Uniden Or Whistler ?

[BOBRR]

Hello,

Would be most grateful for some opinions and thoughts on the following.

Have recently bought Uniden's latest hand held scanner, the BCD 436.

I have a pretty solid technical background in engineering and math, but the user interface for this gadget is
just beyond me. Truly takes all the fun out of it.

Have always had Uniden scanners, but the complexity of this one is in a class of its own.

Probably a great technical achievement. Have nothing but praise for those who designed and implemented it, but they sure could have put (a lot) more thought and time into the design of the user interface.
Just no fun using it.

Thinking of simply selling it, and possibly purchasing a TRX-1.

Have never, frankly, considered Whistler, although at one time I had a GRE scanner.

May I please ask:

a. How's the build quality ? Comparable to Undinen's, better, or... ?

b. The major question, I guess: easier to program, and use, than the Uniden BCD 436 ?

**Why ?

c. How's their programming software compared to Uniden's Sentinel ?

Anything newer than the TRX-1 expected "shortly" ?
Would hate to get it, and find they have a brand new replacement model a few weeks later.

Pros and cons between Uniden and Whistler, and perhaps between the BCD 436 and the TRX-1 specifically ?

Whistler any better than Uniden regarding Customer Service, Warr. repair, responsiveness, etc. ?

Not sure what else to ask.

Thank you very much for helping me out with this.
Appreciate it.

Bob

 

[DJ11DLN]

The Whistler radios I've handled seem to have excellent build quality. And I find E-Z Scan easier to use than Sentinel, though that could be just familiarity. I don't own any current-model Uniden scanners but have set up a few (2X 436, 1X 536) for friends or acquaintances. I find E-Z Scan to be a lot more intuitive, but again, that could just be a personal thing. And Sentinel will get you where you need to go.

I think both companies make excellent gear...both have strong points and weak points but overall they work pretty well so long as you don't have to cope with too much of the dreaded LSM. Maybe you just need to give yourself more time with your 436 to get used to it and to get acquainted with Sentinel. Just my $0.02.

 

[marksmith]

I own both manufacturers radios and find them to be very similar in complexity of both the radio and the software. Uniden slightly easier interface for programming.

Build quality also very much the same.

Mark
536/436/WS1095/HP1/HP2/996T/996XT/996P2/396XT/325P2/PSR800/15X/others

 

[seth21w]

I have owned the trx1 and the 536/436 and i found that the uniden software and user interface is much easier for me to use the whistler software and hardware is based on the old gre products so its pretty glitchy with loading to and from the computer to radio.

 

[crash1]

I would go with the Uniden The Whistler scanners don't work that well outside if your mobile forget it picks up so many cell towers in it blocks out anything you want to listen on 800 megahertz I have both and I found your Uniden performance is much better

 

[shortwaver]

I found that I just had to put in the time to read the manual (yuck!) and check out the YouTube videos. The 436 has an enormous amount of features and I think Uniden did a good job with the interface. Having said that, I expect to be learning new things with it for a long time.

 

[N9JIG]

It is much like what is better, Ford or Chevy. If certain features (ProVoice, NXDN, GPS etc.) are in play then the choice is easier.

Personal preferences and experience is going to be the big factor here. I have both Whistler and Uniden products, pretty much at least one of each model. I tend to use the Uniden's more due to my familiarity with them and how they operate.

A huge feature for me is the GPS functionality in the truck. That pretty much rules out Whistler while mobile for me. I also think that the Uniden's update procedure is far easier than Whistler. The fact that one can do all the updates, including firmware, directly on the SD card makes life so much easier for the 536 in the truck.

I think the Sentinel software is easier to use than the EZ-Scan but both need a little experience to work with. Once one gets comfortable in either one they will be alright, it just seems to me that the Uniden is less complicated. Same goes for field operations. I find it easier to add channels to Favorites than to Scanlists from the keyboard on the 436/536 vs. the TRX etc.

I have had the 436/536 from day one and am still learning.

 

[stingray327]

I returned the Whistler scanner I purchased because I found the programming to be difficult. There was also lack of customer support on how to program.
On the Uniden the Sentinel program is much easier to use. Did not need to look up and research on how to program...

 

[drayd48]

I use both on a regular basis. The RadioShack / Whistler (Same scanner just different brand names. The exact same if you look at them) definitely has more features and is easier to program. The Uniden performs better and has better audio. The Uniden (in my opinion) is harder to program (by hand and computer) and the RadioShack / Whistler is a lot easier to program. The only main thing I realize a difference is that the Uniden will decode 2 tones for paging and the RadioShack / Whistler will not. MAybe just my radios, but my RadioShack seems to receive better than the Uniden.

 

[gbriden]

So yes Whistler radio takes more learning time but once you get it there are no issues. Uniden does have the better display for sure.

But in the end it comes down to what you want to listen to if you have NXDN , DMR or Provoice in your area then the Whistler TX Series is the better choice ( Uniden 436 / 536 does DMR but only with a $50 firmware update purchase. )

Just my humble opinion....

 

[AndrewGS]

What's funny is that I once owned both, the predecessor to the TRX-1, the GRE PSR-800, and the then-new Uniden BCD436HP. I was unimpressed with both, so I left the hobby since my area was moving to Phase-II.

About a year ago I bought another BCD436HP and liked everything but the fact that I couldn't seem to find my local PD, even using the RR database. I found modern scanning to just be too damn difficult, so before my return policy ran out I sent it back in frustration.

Well, you can take the scanner from the moron but you'll never take the moron from scanning, so yesterday I ordered up a TRX-1. I was so excited when it got here this morning. Well, after updating everything and taking a look at the programming software I packed it back up and sent it back out. I ordered another BCD436HP and I'm going to keep it come hell or high water.

 

[seth21w]

What's funny is that I once owned both, the predecessor to the TRX-1, the GRE PSR-800, and the then-new Uniden BCD436HP. I was unimpressed with both, so I left the hobby since my area was moving to Phase-II.

About a year ago I bought another BCD436HP and liked everything but the fact that I couldn't seem to find my local PD, even using the RR database. I found modern scanning to just be too damn difficult, so before my return policy ran out I sent it back in frustration.

Well, you can take the scanner from the moron but you'll never take the moron from scanning, so yesterday I ordered up a TRX-1. I was so excited when it got here this morning. Well, after updating everything and taking a look at the programming software I packed it back up and sent it back out. I ordered another BCD436HP and I'm going to keep it come hell or high water.

3 436s lol i guess they say 3rd times the charm! Enjoy it and keep it this time, by now they have most of the early bugs worked out.

 

[kmi8dy]

i might be wrong in the time line but 436hp is not unidens newest hand held. the bcd325p2 is the newest model. it programs 99.9 % just like the 396xt, 996xt, 996p2. much easier than the 436/ 536 series i find. it does about the same thing as the 436 except all the crap and high end stuff that most people dont care about. i bought the 536, had it for 3 weeks and sent it back to amazon and bought the 996p2 instead, much easier. all i wanted to do was listen, not have a phd in how to program the damn thing. so i would sugest the bcd325p2, you will love it.

 

[seth21w]

i might be wrong in the time line but 436hp is not unidens newest hand held. the bcd325p2 is the newest model. it programs 99.9 % just like the 396xt, 996xt, 996p2. much easier than the 436/ 536 series i find. it does about the same thing as the 436 except all the crap and high end stuff that most people dont care about. i bought the 536, had it for 3 weeks and sent it back to amazon and bought the 996p2 instead, much easier. all i wanted to do was listen, not have a phd in how to program the damn thing. so i would sugest the bcd325p2, you will love it.

One simple big thing it doesnt do is handle p2 simulcast where as 436 does and will, also the 436 is a much more capable piece of hardware full of possibilities.

 

[mikewazowski]

One simple big thing it doesnt do is handle p2 simulcast where as 436 does and will, also the 436 is a much more capable piece of hardware full of possibilities.

First of all, a simulcast system can be Phase I or Phase II. Both scanners will handle it.

Secondly, the x36HP line of scanners do not handle simulcast well. I'd say you'd have as much luck with a 325P2 as you would a 436HP.

 

[marksmith]

First of all, a simulcast system can be Phase I or Phase II. Both scanners will handle it.

Secondly, the x36HP line of scanners do not handle simulcast well. I'd say you'd have as much luck with a 325P2 as you would a 436HP.

Frankly, no scanner handles simulcast well unless you are in the right location to only receive from 1 tower. Otherwise, you need to get into the bag of reception tricks.

536/436/ws1095/996p2/996xt/325p2/396xt/psr800/396t/others

 

[seth21w]

First of all, a simulcast system can be Phase I or Phase II. Both scanners will handle it.

Secondly, the x36HP line of scanners do not handle simulcast well. I'd say you'd have as much luck with a 325P2 as you would a 436HP.

It depends on the system as there are multiple simulcast modulation. I know for certain though from my own experience as I first bought the 325 to use on a harris p2 lsm system and it was silent with maybe one or two words here and there, so I returned it immediately for the 436 and it is about 95% and just all around better radio.

 

[cjrjr507]

Uniden BCD 15

Hello, I have had an BCD 15 for well over 10 years and I am satified with it. Easy to program by hand and rock solid constrution. It survive a 3 ft fall onto concrete. Hit the corner of the radio and just bounced. I have it fully loaded with frequencies all 2500 channels. Happy with the scanner to say the least. Thinking about getting the Whistler trx 2. Have not decided yet. Just for the unlimited frequencies you can put in.

 

[cpro48609]

Frankly, no scanner handles simulcast well unless you are in the right location to only receive from 1 tower. Otherwise, you need to get into the bag of reception tricks.

536/436/ws1095/996p2/996xt/325p2/396xt/psr800/396t/others

Unication G4 & G5 do it near perfect. I had a TRX 1 but returned it and got the G4. But then they don't have nearly as many features for regular scanning compared to a Whistler or Uniden.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[marksmith]

Unication G4 & G5 do it near perfect. I had a TRX 1 but returned it and got the G4. But then they don't have nearly as many features for regular scanning compared to a Whistler or Uniden.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Because of the lack of the more common scanner functions on the Unication receivers, and their price generally out of the scanner market range, I don't normally consider them when I comment regarding "scanners" or "scanner radios".

You are correct, however, that I understand these radios handle the simulcast distortion issue well.

If the principal radio service that you have an interest in is a simulcast system, then these should probably be considered. I would also recommend you have a normal scanner for all the other systems.

536/436/ws1095/996p2/996xt/325p2/396xt/psr800/396t/HP-1/HP-2 & others