OK, so, I have an HP 1 as well as a TrunkTracker IV portable. I've updated the database on the HP, it has the better antenna for Palmetto 800, and I STILL can't hear anything Beaufort County Palmetto 800 related. Picks up conventional stuff just fine. Attenueator is off. Range is set to max. I'm not trying to scan Law or other encrypted channels....so just what the heck am I doing wrong??? I'm about ready to sell the unit to just get another TT IV, but I like what the HP does. Super annoying! Would appreciate any help or advice. This isn't my first scanner by any means, but I think I must be missing something someplace.
Home Patrol 1 Not Working in Beaufort County
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Setting Range to max is wrong. Range controls what the scanner decides to scan, not what it can actually hear.
A lot of Palmetto is simulcast, including the Beaufort County site:
The HomePatrol performs very poorly on simulcast. In tests I've done, in simulcast environments where the 436 gets about 70% of the traffic picked up by the SDS100, the HomePatrols get 10-25%. Get an SDS100 or SDS200, and you'll probably hear even more traffic than the other scanner.
A lot of Palmetto is simulcast, including the Beaufort County site:
Palmetto 800 Site: Beaufort County Simulcast
Palmetto 800 Site: Beaufort County Simulcast Details
www.radioreference.com
The HomePatrol performs very poorly on simulcast. In tests I've done, in simulcast environments where the 436 gets about 70% of the traffic picked up by the SDS100, the HomePatrols get 10-25%. Get an SDS100 or SDS200, and you'll probably hear even more traffic than the other scanner.
People hate it when I post this, but those old scanners are not built to listen to a P1 or P2 simulcast system. You honestly have 3 options: Uniden SDS100, SDS200, OR a Unication G4 / G5.
I have a HP1 sitting right beside me. Works great, but it does not pick up but about 50 percent of the Palmetto 800 because it's not designed too.
I use a Unication G5 and it works flawless.
I have a HP1 sitting right beside me. Works great, but it does not pick up but about 50 percent of the Palmetto 800 because it's not designed too.
I use a Unication G5 and it works flawless.
GearJammersc
Member
I see beaufort ems dispatch is now De instead of DE that mean you can hear the dispatcher now?
doctordialtone
Member
De means encryption is part time.
GearJammersc
Member
Yea so is any one herring anything on there dispatch channel now if so I program it and listen.
I changed the encryption setting on the EMS dispatch channel. During my weekend visit to HHI, I noted that the dispatcher and some EMS units are in the clear on EMS dispatch talkgroup now. Not sure how long that's been the case, or how long it will last. Quite a few EMS units (trucks) are still encrypted. so it's a mix, and somewhat annoying to listen to. But dispatches are in the clear.
When using the HP1, and any database-driven scanner, it's critical to understand which site of Palmetto 800 you're monitoring. If your range is set to Max, then your scanner is probably trying to scan all ~80 sites of Palmetto 800, so it's spending a lot of time cycling through frequencies of sites that aren't anywhere any range of your scanner.
Your best bet is to set up a Favorites list, and add only the Beaufort County Simulcast site, along with either the Bluffton, Port Royal or Yemmassee sites, depending on what area of the county you are in. Understand that the Beaufort County simulcast site operates as it's own "system", carrying all of the Beaufort County talkgroups, in addition to a few SCHP talkgroups. The Bluffton, Port Royal and Yemmassee sites will carry all of the "other" Palmetto 800 talkgroups (all of the other State agencies, plus Jasper, Hampton. Colleton Counties, med helicopters, etc). So you want to scan both the Beaufort County Simulcast site plus the other nearby "state" site to hear "all" traffic. You want to avoid, or remove, all of the other Palmetto 800 sites from your scan list.
As others have pointed out, the Beaufort County site is simulcast. Depending on where you are located within Beaufort County, that could cause your scanner trouble in properly decoding transmissions on that site. I find that at Hilton Head, there is only a single site of the simulcast system here, and so my older trunk tracking scanners work fine, with no decoding issues. That's probably not the case in Beaufort or other areas of the county. But regardless, even with older scanners, you should hear "something" if you're scanning the appropriate sites, even if it's garbled mess.
Best of luck with your efforts.
When using the HP1, and any database-driven scanner, it's critical to understand which site of Palmetto 800 you're monitoring. If your range is set to Max, then your scanner is probably trying to scan all ~80 sites of Palmetto 800, so it's spending a lot of time cycling through frequencies of sites that aren't anywhere any range of your scanner.
Your best bet is to set up a Favorites list, and add only the Beaufort County Simulcast site, along with either the Bluffton, Port Royal or Yemmassee sites, depending on what area of the county you are in. Understand that the Beaufort County simulcast site operates as it's own "system", carrying all of the Beaufort County talkgroups, in addition to a few SCHP talkgroups. The Bluffton, Port Royal and Yemmassee sites will carry all of the "other" Palmetto 800 talkgroups (all of the other State agencies, plus Jasper, Hampton. Colleton Counties, med helicopters, etc). So you want to scan both the Beaufort County Simulcast site plus the other nearby "state" site to hear "all" traffic. You want to avoid, or remove, all of the other Palmetto 800 sites from your scan list.
As others have pointed out, the Beaufort County site is simulcast. Depending on where you are located within Beaufort County, that could cause your scanner trouble in properly decoding transmissions on that site. I find that at Hilton Head, there is only a single site of the simulcast system here, and so my older trunk tracking scanners work fine, with no decoding issues. That's probably not the case in Beaufort or other areas of the county. But regardless, even with older scanners, you should hear "something" if you're scanning the appropriate sites, even if it's garbled mess.
Best of luck with your efforts.
GearJammersc
Member
Thanks for the information my Unication can ignore the encryption part.
Thanks VERY much for all the good information. Going to try a few of the suggestions, but it looks like I'm in the market for an upgrade! LOL. I do have an older Harris radio that I need programmed that is P25 capable (used it in Frederick Co Md) would it be worthwhile to try and find someone to program it?
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Yeah, I haven't even been getting garbled. I've now reduced the range to 15 miles. I'll have to add the county simulcast site using the computer, correct? But otherwise, I understand what you are saying.
In the RR database, the Beaufort County simulcast site is listed just like any other site, so it can be selected just like any other.
The challenge with the HP scanners (and any that use geographic-based programming) is verifying that you're indeed monitoring a specific site, and limiting which sites the scanner attempts to scan. The geo-based programming algorithm just isn't perfect, and it can be difficult to specify and verify.
In this case, because the Beaufort County talkgroups are only heard on one specific site, it's critical that you ensure that's the site you're scanning.
Best of luck.
The challenge with the HP scanners (and any that use geographic-based programming) is verifying that you're indeed monitoring a specific site, and limiting which sites the scanner attempts to scan. The geo-based programming algorithm just isn't perfect, and it can be difficult to specify and verify.
In this case, because the Beaufort County talkgroups are only heard on one specific site, it's critical that you ensure that's the site you're scanning.
Best of luck.
Simulcast Distortion - The RadioReference Wiki
A lot of great info there if you want to try a few different things before dropping $500+ on a new radio.
Thanks everyone for the help and suggestions. After doing research, I think I'm going to go the Unication route!
So, UPDATE! I bought a Unication! But there is the the problem LOL--- (Posted in the Unication forum but here for any possible help too!)
Hi all! Probably a dumb question, but I got my (used) G-5 today, and just finished programming! Very excited. I am on the Beaufort County SC system, which is a Palmetto 800. It is simulcast. I programed in the control channel, and am only getting 'out of range'. My guess is I've done something wrong. Any help appreciated! (There are other sites, should I use the control channel for those as well?). 1 is further away than 20 miles but the rest are close. So I'm sure its something I did. Thanks!
Hi all! Probably a dumb question, but I got my (used) G-5 today, and just finished programming! Very excited. I am on the Beaufort County SC system, which is a Palmetto 800. It is simulcast. I programed in the control channel, and am only getting 'out of range'. My guess is I've done something wrong. Any help appreciated! (There are other sites, should I use the control channel for those as well?). 1 is further away than 20 miles but the rest are close. So I'm sure its something I did. Thanks!
Congratulations on your new radio. I hope you enjoy it.
I don't have a G5, so I can't tell you for sure this is your issue, or if this is accurate. I hope someone will jump in and correct any misinformation, or verify that this is accurate.
I believe you have to add the System and Site ID information into the G5. So for Palmetto 800, the System ID is 1D9 and the WACN is BEE00. For the site, you're listing to site 63 (63 is decimal format, but it's 3F in hex format, and the G5 may require hex values). The RFSS is 1.
All of this information is listed in on the Palmetto 800 database page for reference, but it might not be obvious that this information is required.
Good luck.
Brian
I don't have a G5, so I can't tell you for sure this is your issue, or if this is accurate. I hope someone will jump in and correct any misinformation, or verify that this is accurate.
I believe you have to add the System and Site ID information into the G5. So for Palmetto 800, the System ID is 1D9 and the WACN is BEE00. For the site, you're listing to site 63 (63 is decimal format, but it's 3F in hex format, and the G5 may require hex values). The RFSS is 1.
All of this information is listed in on the Palmetto 800 database page for reference, but it might not be obvious that this information is required.
Good luck.
Brian
Brian, you were spot on, once I did that, smooth as silk. This pager is WOW! Loving it.
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