HP1 and "Full database"?

[wbswetnam]

I recently got my Home Patrol and overall I am pleased with it. However, I am confused why it says that it loads the "whole (state) database", yet when I freeze it on my state's radio network (Arkansas AWIN), it only shows some of the talkgroups available on the system, but not all (I though it was supposed to load the whole database for AWIN(?)). Also, it loads the talk groups for some counties far away from my county and ignores some county talkgroups much closer to where I live. For example: I live in north central Arkansas. For AWIN, it loads the talkgroups for Mississippi County in the southest corner of the state, but it ignores Craighead County, which is much closer to me and I'd like to hear it if it is available. (BTW I also own a Pro-96 scanner so I know how sometimes you can hear talkgroups from far away but not always.)

OK so my question is, how can I get Home Patrol to indeed load the whole database for AWIN, and not just parts of it? And how do I manage the database for including talkgroups that the HP seems to avoid? Thanks.

Oh and one more thing - the Home Patrol seems to get lousy reception on the stock antenna for conventional VHF frequencies. My Pro-96 gets MUCH better reception of VHF conventional channels than the Home Patrol.

 

[UPMan]

This blog entry: How it Works: Location, Location, Location

explains which channels get loaded. If distant counties are being loaded, then I would suspect that they are not correctly tagged with their location.

If you really want all of AWIN loaded, put the system in a Favorites List and turn off location control for that list.

 

[wbswetnam]

This blog entry: How it Works: Location, Location, Location

explains which channels get loaded. If distant counties are being loaded, then I would suspect that they are not correctly tagged with their location.

If you really want all of AWIN loaded, put the system in a Favorites List and turn off location control for that list.

OK thanks. I will try your suggestion about loading AWIN into a favorites list.

To improve the VHF conventional reception I went to Radio Shack today and got a mobile scanner antenna, I chopped off all but 8" of the cable, put on a male SMA connector, then plugged my frankentenna into the Home Patrol. The reception is MUCH improved now.

 

[wbswetnam]

Loading AWIN in Favorites

OK thanks. I will try your suggestion about loading AWIN into a favorites list.

I' ve been looking at the Sentinel software and it is not very intuitive at all. The "Help" file in Sentinel is not much help at all. What I want to do is import the AWIN data file in Excel format to Sentinel as a Favorite. Is this possible, and if so how is it done?

 

[phask]

I' ve been looking at the Sentinel software and it is not very intuitive at all. The "Help" file in Sentinel is not much help at all. What I want to do is import the AWIN data file in Excel format to Sentinel as a Favorite. Is this possible, and if so how is it done?

Not a direct import available - but you should be able to cut and paste.

I think Arc-Patrol will take an Excel file but can't be certain. I have it but no longer use it with all the added functions in Sentinel.

 

[UPMan]

Why not just right-click on AWIN in the main database and select "Apend Favorites List"? That would put all of AWIN into a favorites list.

 

[wbswetnam]

Appending to Favorites List

Why not just right-click on AWIN in the main database and select "Apend Favorites List"? That would put all of AWIN into a favorites list.

I tried that. It doesn't work. I got a long list of "Cannot paste to ______" errors. Has anyone else done this successfully?

 

[OCO]

UPMan didn't mean that you should try to paste data from an excel spread sheet - he meant open up Sentinel, browse down though the DB to the AWIN system, right click on it and select "Append Favorites List" to create a new Favorite ... Finish creating it, save, turn off location control (second page of the profile editor or do it on the HP1 after uploading), upload to the HP1 and select it to scan.

 

[wbswetnam]

You wrote "... Finish creating it"

I guess I'm thick... what do you mean? Enter each talk group manually? Sorry I just don't understand what to do to create a Favorites List. I wish there were a YouTube video to demonstrate this task.

 

[OCO]

You wrote "... Finish creating it"

I guess I'm thick... what do you mean? Enter each talk group manually? Sorry I just don't understand what to do to create a Favorites List. I wish there were a YouTube video to demonstrate this task.

Finishing actually involves supplying a name for the favorite and pressing < enter>. Sentinel will take all the information from the full database and put it in that favorite.

Note that if you select "Help" and contents from the Sentinel toolbar, there's a point by point list on creating a Favorite.

Have you used Favorites on the HP1 yet, rather than or in addition to the full database? You seem a little confused yet on several of the basics of the HP1. I know that UPMan referred you to the Uniden Blog, that explains the location based concept very well...Keep asking questions, we'll try to get you through the initial learning curve..

 

[wbswetnam]

I got it now

OK, I figured it out and now it is scanning a Favorites List with just the AWIN system. Now, I want it to also can my local PD/ FD systems, too, of course. Should I create a second Favorites List, and scan both Favorites Lists at the same time (I hope it allows that)?

 

[OCO]

You can monitor up to 256 Favorites at one time. I build them based on service type for my area, system specific and even combo Favorites that contain the systems I use most often.

 

[wbswetnam]

Thanks!

You can monitor up to 256 Favorites at one time. I build them based on service type for my area, system specific and even combo Favorites that contain the systems I use most often.

So so cool! Thanks to everyone for your help! Now I have HP1 doing precisely what I want it to do.