Have the HP1 and love it but it is a tad to bulky to carry, so I would like to get another portable to use with similar features or at least some ease of use. My wish list is that it can download and hold lists, and that it gets the same radio systems as HP, and finally you don't need a masters to program the thing. Any input is appreciated.
Best portable to match with home patrol
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bkantor
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I agree with PSR-800. I own both - the only thing you don't get with the 800 is a touch screen, GPS support and some of the Extreme functions (assuming you spent the extra $100). Plus I find my PSR-800 is more sensitive than the HP-1 (your mileage may vary!).
Bob
Bob
Another vote for the PSR-800 as an owner of both. They complement each other nicely imho. Best one out there right now for digital decoding. I just got back from a trip (via air) to Montgomery county MD and wanted to bring one scanner. I created a new V-Scanner folder for the PSR-800, populated it with TGs and channels from the database, and the PSR-800 made the cut. If it was a trip via car, it would have been the HP-1 hands-down.
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I, too, have both the HP-1 and PSR-800. I agree with the others above, but feel you need a caveat before thinking the PSR-800 is "just like" the HP-1.
PRO:
1) The "V-Scanner" feature is great, as you can create the equivilent to multiple scanners, each with a different configuration, programming and features, that can be selected from the options menu on the radio. (But you can only use 1 at a time!) Think one scanner for Forth Worth, TX and one for Silver Spring, MD by changing one setting on the menu. (The trip I made in November!)
2) Once you have your programming and features the way you want them (by tweaking multiple times via included computer program), you can enjoy almost user-free scanning. You can turn on/off individual scanlists (kind of like a combination of System & Favorites list in the HP-1) from the radio options without much difficulty.
3) It comes with some of the "Extreme" features you have to pay extra for on the HP-1, like raw data output to external decoding programs via the USB programming cable.
4) It charges its batteries via the USB cable, so it can be charged/powered in the car using a 12v to USB adapter, like the one built into most car cell phone chargers. *I still advocate using an external charger, but do not want a repeat of the 10 day discussion of this again*
5) Most "PRO" of all - This is currently the ONLY scanner you can use to scan most of the 700MHz P-25 Phase II systems (in the current FDMA/TDMA configuration. This may not be true when they finalize the phase II protocol)
CON:
1) It is almost totally impossible to program the radio without a computer, and changing some features within the programming requires a computer and then re-downloading to the radio. You cannot easily (if at all) tweak a system onboard.
2) It is NOT anywhere near as user friendly as the HP-1. It will take some time to learn how to use the scanner and its features. (Thankfully Mark's Scanners website now has an easier to read users guide for HP-1 and the PSR-800 is in progress the last time I checked.)
Obviously, my "pro" list outweighs the "con" list, but I find I use the HP-1 much more than the PSR-800, except when I am in one of the 700MHz areas.
ps: bgav - I could have given you my V-S for MontgoCo MD, as it is my primary scan area!
JK
ps: bgav - I could have given you my V-S for MontgoCo MD, as it is my primary scan area!
JK
Small world! Stayed at the Garden Hilton. Yelp led me to Fire Station 1 (meh) and The Limerick Pub for dinner. The V-Scanner list I put together did a pretty good job, but I had to lock out a lot of Washington Metro TGs. That's quite a large system with lots of TGs.
I agree with everything jkahn said above about the PSR-800 with the exception of charging over USB
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