

As @cavmedic suggested, you'll need to enable Service Types for what you'd like to monitor.

Service Types

Here is an Easier to Read manual for Sentinel

Good luck!

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

There is a high probability that you will or are suffering from simulcast distortion.

P25 phase 2 systems are best monitored by either uniden SDS series scanners or unication pagers.

THIS! ^^^

I've scanned Chester County's system since its infancy and my 436HP misses what my SDS100 catches. Sometimes I have OK results on this & surrounding counties' systems on the 436HP with a Comet Miracle Baby but again, results are hit or miss. For a stationary setup an SDR like my highly recommended SDRPlay paired with SDRTrunk also works nicely to bring the system in for a fraction of an SDS100's cost (factoring out cost of the prerequisite computer of course)

Read below about the issue at hand as it afflicts many systems in PA, NJ and other states & welcome to the RR forums!

Simulcast Distortion - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

 

[KC3SCV]

Chester County is a P25 phase 2 system. I would start by taking everything else out of the scanner but that system. Enable all the sub categories ( law tac etc). Once you see that it’s locked to a control channel , you should start to see Talk group ID’s pop up and audio or garbled audio. If that happens, I would then start to research the different settings to help decode better along with attenuation settings. There is a high probability that you will or are suffering from simulcast distortion.

P25 phase 2 systems are best monitored by either uniden SDS series scanners or unication pagers.

Can the 436 be updated like the SDS? I saw that you can update to DMR, NXDN , and provoice or is it more complicated than that?

 

[Jl942264]

THIS! ^^^

I've scanned Chester County's system since its infancy and my 436HP misses what my SDS100 catches. Sometimes I have OK results on this & surrounding counties' systems on the 436HP with a Comet Miracle Baby but again, results are hit or miss. For a stationary setup an SDR like my highly recommended SDRPlay paired with SDRTrunk also works nicely to bring the system in for a fraction of an SDS100's cost (factoring out cost of the prerequisite computer of course)

Read below about the issue at hand as it afflicts many systems in PA, NJ and other states & welcome to the RR forums!

Simulcast Distortion - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

I've had no luck getting an SDR to work on Chester's System... any pointers. I'm fairly inexperienced with SDR..

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

What SDR & app(s) are you working with & are you within listening range to the system?

 

[kb5udf]

Yes, the supported modes can be upgraded on a 436. You can buy the enablement code/id directly from uniden.

 

[Jl942264]

What SDR & app(s) are you working with & are you within listening range to the system?

Yes, I am. I'll have to take a look a bit later... I'll send you a message so as not to bog down the thread.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Yes, the supported modes can be upgraded on a 436. You can buy the enablement code/id directly from uniden.

True, but a note for the OP as they are new to the hobby: No paid upgrades (DMR, NXDN, PV) are required to listen to the system in question

 

[cavmedic]

Can the 436 be updated like the SDS? I saw that you can update to DMR, NXDN , and provoice or is it more complicated than that?

Those updates will only be needed if you want to listen to a system that is using those emissions. Not required for the "Chester" system.

If you want to monitor DMR or NXDN systems, then go for it. I would probably work on one thing at a time, when you get the hang of that, then move onto the next or run the risk of being overwhelmed.

 

[doc62]

I use both Unication pagers and SDS series scanners for Chester County. Where I live, they are about the only thing that work without any issue.

 

[blackbelter]

Can the 436 be updated like the SDS? I saw that you can update to DMR, NXDN , and provoice or is it more complicated than that?

If your question is “Can your 436 be updated to perform like an SDS”, then the answer is no. SDS scanners as well as the Unication products are built to handle the simulcast systems. Some users have had success using their non SDS scanners to work on such systems , however that might varies by locations and other steps which are not standardized.

 

[PhillyPete]

My suggestion would be to send the 436hp back and opt for a Unication G series or a SDS. I have a G4 with Chester Co and have no issues with reception.

 

[maus92]

Can the 436 be updated like the SDS? I saw that you can update to DMR, NXDN , and provoice or is it more complicated than that?

The 436 can be updated with various modes (essentially to pay for license fees) but its firmware cannot be upgraded to perform better wrt simulcast systems.

 

[HM1529]

If monitoring Chester Co is a main goal for you, get rid of the 436. I have one and it is near useless for any of the Phase 2 systems in the Philly metro area because of simulcasting.

I bought a Unication G5 years ago and it works wonderfully. However, it doesn't operate the same as a scanner, so you need to decide what you want to be able to do (e.g. focus on scanning a specific trs with excellent results on a unication or scanning trs's and conventional channels at the same time using a Uniden SDS series).

 

[KC3SCV]

Thanks for the replies everyone

 

[KC3SCV]

I guess I'll get rid of the 436 Not sure if HRO will give me a refund, or I'll sell it somewhere, Lesson learned I should have just asked here ahead of time before spending $$$

 

[tvengr]

What is your city in Chester County?

 

[pwscott]

Ask HRO to take it back and sell you either a HomePatrol - II, or a Uniden SDS-100 or SDS-200. I am just learning to program my Unication G5, but that's a slightly different animal (and awesome for reception), but the Uniden radios will program up super easily and work great.

Phil in Phoenixville, N3KDJ