Newbie with issues.

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Saltcraw

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Just received my HP 2--Took trip to San Antonio, Tx and am now in Conroe, Tx. I cannot receive any of the car to car law enforcement traffic. I only get dispatch. Will I not be able to receive these units or do I have something wrong? Receive very little and know that I should be hearing more. I am real close to I-45 so should have traffic. I am using the rubber duck antenna that came with unit. Thanks.
 

hiegtx

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Just received my HP 2--Took trip to San Antonio, Tx and am now in Conroe, Tx. I cannot receive any of the car to car law enforcement traffic. I only get dispatch. Will I not be able to receive these units or do I have something wrong? Receive very little and know that I should be hearing more. I am real close to I-45 so should have traffic. I am using the rubber duck antenna that came with unit. Thanks.
Saltcraw,
Welcome to RadioReference & the Texas forum.

When you say that you are not receiving "law enforcement" radio traffic, are you referring to the Texas DPS, or to one or more of the local agencies, like PD's in the cities and sheriffs' departments for the counties?

Texas DPS uses a duplex system in many areas.The base (dispatcher) transmits on one frequency, but the mobiles are using a different one. You would need to be very close to one of the vehicles in order to hear them.

However, depending on the area, they are utilizing the MDTs in the units, reducing radio traffic. In the more rural areas, DPS is more likely to be heard using the county's SO frequencies in the course of their shift. And in the larger metro areas, DPS units may be found on the trunked system for that area. In the Houston Metro area, including Conroe, DPS has several talkgroups on TxWARN P25.

Are you using a GPS in your vehicle? Or, are you simply updating your location occasionally. If you are using location control, but have not adjusted area since you left home or San Antonio, the HP 2 would not be scanning the local frequencies for Conroe.

Also, the included rubber duck antenna is not the best choice, especially for using inside your vehicle. I use an inexpensive magnetic mount antenna when out of the DFW area. There are other choices, including the RH789, which has a pivot & can be extended to match the frequencies of interest.
 

Saltcraw

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HP 2

I am talking about local police units in Conroe. I only receive EMS/Fire dispatch. I cannot hear any local pd units nor do I hear any tactical mobile units. I am operating from a residence. I am approx. 1 mile from I 45. I have only heard 1 DPS. I do not hear any 10-28's, vehicle stops etc. I was using the included rubber duck antenna, then purchased multi band telescoping antenna. Still no luck. In San Antonio I was on 3rd floor of hotel right next to I-10 and never heard any local units (PD or DPS). Think this is antenna problem or scanner problem? Thanks
 

hiegtx

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I am talking about local police units in Conroe. I only receive EMS/Fire dispatch. I cannot hear any local pd units nor do I hear any tactical mobile units. I am operating from a residence. I am approx. 1 mile from I 45. I have only heard 1 DPS. I do not hear any 10-28's, vehicle stops etc. I was using the included rubber duck antenna, then purchased multi band telescoping antenna. Still no luck. In San Antonio I was on 3rd floor of hotel right next to I-10 and never heard any local units (PD or DPS). Think this is antenna problem or scanner problem? Thanks
It's not a "problem" with the scanner. Nothing broken, needing repair. Instead, its a combination of several factors.

As I indicated previously, DPS does make heavy use of their MDTs for routine vehicle stops and subject checks. Plus, with the duplex operation of their Vhf channels, you're less likely to hear the troopers in the field, as opposed to the base stations. What I have in my scanners are the specific channels, mobile, base, and the mobile repeaters, active in my area, and areas that I often travel to or through. I also have the Statewide Apco-25 Channel Plan programmed.

For the Conroe area, besides the Region II (Houston area) base, mobile, and repeater frequencies, make sure that you also have the DPS talkgroups on TxWARN P25 loaded, along with the sites in your immediate area.

For your experience in San Antonio, the local PD there is on a ProVoice system, San Antonio/Bexar County EDACS ProVoice Trunking System, San Antonio, Texas - Scanner Frequencies
While some of the talkgroups are encrypted, the ones that are not are mostly ProVoice, a digital format that the HP-2 cannot decode and monitor. TX DPS also has a few talkgroups listed on the ProVoice system. The only scanners that currently will decode and monitor ProVoice are the BCD463HP 7 BCD536HP; for either scanner, this requires an available, paid, update.

For Conroe specifically, the database page does not appear to be 100% accurate. For Conroe, it's showing that the city uses the Montgomery County EDACS system. However, the police talkgroups on that system are labeled as "depreciated", meaning no longer in use. However, over on the HoustonScan Yahoo group, I see comments that Conroe is actually on this system: Montgomery County (P25) Trunking System, Conroe, Texas - Scanner Frequencies

The comments are also that the PD has moved to encrypt all of their talkgroups. No scanner can monitor encrypted talkgroups,

If someone in the area has more to add to the above, hopefully, they will chime in.
 

motorola_otaku

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DPS and all law enforcement in Montgomery County (except for Conroe PD) operates on the TxWARN P25 system. Make sure you have the DPS talkgroups loaded along with MCSO dispatch and you will hear everything going on in MoCo. DPS trunk talkgroups carry both dispatch and mobile units.

Conroe PD operates on the MCHD P25 system and is 100% encrypted.

edit: FYI for people traveling I-45 from Houston to Dallas - DPS operates on county SO dispatch in Madison, Leon, Freestone, Navarro, and Ellis counties, and TxWARN in Walker County.
 

hiegtx

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Thanks to all. Does the GPS hookup work good when Travelling?
Yes, it does.

You can simply set your range & desired service types, select scan the full database, and go. The scanner will activate and disable systems & channels as they come into, and pass out of, range.
 

Saltcraw

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I need to purchase GPS to use for the HP 2. Any recommendations? The GPS will only be used for the HP 2.
 

Ensnared

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Uniden Puck

I need to purchase GPS to use for the HP 2. Any recommendations? The GPS will only be used for the HP 2.

You can go into Amazon and quickly find the Uniden GPS puck if you put your radio model in there and do a Google search. Be advised, I thought you had to purchase additional cords with mine, but everything is included in the aforementioned GPS package.
 

Saltcraw

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Don't I also have to have a handheld gps to go with this cable? If so trying to figure what is handheld gps that would work with this cable?
 

hiegtx

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Don't I also have to have a handheld gps to go with this cable? If so trying to figure what is handheld gps that would work with this cable?
No
The link I gave you is all that you need. It has the GPS puck, and the necessary cables. It is set up to plug into a vehicle's cigarette lighter socket.
 
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