Beartracker 885 - Editing HPD files

[rjdj2000]

Hello, Just got a Beartracker 885 and have been wanting one for quite some time since they released them. In a prior thread (that is now closed) from here: Beartracker 885 - Edit database on SD card! I have been able to confirm what @Mike445 and @tvengr were talking about in that thread. I have also found that some talkgroups (a whole section of IA channels in my local area) did not make the database pull using the 885 database manager/updater. I found this out by looking at the databases for a 536 scanner as I also have one in my house. I have changed talkgroup info so I can hear everything on my system, say there was a channel listed as Fire-Tac and I wanted to listen to it, so changed the corresponding number to a 3 for Fire Dispatch, etc. I have also just loaded the database write (with a couple favorite lists to see if it would lock onto those) directly from Sentinel for the x36/SD line and it still ran perfectly fine (Sentinel was set for the x36 line of scanners) but I don't think it locked to the favorites lists I had in there.

Also you can permanently lock out channels/TG info in these. I use Excel (tab delimited format) to read/write the file, and there is one column that has Off in it, this is the Avoid area, I found this from the Favorites lists for my 536 as I always avoided one TG for my local P25 system. So right now, I went to my state file and have turned On all in the state (not using GPS on this) and just have Off listed on channels I want to hear. Will be trying this out today. I also found that changing the number for service types worked using my 536 scanner as channels that would be Fire-Tac showed Fire Dispatch when changed. Without finding that prior thread mentioned above, I would probably not have gotten this and/or not tried it on my 536 first to confirm it.

Hopefully this will help others configure their 885 if they so desire to put the effort into doing it. Oh and when you go into the BCDx36HP>HPDB folder the hpdb.cfg file can be looked at using notepad and it tells what state is a certain hpd file so for NY it says state ID=36 so it is s_000036.hpd. There is also county id info in there as well but don't need that really.

 

[rjdj2000]

Well just an update on the avoid situation, marked the whole National hdb file to avoid and all of NYS except what I wanted. Some are still coming through even when setting 'On' in the hdb file. Maybe @JoeBearcat could shed some light on this as it may be firmware that doesn't read the file for avoids, hence the clear all avoids when power cycle the unit. For now, I have wiped the National hpd file and the NYS file to only have what I want. Will have to wait to get home to copy the files over to the SD card and try it.

 

[Trucker700]

The 885 Lockout/Avoid feature, is temporary. Once powered off then back on the avoids go away. You can edit the file in Sentinel and manually delete frequencies you don't want to hear. But, if you update the database again, they'll be back.
The 885 is a decent CB/Scanner combo. But, the Scanner is very limited.
For it's intended users ( truckers and others that travel a lot ) it works pretty well. Its biggest downside in my opinion is the display washes out in bright light easily.
James
AKA: Trucker

 

[rjdj2000]

The 885 Lockout/Avoid feature, is temporary. Once powered off then back on the avoids go away. You can edit the file in Sentinel and manually delete frequencies you don't want to hear. But, if you update the database again, they'll be back.

Yeah, I noticed this as I was setting in the HPD file where an Avoid would be tagged in my 536HP scanner as permanent avoid that the 885 wouldn't read the avoid being on. Then even after shutting down the 885 and taking SD card back to PC and looking at it, they would still be marked as ON to avoid. So maybe, just maybe, Uniden could produce a firmware that would 'look' at this and avoid things we don't want to listen to. @JoeBearcat would that be possible?? I understand this is a dumbed down scanner but when next to my 536HP on an antenna the same as my 536, it performs equally with the 536. So for me that is good and I do agree that you lose the display a bit if in bright sun, I have had to set the color to white or cyan in order to see it on the dash in the truck. Not the best spot for it but not much other spots for it without cutting or modifying console and I don't like doing that on something I may trade in at some point.

So for the meantime I have just removed everything in the s_000000.hpd file (main full database) and condensed down in the NY database (s_000036.hpd) to only what I want to listen to in my county. So far, with using the stock wire antenna in the truck it works great. Will be upgrading the antenna in the near future once I find proper mounts for my F-350 so I can add CB antenna as well as one on opposite side of truck for scanner. There is nothing available to mount to mirrors (plastic housing) and I have the power fold/extending tow mirrors to boot so they wouldn't hold up to a clamp on mount. I am probably going to have to make a behind the mirror mount that can just slide down behind the mirror onto of the studs that hold the mirror onto the truck. Most mounts I have seen bolt to a single bolt under hood and it puts the antenna over the middle of front wheels and I don't like things in my field of view on the truck.

 

[rjdj2000]

Little update, finally got mounts so I could mount the antennas onto the truck.



They are mounts to put a LED light onto that uses the hood hinge mount. Added another bracket to extend out past side of truck some to put the antenna stud mount in. So far it works quite well. One of these days I will re-flash a SD card with everything on it and see what I can actually pickup by zip code method and by using the gps. Right now it is set by zip code and a blank nationwide database and the trimmed down database for NY. I just wished @JoeBearcat would chime in on the possibility of a firmware update so those of us who want to mess with the time to "program" these to our liking. Also to display talkgroup/freq. info instead of 'POLICE' 'FIRE' 'EMS' 'DOT' 'MULTI' on the display. I think with a few tweaks it could be a nice unit.

 

[Trucker700]

Little update, finally got mounts so I could mount the antennas onto the truck.

View attachment 119652

They are mounts to put a LED light onto that uses the hood hinge mount. Added another bracket to extend out past side of truck some to put the antenna stud mount in. So far it works quite well. One of these days I will re-flash a SD card with everything on it and see what I can actually pickup by zip code method and by using the gps. Right now it is set by zip code and a blank nationwide database and the trimmed down database for NY. I just wished @JoeBearcat would chime in on the possibility of a firmware update so those of us who want to mess with the time to "program" these to our liking. Also to display talkgroup/freq. info instead of 'POLICE' 'FIRE' 'EMS' 'DOT' 'MULTI' on the display. I think with a few tweaks it could be a nice unit.

I think part of the reason there isn't a more detailed display is because the display is limited on what it can show. Another reason would be since the display scrolls from right to left, it would be more distracting to a driver trying to read it instead of paying attention to driving.
I found that not knowing which agency I was listening to wasn't a big deal. Since I traveled the same areas weekly, I got to where I could tell pretty well what agency I was listening to because of the content of their conversation tended to give them away. And if it was a traffic stop and they gave dispatch a mile marker, and it was on the highway I was on, I got to see them and ID them that way.
I found that listening to police and EMS gave me real time info on traffic accidents and road conditions along my route. The 885 kept me informed many times and I avoided getting hung up in a big backup for hours.I could reroute and not loose time. Had the display been brighter, I would never replaced the 885 with a Cobra 29 and an SDS100.
James

 

[rjdj2000]

Yeah I know they gave the display real estate to the CB portion of the unit, which is fine and I agree that I can usually tell what is talking on the scanner side of things as I know my area and the numbers given out to know who is talking. I just think they could have the little area where it says POLICE for example display the talkgroup info if it is a P25 system or freq. info there as if you go into the weather part of the unit it shows the freq in that area, so I know it could be possible but without knowing if it could be done with a firmware update to the scanner who knows.

 

[tvengr]

I have changed talkgroup info so I can hear everything on my system, say there was a channel listed as Fire-Tac and I wanted to listen to it, so changed the corresponding number to a 3 for Fire Dispatch, etc.

I saw a post from Paul, the former Uniden rep, that said the BT885 only received the dispatch frequencies and talkgroups. Another member disputed that and said it received the tac frequencies and talkgroups also. Not having a BT885, I had no way of checking. Do you confirm that the BT885 only receives the dispatch frequencies and talkgroups unless you edit the database?

 

[rjdj2000]

I saw a post from Paul, the former Uniden rep, that said the BT885 only received the dispatch frequencies and talkgroups. Another member disputed that and said it received the tac frequencies and talkgroups also. Not having a BT885, I had no way of checking. Do you confirm that the BT885 only receives the dispatch frequencies and talkgroups unless you edit the database?

Yes, it does only initally get anything in the database that is tagged for dispatch, Fire Dispatch, Law Dispatch, etc. I was following along also on the post that Paul did on it way back when which got me interested in the unit. I didn't have one until recently either but due to finding the post that is linked in my first post above and scannermaster getting in stock again (had gift cert with them) I bit the bullet and got it.

But I was just thinking of an idea, to make it somewhat easier (just in the state you would be in) is to use Sentinel and make a favorites list of what you wanted to listen to for your area. Write it to the SD card now just rename the file in the favorites list folder and copy it back to the main HPDB folder, the 885 doesn't read the favorite list folder anyways. Would be a lot easier than messing with Excel or other spreadsheet program. Then you can do all the editing and be able to recall it easier. Only drawback would be the nationwide file. You would still have to edit that through a spreadsheet or similar program as there isn't a way to copy nationwide information to a favorites list in Sentinel that I know of. Other than that, it works just as good as my 536HP unit as I have had them sitting side by side and it was getting all that my 536 was. Of course this was after editing the files but it worked just as good where I am at.

 

[tvengr]

Yes, it does only initally get anything in the database that is tagged for dispatch, Fire Dispatch, Law Dispatch, etc.

Thank you for your response. That is the way I read Paul's statement. Glad you have had success.

 

[rjdj2000]

Thank you for your response. That is the way I read Paul's statement. Glad you have had success.

No problem. I am going to work on a few things using sentinel to see if you can "modify" the state information and then copy/rename the hpd file once you create the favorites list as the 885 don't look in that folder. Will post updates when I can.

 

[Intrepitor]

Hello, Just got a Beartracker 885 and have been wanting one for quite some time since they released them. In a prior thread (that is now closed) from here: Beartracker 885 - Edit database on SD card! I have been able to confirm what @Mike445 and @tvengr were talking about in that thread. I have also found that some talkgroups (a whole section of IA channels in my local area) did not make the database pull using the 885 database manager/updater. I found this out by looking at the databases for a 536 scanner as I also have one in my house. I have changed talkgroup info so I can hear everything on my system, say there was a channel listed as Fire-Tac and I wanted to listen to it, so changed the corresponding number to a 3 for Fire Dispatch, etc. I have also just loaded the database write (with a couple favorite lists to see if it would lock onto those) directly from Sentinel for the x36/SD line and it still ran perfectly fine (Sentinel was set for the x36 line of scanners) but I don't think it locked to the favorites lists I had in there.

Quick Question: Are other frequencies within the receiving range of the 885 able to be programmed into the SD card database? I'm comfortable editing large databases with Excel, etc, but I would like to monitor 2meter ham repeaters and other frequencies.

Also, since the SD card gets loaded each time the 885 turns on, why not create several SD cards for areas frequented and then just update the national database to one card as needed?

 

[rjdj2000]

Quick Question: Are other frequencies within the receiving range of the 885 able to be programmed into the SD card database? I'm comfortable editing large databases with Excel, etc, but I would like to monitor 2meter ham repeaters and other frequencies.

Also, since the SD card gets loaded each time the 885 turns on, why not create several SD cards for areas frequented and then just update the national database to one card as needed?

Yeah, you can add whatever you like to the file, just have to keep the format the same. So when I wanted to add MURS channels to the conventional freq. list I was working on, I looked at the national file and copied it out of there then pasted it into the file I was working on. Then just saved it and put it into the scanner. When I get where MURS are in use (they are listed under the Multi-Dispatch tag also) I can hear it. Only back part is that if anything is tagged for Multi-Dispatch, there is no way to turn it off on the 885. So most I have just organized into what I wanted. There was a whole part of the local P25 system that wasn't even in the database pull from the 885 updater program so I used my program for my 536 to get those talkgroups and put them into the file.

You can make as many SD cards as you want, I pretty much stay in my local county so it is why I only have 1 right now. Eventually I will make a couple and remove the nationwide stuff and modify the state one to what I need. THere isn't many updates to the database around me so I don't usually do a database pull and re-create the files I need. I pretty much know what is on my local system (logging with Unitrunker and SDRTrunk) so I have anything I need in there and if something new pops up, it is in my 536 scanner and I can pull from that if needed.

 

[Intrepitor]

... I used my program for my 536 to get those talkgroups and put them into the file.

You can make as many SD cards as you want, I pretty much stay in my local county so it is why I only have 1 right now. Eventually I will make a couple and remove the nationwide stuff and modify the state one to what I need. THere isn't many updates to the database around me so I don't usually do a database pull and re-create the files I need. I pretty much know what is on my local system (logging with Unitrunker and SDRTrunk) so I have anything I need in there and if something new pops up, it is in my 536 scanner and I can pull from that if needed.

Thanks for the reply! Sorry to get to it late.
I don't have older scanners - is the software to get 536 freq also available for download from Uniden? Even if I don't have a 536?

USB Dongle - an app needs this? curious (in your tag profile)

Thanks again!

 

[rjdj2000]

Thanks for the reply! Sorry to get to it late.
I don't have older scanners - is the software to get 536 freq also available for download from Uniden? Even if I don't have a 536?

USB Dongle - an app needs this? curious (in your tag profile)

Thanks again!

Yes the Sentinel software is free and can download here: Sentinel 2.02.01

As to the USB dongle, I use them with SDRTrunk to provide the online stream I do and Broadcastify Calls. There is multiple threads about software and the USB sticks in the Software Defined Radio forum here. They can be picky at times but once you get the settings correct, they can out perform even Uniden's SDS 100/200 scanners.

 

[rjdj2000]

Forgot to add, if you use Sentinel to get the database files, just write the main database to the sd card. You can get the database updates (that has more info in it than the 885 Updater gets) with Sentinel. What I did was do an update and force write the database to the card. Then copy what is on the card back to pc for editing. Edit the main HPDB folder/files to your liking and then copy back to the card to use is the 885. I wished there was an easier way to do it and I am still looking around to see if there is, but nothing yet.

 

[johndavidsonjd]

I’ve been looking through the internet for this info
I was told the 885 only gets “dispatch” and not tac or other channels…
But you are saying that I can add all the channels in and basically have the entire database? Would I have to retag the tac channels to “police” and so on?
I’m torn between the 885 or spending more for the SDS100 but I will be in my work truck a lot and figure the 885 would be better for mobile travel…
Your thoughts?

 

[rjdj2000]

I’ve been looking through the internet for this info
I was told the 885 only gets “dispatch” and not tac or other channels…
But you are saying that I can add all the channels in and basically have the entire database? Would I have to retag the tac channels to “police” and so on?
I’m torn between the 885 or spending more for the SDS100 but I will be in my work truck a lot and figure the 885 would be better for mobile travel…
Your thoughts?

Yes you can listen to more than just dispatch on the 885. Have had one now for 6 months or better and have made 2 SD cards for it, one is pretty much stock with the exception of changing any non-encrypted channels from Fire-Tac, Law-Tac to either their respective Dispatch tags or Talk tags. If you look at the database on the SD card, about all of the TG are on there, you just have to change the tag designation. Right now the only way that is the easiest to edit the files is using excel or other spreadsheet software. Granted it is not the best "scanner" and a SDS100 would probably beat it, especially in a heavy simulcast environment. So far mine has performed quite well where I live and I know that there is more than 1 tower broadcasting the local P25 system here and so far there are only a couple locations it has had an issue getting good reception on it.