Uniden BCD536HP HomePatrol Series Digital Phase 2 Base/Mobile Scanner with HPDB and Wi-Fi. Simple Programming, TrunkTracker V, S.A.M.E. Emergency/Weather Alert. Covers USA and Canada.

This radio is fantastic. I was looking for a good price and kept checking around and saw Amazon had this one on a scratch and dent sale, saying that it had a one inch scratch on the back and no original box for $329. So I jumped on it. It looks perfect and works perfect! Thanks Amazon!

Date of manufacturer was 2013, guess they did not move off the shelves. Did not operate on power up, could not find any stations at all. Figured due to date of manufacture, it was obvious to me that it was out of date because the local police and fire frequencies were not correct. Tried to do database update, but the new database required a firmware update before it would load the DB. Did the FW and then the DB and all was well. Set my zip code and we were off to the races. As for the remote SW for my iOS iPad. It works but they really put no effort into doing a great remote app. As for the Sentinal SW for the PC, it uses dated methods of organizing the various functions. This app is in search of a well organized GUI..... Electricly it is a very good scanner, good sensitivity but could use bit more selectivity. Only negative is that when using an external speaker, the plug for external speaker does not turn off the internal speaker. This causes audio level problems and reduces the ability to control the audio in graceful way. Once you get past the growing pains it is a fine performing scanner, but I can’t justify 5 stars.

Like most people haven’t listened to my old scanner for 25 years. Bought this about 2 months ago and inputted the daylight savings time frame, the date and time zone and zip code that I’m located in and that was it. I live in Weirton,WV and also down in a valley and I have it sitting by my chair on the end table with the antenna the came with it and it picks up around 50 mile radius I’m guessing, I think it’s incredible the range it gets with this antenna. Someday I will sit down and figure out the downloading off the internet, but really as far as I can see within a few hours it had picked every emergency system up. Seems like an excellent quality radio if you ask me, I’m no expert though.

Not cheap, but wow! Can actually work right out of the box, and with your zip code it sets itself up for everything in your area ... of course, you can make personal lists of what to monitor as well quite easily (but you need a PC or laptop to do it easily). very happy with this Christmas give I gave to myself. :)

Appreciate the unit; however sound and voices are not consistent. Varies from county to county, station

To put it bluntly, if you havent taken a college course in how to program a high end scanner, dont buy this one, and as for its preprogramming of channels feature that all you do is enter your zip code, ya, itll scan every state around you and thousands of channels you dont want, and you cant use the range function either when using the scanner set up to scan using a zip code. That only works on channels you have manually entered, and you cant lock channels out either using the preprogramming function. So unless you have the time and knowledge of some very complex, very in depth scanner functions, youre going to be left wondering where the nearest place is you can take a course on how to program the thing, or figure on buying something not so complex, because Ive had 4 scanners prior to this one and was able to find my way around them, but this thing was just too much. The menus and functions keep going on like some infinite journey into the abyss. It has functions I had no idea what they even were, and didnt want to spend the next six months googling it and fiddling around with it just to program it to scan the channels I wanted and not a few thousand I didnt, and I mean thousands. When using the zip code programming, it will scan thousands of channels in your state and the states surrounding you, and theres no way to tell it not to scan all those channels while using in that manner. You cant lock them out and you cant use the range function either, its unreal, and I wonder why not when evidently itll do everything else including wipe your nose. Is it a well made scanner? Yes. Is it high end? Ya, and probably the most complicated scanner on the planet. I guess if this is your hobby and youve been into it your entire life and you want the absolute best, buy this scanner. If you live in a rural area and just want a scanner to scan maybe 10 to say 30 local channels, you dont need this one. Theres plenty of other scanners that have trunking and digital that arent a fraction as complicated as this thing. I returned it. So why did I buy it you may ask... well, I thought Id buy a scanner that I wouldnt have to upgrade for a good long while. What I didnt plan on was buying something so complicated that I couldnt properly program it. Thats my story and Im sticking to it.

Absolutely awesome scanner! Very easy to get the wifi up and running, and the Siren app works perfect on iPhone and iPad. THe programming software makes this a VERY simple scanner to program. Just find your state, choose what you want, and make your list to send to the scanner. Was completely up and running in 30 minutes and have not used a scanner since the old analog only kind. This takes all of the mystery out of trunking and programming all of that so you can get on with listening. Best part is you can switch your lists very quickly and easily. Radioreference.com is a great site to use for seeing what is in your state and area. A definite recommend on this one.

WEVE ONLY HAD TWO SCANNERS IN OUR 50 YEARS OF MARRIAGE. THE SECOND ONE HAS NOW DIED, AFTER HAVING BEEN ON DAY AND NIGHT. THIS ONE WAS PRICEY BUT BEARCAT IS A GREAT REPUTATION AND, NOT KNOWING IF OUR CITY IS GOING DIGITAL OR NOT, WE TOOK THE JUMP. TOO TECHNICAL OF COURSE FOR US (75+ AGE), BUT WE HAD A TECKIE GUY PROGRAM IT FOR US. HERES TO ANOTHER 50 YEARS. . . . .OR THE ESTATE SALE.

12/15/17 Update I’ve owned the Uniden BCD536HP for almost 3 years, purchased the DMR upgrade and enjoying it ever since. I did have the RTC issue and finally decided to send it in for repair about a week ago; I’m surprised they accepted it after so long. Thank you, Uniden! I picked up a Whistler TRX-2 about 2 weeks ago and can say the BCD536HP was the better choice thus far. Once I get my BCD536HP back then I’ll have time to use them simultaneously more. BCD536HP • Screen is larger and displays more details about target; has 32 larger font characters across another 4 for HOLD status. • Boots up much faster than the TRX-2, even with the RTC error asking me to reset the clock and letting it time out. Starts scanning 16 seconds after turning knob to power on after RTC repair. • Speaker is louder; listening to people I talk with locally on Ham bands and has natural sounding audio. • GPS scanning capability for those interested although I haven’t purchased or used the unit. • Support for third-party software like ARC536. • It’s about $10 cheaper; HRO has it for an additional $5 less today. • The Sentinel programming software is basic and not as polished as Whistler’s; need to manually find updates to it on their website. TRX-2 • The Digital Trunking Scanner Programming System is more polished than Uniden’s and makes it easier to upgrade all components from a single interface. • The ability to store different configurations via V-scanner is a nice function. • The NXDN system upgrade was offered for free. • Speaker isnt as loud and listening to people I talk with locally on Ham bands, sounds hollow. • Feels like a tin can and the detachable head (something I dont care for) feels light and cheap; even the mount is thin. • Screen is small and belongs on a handheld, not mobile/desktop scanner; has 16 characters across with smaller font. • The supplied Whistler USB cable is way too short unless youre using a notebook on the same desk as the scanner. • Only two of five white keys have lights and all other keys dont appear to have any lights behind them. • Noticed backlighting display flickering and reported by others as well. • Scanning shows top level lists instead of actual targets names. • Paging system intermod on 2m Ham and 150-160MHz bands but not present on BCD536HP, receivers, SDRs or Ham gear. • Too easy to accidentally edit config since clicking on something will automatically save config. • Copying initial Library was extremely slow and stuck at 42%; clicking in the window appeared to wake it up as it looked like it was freezing. The same cable used with the BCD536HP updates the database much faster. • Starts scanning 3 minutes and 7 seconds after holding button (for about 3 seconds) to power on. • Every time you go into the Menu and back out, the lists reload again and you have to wait! • No third-party software support.

Easy to set up