Manually Editing the HP1 Database

[mancow]

I had a few frequencies I didn't want submitted to the online database but would like to have in the regular system file for my County so I started trying to figure out how this thing is managing the information stored in it.

It ended up being a simple series of text files. Example randomly plucked from the file:

C-Freq CFreqId=51636 CGroupId=13864 Ford County EMS Med 1 Off 463000000 FM TONE=C192.8 12

As you can see it's logically laid out and the number at the end corresponds to the service type.

I opened the file with Word Pad and searched for my local PD. I copied the line of text for the PD and then changed the frequency and edited the name. I then entered a different CFreqld number (just made up one that was not in the file) and it worked great.

I'm sure it will all be overwritten at the next database update but for now I have the channel in there I want without having to mess with the hassle of creating an entirely new Favorite List just for a few channels.

I can't understand why we don't have this full edit capability with Sentinel directly like the GRE software does. I think they should at least provide it with the extreme upgrade option.

By the way, you have to have Windows setup to show hidden files to see the .hpd system file you want to work with.

[phask]

This has been mentioned before. But why -as you said, it will get overwritten with the next new DB.

Originally this was needed if you needed to scan the DB and something was not there.
With the ability to load multiple DB and even the Master plus a favorite - to me - it's a moot point.

[mancow]

I mainly wanted to see if it could be done and how it could be done.

It just burns my **** that I can't just go to Sentinel and edit any channel at will. It makes no sense at all.

[lost_in_maine]

You can manually edit the Database with ARC-Patrol, ....BUT, I would advise backing it up first before making any changes..

[mancow]

I didn't realize that. I looked at their site once but overlooked that feature. Thanks for the info. I will definitely check it out.

[UPMan]

Since the main dB is overwritten every time you do an update, the better solution is to put your channel into a Favorites List (which you can do with Sentinel).

[mancow]

Very true. I just wish there was an option for the HPDB to ignore the manually edited information similarly to how the GRE800 system works. Otherwise, the HP-1 is an amazing device and I have no other complaints. My experiment was more of a "hey wonder how this thing works" type of thing than anything else.

I initially dismissed it as sort of a dumbed down device but couldn't have been more wrong. It has turned out to be my single favorite receiver yet.

[Chauffeur6]

Originally Posted by mancow

Very true. I just wish there was an option for the HPDB to ignore the manually edited information similarly to how the GRE800 system works.

That's not entirely accurate, though. When you "edit" in EZ Scan, you're effectively doing the exact same thing you do in Sentinel, which is to bring data over from the primary RRDB into a user list. In Sentinel it's known as "appending a Favorites List" and in EZ Scan it's known as a "Library Import to Scanlist", however they effectively have the same end result. In neither program are you directly editing the RRDB info, that is always refreshed and overwritten with a new weekly update. The main difference is that EZ Scan gives you the option of refreshing systems that you've already imported after doing the weekly update.

Bottom line: Neither software allows you to directly edit the main database, and in both cases the main database gets overwritten with the weekly updates.