Cannot Decide 996xt or HP-1 HELP!

[Coolant113]

Originally Posted by RonnieUSA

Doesn't your BC346XT pick up what You want to hear?
Why spend $500.00 when You have a radio that will already do what You want it to.

The 346 and the 396 i like to keep strictly portable. I want a desktop or two to hook up to my roof antenna. Not have to worry about disconnecting my portable when I got to run out the door.

[RonnieUSA]

Originally Posted by Coolant113

The 346 and the 396 i like to keep strictly portable. I want a desktop or two to hook up to my roof antenna. Not have to worry about disconnecting my portable when I got to run out the door.

OK, i understand that much.

[Jay911]

The HP1 will record everything it hears for later playback. If that's up your alley, that would be a consideration you should make. It also has analysis and discovery modes that aren't available on the 996.

I currently have both radios set up on a multicoupler here at home. The 996 is scanning a specific trunking system with FreeSCAN remote control active so it will log if the system comes alive, and the HP1 is operating as my regular "everything" scanner.

[Coolant113]

I love the recording option of the home patrol. Is there anyway to do that with a 996 externally? Easy way I should say.

[blue5011]

Originally Posted by Coolant113

I love the recording option of the home patrol. Is there anyway to do that with a 996 externally? Easy way I should say.

A friend of mine has a HomePatrol1. You couldn't pay me to use or own it. I have two 996XT's (connected to outdoor antenna's) and am very happy w/ the performance. But I live in a rural location w/ not a lot of radio chatter.

Freescan, a free d/l control program allows for audio recording and programming. I have recorded some audio, but it really ties the computer resources up. Freescan records each and every part of the radio traffic as a separate **entity**. In other words, as the radio traffic changes tower sites/ talkgroups, the software moves the conversation to a different file/ folder. All traffic has a date/ time stamp, but it is clunky.

It would be far easier to have a voice-activated recorder running...

[troshs]

Originally Posted by Coolant113

You guys got me leaning towards a 996 and also thinking the bc 15 one for analog transmissions.

I own a BCT15. I love it. I would recommend going with the 15X though if you can afford it because it has a few more features. If you just want the basics, 15 is still pretty good.

[bear780ks]

Originally Posted by AuntEnvy

It was not the SMA connector on the HP, it was the adapter I got from scannermaster. I read from other posters the same problem- they are flimsy. I could get about 2 turns and it would come apart.

So I am hereby ammending my caution/advisement to get the BNC adapter from another source or buy an antenna with an SMA terminated coax.

Sorry for the confusion/mistake.

Hey No Problem it's all good: And i understand A.E. on the Word of Caution with the Sma's you Got ta be kind of easy with those Little guys compared to the Ol BNC but even with them you have to easy breasy so as not break a pin inside.. Ra

[Coolant113]

Originally Posted by blue5011

A friend of mine has a HomePatrol1. You couldn't pay me to use or own it. I have two 996XT's (connected to outdoor antenna's) and am very happy w/ the performance. But I live in a rural location w/ not a lot of radio chatter.

Freescan, a free d/l control program allows for audio recording and programming. I have recorded some audio, but it really ties the computer resources up. Freescan records each and every part of the radio traffic as a separate **entity**. In other words, as the radio traffic changes tower sites/ talkgroups, the software moves the conversation to a different file/ folder. All traffic has a date/ time stamp, but it is clunky.

It would be far easier to have a voice-activated recorder running...

Now my question is why wouldn't you use them versus your 996's? And yea I have tried that out with one of my scanners and it just ties everything up like you said. A voice activated method would be so much better.

[bear780ks]

They use to have Recording Devices that you could run on the line out and if remember right when i had my 780 you could hook recording to it and set it up to when the scanner would break audio the recorder would record it.

There still should some little recorders out there one could use or heck even a Cell phone if wasn't be used for anything else could possibly be used..

[npdexplorer911]

I am looking at getting a new digital scanner but one that will decode NAC, which one is the best choice for this application?

[UPMan]

AFAIK, all digital scanners decode NAC.

[lep]

I have both the 996XT and the HP-1, they have different features and different programs are used with them. The HP-1 is easier to record from because it is built right in. It is easy to use a recorder with the 996XT, I connect it to the sound card on my PC (it sits on top of my computer desk). The SMA adapter I use with the HP-1 is the Diamond (small,black anodized) I also use an Amphenol milspec BNC elbow. Both of these connectors are "pricey" comared to the inexpensive brighly plated ones often sold by radio flea market vendors. I like both scanners, in fact I own more than one of each model but some like Chevys and some prefer Fords, in all depends on your requirements and budget. Part of the fun is choosing among scanners.

[hill2jb]

I had the HP-1, but took it back after three days. The biggest fail for me was that you can't even truly scan with it, unless you pay 100 extra on the uniden website for an unlock code. It does have all the frequencies programmed in there when you get it, but what if I want to just scan CB frequencies or marine or railroad? No option for that, unless I get the unlock. Also, the SMA connection was a bad idea.

[kbehning]

Sorry, but you are wrong on that. You don't understand how the homepatrol works if you think it can't be setup to listen to only CB or only railroad frequencies (or even both).

By limiting the services that are scanned you can listen to your CB or Railroad channels or whatever other "services" that are defined in the scanner. Admittedly the homepatrol is completely different from conventional scanners, that requires the user to put in the study time to learn how to operate it. That comes wih the territory these days in scanning as well as virtually any electronics that have come after DVD players hit the market.

Further, you can manually setup frequency lists in the free Sentinel software. The $100 extreme upgrade does not enable that function, its there in all homepatrols. Some on-screen configuration is available with the extreme upgrade but its not necessary since the function is available in the Sentinel software.

The SMA connector is superior to the BNC connector in every way I can think of with the exception that most previous scanner antennas in our collections were BNC. Since SMA to BNC adapters are available I don't hold this as a negative. I much prefer the better mechanical and RF connection that the SMA interface provides.

[hill2jb]

Originally Posted by kbehning

Sorry, but you are wrong on that. You don't understand how the homepatrol works if you think it can't be setup to listen to only CB or only railroad frequencies (or even both).

By limiting the services that are scanned you can listen to your CB or Railroad channels or whatever other "services" that are defined in the scanner. Admittedly the homepatrol is completely different from conventional scanners, that requires the user to put in the study time to learn how to operate it. That comes wih the territory these days in scanning as well as virtually any electronics that have come after DVD players hit the market.

Further, you can manually setup frequency lists in the free Sentinel software. The $100 extreme upgrade does not enable that function, its there in all homepatrols. Some on-screen configuration is available with the extreme upgrade but its not necessary since the function is available in the Sentinel software.

The SMA connector is superior to the BNC connector in every way I can think of with the exception that most previous scanner antennas in our collections were BNC. Since SMA to BNC adapters are available I don't hold this as a negative. I much prefer the better mechanical and RF connection that the SMA interface provides.

I guess I misspoke. What I was trying to say is that you cannot simply scan the entirety of a band. You can only scan predefined frequencies. This is fine if you take the time to put in each and every individual frequency that you KNOW exists, but if you want to search a band for something that might not be listed on Radio Reference, you can't without the upgrade. As far as I could tell at least. Let's say I want to scan 144-147 mhz for simplex 2m convos occurring in my area... as far as I could tell, and I looked online everywhere to find a way around this, it's impossible without the upgrade.

As for SMA... yes it is a better connection type... much more solid than BNC with always seems to rock back and forth. Problem lies in using most aftermarket antennas that one would find at rat shack or elsewhere. I see many more options for BNC than SMA..... just saying.

[N2JDS]

I own one of each. Since you say your application will be home use, My choice would be the 996XT. But you say you like the touch screen. I too enjoy the ability to easily go through the options via touch screen. Maybe it's repetition, but I can get through the options faster on the Home Patrol, such as turning on and off agencies in the favorites section. A draw back I'd see to the Home Patrol over the 996XT is sound quality. With Home patrol, if you want an external speaker, expect to do a little more than just plugging in an external speaker and getting good sound, an amplified speaker would be needed here. Just another opinion to add to your choice.

[npdexplorer911]

Originally Posted by UPMan

AFAIK, all digital scanners decode NAC.

How come the Uniden website lists the HP-1 as not capable of NAC decoding? So my 796d I can enter NAC codes?

[UPMan]

That notation about the HP-1is in error.

I amend my previous message to say "AFAIK, all current digital models decode NAC."

[bear780ks]

As for scanning Railroad's an like Aircraft i like how the HP-1 had the Alpha Tags included it was the First Scanner i ever Owned that i didn't have to Add tags to! I know search is Keen to have in some some Circumstances but when i had the Home patrol i really didn't Miss it.. Ra

[HP-1NUT]

Originally Posted by Coolant113

You guys got me leaning towards a 996 and also thinking the bc 15 one for analog transmissions. My area is very congested with radio traffic using all different systems so i think that would suffice my needs. I am probably going to hold off on the home patrol for now. I have figured by all of the postings that the HP-1 is definitely not the right scanner for home desktop use only, and no mobile use.

I have the HP-1 and it is sitting here on the table (base use) and the recharged batteries last approx 2 hrs for mobile use or use the supplied car adapter. It IS both "base" and "mobile."

I entered my zip code - 712--- and HP1 did the rest. All of the services here use the LOUISIANA WIRELESS INFORMATION NETWORK and HP1 found all of them.

I got mine refurbed on ebay for $411 but Radio Shack will let you try one for 30 days or money back.

As they say-----my 2 cents