Question about creating new favorites lists

[RedCorvetteGuy]

Greetings. Just got my HP-1 on Friday and am working my way through the set up. Have figured out quite a bit so far by reading the manual and playing with the unit. I do have one question that I need some advice on. When setting up new favotites lists, I am stumped when click on Manage new lists, then create new lists. When I reach the screen "create new lists", I am not sure what information to plug in to crerate the list. Do I plug in the control channel frequency, town name, Site number, talk group? I got my Fave list # 1 set up just be avoiding channels and I'm not sure what other actions. LOL. I have read that the easiest way to set up favorites is to use the sentinal software. I sure don't see how to do that. Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[rwier]

Greetings. Just got my HP-1 on Friday and am working my way through the set up. Have figured out quite a bit so far by reading the manual and playing with the unit. I do have one question that I need some advice on. When setting up new favotites lists, I am stumped when click on Manage new lists, then create new lists. When I reach the screen "create new lists", I am not sure what information to plug in to crerate the list. Do I plug in the control channel frequency, town name, Site number, talk group? I got my Fave list # 1 set up just be avoiding channels and I'm not sure what other actions. LOL. I have read that the easiest way to set up favorites is to use the sentinal software. I sure don't see how to do that. Thanks for any suggestions.

I have HP-1 & Sentinel 2, but I can't duplicate the scenario you describe in your question.

From the top:
Open Sentinel
I see a "file hiearchy" page with
-------------------------------------------------------
-Database
+ USA
+ Canada
--------------------------------------------------------
At the upper left of the "main pane"
At the far left, just above 'Database" click on the
"Create New Favorite List" icon
A popup appears
Name your New Favotite List
Click "OK"
You should see your new Favorite List in the
"file hiearchy" pane.
Now the rest is composed of choices, choices of channels you want your Favorite List.

As an example:

Click on the +, just left of USA
Click on the + just left of Arizona
Click on the +, just left of Maricopa
Click on the +, just left of Statewide
Click on "Regional Wireless Cooperative (RWC)"
(NOT the +, it should highlight the words)
RIGHT click on the "highlighted words"
Click on Append Favotites List
A popup appears
Click on your newly created Favorite List
It highlights
Click "OK"

Boom! Viola! Dozens of Named Agencies, hundreds of TG's, thousands of frequencies, all the correct site data, control channel data, etc., all entered and ready to scan. By hand, without the software? I won't live that long, lol.

Too many channels or TG's, no problem, go back to step
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------_
Click on "Regional Wireless Cooperative (RWC)"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Click on the +, just left of "Regional Wireless Cooperative (RWC)"
Click on "Tempe PD"

In the BIG RIGHT frame
RIGHT Click on C12 - SWAT
Click on Append Favotites List
A popup appears
Click on your newly created Favorite List
It highlights
Click "OK"

Boom! If we did this from the start, instead of appending the whole RWC System, we would now have a single TG in this Favorite List. And just like before, all the necessary control channels, site data, band plans, etc., would by automatically entered, seamlessly in the background.

That's it, remember to never work in the DB, only Favorite Lists.To edit your Favorite Lists (change names and numbers, turn avoids, delays, on/off, etc., always remember to first:

CLICK ON THE YELLOW STAR WITH THE LITTLE PENCEL.

Rob

 

[RedCorvetteGuy]

Thanks, Rob

Just read your response to my question, and I appreciate the time you took to assist me. I will give it a try this evening. Thanks again.

 

[biomedbob]

Thank you!
THANK YOU!

I've messed with this thing for over a month.

They should make this a sticky for users who are as challanged as I.


biomedbob

kf4br

 

[rwier]

Thank you!
THANK YOU!

-----------------------------------
They should make this a sticky for users who are as challanged as I.
----------------------------------

biomedbob

kf4br

Hi Bob,

Way to crude and sloppy for publication, lol. I am really, really, glad that someone was helped.

Thank you!

Rob

 

[rwier]

Reading over the instructions a big red flag started waving at me. My instructions ONLY put your choices in the computer. The radio is NOT ready to scan. You must SEND/UPLOAD this new config TO the radio.

Sorry about that, lol

Rob

 

[Viper43]

What the OP was doing was IN RADIO. Not in Sentinel.

From in the HP1

Menu
Advanced Menu
Advanced Option
Edit Favorites List
Create New List
Enter System Name
Accept after entering name
Create New System
Select System Type
Input System Name
Accept
then OK or Cancel Ok to continue
From there you can Edit Name, Department Copy or delete the system, etc.
Depending on the system type you chose to make you will have different screens here. Just go through change what you need like adding departments and frequencies for sites. If you don't know the LCN for EDACS or LTR you can run LCN finder and get the right ones.

Note: if your in the Indy area you DEFINATELY need to run LCN Finder! So far all the systems I have checked only ONE was correct! And the systems I changed in the HP are MUCH better with the right LCN's!

 

[RedCorvetteGuy]

Thank You Viper 43

I have been on the phone 3 times this morning with customer service. Very helpful, but still having many problems. What is an LCN? What software do I need to buy if any. I will try programming the radio and leave the computer out of the mix for now. I did program one favorites list without the computer and it is the only one that works.

 

[RedCorvetteGuy]

Sorry, but what is an LCN finder?

 

[UPMan]

LCN = Logical Channel Number. When the controller for a trunked radio system sends out a channel grant, it doesn't tell the radios what frequency to go to. Instead, it tells the radio what "Logical Channel Number" to go to. For Motorola and P25 systems, the receiver can calculate the LCN based on other information programmed when you set up the system. But, for EDACS and LTR systems, you must manually associate each frequency with the LCN. If the system is documented in the database, then the LCN is provided. If it is not, then you need to determine the LCN to Frequency association yourself.

LCN finder is a feature in the Extreme Upgrade that monitors a EDACS or LTR system and determines the correct LCN to frequency association.

 

[RedCorvetteGuy]

LCN Finder

Thanks UPMan. Most of the systems I am monitoring are Motorola P25 but will keep the upgrade in mind. Thanks again for your response.

 

[RedCorvetteGuy]

Viper43---Thanks for the programming suggestion involving the advanced menu. I don't have that option right now. Soooooooooo, here is what I have done. See what you think. On my HP, I selected a favorites list, and clicked on the highlighted list taking me to the review and edit list. I was working with an existing favorites list. I clicked on "Add a Channel". USA, Douglas County, and statewide since the agency I want to add works on the P25 statewide system. I ended up with a long list of channels of which I deleted all of those I didn't want in my favorites list. Those that I didn't delete make up my favorites list. This only took 10 or 15 minutes or so to do. I did several favorites lists in this way. I noticed today (after doing this yesterday) that I don't seem to hear much traffic on a couple of lists that should be pretty active. I did talk with Gaberial in customer service about this and he is to call me back. He has been very helpful and has great patience. We are wondering what data was loaded in regard to my channel selections. In my favorites list review, I show all of the channels I loaded so I assume I am scanning them. It seemed that the scanner was very quiet for a longer time than normal. I did go to my iphone Radio 5.0 app and listened to the state patrol while my scanner was quiet. Now, keep in mind that I can normally hear, on my home patrol, 4 or 5 sites loud and clear and I can see the metro transmitter site from my home. I will report our findings as soon as I talk with customer support. As I type this message, there is more activity on the radio.

 

[OCO]

One of the articles that might help is this one by HPMan Location Location Location. It helps explain why you might not be getting everything. Also, make sure you've got the correct service types enabled. Both of these things tripped me up.....

 

[RedCorvetteGuy]

Location, Location, Location

Thanks Old CJDC ops. I'll read the article. I carefully selected the types of systems I wanted to monitor. I could not change service types on a favorites list but it won't let you do that. One thing I just did was to create a new favorites lists with far fewer channels to scan. Most of the time I just want to listen to my local PD and FD. I did a seperate list for the county sheriff and the state patrol. Scanner seems to be doing much better this afternoon scanning my smaller list of channels. Again, thanks for sharing that article. I'll read it right now. Bob

 

[OCO]

Red Vette:
Have you done the Sentinel and HP1 update? It sounds like you are doing all of your work on the HP1 itself. Especially with the Sentinel update to 2.0, I really find myself working a lot more in Sentinel and making just a few on the fly changes on the HP1 itself.. If you haven't done the upgrades (remember this is the Update, not the fee based "Extreme Upgrade"). From a list that was published a while back and that I "borrowed" here are features added to Sentinel in the upgrade:

creating new systems in software
per channel delay
channel alerts
id search mode
define gps 32 rectangles
export kml
turn on more then 1 fav lists up to 256
emergency alerts

Just a thought..

 

[RedCorvetteGuy]

Update

I did the firmware update when I got the unit. I am now at 2.0. I still cannot update my database. It says it is current but it's a year or so old. Is there someplace where I can read about the new features of the 2.0 firmware that you mentioned? I'll try their web site, maybe it's explained there. Gaberial in customer service called me back and I learned a few more things that might help my experience with the HP-1.

Thanks for your information. Bob

 

[OCO]

Remember that once you have downloaded the latest Database from Uniden for Sentinel, you still must plug the HP1 USB cable in, select "Mass Storage" mode on the HP1 and then in Sentinel click on the "Write to HP1" button on the tool bar. This will take a while to complete (longer if your PC is using USB 1.1 rather than 2.0)..

UPMan's blog on the Uniden site had some information. Also, you should have downloaded the newer user manual from there also..

 

[RedCorvetteGuy]

Updates

Thanks again for the advice. I just printed the version 2 manual. I notice when I plug my HP-1 into the computer on the HP-1 screen, it says mass storage. Who knew? I don't recall selecting that mode on anything. Guess I'll try once again to update the database. I'll try it right now. Thanks again. Bob

 

[RedCorvetteGuy]

Data Update

Thanks again OLD_CJDC_ ops. I tried to update the database and it once again told me I was current. I checked the HP-1 and what do you know. It (for the first time) showed asn update of 8/21/11. Guess I am current. I have one other project for this evening and maybe you know the answer. I created 3 additional favorite list which are not in my computer. I went to sentinal and clicked on read the HP. It read about half way down the graph and stopped. A box opened with a couple of choices of what action to take. I have an existing favorites list which is in the computer with a similar name as oone of the etree I want to read and move to the computer. I am thinking that I should just go ahead and click on copy with new name, but I don't want to delete the existing list. Any thoughts on that situation? Thanks for any suggestion. Bob

 

[OCO]

Bob:
I just cleaned up a bunch of Favorites tonight between the HPq and Sentinel. I used the "copy with a new name" and it worked just fine.. You will end up with both Favorites available on the HP1.. Note that you should after that also copy from the HP1 back to Sentinel, as it sounds like you've got some Favorites on the HP1 that are not on your PC ..

Just call me "OCO"... <ROTFL>

Gerry