HomePatrol 2 monitors sites arbitrarily

[rustinn]

I've had this problem for a while now. I'm trying to monitor sites that are closest to me on the TXWARN system to listen in on the Harris County Sheriff and Constable patrol channels. For some odd reason, my HP2 will show the sites closest to me that I know broadcast the channels I want to listen to as inactive when I click on "advanced" under the TXWARN system. I've adjusted my range, squelch, I've turned on and off location control in sentinel, I've created a favorites list with only the sites I need, etc. and I am having zero luck. The sites are within range. Once in a blue moon I'll hear something on my desired channels but my guess is it's a transmission from a tower far away that just happened to make it back to my HP2.

How can I get my HP2 to monitor certain sites (ie. make the site "red" under advanced system settings)?

 

[hiegtx]

I've had this problem for a while now. I'm trying to monitor sites that are closest to me on the TXWARN system to listen in on the Harris County Sheriff and Constable patrol channels. For some odd reason, my HP2 will show the sites closest to me that I know broadcast the channels I want to listen to as inactive when I click on "advanced" under the TXWARN system. I've adjusted my range, squelch, I've turned on and off location control in sentinel, I've created a favorites list with only the sites I need, etc. and I am having zero luck. The sites are within range. Once in a blue moon I'll hear something on my desired channels but my guess is it's a transmission from a tower far away that just happened to make it back to my HP2.

How can I get my HP2 to monitor certain sites (ie. make the site "red" under advanced system settings)?

A couple of questions:

Are you using location control on that Favorites list?

Also, did you create the list (and sites) manually? Or did you append them from the main database?

If you are using location control, and created the sites manually, did you add the GPS location coordinates for each site?

 

[rustinn]

A couple of questions:

Are you using location control on that Favorites list?

Also, did you create the list (and sites) manually? Or did you append them from the main database?

If you are using location control, and created the sites manually, did you add the GPS location coordinates for each site?

I've created a favorites list using both methods. I've also tried location control on and off for the favorites list.

 

[rustinn]

Here's a video demonstrating my issue. Notice how Fort Bend County Simulcast and Harris County Central sites show as inactive but the control channels show decent signal with identifying data coming across both. I'm missing out on a ton of traffic because of these and Clodine as showing inactive.

https://goo.gl/photos/TLjAYfAM8RmJ34QS6

 

[phask]

I think you are looking at inactive and think they are active.

The black ones are active.

Also - even inactive ones will show that if you drill down and look at the site freqs.

If you relly think that is an issue - delete the sites or avoid the sites.

Here's a video demonstrating my issue. Notice how Fort Bend County Simulcast and Harris County Central sites show as inactive but the control channels show decent signal with identifying data coming across both. I'm missing out on a ton of traffic because of these and Clodine as showing inactive.

https://goo.gl/photos/TLjAYfAM8RmJ34QS6

 

[slayer816]

I see you have all the sites in alphabetical order. Which is default and normal for an appended system.

While learning the HP2 with our state's P25 system, I noticed that site order does play a factor.

I have a favorites list for my parish (county for everyone but my state) and the parish next door. I would drive between the two and notice that the HP2 would not properly switch to the next site like I wanted. I would thus lose some TGs that didn't transmit on the untracked site, similar to your issue. For each parish I delete all sites but the local site and the ones in surrounding parishes. Even when switching favorites lists, turning Location Control on/off, unplugging GPS, etc.. I just couldn't get it to track like I wanted.

Until I noticed that both my HP2 and 436HP (which I did not own at the time) scan for sites in the order they are programmed, which is usually alphabetical. I switched the order of the sites manually to the order of which I thought should be closer depending on what favorite list I'm in and all of a sudden; the HP moved in order of site to site as I programmed it. Now I have LC off and use the GPS for site selection only. Worked like a charm.

If there is any signal coming from any site, it will go to the first one in order. Let's say I had Marion-Bastrop-Monroe. I want Bastrop, but I do get some signal on Marion. So instead of clicking avoid or deleting Marion, I move it below Bastrop in the list. Now it always selects Bastrop by default, which is exactly what I want.

Move your sites around to your preference in a test favorites list. I bet you if you put the site you want first, as first in order, it may help. The HP2 seems to search sites in the order they are programmed and will stop on the first one that has signal. Even if it is not the one you are closest to.

And yes, RED is inactive. BLACK is active. You had it reversed in your first posts.

 

[slayer816]

Not that my post needs to be longer, but sometimes I use this intentionally to listen to TG's that are not on my "home" site.

Hope that gives you an idea how you can manipulate the order of the sites to monitor a specific one.

 

[McFly1]

If there is any signal coming from any site, it will go to the first one in order. Let's say I had Marion-Bastrop-Monroe. I want Bastrop, but I do get some signal on Marion. So instead of clicking avoid or deleting Marion, I move it below Bastrop in the list. Now it always selects Bastrop by default, which is exactly what I want.

Move your sites around to your preference in a test favorites list. I bet you if you put the site you want first, as first in order, it may help. The HP2 seems to search sites in the order they are programmed and will stop on the first one that has signal. Even if it is not the one you are closest to.

I am experiencing a similar issue. Can you change the order of sites on the HP2 itself or must that be done in Sentinel?

I have several sites and I want it to check the closest one first when it is scanning.

 

[rbrtklamp2]

Watching the signal strength meter in your video shows you have marginal reception on most of the frequencies I saw you demonstrate with. The control channel signal maybe to low which would cause you to miss packet data pointing to a talk group on which case the conversation is missed completely when in trunking mode. Take a road trip and go sit by one of the towers or in a place that has better reception. And I think you will see a big difference . It could also be LSM distortion causing you miss transmissions if the control channel If out of sink or overloaded. My last thought would be RFI try unplugging
some for the electronics in the room the scanner is in and slowly make your way are around the house. Sometimes when I can't find a source of RFI and I am pretty sure it is I will turn off the main breaker in my fuse box in the basement if the signal improves I know i have to find the offending gadget if no change I know it is something external and I start taking other approaches to rectifying the situation.

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