Did I waste money on a new scanner?

[kd5pck]

I've been out of scanning for a while. I just bought a new Home Patrol 2 recently. Only have had about 2 hours of listening time off and on over the last few days. Seems like I am not hearing much here in Mandeville. As I type this, I have it locked on scanning the LWIN system and I've only had NOPD and Causeway PD pop up once in the last 15 minutes. Range is set to 15 miles.

There was a time when the state system was popping with activity. Should I give up and return the scanner?

 

[tsmooth]

Yep thats about right. Sometimes you will hear State troopers, Wpso, So disp, ems and fire.

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[hiegtx]

I've been out of scanning for a while. I just bought a new Home Patrol 2 recently. Only have had about 2 hours of listening time off and on over the last few days. Seems like I am not hearing much here in Mandeville. As I type this, I have it locked on scanning the LWIN system and I've only had NOPD and Causeway PD pop up once in the last 15 minutes. Range is set to 15 miles.

There was a time when the state system was popping with activity. Should I give up and return the scanner?

When you received the HP-2, did you install Sentinel, update the master database, then write that to the scanner?

Also, are you using a Favorites list? Or just listening by entering your location & using the main database?

Quite often, for the "database scanners", such as the HP-2, HP-1, 536HP, 436HP, as well as the Whistler versions (WS1080, WS1088, WS1095, WS1098, TRX-1, and TRX-2), the 'lack of activity' occurs if you do not have the correct service types enabled.

For the Uniden scanners, the default types are the dispatch ones: Law Dispatch, Fire Dispatch, EMS Dispatch, and Multi-Dispatch. But if you look at your agencies of interest on their database page here on RadioReference, you'll see that many of the frequencies, and talkgroups on trunked systems, are tagged as "Tac" or "Talk" (Law Tac, Fire Tac (common for fireground usage), EMS Talk, Mlti-Talk). Be sure that those service types are enabled, and that you have your correct l;ocation entered (if using location control). Also, your range setting comes into play. See How it Works: Location, Location, Location

 

[tsmooth]

We wont hear anything locally here because mandeville and sheriff's are encrypted

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[tsmooth]

Just fire department if you have the conventional frequencies programmed.

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[tsmooth]

I dont believe money is wasted though. I also have a yagi antenna that i am experimenting with to see if i can pick other towers.

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[kd5pck]

When you received the HP-2, did you install Sentinel, update the master database, then write that to the scanner?

Also, are you using a Favorites list? Or just listening by entering your location & using the main database?

Quite often, for the "database scanners", such as the HP-2, HP-1, 536HP, 436HP, as well as the Whistler versions (WS1080, WS1088, WS1095, WS1098, TRX-1, and TRX-2), the 'lack of activity' occurs if you do not have the correct service types enabled.

For the Uniden scanners, the default types are the dispatch ones: Law Dispatch, Fire Dispatch, EMS Dispatch, and Multi-Dispatch. But if you look at your agencies of interest on their database page here on RadioReference, you'll see that many of the frequencies, and talkgroups on trunked systems, are tagged as "Tac" or "Talk" (Law Tac, Fire Tac (common for fireground usage), EMS Talk, Mlti-Talk). Be sure that those service types are enabled, and that you have your correct l;ocation entered (if using location control). Also, your range setting comes into play. See How it Works: Location, Location, Location

Yep, I installed Sentinel, checked for any updates and wrote to the scanner.
For now, I just entered my location and let it scan. Haven't played around with setting up favorites or played around with changing the services yet. Like I said, only been monitoring with it for about two hours. I may play around with it some more after dinner tonight. GOing to read that link about location you shared too.

Thanks!

 

[kd5pck]

tsmooth, I was expecting to hear the agencies you listed. But I'm not. Like I said, only a couple of NOPD dispatch channels and the Causeway PD. I might try just starting over with reloading the database.

 

[tsmooth]

Steps to Try

here are some steps to try
1: Click Menu Button and select service types make sure all of them are selected hit the bottom arrow buttons to go down.
2:Click the drop down arrow and click advance to see which tower you are monitoring. Sometimes certain towers bring in certain talkgroups. Make sure The St. Tammany Simulcast is active to receive as many talkgroups as possible.

this is the best i can do with the screenshots.

 

[hiegtx]

Yep, I installed Sentinel, checked for any updates and wrote to the scanner.
For now, I just entered my location and let it scan. Haven't played around with setting up favorites or played around with changing the services yet. Like I said, only been monitoring with it for about two hours. I may play around with it some more after dinner tonight. GOing to read that link about location you shared too.

Thanks!

Be sure that you check the range setting (after you take a look at the "Location...." page).

Turning on the Tac & Talk service types may increase your reception some, although as noted, nothing will help as far as encrypted talkgroups are concerned. Also, the antenna included is not the best choice. If the systems that you want to hear are mainly 700 & 800MHz trunked systems, then an antenna such as the 'Radio Shack 800MHz antenna' (if you can find one) is a better choice. This is the same antenna, with the name of the current manufacturer on it instead of R/S. So that the antenna is vertical, you would need a 90 degree right angle adapter.

 

[tsmooth]

Thats a good point too thanks hiegtx. Make sure the range is set to max.

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[kd5pck]

Be sure that you check the range setting (after you take a look at the "Location...." page).

Turning on the Tac & Talk service types may increase your reception some, although as noted, nothing will help as far as encrypted talkgroups are concerned. Also, the antenna included is not the best choice. If the systems that you want to hear are mainly 700 & 800MHz trunked systems, then an antenna such as the 'Radio Shack 800MHz antenna' (if you can find one) is a better choice. This is the same antenna, with the name of the current manufacturer on it instead of R/S. So that the antenna is vertical, you would need a 90 degree right angle adapter.

I have one of those exact antennas somewhere. I actually have a few, it;s just a matter of finding them. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Technoguy58]

I find there is lots of traffic on LWIN..... any time of day or night. If you are trying to listen to LWIN using the St Tammany simulcast C.C. then you probably will have lots of problems hearing much. I'm kind of surpised by folks saying they don't hear anything on LWIN. I find there is lots... more than I can keep up with... of traffic to listen to. You might be in an area with high simulcast distortion. If you are close enough to the lake, try using the N.O. site (853.9). I get it with a handi while fishing at the Mandeville pier all the time. But I find a good bit of EMS, State (all kinds), NOPD, a little bit of Kenner, JP fire, St Bernard fire, etc on LWIN out of the N.O. site, Give it a try. Using the St Tammany site, you will only find some local fire stuff, EMS, and some of the "take home" cars (that is cars that officers from the south shore take home to their homes on the north shore. The radios in there units probably are left on and they affiliate with the local site.. thus N.O. metro traffic on the St Tammany site) that are on the north shore as well as state stuff. Hope this makes sense to you.

 

[kd5pck]

I find there is lots of traffic on LWIN..... any time of day or night. If you are trying to listen to LWIN using the St Tammany simulcast C.C. then you probably will have lots of problems hearing much. I'm kind of surpised by folks saying they don't hear anything on LWIN. I find there is lots... more than I can keep up with... of traffic to listen to. You might be in an area with high simulcast distortion. If you are close enough to the lake, try using the N.O. site (853.9). I get it with a handi while fishing at the Mandeville pier all the time. But I find a good bit of EMS, State (all kinds), NOPD, a little bit of Kenner, JP fire, St Bernard fire, etc on LWIN out of the N.O. site, Give it a try. Using the St Tammany site, you will only find some local fire stuff, EMS, and some of the "take home" cars (that is cars that officers from the south shore take home to their homes on the north shore. The radios in there units probably are left on and they affiliate with the local site.. thus N.O. metro traffic on the St Tammany site) that are on the north shore as well as state stuff. Hope this makes sense to you.

I am between 1088 and 190 if you're familiar with the area. I have both the N.O. site and the St.Tammany selected in the scanner. Figured I would hear a good bit from Troop L as well. But so far, not that much. With the three day weekend coming up I may get a chance to play with the SEntinel software and create some favorites.

I remember back in the day my scanner couldn't scan through the bank I had dedicated to the state system without stopping a dozen or more times on radio traffic.

 

[tsmooth]

I am between hwy 36 and 59 i cant receive the pan am site only St. Tammany with my RS antenna. Yesterday troop L had some traffic

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[Technoguy58]

The problem with the St Tammany site is the multipath distortion. I have a hard time with it. In some spots I can hear nothing. In other areas I hear lots of traffic. You have a yagi?? Try the Hammond tower or Roseland tower. Work great.

 

[kd5pck]

Somewhere I have a yagi. It's either in the garage or the attic. Too much radio crap everywhere. I forget where it all is!

 

[tsmooth]

Lol. Me too

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[WQZB703]

I just bought a HP II extreme this last week. I checked the updates etc and my scanner database version is 06/04/17. Having problem receiving anything locally on the P25 system. All I get are outlying agencies. I have reduced squelch, removed my antenna and just now am trying reducing the range. So far very disappointed and I hope this isn't a $400+ paperweight!

 

[tsmooth]

Thats strange im no longer having trouble with the st. tammany simulcast system. On my HP1 i use a discone antenna in the attic and on my pro668 with whistler upgrade im using a tram antenna which is awesome. I have no lsm distortion.

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