Home Patrol 1 Help

[Wharris1985]

I purchased a home patrol 1 scanner that I'm really excited about getting. I choose this one because it looked pretty simple to use. I live in Wayne County, MI and I'm hoping to listen to Westland PD and FD, along with some surrounding cities. I've done so researched and saw that Livonia and Canton are encrypted which I'm assuming I won't be able to listen in on them. I see that the cities I would like to listen to are on the MPSCS. In which I can add the talk groups for each city I would like to listen to. My question is, when adding these talk groups, do I have to go in and make sure each frequency is added in to make sure I'm hear all conversations. For example, I've been listening to the police scanner on an app on my phone, but it seems that I only get part of the conversations going on. I'm assuming because they may not have all frequencies added so it's not picking up when someone responds on a frequency that's not added. I just want to make sure I'm getting all conversations when listening in. I've been looking for frequencies within the Westland, MI PD and all I could find is this:

Wayne County (82) Western Wayne Law Enforcement Talkgroups
Very often at night, the dispatch talkgroups are patched together due to the lower traffic volume in the dispatch center.

22096 5650 D 82GCPD2 Westland - Garden City: Secondary Dispatch Law Dispatch
22101 5655 D 82ISPD1 Wayne - Inkster: Primary Dispatch Law Dispatch
22102 5656 D 82WAPD2 Wayne - Inkster: Secondary Dispatch Law Dispatch
22109 565d D 82WLPD1 Westland - Garden City: Primary Dispatch Law Dispatch
22123 566b D 82WWLEIN2 Channel 2 [LEIN] Law Tac
22118 5666 D 82WWCAR3 Channel 3 [Car-to-Car] Law Tac
22134 5676 D 82WWPOLCOM1 Police Common 1 Law Tac
22135 5677 D 82WWPOLCOM2 Police Common 2 Law Tac
22136 5678 D 82WWPOLCOM3 Police Common 3 Law Tac
22137 5679 D 82WWPOLCOM4 Police Common 4 Law Tac
22138 567a D 82WWPOLCOM5 Police Common 5 Law Tac

So I'm assuming I would need to make sure Westland-Garden City Secondary and Primary dispatch is added, but I just thought there would be a place to see each frequency within those talk groups.

I'm completely new to this forgive my ignorance in the matter. I'm trying to learn so any help is appreciated. Thanks everyone!

Richard

 

[jonwienke]

There is no frequency linked to any talkgroup with a trunked system. The system will randomly choose an available frequency when a user keys up. System sites have a pool of frequencies, and the frequency used changes each time a user keys the mic.

 

[Wharris1985]

So if I add the talk group for Westland PD dispatch I should hear all conversations? Thanks for the reply by the way.

 

[jonwienke]

The first step is to enter all of the system sites within range of your location, and all frequencies associated with each site.

Then when you add talkgroups the scanner will know what frequencies to listen to to hear the talkgroups.

 

[Wharris1985]

This can be easily done with the sentinel program, right?

 

[jonwienke]

If the system is in the RR database, you shouldn't have to add anything manually, just update the database in Sentinel, and perhaps copy that system to a Favorite List.

 

[Scanner_Rider]

I also am still learning the process of the home patrol and so far I have learned that the Sentinel software has our back as we learn.

I used the zip code program feature and then deleted all of the talk groups and such I didn't want and saved what was left to the Sentinel program.

It took me a couple days to initially parse it down, but I was able to back it up to the Sentinel program so I have the agencies that cover my area and if while playing with it to learn the various features, if I mess up and the scanner goes "Nothing to Scan" stupid on me, all I have to do is write to the scanner from the Sentinel files and it's back to working again and I try to remember what I did that locked it up and not do it again

Now I am learning how to use the Discovery feature.

I figure that in the worse case if I lose all the remaining analog frequency traffic in my area I can always do the zip code program again and delete and program the ones I want into my favorites on my scanner and update my Sentinel program.

 

[rwier]

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I used the zip code program feature and then deleted all of the talk groups and such I didn't want and saved what was left to the Sentinel program.

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It sounds like you don't need much help and things are falling into place for you. I've never used the "zip code" feature, but the sequence seems reversed in the above quote.

My sequence:

1) Create a new FL
2) Append the ENTIRE desired TRS System to the new FL
3) Edit the new FL to remove unwanted TGs and useless/unwanted Sites

It is my belief (no evidence) that TRS Systems contain hidden data that transfer with the "Append". "Saving" individual TGs and Sites to a FL might miss any such hidden data. Not arguing whether such hidden data exists, but if it is there, I am getting it, lol.

 

[jonwienke]

Don't delete talkgroups, avoid or lock them out. If you delete them, then they will all come back if you do ID Search for new talkgroups.

 

[jonwienke]

It is my belief (no evidence) that TRS Systems contain hidden data that transfer with the "Append". "Saving" individual TGs and Sites to a FL might miss any such hidden data. Not arguing whether such hidden data exists, but if it is there, I am getting it, lol.

There is no "hidden" data. It's all there in Sentinel if you bother to go through the configuration tabs.