NXDN Tips for the BCDx36HP and SDS Scanners

This article is for documenting NXDN tips for the BCD436HP, BCD536HP, SDS100 and SDS200 Uniden scanners. They all share the same version of Sentinel. ARC-536, ProScan and Sentinel tips are also welcome here.

Check / Update Your Firmware

• How do I check what version firmware I have in my scanner?
  • Go to Menu / Settings then E / Yes
  • Select See Scanner Info

• How Can I Add NXDN to my scanner?
  • Go to my.uniden.com and purchase a key
  • See this video from ZipScanners

• How do I update my firmware once I've purchased the key?
  • See Sentinel Menus and Toolbars in the Easier to Read manual. Use the Update Menu
  • See the Update Firmware section of the 436 / 536 Easier to Read manual.
  • For the SDS100 / SDS200, select Menu / Settings / E/Yes. Then select Upgrade

• NXDN Decoding started with what version firmware?
  • Version 1.14.00 had this capability but there have been some revisions since. Note that firmware fixes always include prior updates as well.

• Where can I go with questions / problems with the upgrade?
  • Its always best to have the most current firmware. If you have questions, please post in the Uniden Tech Support Forum

• Thanks Easier to Read Manual for some of this

Programming with Software

• FreeScan does not support programming the HP series of scanners, nor does it support NXDN programming. Use Sentinel, ProScan or ARC-536 for this

General / How To

• How do I Program a NXDN Single Frequency vs. a NXDN Conventional Channel?
  • See the NXDN One Freq vs. NXDN Conventional Programming Thread
  • See the NXDN One Frequency Programming (BCD436HP} Thread

• How can I calculate the LCN for a given frequency, or the frequency for a given LCN for a UHF NEXEDGE system?
  • See the NEXEDGE LCN Calculator Working Windows Release Thread

• What do I use if I know the channel ID for a NXDN trunked system? how do I use it?
  • See the NXDN Calculator V3 Thread

General tips

• Some NXDN Trunked Systems requires at least one LCN to track properly. Use LCN Finder to find them
• Some systems use Direct Frequency Assignment, similar to that used in a P25 system. To track this properly, the CH IDs in the RRDB are all set to zero.
• NXDN Freq Programming Help Thread
• If you discover a new NXDN System, you will need a dummy system to use Analyze / LCN Finder
• If you are running in ID Search mode, you will need a dummy department if you wish to store it
• Discovery does need a dummy department
• See the SDS200 Proscan NXDN Programming Question Thread

YouTube Videos

• NXDN Upgrade for the BCD436HP / BCD536HP

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• Return to BCD436HP and BCD536HP Scanner FAQ
• Return to SDS100 and SDS200 FAQ Page