Uniden BCD436HP Digital Handheld Scanner

Expensive Battery Waster

Looks nice straight out of the box. Came with 3 AA 2300mAh rechargeable batteries. Poor battery life. No battery meter or indicator. Battery saving mode was on. No indication that the batteries reach full charge. Cannot use a docking charger. Uses very old style charger. Very expensive radio that doesn't last long. The owners manual is not helpful. The only feature that is easy to use and works is programming by zip code. Updates require a computer. You cannot use a cell phone app, tablet, Chromebook. The GPS features requires a cable that is not included. Navigating the menus is not easy. Radio terminology used is not common between other style scanners and confusing. I do not recommend buying this scanner unless you have an older model wanting to upgrade, use similar scanners and are familiar with the BCD436HP lingo. There are additional fees for premium radio features and pay for programming services.

Save your money and buy something else this is not worth $500

If I had a choice I would have bought something else it's not worth it it's not worth $500

2018 soft in 2025.horror stories 4 returns I took pics, for full refund

Update- it’s going to take 30 days to get a refund started. This is a scam I would highly recommend not purchasing from Uniden. Took two days to get here but I have to wait a month? They lost my business completely. Pretty bumbed out they sent my unit which was purchased on 11/28/25 with a data base from 2018 and firmware several years old. Doesn’t work out of the box won’t. Zip code search is useless until updated.

Not so great - difficult to setup, sounds muffled

I am a tech geek, ham, operator, computer nerd, radio and scanner hobbyist for decades. if you’re not like me and you buy this radio, all I can say is, bless your heart. starting from scratch, knowing nothing about it, it took about five hours to get it going and another one or two hours to straighten out mistakes I made. You’ll need a modern computer and port assignments and drivers, disregard the software on the memory chip inside the scanner and go to the Uniden website. Download the software for your specific radio. It will contain both the firmware and most recent database. If you’re lucky enough to get the set up program open, you will be prompted to go to your operating systems website for some software repair software that has to run in the background of your computer for the software for the radio to operate. You will need to start and stop your computer several times. You may have to learn by accident the proper method to get your scanner to read from your computer and vice versa. Be sure to read the book and look at all the prompts on both screens simultaneously. do not think for a moment that just putting your ZIP Code in is going to be satisfactory. There are many talk groups in systems that you will not want to hear within the default range that has been pre-set for you. You will have to build your own user files and know how to access them through both the scanner and the software. You will go through massive systems of talk groups and you will have to know which ones you want to hear in your vicinity and manually click 4 to 6 times to set each one into your personal listening list. I could go on and on, but it gets harder. I would recommend that you learn how to go through the menus and open each setting and look for sub menus and try out everything. Be sure that you back out carefully by pushing the lower button on the left side and do not, I repeat, do not change any settings if you see a bunch of crazy numbers and letters, leave that alone or you will screw it all up and have to start over and over again. How do I know that? I guess I made every mistake there is. It doesn’t sound very good through the speaker and the audio sounds warbly compared to some older cheaper scanners that I bought 20 or 30 years ago. So, good luck and happy scanning.

UPDATE: this thing is not so great, does not even compare to my 30 year-old, RadioShack/Whistler 1080. Sounds terrible, cannot understand anything they’re saying.

Uniden BCD436HP

The radio is great. I took and searched out YouTube videos about the radio and the Sentinel software to help make me become familiar with its operation and how to tweak a few things like how to make the back light stay on all the time. The only down side is that you cannot use the radio while it's charging the batteries. To work around this I bought a set of rechargeable batteries and a charger so I'll always be ready should I need be on the go.

Defective straight out of the box!

What a great deal! A non working, non fixable scanner. I’m soooooo lucky! Shame on you! Cannot open sentinel app so exactly how is this supposed to work? It’s not!

❤️😁I LOVE IT!!!

Set it up right out the box, and boom 💥 it started scanning and picking up perfectly!! Well worth the high price if you ask me! I have no complaints!! NICE PRODUCT!!

0:20

Great Scanner

easy to use. receives great. has good audio.

i use this scanner to listen to ohio marcs radio system and it doesn’t miss a thing

0:05

Broke

I love the product, however they sent me one that does not work, will not work with batteries or plug, I’m so sad. I’m disabled, can’t walk, so this was to give me a little fun.

Nice but does have an issue

Nice scanner but check the clip on the back I use it at the races an the belt clip knob was not tight from the factory which caused a drop to the ground leaving the scratches in the photos other than that everything work great.

Elena

October 17, 2022

Well worth the money and the time to learn how to program it

Overall, I am happy with my BCD436HP. One thing that I disliked was that programming this radio is very hard for beginners to Uniden's latest programming methods. Once you know how to program the radio, its very easy to use. It has good reception which is crucial for my hobby which is railroad photography. With the exception of the learning curve with programming and needing to pay $75 to get the NXDN upgrade, this is an excellent radio.

mike baxter

June 12, 2022

Functional, but overpriced for what it is.

Let's face it: Digital Scanners are overpriced, and much of the the functionality they once offered has now become obsolete due to encryption.

If you're considering purchasing this $500+ scanner to hear police action, you'll be sadly disappointed. My local PD has even encrypted its dispatch frequency, rendering the device useless to hear any local police chatter at all.

Encryption aside, here's a breakdown.

1. The scanner is easy to operate and comes with a pre-programmed database.

2. The database is purportedly updated often by Uniden and is free to access.

3. With the stock antenna, I was able to pickup ATC chatter up to 25 miles away.

4. With a 3rd party antenna, the same up to 40 miles away -- not bad imho.

5. Enter your zip code and go functionality. No need to manually program talk groups-- unless you want to.

6. Display is meh compared to new scanners, but tells you what you need to know.

7. I haven't tested the included rechargeable batteries, but the scanner worked for 18 hours straight on a new set of Duracell AA's,. and that's with the backlight always on.

8. Ability to filter out or add different services is great.

9, Clarity of audio, as always, largely depends on the transmitter.

10. Even without local police I've found plenty of stuff to listen to.

A slight learning curve to listen to what you want to hear owners manual is alot to be desired

Youtube is a must for learning this scanner stock antenna works well aftermarket works much better

0:10

LCD dead pixels on arrival

It is perfect for what it is as a mobile scanner. I love my base scanner…the 500 series… waiting on a replacement unit for this since this arrived fresh out of the box with dead pixels. Good thing I check this before it got wrapped for Christmas.

Worth every cent.

I bought scanners in the past to listen to the fire department in the metro Atlanta area to hear fire calls and stuff but in the past the other brands was a let down. However this one right here is the real deal. It asked for two things. Time zone and zip code and once I put that in it was game over. All the surrounding law enforcement, fire, military, university and school police, homeland security, the air force base all went in smoothly. Cobb, Fulton, Clayton, Gwinnett and the others I was like damn!! Lol. If you live in Atlanta or nearby this for you. Even mall security came up lol

SD card error and dated batteries

This supposedly comes preloaded with the ability to enter your zip code for local frequencies. I can't access anything due to the sd card error message. I followed videos online regarding reformatting the sd card....simple enough, but still no luck. The batteries are dated 2007. I saw other reviews the same as mine and hoped I wouldn't have the same experience. Looks like I'll have no choice but to return the $450 paperweight.

Edit...I didn't want to give up so I continued working on it. I found it very easy to reformat and program the SD card, my scanner just wouldn't recognize it. After a good while, I finally got the scanner to connect to the laptop to update the scanner. Once the scanner was updated, it recognized the sd card. Not sure why it wouldn't connect initially. It is now working, though I'm only hearing feedback from one of my frequencies. I'll continue to play with it and hopefully more frequencies can be heard.

Still not a fun set up compared to the advertised ease of using. The screen is very dark at all times making it hard to see. The backlight doesn't stay on long enough.

2006 Battery's

Uniden BCD436HP HomePatrol Series Digital Handheld Scanner. TrunkTracker V, Simple Programming, S.A.M.E. Emergency/Weather Alert, Covers USA and Canada

As you can see the battery's are 2006 I would take it the scanner is 2006 I updated the scanner its fine! But $432.78 come send me some battery's I mean Damit

Portable scanner easy to use

This scanner is one of the best made today. Being able to scan with just a zip code, or customizing with a favorites list. User can make it as easy or complex as you want. Having a complete database stored on the sd card user can scroll thru and explore systems. As a life long scanner enthusiast i enjoy hearing all the calls from different areas. I hate the reviews that say it’s too difficult, steep learning curve, and too complicated. It’s the nature of the radio systems today, not the scanners. This one is a marvel of technology and is able to keep up with the radio systems that are in use. I would recommend this radio for being portable yet can be used at home. Consider a roof antenna that will blow the signals out of the water.

Bought new got used

Bought new shipped me a used one with someone else’s scribble marks inside the manual and stripped out belt clip part that attaches to the back of the scanner

Great scanner, easy program. Clear reception.

Ordered because my area going to p25 p2 tdma, which will make all my other scanners unuseable for this area. Extremely easy to program for state/local fire,EMS and police. Favorite channels super easy programming using the provided sentinel software in conjunction with radio reference. Super long battery life 12 hrs plus using lithium ion 1.5 volt batteries instead of rechargeable nicd. There's a slight learning curve to learn all features available, just keep manual handy. Audio fair but acceptable. Overall happy with features and performance. Got at great price and quick ship. Up and running in 15 minutes after delivery.

One of the best scanners on the market!

What I like most about this scanner is ease of use. With my old Bearcat I had to look up the frequencies I wanted and then punch them in. Time consuming. With the Uniden BCD436HP all you have to do is punch in your zip code . It will list catagories like police , fire rescue, air, ambulances, schools , businesses, railroad, military , Ham , pretty much everything except CB. So I clicked on all of them. It was a mistake . The traffic was huge so I went back and unchecked some of the uninteresting categories . Now listening is more pleasurable. The range on this radio is huge. I get clear reception up to 40 miles. Could it be further? Maybe because it only lists my zip codes nearby frequencies. You can punch in whatever though. The rechargeable batteries last a long time. The radio starts beeping when it get weak . Then I just plug it in my laptop via USB to recharge. It has an earphone jack which I use a lot so as not to annoy the family . The radio has a port for an option GPS. Something you would use to find frequencies if you travel a lot A nice feature on the radio is the avoid button. Sometimes the scanner stops on a fringe signal with a lot of static. Pressing the avoid button will remove that frequency till the next time you turn on the radio. As you can see from my photo the screen is a bit tough to see. There is a button to illuminate it but it is limited to 10 seconds. Obviously to save battery life

My take on this radio is that it has everything you could want in a scanner. A little pricy but well worth the money as you will have this radio for a long time.

Battery Fire

Bought in July 2018. Hardly used it. Plugged it in the other day to get it working. I was sitting at my desk an hour ago and heard a hissing sound. I found the scanner hissing and smoking. I was able to get the cover off and remove the batteries. At least one of the batteries was swelling and melting the inside. Scary. Fortunately, I was at my desk and not out of the house or things could of been much worse.

To late to return, but will give Uniden a call.

I will not buy another handheld from them.

Really nice scanner! Definate learning curve. Lots of pro's, a few cons

20 years ago, I had a Uniden portable scanner and another full size unit mounted in my car. It took about 1.5 hours of feeling like a dope! But after that, I was able to better understand how to operate the unit and lock out the channels I didn't need. I'm definitely going to update this as I notice different things. I believe some of the channels I'm listening to are simulcast, and so far I don't see anything horrible that would make me want to swap this for an SDS100. I'm not sure if the flap that covers the usb and gps ports is removable? It's in the way. I really like Uniden's nylon case for the 436, it fit's great and is very functional. I don't understand why you can't charge the batteries with the scanner on, and I wish they had made a drop in charger for it, even if it was at an additional cost. Maybe there's a concern the usb power would not have enough amperage to run the scanner and charge the batteries at the same time. I wish the LED was on the top of the radio like it is on the SDS100. I also wish the usb port was mounted on the top of the radio. I was able to lace it through the case and secure the rubber flap that covers the ports under the case. This makes it a lot easier to connect the charging cable. See the attached picture. I installed the Sentinal software tonight, but I clearly have a lot to learn! I suspect this is like any radio / RF device. I bet there are some bands and/or channels this does better with than the SDS100, and others it doesn't. At almost twice the price, I'm definitely going to try the 436 out thoroughly before I would decide to swap it out for an SDS100, but it does look like a nice radio. That Home Patrol 2 unit looks interesting too.

Update 1: I'm continuing to do better with the scanner, I was able to use the Sentinal software that's free from Uniden to significantly remove all the departments and channels I didn't need, and get the scanner booting up to my favorites list instead of the entire county! I found when you activate the keypad lock, you don't have to push the top knob down first to work the volume, and I have the LED and beeping alert now for my priority channel. I'm not sure if I like the manual too much, I wish they had a quick start guide for some of the above things I mentioned, with pictures of the display as you go through the steps to do some of the common things people would want to do. Fantastic scanner though, they got like 95% of it perfect!

Con Sumer

December 15, 2017

It's The Handheld You're Looking For

It’s been almost 3 years with my BCD536HP and wanted something portable for my vehicle and went for a Whistler TRX-2…something different didn’t quite work out. I opted for the BCD436HP which was a better choice and works for my situation. So far, I’ve tested it mainly on the desktop to become familiar with the button and screen layout, but don’t think I’d be happy using it as such and sticking with the BCD536HP for that task. I already have a mounting position in my vehicle next to my Amateur Radio and getting my mobile antenna this weekend to install.

I mounted the Uniden against a plate where I have Ham HTs and because of external microphones, they work but the scanner doesn’t due to having to manipulate the controls frequently. Another thing I’m not too cray about is connecting/disconnecting the coaxial cable to a base antenna with SMA connectors. I’ll keep it for my mobile application where having the BC-GPSK connected would automatically update lists during road trips. Nothing like “hands free” scanning and not having to worry about plotting and programming before a trip. Just grab and go.

The handheld performed as well as the mobile/desktop version. I was surprised when I picked up state police on 39Mhz with the stock antenna. Had to remove the swivel clip mount because it got in the way of mounting. They had room to add another button at the bottom, wasted space!

Random Thoughts

• Screen is a good size (larger than TRX-1 or 2-both same) and displays more details, even the BCD536HP

• You may not be able to make out text from a distance if you wear reading glasses and the HP2 may work better but don’t have experience with it

• The screen has about a 45° viewing angle (horizontal axis) and about a 30° viewing angle (vertical axis)

• Boots up fast and starts scanning in 12 seconds after pressing the power button where the competition literally takes minutes

• Speaker has been loud enough with mobile noise but haven’t done a long trip yet for long-term testing

• GPS scanning capability for those interested which the competition doesn’t have

• Support for third-party software like ARC536 unlike the competition

• It’s almost down to $400 and you can get the DMR upgrade which would still be cheaper than the competition at its current price

• Updating lists and upgrading is much faster than the competition, even when using the USB cable

• You can go into menu system and back out without having to reload and wait for loading lists like the competition

• The Sentinel programming software is basic and not as polished as the competition

Battery has a meltdown almost caused a house fire.

Beware, I have had this scanner for 3 years. Today the rechargeable battery that came with it had a meltdown. It was sizzling and smoking and if I was not at my desk it probably would have burned my house down. I do not trust this product.

UPDATE 12-18-17: Uniden replaced the unit. Hope it works out better.

Steve

April 4, 2017

Works good!

I turned on my conventional old scanner a while back and could no longer hear the Police, so I called the State Patrol office and asked them why. They told me they went Phase II -25 (whatever that meant) so I researched it and found out that this Uniden scanner would be able to monitor that new network along with Fire and EMS in my area. I feel bad for all the other 'old schoolers' out there who are going through the same thing. Other then that, the scanner is really cool and works good but too expensive in my book. It took me a good 8 hours to get the 'hang of it' understanding the ins and outs about it and how to program etc. You can load in frequencies into separate 'banks' like old school scanners that we all grew up with, or you can type in the zip code to your area and choose the groups you want to hear, i.e. Police, Fire, Public Safety, etc. But yes, just like anything else, be patient, watch some utube videos that go over some basics about it and you'll be glad that you took the time to learn it. Overall, Im very glad I got this.

Five Stars

I absolutely love it!!!

Gustavius

June 7, 2016

They have software called Sentinel you install on your PC and this is your gateway to all updates and firmware and it c…

This review is for the Uniden BCD436HP I see reviews here for other radios, so not to be confused.

So, the radio....

This receiver has a 4 gig SD card preloaded with every known frequency with text for the entire US and Canada. They have software called Sentinel you install on your PC and this is your gateway to all updates and firmware and it can control your radios SD card any way you like. Sentinel has an extensive database of all frequencies and let me say this again, all frequencies have text description included which is the most highly advanced scanner database system I have ever seen and I have owned scanner receivers most of my adult life, (long time)..

This is a digital receiver using the latest technology available. It can monitor any analog or digital TX (with some exceptions, like encrypted signals) and gives you extensive control over what you're listening to. There are FCC laws regarding what is legal and not legal to monitor and Uniden has got us right up to the maximum legally allowed to be monitored by civilians. If you are law enforcement persons you will have much more powerful receivers available to you capable of Cell phone conversation monitoring etc., things no civilian should even be interested in.

There is another version of this Uniden radio, the BCD536 which is a tabletop version. If you have large powerful outdoor weatherproof antennas the BCD536 is a good option and it is completely transferable to vehicle dash mount and back from your work desk to your vehicle.

I like this handheld BCD436 best personally for my purposes.

This is basically a plug and play receiver. It comes with 3 2300 milliamp rechargeable batteries, load those, charge them or just leave radio plugged in, enter your zip and you're in. Well theoretically that's how it works, in the real world? No.

When you first receive the radio I would suggest positioning yourself in front of your PC. Have the paper manual, the radio, you and your PC right there in front of you. Get ready to read and learn your radios keyboard layout and what these great, well thought out keys can do for you. You will learn, trust me, you will quickly come to love this radio.

Some cons:

No wall charger adopter included. You can charge from your PC's USB ports but you will need a wall charger with USB port. Most of us have several of these around the house from old cell phones etc. They work fine.

This unit should come with a nice wall charger adopter. That's really the only con, not to bad really.

Antennas:

Your ability to scan and receive signals on any scanner is proportionate to your antennas. The more robust and correct (correct meaning size, materials used etc).. You will need some nice antennas for this nice radio to increase your scanning powers. Your local radio shop retailer will have some also. The included rubber ducky antenna is garbage, toss it from across the room to your garbage can, see if you can make a rim shot. Like I said, I have been playing with scanners for many years so I have many antennas to pick from.

Verdict:

This is without a doubt, the most powerful handheld scanning receiver available from any manufacturer. It is the luxury sedan of the scanning receiver world. It is easy and robust. It is backed up by Uniden's Sentinel software which will future proof your radio for many years to come.

I give Uniden 5 stars for this winner.

Edit:

Okay some people are wondering what the best accessories are for this receiver.

Go to scannermaster.com and look for the Austin Condor All-Band Portable BNC Antenna and the SpectrumForce Desk Mount for One Portable Scanner.

The Condor all band antenna is unsurpassed.

The desktop stand holds your handheld at the perfect viewing angle, you can listen and see all text clearly right beside your computer.

See my photos. The photos ended up sideways.... trying to fix this.....

436hp

I had so many police scanners but the uniden bear cat 436Hp is the best scanner I ever own

Editor Bob

July 9, 2015

“the joy is in the journey"

The BCD436HP is an up-to-date scanner capable of monitoring virtually all of the popular trunking systems in the US and Canada. You need to check the types of trunking systems in your area. Chances are high, that you will be able to receive them.

The features of the radio are well documented at various sites on the Web, including [...] and [...]. So, my review is limited to what you commit yourself to, when you buy this scanner.

This is not your father’s scanner. I still have a fully functional 40-year-old Bearcat 101, which was given to my father that many years ago. It was supposedly the first “fully synthesized” scanner, meaning, for the first time, you didn’t have to buy expensive crystals for each frequency you wanted to monitor. Instead, you “programmed” each of its 16 channels by converting the desired frequency into a binary representation using the channel switches. That was a step forward, but required an effort, unusual for its time, to familiarize yourself with the process.

Figuring out how to set up the BCD436HP is a challenge, even for someone with some past experience and an intuitive sense about how it should operate. The multitude of functions and operating modes reveal themselves one by one as you systematically probe combinations of button presses.

Part of the difficulty is the lack of clear, concise documentation for the beginner, both from Uniden and third-party sources. There is no “BCD436HP for Dummies.” In fairness, as a technical writer, with over 46 years of experience, I cannot say how I could organize and present it any better, though I have given it some considerable thought. I have found, as I became more familiar with the radio that the Uniden manual – all 93 pages of it – became more useful. You might want to print out a second copy just for your marginal notes.

Forget megahertz. A large part of the difficulty is vocabulary, and you are initially confronted with terms such as favorites lists, systems, departments, and talk groups. Once you begin to get your head around the jargon, pieces of the puzzle will begin to fall in place, and you are on your way.

Part of the Uniden inducement to buy this radio is that no programming is required. All you have to do is enter your zip code and the BCD436HP will program itself with all of the key stations in your area. What they say is true – in spades. If you live in any sizable metropolitan area, you are likely to be inundated with stations – many of which are either marginal to your area or are of no interest to you. You have to further limit and organize them into manageable groups. Simply put, monitoring too many active stations at the same time may prevent you from following a communication thread you are interested in.

Like many state-of-the-art appliances, the BCD436HP plugs into your computer. Its firmware is periodically updated by Uniden and the massive database for the US and Canada are updated on a weekly basis by RadioReference.com. You will want to perform both of these updates soon after you take the radio out of the box.

Updating is done with Uniden’s Sentinal software. Its features are somewhat limited, and construction of your favorites list will require further exploration and experimentation. Nevertheless, programming is easier using Sentinel than trying to do it on the radio’s keypad. There are third-party applications which purport to have more “Excel-like” operation.

Just a word about power. The radio unavoidably draws considerable current. The manual says you can get up to 8 hours off of the three AA NiMH batteries. You cannot charge the batteries while the radio is turned on. I invested in a USB ac adapter, which I use most of the time. That way, I can leave the display illuminated all the time. An unilluminated display is a problem if you are trying to control the radio. You can also invest in an extra set of NiMH batteries and external charger.

It’s not all about listening. For the BCD436HP, truly “the joy is in the journey.” In a way, it’s like a yo-yo. You will spend hours learning how to make it do tricks and get it to come back to you.

Good luck, Editor Bob