BCD436HP Uniden Police Scanner

Long and lean, like a championship welterweight boxer, the BCD436HP is the sister model to the BCD536HP base/mobile unit.

Before the SDS100 launched in June 2018, the BCD436HP was Uniden’s top handheld scanner (& the favorite child).

The BCD436HP is bursting with features, like the backlit keypad, and GPS capabilities that other digital scanners lack.

The BCD436HP has been a solid scanner, but its time has come and gone. It is priced less than the far superior SDS100 for a reason. We HIGHLY recommend the SDS100 over this model as the extra money is worth it.

I need a digital scanner, why should I buy the BCD436HP?

The BCD436HP was our top selling overall scanner until the launch of the TRX-1 Whistler Police Scanner in the summer of 2016. The BCD436HP has great reviews, is very durable and we get a lot of positive feedback from users.

Will the BCD436HP go on sale anytime soon?

We don't know. Uniden does not disclose when they will be dropping prices and even when prices do drop, it is usually only $5 -$10. You can sign up for our emails & we'll keep you posted.

I'm reading reviews and see there are issues with the BCD436HP - what's the deal?

When the BCD436HP and BCD536HP launched in the fall of 2013, there were some issues with the scanners and several needed to be replaced. Uniden has since modified the BCD436HP and the larger issues have been addressed. All Uniden scanners come with a 1 year warranty and Uniden stood behind this and made good with affected scanners. If you see a negative review or comment about the BCD436HP, it was most likely posted before the spring of 2014, so be sure to view when it was posted.

What's ProVoice and do I need it?

ProVoice is a form of digital broadcast that affect some EDACS signals. These can only be monitored on the BCD436HP and the BCD536HP scanners with the addition of the ProVoice upgrade. Zip Scanners can make this upgrade for you by choosing this add-on option, or you can update it on your own after purchasing here. Review the most up-to-date list of affected areas here.

Additional Memory?

You can add a larger memory (SD card) to increase favorites lists and recording space. Recording time by SD card size:

• 2 GB = 6 hours
• 4 GB = 12 hours
• 8 GB = 24 hours
• 16 GB = 50 hours
• 32 GB = 100 hours
• 64 GB = 200 hours

Can I charge the batteries from the scanner when it is on?

No. You must power off the scanner to charge. We recommend an external battery charger and 2 sets of rechargeable AA batteries; all of which can be added on this page. This way you can always have a fresh set of batteries. The batteries we sell last about 8 hours on single charge; Energizer/Duracell last about 5 hours.

What do BCD436HP buyers say?

• Does not have WiFi or Bluetooth capabilities.
• You cannot use scanner while it is charging (8 hour single charge time) so 3 extra AA batteries may be helpful.
• An AC adapter is not included.
• No built in GPS (must buy GPS device).
• You can add frequencies manually.

What’s the difference between the TRX-1 and the BCD436HP?

View the table below to see all the technical differences between handheld digital scanners. The main differences in these two scanners are:

• TRX-1 can charge while powered on; BCD436HP must be powered off to charge.
• Whistler regularly upgrades their scanners for free; Uniden charges $50+ for upgrades.
• Whistler has knowledgeable staff you can call; Uniden is very hard to reach.
• BCD436HP came out in 2013; TRX-1 in June 2016. Like all new technology, there have been several minor upgrades.
• TRX-1 has a free case, BCD436HP does not.
• The BCD436HP has been recalled a few times since it launched.

How is the BCD436HP different than the BCD536HP?

The BCD436HP and the BCD536HP were both released in the fall of 2013 and the main difference between them is that the BCD436HP is handheld and the BCD536HP is for home and vehicles.

1. 8 GB SD Card (Installed)
2. Antenna (Rubber Duck)
3. miniUSB to USB Cable
4. 3 AA Batteries
5. Hand Strap
6. SMA to BNC Connector (Antenna Adapter)
7. Quick Start Guide
8. Sentinel Software
9. AC adapter is NOT Included (90% of all BCD436HP sales include an AC adapter which you can add on this page - see above)

Looking to deeeep dive?

We took the time to scour the internet for you.

• Mark's Scanners is an excellent, very detailed website comprised of digital owner's guides for all police scanner radios, including the BCD436HP. We highly recommend this page to all BCD436HP owners (and potential buyers). It is loaded with how-to's, screenshots and more.
• Download BCD436HP Sentinel Software. Download the software that drives this scanner for free. Set up favorites lists, configure for your area & see if you're comfortable operating before you buy. If you buy, you'll have everything set up & ready to go.
• BCD436HP Owner's Manual. This is the official BCD436HP owner's manual, but we highly recommend Mark's Scanners BCD436HP guide over this.
• Radio Reference is the largest police scanner radio forum with over 850k users. There are several threads about the BCD436HP where just about every question imaginable has been asked and answered by BCD436HP owners.
• There are Yahoo Groups for every police scanner radio including the BCD436HP.
• eHam is a great source for unfiltered user reviews of the BCD436HP. While not as in-depth as professional reviews, you can get a good general idea of what users think about the BCD436HP.
• Our BCD436HP YouTube playlist contains several reviews of the BCD436HP from both professionals as well as users.
• BCD436HP reviews from a eHam.net users.

Watch our Uniden Sentinel software programming video here or above in video gallery.

Deep dive on programming here.

We HIGHLY recommend letting our experts program your scanner.

Programming issues are, by FAR, the #1 reason for...

• Returns
• 99% of any negative comments about the BCD436HP you'll read while researching
• 99% of any negative comments about us
• 90% + of all support questions
• Our receding hairlines

Basically, you're about to spend hundreds of dollars on a snappy new gadget, might as well spring a few extra bucks so it will actually work right out of the box.

What is "One Touch Start Up"?

Adding this with programming allows our technicians to make hardware, software & frequency updates prior to shipping your scanner. You can buy only the programming, which will give you everything need to listen in your area, but 'one touch start up' ensures a smooth experience right from the start with zero technical know-how. "One Touch Start Up" is popular with gifts as this allows the scanner to simply 'work' by powering on.

Air, Rail & Race programming?

Each of these will count as "1 County." If you want to listen to Air and Rail you would buy "2 Counties" of programming and in the text area, type the name of the Airport and Rail you'd like to hear.

How long does this take?

Programming adds 1-2 additional business days to delivery. 

What if this does not work?

We have a 100% money back guarantee if you’re not happy with your programming.

How are you so much cheaper than other scanner programming places?

We’re awesome.

Can you program X, Y, Z?

We can program anything that is in Radio Reference. If you have frequencies that are not in Radio Reference, as long as you can put them in a CSV file, we can program them.

What if I need help?

We’re always here to help.

Can I program this scanner myself?

We created a programming decision tree as well as programming videos (above) to help you decided on whether you should include professional programming with your scanner, but we HIGHLY recommend adding programming.

Can't I just punch in my zip code for programming?

When you type in your zip code, it scans EVERYTHING in your area, which is kinda like getting the phone book thrown at you. This is why over 95% of orders include programming & why we highly recommend it. Our professional programming filters the junk out so you don't have to listen to things such as the dog catcher, repo guy, power company & such. 

How long does programming take?

It takes our scanner tech over an hour to program each scanner & this is ALL he does. For new & moderate scanner users we estimate 3-12 hours of programming. Setup time varies wildly based on scanner, area as well as scanner & general tech familiarity.

Why should I buy programming?

Programming is the #1 reason police scanners are returned. While scanner programming is much easier than the days of crystal scanners, there is a learning curve like any other electronics purchase. Some scanner enthusiasts are highly technical and want to learn the ins and outs of programming, but others simply want their scanner to just ‘work’ right out of the box.

95% of all scanner sales include programming, so unless you’re familiar with scanners, scanner terminology, own a PC (Macs do not work), and want to learn the nuances of programming, we highly recommend having your scanner professionally programmed.

Scanner technology is fairly user friendly, but scanners are not smartphones or iPads. If you're spending hundreds on a scanner, we recommend springing a few extra bucks so it works right out of the box.

Can't you teach me programming with your lifetime technical support?

No. Lifetime technical support is not unlimited technical support. We are always here to help and love to do so. We made how to videos and can help point you in the right direction, but we will not teach programming.