Uniden drop in charger

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ausscan

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I'd love to see, homebrew or relased by Uniden, a drop in charger for the BCD396(X)T series. I could leave it on my shelf where my pager and keys sit and grab it on the way out, fully charged ready to go. Thought/Ideas?
 

gewecke

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That's nice but keep in mind that the 396 does not have charging contacts on it, so it's not happening.

73,
n9zas
 

W2PMX

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And the charger in the scanner is a fixed-time charger. Once the time runs out the charging stops, even if the scanner is plugged in for the next 10 months, so you'd be grabbing a charger with dead batteries. They'd have to redesign the charger circuit inside the scanner. (And this ignores the fact that fixed-time charging is about the worst thing you can do to the batteries.)
 

hydrolocked

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the trick would be to some up with a battery pack which snaps in, adds contacts to the back (diode protected, of course), for charging. This pack would fill the space where the battery AND cover go, then make a mating charger.
 

fdnybuff18

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Wow.... This would be a great tool to have. It could work just like some of the popular two way radio battery and chargers.

I remember years ago when a third party made an exented battery for the BC100/BC200 series....
 

W2PMX

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And I remember how great everyone thought it was when Uniden got rid of battery packs and came out with a scanner that used AA cells. I can buy a few sets of top quality AA cells for the price of one battery pack - and have more than one set of freshly charged batteries with me in the field. (And putting a really good charger into a BCD396 case wouldn't leave much room for a scanner.)

Thanks, but I'll stick with good AA cells and a C9000 charger.
 

KJ6HCB

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And who else thinks its STUPID theres no charging light or indicator on the screen? Should be some sort of red/green LED or battery meter show on the screen or something....
 

W2PMX

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I think the entire charger is stupid. It functions best as a battery ruiner. Fixed time charging is not the correct way to charge NiMH batteries. (Neither is charging multiple cells connected in series.)
 

torontokris

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Interesting idea but thats something more for Motorola radios etc

You could use a Motorola base and just stick the scanner in the base and plug it in, but thats not really what your looking to do.

Maybe an interesting idea on future units though...
 

adamr368

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Many of the Motorola FRS radios had this option over the years - they shipped with and used standard AA batteries but you could purchase a rechargeable pack and a drop in charger. The charging contacts were on the replacement battery door so in theory, this could work for the Unidens as well. It would just be a matter of equitability for a company to make the investment in mass producing them.
 

W9NES

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This is the main reason why I charge my 2900Mah Batteries outside the scanner.I also carry charged batteries with my in my pocket in a battery carrier that if I need to switch batteries while I am out in the field I can.Maybe UP Man can come with something like this for Us *Professional Scanner Users* Which I am one.
 

ausscan

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All excellent thought processes and I can understand that it's not for everyone. I only have 4 minutes to get to the station, and fumbling around changing batteries whilst underway is too dangerous. I would think that it could be achieved by supplying a new back battery plate and a new battery pack. I would think that the original charging circuit would not be utilized and the battery pack would charge independently. I do understand that most commercials would do the same thing, however a commercial would not suit this application. I'd be happy if the scanner only lasted say 4 hours, I can sit it back in its charger after every firecall.
 

gewecke

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All excellent thought processes and I can understand that it's not for everyone. I only have 4 minutes to get to the station, and fumbling around changing batteries whilst underway is too dangerous. I would think that it could be achieved by supplying a new back battery plate and a new battery pack. I would think that the original charging circuit would not be utilized and the battery pack would charge independently. I do understand that most commercials would do the same thing, however a commercial would not suit this application. I'd be happy if the scanner only lasted say 4 hours, I can sit it back in its charger after every firecall.

Does your department not supply you with a pager? I don't see a 396 standing up to use in the fire service since it's not built nearly well enough for the rigors that a commercial radio would.

73,
n9zas
 

ausscan

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They do. However the 396 is for the travel between home and the station to see if I miss or make the first truck, and to hear the further information. As soon as I arrive at the station it is left in my locker or my car.
 

kbehning

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Sounds like a more realistic solution is to put a 996XT in your automobile. Right tool for the right job.

gday
 

gewecke

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They do. However the 396 is for the travel between home and the station to see if I miss or make the first truck, and to hear the further information. As soon as I arrive at the station it is left in my locker or my car.


I see.

73,
n9zas
 

ausscan

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Sounds like a more realistic solution is to put a 996XT in your automobile. Right tool for the right job.

gday

Only problem with that is I have a company car that the company does not allow you to install any non company items into. I make do with a bent coat hanger wire on the air vent to hold my 396 on. I leave my car on the street so don't like the idea of having it displayed.
 

ausscan

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So I've though a little more about this. Maybe I could use a cordless phone battery pack, and then mod up a back panel, and have a commercial drop in base because it seems that most of the Uniden drop in bases are too small or have the contacts on the bottom.
 

Farscan

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The cordless packs are still using alot of nicads with very low capacity, so it may not give you more than a few hours of use.. I have a computer with a double capacity battery that sticks out the bottom of computer, and if that engineering went to the scanner a six cell battery for the scanner would double capacity and possible more stable in the upright position, and then possibly fit in a commercial charger. With that in mind a guy could have a radio mod company like after market for cars. I would buy a commercially upgraded case, and battery & charger if available.
 
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does your pager have monitor? i drive a rescue squad as a volunteer and i always put my minitor-5 pager on monitor after a page gos off not to miss more info.and i have my own portable to monitor also.
 
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