Home Patrol - What I'd love to see...

[Air490]

Uniden Australia have now given up completely on digital scanners. That means that Australian and New Zealand residents that want a digital scanner have to buy them from the US. I would love a Home Patrol scanner, but they would be nothing more than a paperweight in Australia.

I really hope that Uniden bring out a programable version of the Home Patrol. The idea of having a small touch screen scanner in my car is great, but as it stands HP-1 is no good to me.

I live in hope

 

[rdale]

I really hope that Uniden bring out a programable version of the Home Patrol.

It exists today... It's called the "HP-1" and you'll find it at many outlets now. The software to program on your own hasn't been publicly released at this time though.

 

[Air490]

My understanding from reading most of the available information is that it can't be programmed by the user at this stage. You can put single frequencies into the unit, but not whole systems as you can with other scanners.

I'm just hoping that first firmware upgrade makes it fully user programmable.

 

[Drowsiness]

My understanding from reading most of the available information is that it can't be programmed by the user at this stage. You can put single frequencies into the unit, but not whole systems as you can with other scanners.

I'm just hoping that first firmware upgrade makes it fully user programmable.

But from my understanding, nothing is to stop you from programming a "database" yourself and then uploading it to the scanner. At least that was what people were saying early on when the user's manual was first released.

Sorry I do not have much more information beyond that (as in, a howto), but I am sure you can figure it out if you look around here for awhile.

Good luck!

 

[rdale]

My understanding from reading most of the available information is that it can't be programmed by the user at this stage.

Correct, because the only software right now doesn't allow it. Other vendors are working on software that will let you program it at will.

Right now if you're good with text files you can change the Favorites file manually and send that, but there's more work involved. But the point is - it can be done with this scanner.

 

[Viper43]

There is one thing rdale isn't considering here, the bands are different and that is in the firmware not software controlled. It may even be hard coded in the chip, then firmware would have no affect at all. To use it in Austrailia would be pretty dificult I believe, especially dealing with the cellular blocked US 800mhz band and so on.

 

[rdale]

You might be right, but I didn't see anything in his message about band concerns - he just wanted to be able to program in his own freq's. If that was the case and his bandplan was different, HP1 won't ever work.

 

[Viper43]

I remember that being the issue with another scanner thats why I brought it up.

 

[Air490]

The band plans are not a huge issue. UHF is the same, and the US cellular block cuts 1MHz from out 800MHz trunking allocations. Having said that, unlike the US, these are only used by businesses.

HP-1 does UHF digital trunking and both airbands. That's what I'm interested in. Looks like I will have to keep a close eye on what happens with software.

Thanks guys.

 

[questnz]

Agree with Air490, we have the same dilema here in NZ, RR database is no use and all have to be programmed manually. Love to have HP-1 in NZ now but until the programming issue will be much clear we have to wait.
ps I think the same apply to PRO 107 and GRE 700, not much use Down Under. This issue not only affecting users here but all travelers with these units to South Pacific destinations. Uniden must do bit better.