Need help with HP-1

[WX5JCH]

Got my xmas present early, a new HP-1. Yea! I'm having problems with one system, the local power company, they don't show up when I scan What settings do I need to change to bring up AEP/PSO? I use them during storms and were expecting one on xmas.

American Electric Power (AEP) Trunking System, Various, Oklahoma - Scanner Frequencies

Thanks!
Jim

[fxdscon]

Originally Posted by WX5JCH

Got my xmas present early, a new HP-1. Yea! I'm having problems with one system, the local power company, they don't show up when I scan What settings do I need to change to bring up AEP/PSO? I use them during storms and were expecting one on xmas.

American Electric Power (AEP) Trunking System, Various, Oklahoma - Scanner Frequencies

Thanks!
Jim

MENU --> SELECT SERVICE TYPES ---> Be sure "UTILITIES" is selected as one of the service types that is enabled.

[WX5JCH]

I did that first try. no luck, it looks like it's not in the database. How can I check?
Jim

[fxdscon]

I'm not in your area, but I checked the master database in Sentinel, and it is there, so it is in the radio. (be sure you have updated the database in Sentinel, and then written it to the Home Patrol).

You may want to create a favorites list using Sentinel with just that entity in it, upload that to the Home Patrol, enable just that favorites list (without the full data base) and see if you are actually able to receive it.

In Sentinel, look under:

USA ---> Oklahoma ---> Beckham --> County Systems --> American Electric Power.

.

[WX5JCH]

it's there in the database, but it must be too large for it to run in the HP-1. If I create a fave list with it on it says too many channels and won't scan it. guess thats why it won't work on the scanner

[phask]

Originally Posted by WX5JCH

it's there in the database, but it must be too large for it to run in the HP-1. If I create a fave list with it on it says too many channels and won't scan it. guess thats why it won't work on the scanner

I don't know what you mean by too large. There is an advisory that the channel selection is large and indicating that scanning may take a long time, but no way that it is too large to scan.

There are a LOT of talk groups that will populate a favorite if you create one for AEP . I'm in Ohio, the home of AEP and have monitored them for over 30 years.

I create a favorite and then delete all unnecessary TGs I actually can narrow mine down to probably less than 10 talkgroups. This may vary for you depending on geography, power plants, etc. If you just let the default load you will have every transmitter sit and every talk group in the state, more or less. I end up with sites in Virginia - 300 miles away - if I do not edit. You only need the xmittr site that is loacl and you can hear.

It's doable and actually very easy. I keep a favorite ready for power outages that has AEP local and some statewide TG plus other local stuff. If needed I can easily load it.

[jkahn]

Try creating a Favorites list, then edit it to delete Sites that are not within the area(s) you will be listening from. There are not that many talk groups in the system you quoted, so that should not be an issue. It is probably the large number of sites in the system that gave you the warning message.

You may not be hearing them if they do not chatter too much when there is not a storm. My local power co. PEPCO, may transmit only 4-5 times an hour during the day when they are just doing routine maintenance, to open or close power blocks. I think dispatch may be done via MDT.

I usually hear the most talk when they have lines down due to storms, I don't monitor them any more during other times.

JK
added by edit:
I leave the favorite list active, I just uncheck "Utilities" from system types to stop monitoring

[biomedbob]

The problem might be in the Profiles.

I've had my HP-1 for almost 3 years and just figured out that your "profile" has to have the proper "services" enabled to be able to included a subset such as "utilites" into your favorites.

If they are blacked out, try to create a new profile including all services.

Just today, Christmas, I'm listening to more activity close to me than ever before!