HP-2: HP-2 Questions

[curtisa]

Greetings, I'm in need of assistance concerning my Home Patrol II scanner that I just received this week.
I want to monitor the San Antonio Fire Department but the only two frequencies available in the Sentinel software is a patch frequency and the all call wake up tones. I receive transmissions from the All Call channel but no verbal. However, here on Radio Reference I pull up San Antonio FD and there's tons of dispatch and Tac channels.
How can I get these frequencies and then program them into my HP 2? I'm decades behind in scanner technology so any advice I may get probably will have to be dumbed down a bit. Thanks for any advice you all may provide!
Curtis

 

[jonwienke]

Use the Sentinel program to update the scanner. The update will have everything in the RR database.

 

[KevinC]

The original dispatch is analog, all other traffic is Pro-Voice, which I believe the HP-2 won't decode.

 

[curtisa]

Oh great! I tried to do as much research as I could before I bought this HP 2. Thought for sure it would pick anything up. So is there another scanner that will decode the ProVoice system?

I’ve used the Sentinal software and only see these two frequencies and not what I see on Radio Reference. Gotta be doing something wrong.

 

[KevinC]

You're probably not doing anything wrong. Sentinel won't import Pro-Voice talkgroups since the radio won't decode them.

I know the BCD436/536 and SDS100 will decode PV (with a paid upgrade).

 

[jonwienke]

The HP2 will not receive ProVoice, DMR, or NXDN. The HomePatrol version of Sentinel filters out systems that model can't receive.

The 436, 536, and SDS100 will receive ProVoice, but they require a $50 upgrade key separate from the cost of the scanner.

The HP2 will receive the San Antonio Urban Area P25 system, which has talkgroups listed for the San Antonio Fire Department:
https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=7017

You might want try monitoring that system to see if it has the traffic you want. But if it doesn't, you'll need a different scanner.

 

[KevinC]

The HP2 will receive the San Antonio Urban Area P25 system, which has talkgroups listed for the San Antonio Fire Department:
https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=7017

You might want try monitoring that system to see if it has the traffic you want. But if it doesn't, you'll need a different scanner.

That will will be hit or miss as traffic will only be on that system if a radio is affiliated to it.

Best bet is PV capable radio.

 

[KE4ZNR]

Edited the thread title to make it more descriptive.

Marshall KE4ZNR

 

[curtisa]

Thank you all for the info. It’s getting a bit clearer now. And I was going to get the BCD 436 or 536! Oh well. Thanks again!!