INDY DPS, IMPD P25 changes and HP-1 hit failure

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cognetic

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About a week ago, 3 separate, newish Uniden HP-1s simultaneously and suddenly lost the ability to hit on and/or decode the Dept of Public Safety (SYSTEM) IMPD (DEPT) CHANNELS. This was after several months of performing flawlessly.

In immediate side-by-side comparison, the Uniden BCD436HP & BCD536HP models did not miss a thing. Similarly, the RR feed for IMPD in Indy seemed to have no problems - though I'm unfamiliar with the radio used by the feed provider.

The thread I started is here: http://forums.radioreference.com/un...8514-hp-1-high-strangeness-emp-desensing.html .

A week later, I'm still perplexed with why this occurred and can only come up with the most common element impacting ALL 3 units as some change in the P25 phase I system signals associated with the traffic that somehow affects only the Indianapolis Public Safety system that seems to be implicated
(Indianapolis Department Of Public Safety Trunking System, Indianapolis, Indiana - Scanner Frequencies )

Has anyone else in the Indy area using an HP-1 experienced this, as well? Any other scanner models experiencing something similar?
 

SCPD

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There have been some mods to the system a ways back some in preps for the new Hamilton County P25 System and other IDPS”MECA” improvements and upcoming changes to IDPS however the mods should have if any thing greatly improved picking up the System. I think it was back in 2013 they put in for some changes with the FCC and they where granted and changes made. I my self pick it up better now.
 

INDY72

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If all the plans take effect, and things roll out then monitoring the IDPS systems will be easy for almost anyone with the addition of the 2 former Citizen's Energy sites, and the merge of tower usage by both systems on ALL sites. (Still trying to dig info on the other future proposed system they want to do.)
 

cognetic

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Thank you for the replies, all.
To clarify, this issue is only impacting the HP-1s (4 separate units - 3 newish, 1 brand new) , involves lack of reception for all IDPS depts. & channels, and there has been no effect on any BCDx36HPs.

It also occurred suddenly, last week, after the HP-1s were working flawlessly and had no recent firmware or db load associated with the sudden loss of reception.

All the HP-1s (new one sent back) are still having the issue and do not stop on any IDPS hits when compared to 436 and 536s side-by-side.

Very frustrating!!
 

W9NES

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cognetc, I sent you a pm about the Uniden Hp-1. Will be glad to help you with a test on the Northwest Side near 79Th and Michigan Road were a Uniden Hp-1 will NOT pick up IDPSC. A control channel is present on the Hp-1 but will not pick up. When I move out of the are south of 79Th and Michigan Road the Hp-1 will pick up just fine.
 

INDY72

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Tim, possible overload on the HP-1 Front End, or just too much multipath there?
 

cognetic

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Tim, that is interesting about your experience.
I have now experimented since sudden onset last week with mobile use of 2 out of 3 HP-1s and can confirm the issue persists in a wide area between boundary points of Broad Ripple, 86th & Michigan, Zionsville, and Carmel. I have used antennas optimized for 800MHz (base, mobile, portable) and stock antennas with no problems for past several months. In testing, I have used all the same antennas plus more broad band antennas +/- 800MHz filter in line and yet the sudden onset of the problem persists. BTW, it was at my fixed office location, around 2000 west 86th, where I first noticed the problem with a desktop HP-1 using a stock antenna, which has worked fine since March.

I've tried using the antenna attenuation to no avail, as well.

Thanks for the PM and offer to assist, I'll respond later.

You guys are awesome for offering insights and help!!
 

W9NES

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Milf,Thanks but SAFE-T works well with no problems.Just cannot pick up IDPSC in the areas that cognetic has posted. Would like to show others that if they go to a parking lot in the 7800 Block of North Michigan Road in a strip mall there is no siginal of cc channel that will lock up. There is NO dead zone on Michigan Road south of 71Street all the way down to 38Th Street near Crown Hill. The problem is so bad the Pike Township Fire Department put a mobile repeater in Batation 60 for better on scene communications. This infomation was given to me by the Pike EMS Chief.After Pike Fire did this they now can hear all the firefighters inside Wall mart at 3220 West 86Th Street. and all over Pike Township.
 

W9NES

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My Uniden Hp-1 and the Uniden 396XT have the same problem. Radio Shack's scanners at 86Th and Mcihigan Road will not pick up IDPSC even with a outdoor antennna on the roof. There are dead spots in areas of Indianapolis/Marion County, Another area is Mann Road and I-465 on the southwestern part of Marion County. You do not have the problem with Safe-t. system. in Indianapolis/Marion County.
 

W9NES

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Also had another friend that came over and lives outside the Indianapolis area that has a Uniden Hp-1 and the same thing happened to him. He could not pick up MECA now (IDPSC) in my area of 79Th Street and Michigan Road. After he left the area and went back home outside the county his reception of IDPSC was fine.
 

cognetic

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I've been doing side-by-side comparisons the past 2 evenings between HP-1, 536, and 436 from in BRipple location.

The night before last, I was surprised to find an HP-1(device #2, BETA fw with M8 setting) actually hitting on some IDPSC channels but not all (never IMPD north). When I checked another HP-1 (device #3, same BETA fw M8 setting) using a base 800-900MHz antenna, no hits at all. Then I checked another HP-1 (device #1, same BETA fw M8) with same antenna from device #2 -- no hits at all. After about an hour, HP-1 device #2 stopped hitting altogether on IDPSC.

Last night none of the HP-1s hit on IDPSC, but if I held on the IDPS and IMPD, I did notice some hits on the IMPD division channels though never with audio decoded on device #3 with base antenna.

All along the 436 and 536s seem to work flawlessly with nothing more than simple stock antennas. I'm about to give up on the HP-1s as they are now categorically unreliable (Ebay?). I might keep one for testing in hopes a future firmware upgrade fixes the problem with our local system.

So weird...
 

Clayfire11

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Uniden BCD 436HP

I am looking to purchase a BCD436HP in hopes of getting IFD reception much better and not hit and miss. I now have a GRECOM 700 and it is not the best, does anyone have one of these new Uniden radio's and if so how good are they really? Please advise
 

crash_iam

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Uniden HP-1s are complete garbage cost way too much. People don't waste your good money on HP-1s.
 

cognetic

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BCDX36 and IFD

Clayfire: the 436 works perfect for portable use in the Indy metro area. I use both 436 and 536, though I do think the 536 has the edge for performance (using same antennas, at same locations).

-cognetic
 

cognetic

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Same exact issue on HP-1 and HP-2. It is related to lack of NFM IF filtering per UPMan's assistance.
Unfortunate...

-cognetic
 

dwiniger

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Dang it. Really want the HP2 to be the one! Didn't want to buy the 536 out of principle given the broken promises.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

cognetic

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I was also hoping the HP-2 would not have this issue... and yet for some reason I continue to power up the HP-2 every few days thinking somehow it will magically start working... then I hear the 536s and 436 picking up the targeted channels and no such fortune with the HP-2... dang it...

-cognetic
 
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