Favorite Scanner: BCD436HP

Posted on March 23, 2016 by Rich Carlson

The BCD436HP (commonly referred to as the “436“) is Uniden’s premier handheld scanner. It takes the Location Based Scanning system from the HomePatrol and merges it with the huge feature set of the BCD325P2. You get the best of both worlds; easy ZIP code based scanning and the flexibility and functionality of a full featured professional scanner.

Remember the commercials for the candy where some guy got his chocolate into another guy’s peanut butter? Well, imagine mixing a HomePatrol 2 with a BCD325P2, instead of a tasty peanut butter cup the end result is a BCD436HP.

The HomePatrol’s ease of use required the removal of several key features that were present on other scanners, this included things like CloseCall, Limit Search, Fire Toneout and keyboard programming. While most HomePatrol purchasers do not need these features there are others that want them. The “436” restores all of these features and more and keeps the Location Based scanning of the HomePatrol. With Phase 2 capability, the 436 works almost everywhere in the USA and Canada, just by putting in a location.

The 436 also now allows one to listen to ProVoice. These are used in a few areas of the country and until recently could not be heard by any scanner. With the extra-cost ProVoice option you can now hear unencrypted ProVoice digital systems such as used in San Antonio or Oklahoma City among other areas.

The 436 also has the ability to record conversations heard on the scanner to it’s built-in SD Card, allows analysis of trunked radio systems and more. You can program it on the fly like you would older scanners, use a computer to program it or just let the radio use it’s internal database.

The 436 comes with the free Sentinel software to update the firmware and database (Windows only, sorry Mac dudes!) as well as rechargeable batteries, a USB cable and antenna. You charge the batteries with a USB charger, available at extra cost or just use the one from your cellphone or other USB device. It covers most scanner frequencies from 25 to 1300 MHz. and works on AM, FM, FMW, P25 Digital Phases 1 and 2 as well as ProVoice digital (requires extra cost key for ProVoice). Optional ARC software is also available for control and advanced programming.

The BCD436HP is available from ScannerMaster at BCD436HP or just call us at 800-SCANNER.

When bad things happen to good scanners: SD Card Corruption

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Rich Carlson

All of the various “Zip Code” type scanners such as the Uniden HomePatrol, BCD436HP or BCD536HP, Whistler WS 1080/1088/1095/1098 or the GRE and RadioShack versions use a Micro-SD Card to store the database and recordings. This SD Card is much like a disk drive without moving parts, it can be written to and read by a computer or a device; in this case your scanner.

Occasionally these cards can get corrupted which causes them to stop functioning. The scanner will display an error message and will not operate until you repair or replace the SD Card. Thankfully this is not usually a serious issue and rarely results in anything other than some annoyance. The worst that can happen is that you lose your Favorites Lists and any recordings you may have on the card.

First let’s talk about WHY this happens. Most of the time it is due to the power being removed from the radio abruptly. These scanners are basically small computers and, like all computers, they need to be shut down properly. By doing so the radio has a chance to finish writing information to the SD Card. If the power is removed before this is done then an incomplete or corrupted file may be left. When you turn on the radio the next time it doesn’t know what to do with the file and displays the error message. While this does not occur every time the radio is improperly shut down, it only has to happen once to ruin your day.

Now there is always the possibility that the card or even the radio itself is defective but that is very rare.

What can you do to prevent this from happening to you? The best thing you can do is to make sure you turn the radio off before removing power to it. If you have it mounted in a vehicle be sure to turn off the radio by use if the volume/power knob before starting the car or turning off the ignition. If the radio loses power while still turned on then the card can get corrupted. Same goes for portable radios. do not pull the batteries unless the radio is turned off.

OK, my card got corrupted, is my scanner dead? Usually no. These cards can usually be reformatted and the database rebuilt. Even if the card is shot it can be replaced and the new card set up for your radio. You can get replacement (or spare) Micro SD Cards almost anywhere.

What can you do if this occurs to you? First make sure the card is really corrupt, some times they are just loose. Remove the card and reseat it, making sure that it clicks into place. When you turn on the radio, if it works then you are back in business. If you still get the error then you will likely have to reformat the card.

Of course the easiest way to get past this is to let us fix it for you! Just download, print and fill out the form at https://www.scannermaster.com/v/vspfiles/files/pdf/homepatrol-servies-order-form.pdf. Send it to us with the radio and we will do the rest!

To reformat the card it is best to use an application specifically for this. You can use a free program available from https://www.sdcard.org/downloads/formatter_4/. Download the one for your version of Windows and install it. You can use an SD Card reader if you want or leave the card in the radio and connected to the computer in Mass Storage Mode. If you reformat it using Windows directly it may not be done in the proper format. Sorry Mac guys; you need Windows for this!

Once reformatted you need to reinstall the database. On Uniden scanners this is done as follows:

1: In Sentinel under the Home Patrol menu select Clear User Data, click on the Display All Drives box.

2: Be sure to select the correct drive letter then click OK. (You do not want to erase your C Drive!)

3: Run Sentinel on the computer and select the Update Master HPDB option in the Update Menu.

4: In Sentinel under the HomePatrol menu select Write to HomePatrol .You may need to select that drive again, but it will not show the serial number of the radio this time.

5: Eject the card and put it back into your scanner (if not already there). When you turn on the scanner you should be all set. You many need to reset your location, Service Types etc.

Of course this requires that you have Sentinel running in a Windows computer. If you don’t have Sentinel installed (it comes on the SD Card…) you can download it from Uniden’s website.

Whistler, GRE and RS scanners use slightly different procedures, check the manual for your radio for these.

Favorite Scanner: Uniden HomePatrol

Posted on November 16, 2015 by Rich Carlson

This weeks Favorite Scanner comes from our Programming Manager Greg Jolly. Greg likes the Uniden HomePatrol best for its ease of use.

The Uniden HomePatrol was introduced several years ago to address several concerns. Many people wanted to listen to their local police, fire and other radio activity but did not know (or want to know) how to program scanners. The HomePatrol brought a whole new dimension to scanning: instead of learning frequencies you just put in your ZIP Code.

The HomePatrol really makes Greg happy, being the ScannerMaster Programmer it makes his job easier! It just requires a periodic update to keep it humming along.

The HomePatrol 2 was introduced recently to cover those areas using “Phase 2” digital, otherwise it works the same as the original HomePatrol.

Firmware Alert – Uniden HomePatrol-1 [2.03.01]

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Jonathan Higgins

By Jonathan Higgins

Product: Uniden HomePatrol-1 (HP-1)
Firmware Update: 2.03.01

What included in the update?

Improved the SD Card Error message to help resolve troubleshooting issues.
Added a low-pass filter switch option for raw data output mode.
Added a remote command to control the low-pass filter switch.
Fixed the issue where the display mode setting was reset after cycling power.
Fixed that some systems were not appearing in Add Channel mode.
More details

This update should fix a couple of the little bugs that were reported to Uniden. Nothing major in this update.

How to update your HomePatrol?

Plug your HP-1 into AC Power to prevent power lost during update.
Connect your HP-1 to your PC via the Programming cable.
Open the Sentinel Software
(If you don’t have the software download it here)
Click “Update” tab
Select “Update Firmware”
Your HomePatrol should be selected, click “OK”
The software will prompt you once the download is done.
Disconnect the programming cable from your HP-1
Please allow a few minutes for the update process to run.
Your HP-1 will restart and the firmware update is complete.

Firmware Alert – Uniden HomePatrol-1

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Jonathan Higgins

By Jonathan Higgins

Product: Uniden HomePatrol-1 (HP-1)
Firmware Update: 1.03.01

What included in the update?

Shorter POWER up time
Hold functionally
Setting default power down option
– read more about this firmware update

This update should fix a couple of the little bugs that were reported to Uniden. Nothing major in this update.

How to update your HomePatrol?

Plug your HP-1 into AC Power to prevent power lost during update.
Connect your HP-1 to your PC via the Programming cable.
Open the Sentinel Software
(If you don’t have the software download it here)
Click “Update” tab
Select “Update Firmware”
Your HomePatrol should be selected, click “OK”
The software will prompt you once the download is done.
Disconnect the programming cable from your HP-1
Please allow a few minutes for the update process to run.
Your HP-1 will restart and the firmware update is complete.

Scanner 101 – Uniden HomePatrol Favorites List

Posted on February 15, 2011 by Jonathan Higgins

Do you own the Uniden HomePatrol? Would you rather pick and choose the agencies or communities? You can simply select them in the database, and run them in a Favorites list. In this Scanner 101 we give you basic steps on setting up a Favorites List in your Uniden HomePatrol.

When running a favorites list, you will be just running the channels you select. This will work great for home or office set up. If your running the unit as mobile with GPS you would need to run the Uniden HomePatrol on the full database.

You can set up multiple favorite list, here are some examples of a few I have in my office Uniden HomePatrol.

Favorites List name: Office w/railroad
Holliston Police
Holliston Fire
Mass Dot – District 3 – Central
Mass Bay Commuter Rail South Road
Mass Bay Commuter Rail Worcester Road

Favorites List name: Office w/MSP
Holliston Police
Holliston Fire
Mass Dot – District 3 – Central
Mass State Police C-Patrol 1
Mass State Police C-Patrol 2

Uniden HomePatrol in the photo above scanning Bristol County, MA
Here are the steps to set up your Favorties List

Step 1
Press “Menu” (bottom Left Corner)

Step 2
Press “Manage Favorites Lists” (Right hand side 3rd option)

Step 3
Press “Crate New List”

Step 4
Type out a name for this list then press “Accept”

Step 5
Press “Review/Edit Channels”

Step 6
Press “Add Channel”

Step 7
Select “USA” or “Canada”

Step 8
Select your “State”

Step 9
Select your “County”

Step 10
Once you have selected your “Scope” you can browse the database and select channels you wish to monitor once all the channels you wish to monitor are selected press “add channel”.

Step 11
Press yes to conform.

Step 12
Once you have added channels you can review them on “Review/ Edit Channels” screen

Step 12A
To add more areas repeat Steps 6 – 10

Step 13
Press “Back”

Step 14
Press “Use This List”

Step 15
Press “Yes” to Conform

Sentinel Software

If you would rather do this using software, you can download the free “HomePatrol Sentinel” software. With the Sentinel you can update the firmware and the HomePatrol frequency database.

ARC Patrol Software
If you looking to add frequencies or trunking systems not listed in RadioReference.com you can purchase the ARC Patrol Software. – Read more about the ARC Patrol Software

New Product – Uniden HomePatrol

Posted on September 28, 2010 by Jonathan Higgins

By Jonathan Higgins

The Product: Uniden HomePatrol-1

The much awaited Uniden HomePatrol’s will be shipping out on Thursday, September 30, 2010.

Please check out my First Look @ Uniden HomePatrol
Highlights:

My first thoughts of the HomePatrol
For Advanced Users
Making Favorites Lists/Updating HomePatrol
Instant Replay Feature
HomePatrol Appearance and Jacks
and more!

Let’s go over the optional accessories available for the new Uniden HomePatrol:

Setup & Optimize:
This service covers the following :
Optimizing the internal database/frequency library
Checking and updating the firmware
Setting-up your local town/city into a Scan List/Favorites List
— Learn more about the Setup & Optimize Service —
***This service delays the shipping one week***

Mobile Antenna:
SpectrumForce Wideband Antenna with Mag Mount and SMA, Great low profile mobile antenna, with the SMA connection for quick an easy hook-up.

Antenna Adapter:
SMA to BNC Adapter – If you looking to connect the HomePatrol to BNC (Male) connection this part is a must have.
GPS:**
GPS Receiver – (SpectrumForce GPS Receiver) Allows the HomePatrol to automatically tune to local frequencies as you drive.
**GPS Kit – Required with GPS Receiver:
GPS Accessory Kit – The cables needed to connect the HomePatrol to the GPS Receiver (SpectrumForce GPS Receiver)
1. SpectrumForce Wideband Antenna with Mag Mount and SMA
2. SpectrumForce GPS Receiver
3. SMA to BNC Adapter
4. GPS Accessory Kit

New Product – Setup & Optimize Service

Posted on September 27, 2010 by Jonathan Higgins

By Jonathan Higgins

Product Name: Setup & Optimize Service (for the Uniden HomePatrol and GRE PSR-700 only.)

Cost: $39.95 – If the scanner was purchase from Scanner Master
($49.95 for customers that already have purchased the scanner elsewhere)

Note: This service delays the shipping one week.

When you order this option along with your Uniden HomePatrol and GRE PSR-700 the Setup & Optimize Service Covers:

Optimizing the internal database

Checking and updating the firmware

Setting-up your local town/city into a Scan List/Favorites List

With Scanner Master’s exclusive Set-up & Optimize Package we see to it that you’re pre-programmed scanner is fully updated and ready to use for your area, perfect for your own use and especially perfect for a gift. First we optimize the internal database by updating the frequency library, which changes daily. We will also check and install any firmware updates to before your pre-programmed scanner ships. (The firmware is the operating system for the radio which may have been updated or tweaked by the factory following its production in Asia.) Scanner Master will then build a Favorites List/Scan List for the customer (based on the ship to address of your order), or for the area in which the scanner will be used if the customer specifies a different city (for example if the radio is given as a gift).

— Bellow applies to the Uniden HomePatrol ONLY. —
(The benefit of this Favorites List work is that we insure that the most important data to the user is readily accessible as often times, if the database for the end user’s area hasn’t been completely prepared with what’s known as “geo-tagging” then some or all of the local agencies will not activate for scanning. Scanner Master insures that this will not be the case.)

Scanner Master will also pre-tune the radio by entering the end-users zip code. Finally we will give the radio’s installed re-chargeable batteries a brief charge to insure that the radio will be ready to use right out of the box.

Greg Jolly busy at work Setting up and Optimizing the New Uniden HomePatrol.

First Look @ Uniden HomePatrol

Posted on July 23, 2010 by Jonathan Higgins

First Look @ Uniden HomePatrol
By Jonathan Higgins

Release Date: Early Fall 2010 – 09/30/10
Price: $495.00

Uniden HomePatrol
Recently I had the opportunity to see the New Uniden HomePatrol in action. This product is very simple to operate, you can be up and running within 3 minutes or less. No programming needed all you need is your zip code. Once your Zip Code is entered, HomePatrol will load Police, Fire and EMS channels in your area and you have the option to also scan Utilities, Airports, Railroads, Businesses, schools and other services in your area that area listed on the Radio Reference database.

My initial thoughts of the HomePatrol:
This cutting edge technology from Uniden will take the work out of programming. The menus are very straight forward and simple. The reception was amazing with the stock antenna that came with the unit. This product would be ideal for someone just getting into the hobby, or just looking for something that is very simple to operate.

Advanced Users
Advanced users may find the HomePatrol limits your ability to customize the programming. I would still recommend the Uniden BCD396XT or BCD996XT to advanced users. For myself HomePatrol would be great for traveling outside of my listening area, because I wouldn’t need to spend time setting up the programming.

GPS ScanningHomePatrol would be a great for Road Trips too! By connecting a GPS Receiver the system will select all of the agencies in your area and it will keep updating as you travel.

Building Favorites Lists
You can make your own favorites Lists from the database in HomePatrol. If you only like to listen to fire call you can go into the database and select those departments. You can name and save each favorites list. I really like this option because you can customize what you’re monitoring.

Instant Replay
Did you miss a transmission? You can replay radio transmission from the last 30 Seconds to 240 seconds; you can set the replay time through the Advanced Menu options.

Updating HomePatrol
With the HomePatrol Sentinel PC Software you can update the internal database within minutes. When needed HomePatrol may need a Firmware update, these are simple and done through the software. Also with-in the software you can make and save your own custom Favorites Lists.

HomePatrol Appearance and Jacks
Screen:Full Color Touch Screen

Buttons:

Volume Control and Power Buttons
Jacks:

Left to Right – SMA Antenna Jack, Head Phone Jack, and Line Out Jack

Left to Right – GPS Jack, DC 9V Power Jack Jack, and USB – Programming/Updating Jack

In the Box:
HomePatrol will come with Flex Antenna, AC Adapter, DC Cigarette Lighter Adapter, 4 AA Rechargeable batteries USB Cable, Desk Stand, and a quick Start Guide.