Very good explanation. One thing I have learned is that the same concept applies also to the SDS 100/200. Same basic design but with a different display. So any how-to videos found about the 536 model can be applied to the newer models.
very informative video, that clears up the Hierarchy of the quick keys. I understand Favorites, System, and Department... However if you have a multi-site system with several sites such as Stars in VA and Viper in NC. How do you set up and turn on and off sites. could you post a quick tutorial on this also?
Since I don't have multi-site systems near me, I will try and explain. All you would need to do is assign a quick key number for every site. This can be done using the Sentinel software. Highlight the first site and you will see a tab called Options. Under the Options tab is a place to assign a quick key to that site. After you assign a quick key for each site, you can turn on and off the sites using the procedures in this video.
I live in Springfield, MO. I want to monitor Springfield PD & fire, Greene County Sheriff, as well as the Mo Highway Patrol, which is on an interops sysrem. I tried setting my zip code and 0 mile range. It's going through hundreds of channels throughout the state as well as Arkansas. I've never seen anything so complicated in my life. I doubt if Uniden has tech support that could talk me through it.
Ken, go into the Menu and scroll down to Select Service Types and press enter. It will show you all of the service types. Turn off the ones you don't want and turn on the ones you do. For example, I only have Emergency Ops, EMS Dispatch, EMS-Tac, Fire Dispatch, Fire-Tac, Fire-Talk, Interop, Law Dispatch, Law Tac, Law Talk, and Multi-talk turned on, all others are turned off. Just highlight each one and press the silver knob to turn it on or off. To listen to MO Highway Patrol on MOSWIN, you will have to make sure your scanner has the range set for the Fair Grove tower. So depending on how far away you are from Fair Grove, you will have to add the range. So if Fair Grove is 25 miles away from you, then you will have to add 25 to the range. Press the range button and press the number 2 and 5 and then press enter. Let's see what happens when you do these steps.
Ken Buttram Well, as you know, your scanner shouldn't be scanning St. Louis or Arkansas systems. Press zip and enter your zip code again, after you have changed the range to 25 miles and after you have turned on only the service types you would like to monitor. The easiest way to program what you want to hear is by using the software and creating a favorite list. Here is a video I made about how to do it: Uniden Bearcat BCD536HP Favorite List Programming Also, here is a video I made on how to create a favorite list without the software. I use the BCD436HP in this example, but the BCD536HP works almost the same way. Uniden BCD436HP creating a favorite list I'm just trying to help Ken.
K4DPS I appreciate it, but that video is what confused me in the first place. I don't get the numbers you have to assign. I don't get any of it, and it just frustrates me even more. I think it's best just to sell this thing or try to return it to Amazon. Thanks for trying.
I’ve seen your videos for assigning Quick Keys to “Systems” and “Sites”, and maybe, as a newbie to the 536, I’m still confused as to the process, but at least for now what I’d like to do is to assign Quick Keys to “Favorites Lists”. Can I do THAT? As of now, I have 42 “Favorites Lists”, most of which I don’t scan as they’re out of my immediate area. But it’s a PIA to go into the “Menu” and manually select and unselect each FL as needed. I want to do that with Quick Keys. Once I get THAT down, then I ‘l’ll look at “Systems” and “Sites”.
Hello again sir, from the great mid-west. I understand the system and favorites list numbers, but what should I be looking for when I want to know what dept I am listening to. You have done such a tremendous job of explaining this Radio, but I am still in the dark. I feel like i am getting close though. I would like to know how i can tell which dept I am listening to when a particular system key is flashing. Hope this makes sense. Thank you again for all you do.
Jason, great question. You can turn on three line display by pressing the channel button to hold on any channel and then press the FUNC key (silver knob) and then the number 9. While scanning, it will show you the department being scanned in a system. I hope that helps.
Great videos Doug! I am loving them all! Do you your favorite lists available for sharing? I am mainly interested in the Gulf Coast Ops list so I can better understand your grouping and numbering techniques.
I think they are both good scanners. It is really a matter of your preference. Do you want a mobile/base scanner or a hand held. You will be happy with either one. I don't think one is better than the other.
Hello K4DPS I have the Uniden BCD 536HP and it will analyze NXDN pick up 4800 baud really well . When I add a 9600 baud system and analyze system status i can not get anything . Any way you can help ? Thanks
I am thinking of getting this scanner. I haven't bought a scanner in YEARS so they have come a long way since I have bought one. Are the favorites you talk about here, like a bank of channels one would have had in an analog scanner? Meaning I could have my county's police and fire and maybe a couple other frequencies, and only scan them, rather than using the zip code feature and having EVERYTHING in my area scanning? Thanks so much for the videos.
Yes, the favorites would be somewhat like banks in older scanners. The BCD536HP breaks down the "banks" into systems and departments. Yes, you can set up a favorite to just have your county's police and fire along with a few other frequencies. And you can name your favorites anything you would like. Check out my other videos on programming.
I got rid of my analog scanner about 4 years ago and haven't had one since. I recently purchased a new BCD536HP about two weeks ago and am happy to say it is an excellent scanner. I now am back in to one of my old hobbies scanning and loving it. At first it seems a little overwhelming to program this scanner but when you get into it it really is pretty simple. I would recommend it to anybody who is serious about scanning. Good Luck Johnnybee
K4DPS I'm trying to find your video on how to transfer a "favorite list" from our PC to our BCD536HP using the a USB Cable and then how to use the scanner to actually scan it. Can't find it anywhere. Thank You Sir for your videos. We're new to this and they have helped a lot, since we can't understand the manual much at all.
Have you tried the 3-Line Display? Looks very good. The Favorites & Systems list numbers appear at the top just as in your video. Below them in larger font: SYSTEM NAME - DEPARTMENT NAME - CHANNEL NAME. Also, next to the end of the System List Numbers - the Favorite List's Name/Title is shown in a smaller font.
Quick question, have they released the app feature for your cell phone yet? Also is that all the wifi feature is for? If i dont plan to use the app is it still necessary to use the wifi?
No, Uniden has not release the app yet. Yes, that is all the wifi is used for. I haven't had the wifi dongle plugged in the scanner and the BCD536HP works fine without it.
Is there a video anywhere showing the process of getting the Sentinel software using your usb cable connected to your PC and scanner? Is the Sentinel software on the SD card on the scanner already? I can't understand the manual and see no address WWW. Sentinel.com? to find on the internet. I'm confused on how to start the process. I'm wanting to do a favorites list and utilized the P25 capability. If I understand the manual right, I have to use the Sentinel software to create a favorites list in order to get the P25 channels.
Hello Patrick and welcome to my channel. Here is the link to the Sentinel software: info.uniden.com/UnidenMan4/BCD536HP It will make it much easier to use the software to create your favorites. Also, take a look at all my videos: ruclips.net/user/k4dpsvideos This should help you get started. I did create a video that shows the process to connect your scanner to the PC and how to program it.
Justin, I would wait at this point on purchasing one. Uniden is working on bugs in the firmware and hardware fixes. I have already sent both of my BCD536HPs in for repair. The display screen went dim on both and had to be fixed. I updated to the latest firmware today and lost all of my frequency information that was stored on the recordings. It has a good receiver but has many problems at this point. Give Uniden time to work on quality control of this product.
Thank you very much for the input! What about the home patrol 2? Any thoughts on that? Right now I have the Radio shack pro-106 but I need phase 2 capabilities
Justin K From what I have read the HomePatrol 2 is a good scanner. It doesn't have as good of receiver as the X36HP models, but it also doesn't have all the issues either.
Justin K I would just wait until Uniden gets the BCD436HP and the BCD536HP scanners working correctly and then purchase one of them. They are good scanners, but have many problems at this point. Uniden will get them corrected and they will be great scanners, but it might take another year or so.
hope so, think I messed this thing up bad with the usb in a MAC. Every were i seem to look for this software I get a spam site. Does it come in mac?? Scanner is all froze up now
Good tutorial, but could Uniden have made it any more convoluted to execute basic commands, sheesh!... not very intuative in my opinion... then again, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed either :)
Ken, I'm sorry to hear that. I made these videos to try and help folks not confuse them. If I can help you in some way understand what I'm trying to teach, please let me know.
Very good explanation. One thing I have learned is that the same concept applies also to the SDS 100/200. Same basic design but with a different display. So any how-to videos found about the 536 model can be applied to the newer models.
This is the first useful video I've found concerning these scanners. Thanks
Ok great thank you. I decided to get the bcd996xt and the bcd536hp. Made my decision based on your reviews so thank you!
Excellent video...they are all great...thanks very much for explaining all this...the manual is very vague...
I'm glad it helped you and thanks for the good words about my videos!
Thanks for sharing this video! I bought one lightly used for $250 shipped. I hope it’s a good buy
Great price, good buy my friend.
very informative video, that clears up the Hierarchy of the quick keys. I understand Favorites, System, and Department... However if you have a multi-site system with several sites such as Stars in VA and Viper in NC. How do you set up and turn on and off sites. could you post a quick tutorial on this also?
Since I don't have multi-site systems near me, I will try and explain. All you would need to do is assign a quick key number for every site. This can be done using the Sentinel software. Highlight the first site and you will see a tab called Options. Under the Options tab is a place to assign a quick key to that site. After you assign a quick key for each site, you can turn on and off the sites using the procedures in this video.
I made a video to help you understand how to assign the quick keys to system sites:
Uniden BCD536HP/BCD436HP Assigning Quick Keys to Sites
I live in Springfield, MO. I want to monitor Springfield PD & fire, Greene County Sheriff, as well as the Mo Highway Patrol, which is on an interops sysrem. I tried setting my zip code and 0 mile range. It's going through hundreds of channels throughout the state as well as Arkansas. I've never seen anything so complicated in my life. I doubt if Uniden has tech support that could talk me through it.
Ken, go into the Menu and scroll down to Select Service Types and press enter. It will show you all of the service types. Turn off the ones you don't want and turn on the ones you do. For example, I only have Emergency Ops, EMS Dispatch, EMS-Tac, Fire Dispatch, Fire-Tac, Fire-Talk, Interop, Law Dispatch, Law Tac, Law Talk, and Multi-talk turned on, all others are turned off. Just highlight each one and press the silver knob to turn it on or off.
To listen to MO Highway Patrol on MOSWIN, you will have to make sure your scanner has the range set for the Fair Grove tower. So depending on how far away you are from Fair Grove, you will have to add the range. So if Fair Grove is 25 miles away from you, then you will have to add 25 to the range. Press the range button and press the number 2 and 5 and then press enter.
Let's see what happens when you do these steps.
K4DPS That's what I have already programmed. It's scanning as far away as St. Louis. Isn't there just a simple way to load the systems I want to hear?
Ken Buttram Well, as you know, your scanner shouldn't be scanning St. Louis or Arkansas systems. Press zip and enter your zip code again, after you have changed the range to 25 miles and after you have turned on only the service types you would like to monitor.
The easiest way to program what you want to hear is by using the software and creating a favorite list. Here is a video I made about how to do it: Uniden Bearcat BCD536HP Favorite List Programming
Also, here is a video I made on how to create a favorite list without the software. I use the BCD436HP in this example, but the BCD536HP works almost the same way.
Uniden BCD436HP creating a favorite list
I'm just trying to help Ken.
K4DPS I appreciate it, but that video is what confused me in the first place. I don't get the numbers you have to assign. I don't get any of it, and it just frustrates me even more. I think it's best just to sell this thing or try to return it to Amazon. Thanks for trying.
Ken Buttram I understand Ken, sorry I couldn't help you.
I’ve seen your videos for assigning Quick Keys to “Systems” and “Sites”, and maybe, as a newbie to the 536, I’m still confused as to the process, but at least for now what I’d like to do is to assign Quick Keys to “Favorites Lists”. Can I do THAT? As of now, I have 42 “Favorites Lists”, most of which I don’t scan as they’re out of my immediate area. But it’s a PIA to go into the “Menu” and manually select and unselect each FL as needed. I want to do that with Quick Keys. Once I get THAT down, then I ‘l’ll look at “Systems” and “Sites”.
I was wondering if you could do a video on the number tag feature in the 536HP. All of these videos that you are making
Great tutorial. I just got the 536 and it's definitely has a learning curve. de K6KNS.
This helped me a lot!!! Thanks!!!!
Hello again sir, from the great mid-west. I understand the system and favorites list numbers, but what should I be looking for when I want to know what dept I am listening to. You have done such a tremendous job of explaining this Radio, but I am still in the dark. I feel like i am getting close though. I would like to know how i can tell which dept I am listening to when a particular system key is flashing. Hope this makes sense. Thank you again for all you do.
Jason, great question. You can turn on three line display by pressing the channel button to hold on any channel and then press the FUNC key (silver knob) and then the number 9. While scanning, it will show you the department being scanned in a system. I hope that helps.
Great videos Doug! I am loving them all! Do you your favorite lists available for sharing? I am mainly interested in the Gulf Coast Ops list so I can better understand your grouping and numbering techniques.
Donald Chapman Sure Donald, give me your email address and I will send you my favorite list.
K4DPS You can email it to donaldchapman@gmail.com. Thanks!
love the videos i don't know if i should get BCD436HP or 536hp which
is better
I think they are both good scanners. It is really a matter of your preference. Do you want a mobile/base scanner or a hand held. You will be happy with either one. I don't think one is better than the other.
Hello K4DPS I have the Uniden BCD 536HP and it will analyze NXDN pick up 4800 baud really well . When I add a 9600 baud system and analyze system status i can not get anything . Any way you can help ? Thanks
I am thinking of getting this scanner. I haven't bought a scanner in YEARS so they have come a long way since I have bought one. Are the favorites you talk about here, like a bank of channels one would have had in an analog scanner? Meaning I could have my county's police and fire and maybe a couple other frequencies, and only scan them, rather than using the zip code feature and having EVERYTHING in my area scanning? Thanks so much for the videos.
Yes, the favorites would be somewhat like banks in older scanners. The BCD536HP breaks down the "banks" into systems and departments. Yes, you can set up a favorite to just have your county's police and fire along with a few other frequencies. And you can name your favorites anything you would like. Check out my other videos on programming.
I got rid of my analog scanner about 4 years ago and haven't had one since. I recently purchased a new BCD536HP about two weeks ago and am happy to say it is an excellent scanner. I now am back in to one of my old hobbies scanning and loving it. At first it seems a little overwhelming to program this scanner but when you get into it it really is pretty simple. I would recommend it to anybody who is serious about scanning. Good Luck Johnnybee
K4DPS I'm trying to find your video on how to transfer a "favorite list" from our PC to our BCD536HP using the a USB Cable and then how to use the scanner to actually scan it. Can't find it anywhere. Thank You Sir for your videos. We're new to this and they have helped a lot, since we can't understand the manual much at all.
can you post how to update favorites lists on the bcd536hp
Have you tried the 3-Line Display? Looks very good. The Favorites & Systems list numbers appear at the top just as in your video. Below them in larger font: SYSTEM NAME - DEPARTMENT NAME - CHANNEL NAME. Also, next to the end of the System List Numbers - the Favorite List's Name/Title is shown in a smaller font.
I have tried the 3-line display and like it, but I also like seeing the frequency so I don't use it much.
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@@k4dps Just got my bcd536 yesterday. It's on three line, how do you change to view freqs. ?
Quick question, have they released the app feature for your cell phone yet? Also is that all the wifi feature is for? If i dont plan to use the app is it still necessary to use the wifi?
No, Uniden has not release the app yet. Yes, that is all the wifi is used for. I haven't had the wifi dongle plugged in the scanner and the BCD536HP works fine without it.
I’m an officer in Texas and need help, setting up favorites on my 536 please
The only thing I can offer is to watch all of my programming videos on the 536.
How do I use this feature if my Favorites List has no Quick Key assigned?
You will have to assign your favorite list a quick key in order to use this option.
Is there a video anywhere showing the process of getting the Sentinel software using your usb cable connected to your PC and scanner? Is the Sentinel software on the SD card on the scanner already? I can't understand the manual and see no address WWW. Sentinel.com? to find on the internet. I'm confused on how to start the process. I'm wanting to do a favorites list and utilized the P25 capability. If I understand the manual right, I have to use the Sentinel software to create a favorites list in order to get the P25 channels.
Hello Patrick and welcome to my channel. Here is the link to the Sentinel software: info.uniden.com/UnidenMan4/BCD536HP
It will make it much easier to use the software to create your favorites. Also, take a look at all my videos: ruclips.net/user/k4dpsvideos
This should help you get started. I did create a video that shows the process to connect your scanner to the PC and how to program it.
so how is the scanner holding up? really want to buy one just need some more feedback! Anything would be appreciated!
Justin, I would wait at this point on purchasing one. Uniden is working on bugs in the firmware and hardware fixes. I have already sent both of my BCD536HPs in for repair. The display screen went dim on both and had to be fixed. I updated to the latest firmware today and lost all of my frequency information that was stored on the recordings. It has a good receiver but has many problems at this point. Give Uniden time to work on quality control of this product.
Thank you very much for the input! What about the home patrol 2? Any thoughts on that? Right now I have the Radio shack pro-106 but I need phase 2 capabilities
Justin K From what I have read the HomePatrol 2 is a good scanner. It doesn't have as good of receiver as the X36HP models, but it also doesn't have all the issues either.
man I guess I will just wait and see what they come out with next! I like my pro-106 never had any issues at all
Justin K I would just wait until Uniden gets the BCD436HP and the BCD536HP scanners working correctly and then purchase one of them. They are good scanners, but have many problems at this point. Uniden will get them corrected and they will be great scanners, but it might take another year or so.
I was wondering how to get the knob led to light up???
***** Using the Sentinel software you can enable that feature.
hope so, think I messed this thing up bad with the usb in a MAC.
Every were i seem to look for this software I get a spam site.
Does it come in mac??
Scanner is all froze up now
***** No software for a MAC just windows. You will need to reformat the SD card and then reload the database from Sentinel using a windows computer.
going to have to get a hold of uniden on getting a new sd card than, I have no access to a windows system. Scanner is frozen up now
Does this also apply to the 436HP?
***** Yes, this does apply to the BCD436HP.
Why can’t Unidens manual be as clear as your video? Thanks
Good tutorial, but could Uniden have made it any more convoluted to execute basic commands, sheesh!... not very intuative in my opinion... then again, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed either :)
Thank you. And that is one of the reasons why I made these videos. There is so much packed into these scanners.
Why are these all so terrible un-intuitive to use?
The only thing more confusing than this scanner are your videos. You might as well speaking Russian.
Ken, I'm sorry to hear that. I made these videos to try and help folks not confuse them. If I can help you in some way understand what I'm trying to teach, please let me know.
K4DPS I think your doing a great job , thank you for making these instructional videos