BCD436HP/536HP Power, Batteries, microSD Card & Turning On

Summary: How to power each model, charge the BCD436HP’s batteries, look after the microSD card, and turn the scanner on for the first time.

BCD436HP: Batteries

The BCD436HP runs from three AA batteries, alkaline or rechargeable. There’s no switch for the battery type. If you use non-rechargeable batteries, answer No at the Start Charging? prompt when you connect the USB cable, and never try to charge non-rechargeable batteries – they can get hot or burst.

When the battery icon flashes and the scanner beeps every 15 seconds, replace or recharge the batteries.

Charging: the scanner has a built-in charger. Charge rechargeable batteries before first use.

• When a USB cable is connected, or when batteries are fitted as a cable is connected, the scanner checks the battery condition.
• It doesn’t charge while it’s on. It charges while it’s off, showing Normal Charging, for the time set by Set Charge Time. If it gets too hot it turns itself off.
• You can power the BCD436HP from USB with no batteries, but features that record to the microSD card, such as Recording, are disabled without batteries.

Battery settings are in Menu, Settings, Battery Option: Set Battery Save (on/off), Set Charge Time (1-14 hours) and Set Battery Low (alert tone 640-1200 Hz, alert interval 1-60 seconds with 15 as default, alert volume, and the low voltage from 3100-3400 mV, default 3300). Press the scroll control to see the battery level in volts at the top right of the display.

BCD536HP: Power

The BCD536HP runs from 11-16.6V DC. It can be used at home as a base station from the supplied AC adapter (13.8V, 750 mA) or in a vehicle from a 12V socket. See BCD436HP/536HP Installing: Antenna, Speaker & Vehicle Mounting.

• Never unplug the AC adapter while the memory is being accessed for programming or auto-store.
• If the power switch is already ON when you connect the AC adapter, the scanner may not power up. Turn the control off and on again.
• When you switch off with the power switch, it remembers its last settings and mode and resumes them.
• If the scanner loses power in a vehicle with its switch still on (for example when you switch the ignition off), it can corrupt the microSD card. Turn the scanner off before you turn the ignition off.

Power Safety

Always turn the scanner off before disconnecting external power, because some settings are saved only as it powers down.

The microSD Card

Everything is stored on the microSD card: your Favorites Lists, all settings and the RadioReference database. 4 GB is supplied; 1-32 GB cards are supported. On the BCD436HP the card is behind the batteries; on the BCD536HP it’s on the faceplate.

• Removing it: turn the scanner off, push the card in with a thumbnail or pencil eraser so it springs out. Install it the same way and push it until it clicks back into place.
• Reformatting: use the SD Association’s SD Card Formatter, then use Sentinel’s Clear User Data to restore the scanner’s files and folders. After formatting the scanner isn’t detected automatically, so you may need to untick Hide empty drives in Windows Folder Options first.

Turning On the First Time

BCD436HP:

1. Press and hold the power key for about 2 seconds. If the screen is too dark, tap it to turn on the backlight.
2. Press the scroll control to show the volume level and turn it within 3 seconds to adjust.
3. Press the control again to close it (or wait for it to disappear after 10 seconds).
4. Press Func, then the scroll control to show the squelch. Turn it fully counter-clockwise, then clockwise until the noise stops and one notch more.
5. Press the scroll control again to close the squelch level.

BCD536HP:

1. Rotate VOL clockwise to about the 10 o’clock position.
2. Turn the SQ knob fully counter-clockwise, and then turn VOL to a comfortable level.
3. Turn SQ clockwise until the noise stops, then one notch more.

The first time you turn either scanner on it asks you to set the clock. To begin scanning straight away, press Zip to choose your country (USA or Canada) and enter your zip/postal code; the scanner loads channels for that area and starts scanning.