Hello Tvenger....
I bought the BCD436HP . I entered the zip code and hear a lot more transmissions coming through. However I still need to enter
the trunking talk groups codes for my town. I also pick up a lot from Mass as well. I have a lot to learn as to how to navigate around.
I will keep you posted on the progress ! Stay well !
Stephanni Rachel
Stephanni,
If you find that you "need to add more talkgroups" for your town, are there talkgroups showing in the database (online) that are not being received in your county?
Have you installed Sentinel? If not, you can find the link on this page:
info.uniden.com
Once you install the software, be sure & update the database, then use the software to write the updated data to the scanner. When the scanner is shipped, as well as when Sentinel is first installed, it's well out of date. If there are active talkgroups for your area, listed in the database here on RadioReference, that don't come up when you are listening, then there are a couple of things to check. First, as I just mentioned, is that the database in the scanner is out of date. Doing the updates will take care of that.
The second thing that trips up many new users of these scanners is which service types are enabled. When the scanner is shipped, and also when you first install Sentinel. only the Dispatch service types for Public Safety are active: Law Dispatch, Fire Dispatch, EMS Dispatch, and Multi Dispatch. You also need to enable the Tac & Talk service types for those (i.e. Law Talk, Fire Tac, EMS Talk, etc.) Update those to enabled in your Profile in Sentinel, then write the changes (along with the updated database) to your scanner.
Other helpful links can be found in the Wiki. When you have the time, explore some of the links on this page:
wiki.radioreference.com
Also browse:
Finally, in regard to programming, and operating in general, many of the comments you see about programming & using one of the SDS series Uniden scanners, also applies to your 436HP (& vice versa- much of the x36HP comments apply to the SDS scanners as well). While the SDS scanners have features your scanner does not, such as filters & an expanded, customizable display, basic programming and operation of these models is over 90% the same.