HP-2: Home Patrol 2 receives nothing but weather station...

Status
Not open for further replies.

NeedtoKnow2

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Messages
101
Location
I've moved.
8 months ago in NC mountains, Home Patrol worked well with its stock antenna. It brought in dozens of frequencies in a relatively rural area. Granted, we were at 3,000 feet. But it worked fine in Florida flatlands 2 years earlier just south a few miles of where I live now.

But now in the Ocala, Florida area, flat land at 70 foot elevation, no obstructions, inside or outside, with the same antenna, fresh batteries, with or without USB plugged into the computer or a power supply, or not plugged into anything, and after programming it for stations in the Ocala region, I get nothing except the nearest weather channels. The full database for Florida and the US is installed.

What I mean by "nothing" is this:

I have squelch set at 2 bars and it scans the 100 or so regional stations in the area. It stops on nothing. When I set squelch to 0 bars (no squelch) it will stop on a frequency and just sit there, with static. Nothing but static on any station I stop on. Looking at the power meter as it scans, I do see occasional 2, 3, or 4 bar signals, but even on these, there is nothing but static. No beeps, codes, or anything but static. On a couple of stations, the signal power meter will pulsate on 5 bars (flash on and off every second). But no audible signal except uniform static.

I have fresh batteries. It scans fine. I have it set for my local frequencies, the stock antenna is on. I tried other antennae, inside and outside the house. Same nothing.

Main firmware version is 1.05
Sub firmware version is 1.02
Database version is 08/27.2017
Help version is 07/14/2014

Any suggestions?

I'm kind of thinking that I have a component failure somewhere because this thing is not that complicated.
 
Last edited:

nessnet

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 22, 2007
Messages
1,978
Location
Eastside of Lake WA
Good news here is that if you are getting weather, your RX/antenna is probably OK.

You don't say anything about WHAT you are scanning.
Are the system(s) trunked or conventional?
(Getting static indicates conventional)
Not getting anything on 800Mhz trunking could be re-banding (been there, done that).

First, are all if the intended service types selected properly?
In Sentinel, are all the Scan Selections both monitor and Download?

More details = better help

"Full database" - are you scanning using the zip code method?
STRONGLY suggest using Sentinel and building favorite lists for what you want to listen to.
 

Whiskey3JMC

Just another lowly hobbyist
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 16, 2006
Messages
7,789
Location
Philly burbs 🇺🇸
Without knowing specifics on what you are scanning and assuming you have created and are attempting to scan favorites lists, two things come to mind based on what you describe: Maybe simulcast distortion could be a factor on the system(s) you're attempting to scan? or maybe you have some service types disabled? And you're certain encryption isn't utilized? Again, knowing specific system info would help us better understand what may be happening. If any conventional channels are giving you trouble, have you tried entering them via quick frequency entry? And if so, any luck?

(Getting static indicates conventional)
True, but some people confuse analog "static" with digital data noise when a weak P25, DMR, NXDN, etc signal passes through
 
Last edited:

phask

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
3,745
Location
zanesville
8 months ago in NC mountains, Home Patrol worked well with its stock antenna. It brought in dozens of frequencies in a relatively rural area. Granted, we were at 3,000 feet. But it worked fine in Florida flatlands 2 years earlier just south a few miles of where I live now.

But now in the Ocala, Florida area, flat land at 70 foot elevation, no obstructions, inside or outside, with the same antenna, fresh batteries, with or without USB plugged into the computer or a power supply, or not plugged into anything, and after programming it for stations in the Ocala region, I get nothing except the nearest weather channels. The full database for Florida and the US is installed.

What I mean by "nothing" is this:

I have squelch set at 2 bars and it scans the 100 or so regional stations in the area. It stops on nothing. When I set squelch to 0 bars (no squelch) it will stop on a frequency and just sit there, with static. Nothing but static on any station I stop on. Looking at the power meter as it scans, I do see occasional 2, 3, or 4 bar signals, but even on these, there is nothing but static. No beeps, codes, or anything but static. On a couple of stations, the signal power meter will pulsate on 5 bars (flash on and off every second). But no audible signal except uniform static.

I have fresh batteries. It scans fine. I have it set for my local frequencies, the stock antenna is on. I tried other antennae, inside and outside the house. Same nothing.

Main firmware version is 1.05
Sub firmware version is 1.02
Database version is 08/27.2017
Help version is 07/14/2014

Any suggestions?

I'm kind of thinking that I have a component failure somewhere because this thing is not that complicated.

Database version is 08/27.2017

first thing I'd do is update the database.

Then let us know what and where you are trying to get. There is a lot of EDACS in FL.
 

NeedtoKnow2

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Messages
101
Location
I've moved.
I've tried it by Name of City, by Zip Code. Service types include Emergency Ops, Federal, EMS dispatch EMS-Tac, Fire dispatch, Fire-Tac Fire-talk, Hospital, Law dispatch, Law tac, and several others. I've varied from 200+ channels selected to over 600 channels selected.

Funny, "if any conventional channels are giving you trouble..." NO channels are working. I would think out of 600, someone would be saying something to someone!

""Full database" - are you scanning using the zip code method?" Yes, and City. And tried 15 to 25 miles distance settings.
"STRONGLY suggest using Sentinel and building favorite lists for what you want to listen to." I've used this in other locations using the "easy" methods this device was marketed on and it worked fine. Now, nothing, out of hundreds of channels it scans. It scans four or five counties in my region. City, county, state and federal agencies show up while scanning. But only static on all, or the scan doesn't stop on any unless the Squelch is Off.
 

Whiskey3JMC

Just another lowly hobbyist
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 16, 2006
Messages
7,789
Location
Philly burbs 🇺🇸
Again, pointing us to the specific system(s) in the RR database will give us a better picture of what you are trying to scan so we can rule out simulcast, encryption, etc. You stated the database version is 2 years old so my first step would be to update the database. Things can potentially change in 2 years
 

NeedtoKnow2

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Messages
101
Location
I've moved.
Home Patrol Sentinel has been updated to Database version 2.03 (2/16/2020). Ocala favorites have been uploaded to the Patrol II.
Favorites (total of 591 frequencies) are comprised of the following:

I still don't hear a peep out of any of them. Frankly, I would have thought that just using the Patrol II without the computer hookup, and entering new City/Zip and range that it should work. It showed my new local agencies as it scanned all those channels. So I don't see that what I just did would make any difference.

Natl Interagency Fire Center - USAOffConventionalOffIgnoreNAC Search
Itinerant Businesses - USAOffConventionalOffIgnoreNAC Search
National Interagency Fire Center - USAOffConventionalOffIgnoreNAC Search
Public Safety - USAOffConventionalOffIgnoreNAC Search
AlachuaOffConventionalOffIgnoreNAC Search
CitrusOffConventionalOffIgnoreNAC Search
HernandoOffConventionalOffIgnoreNAC Search
LakeOffConventionalOffIgnoreNAC Search
LevyOffConventionalOffIgnoreNAC Search
MarionOffConventionalOffIgnoreNAC Search
BusinessOffConventionalOffIgnoreNAC Search
BusinessesOffConventionalOffIgnoreNAC Search
FL Common/SharedOffConventionalOffIgnoreNAC Search
FL Department of Environmental ProtectionOffConventionalOffIgnoreNAC Search
FL Department of TransportationOffConventionalOffIgnoreNAC Search
FL Division of Emergency ManagementOffConventionalOffIgnoreNAC Search
FL Forest ServiceOffConventionalOffIgnoreNAC Search
FL MedevacOffConventionalOffIgnoreNAC Search
UtilitiesOffConventionalOffIgnoreNAC Search
Alachua County - Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRUCom ProjectOffP25 X2-TDMAOffIgnoreNAC Search
Basic Two-Way Radio (Williston)OffLTROffIgnoreNAC Search
Citrus County Public ServicesOffMotorolaOffOffIgnoreNAC Search
Citrus County Public Services (P25) SystemOffP25 StandardOffIgnoreNAC Search
Duke Energy (Florida)OffMotorolaOffOffIgnoreNAC Search
Gainesville / Alachua CountyOffMotorolaOffOffIgnoreNAC Search
Hernando CountyOffMotorolaOffOffIgnoreNAC Search
Marion County FL Public SafetyOffP25 StandardOffIgnoreNAC Search
Ocala Public SafetyOffP25 StandardOffIgnoreNAC Search
Public Safety Interoperable Communications Network (PSIC)OffP25 StandardOffIgnoreNAC Search
Reidy Rhodes and Taylor Communications (Gainesville)OffLTROffIgnoreNAC Search
Statewide Law Enforcement Radio System (P25)OffP25 StandardOffIgnoreNAC Search
Sumter County Public Safety SystemOffP25 StandardOffIgnoreNAC Search
Tri-Co Communications (The Villages)OffLTROffIgnoreNAC Search
 
Last edited:

popnokick

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Mar 21, 2004
Messages
2,870
Location
Northeast PA
The OP wrote they are trying to receive agencies in the Ocala FL area in the initial post. The RR DB for that area shows a capital “E” for many agencies in the Mode column. Doesn’t that mean Encrypted? Might this question receive a better answer in the Florida Forum here on RR?
 

tvengr

Well Known Member
Joined
Feb 10, 2019
Messages
10,517
Location
Baltimore County, MD
The database shows that Marion Co and Ocala fire and law enforcement are almost totally encrypted. You will not be able to receive it on any scanner.
 

NeedtoKnow2

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Messages
101
Location
I've moved.
The OP wrote they are trying to receive agencies in the Ocala FL area in the initial post. The RR DB for that area shows a capital “E” for many agencies in the Mode column. Doesn’t that mean Encrypted? Might this question receive a better answer in the Florida Forum here on RR?
And many agencies are NOT encrypted. I would think I would hear something. I haven't heard one word.

Where is the Florida Forum?
 

NeedtoKnow2

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Messages
101
Location
I've moved.
A bit frustrating when an "easy to use" purpose-built scanner is more difficult to scan agencies than was my Kenwood F6A portable.
 
Last edited:

WoodburyMan

Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2017
Messages
378
Location
Southington, CT
I've tried it by Name of City, by Zip Code. Service types include Emergency Ops, Federal, EMS dispatch EMS-Tac, Fire dispatch, Fire-Tac Fire-talk, Hospital, Law dispatch, Law tac, and several others. I've varied from 200+ channels selected to over 600 channels selected.

Funny, "if any conventional channels are giving you trouble..." NO channels are working. I would think out of 600, someone would be saying something to someone!

""Full database" - are you scanning using the zip code method?" Yes, and City. And tried 15 to 25 miles distance settings.
"STRONGLY suggest using Sentinel and building favorite lists for what you want to listen to." I've used this in other locations using the "easy" methods this device was marketed on and it worked fine. Now, nothing, out of hundreds of channels it scans. It scans four or five counties in my region. City, county, state and federal agencies show up while scanning. But only static on all, or the scan doesn't stop on any unless the Squelch is Off.
Your problem may be... too many channels. If you're scanning 600 channels, given most police, fire, etc tx's are only a few short seconds, you may end up missing a good deal of them while it loops through frequencies. This also makes sense that sometimes you get "bars" but it skips over them... if that's a Digital (p25 or otherwise) Trunked-System control channel or something it scans, there may be a signal, but currently no active talk groups are broadcasting so it skips over it after seeing no active.

Try cutting your range down maybe in the database to something smaller, or program a custom favorite list with just one or two nearby cities or counties that you think you should pick up and try that.
 

NeedtoKnow2

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Messages
101
Location
I've moved.
Your problem may be... too many channels. If you're scanning 600 channels, given most police, fire, etc tx's are only a few short seconds, you may end up missing a good deal of them while it loops through frequencies. This also makes sense that sometimes you get "bars" but it skips over them... if that's a Digital (p25 or otherwise) Trunked-System control channel or something it scans, there may be a signal, but currently no active talk groups are broadcasting so it skips over it after seeing no active.

Try cutting your range down maybe in the database to something smaller, or program a custom favorite list with just one or two nearby cities or counties that you think you should pick up and try that.
Thanks. That makes sense. I'll reduce range from 15 to 10 miles, and smaller than that if that didn't work.
 

jonwienke

More Info Coming Soon!
Joined
Jul 18, 2014
Messages
13,409
Location
VA
Range can be set to zero in the scanner menu. That setting is added to the service range listed for each site and department in the database.
 

NeedtoKnow2

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Messages
101
Location
I've moved.
Range can be set to zero in the scanner menu. That setting is added to the service range listed for each site and department in the database.
I'm coming around to the belief that there are just not many accessible channels (not encrypted) in my area. I'm also guessing I need to do a bit more radio tweaking to optimize duration of broadcasting channel "reads."
 

ratboy

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Nov 3, 2004
Messages
1,023
Location
Toledo,Ohio
I don't know if this will be any help...

My HP-1 worked great, at first, then it became basically silent. I had to do a hard reset to get it to work, sometimes several times to get anything except the WX and one very strong business transmitter that normally would be full quieting, and when the HP-1 was acting deaf, it was barely audible. Reset, check, reset, check, and on and on. I sent the HP-1 to Uniden and of course, they found nothing wrong with it. After a while, the antenna connection inside broke and after it went back to TX for a repair, it worked fine, for a while. I finally had enough and sold it off to someone who seems happy with it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top