Just ordered a HP2. Should be here in a couple days.
I've never used a HP1 or HP2 before, but have some experience with Uniden's 996XT and 396XT. I understand that the HP series scanners automatically program themselves from a frequency database. That's pretty neat, but it raises a question.
What if I only want to scan a certain group of manually programmed frequencies? For example, I like to scan my local amateur radio repeaters. Is it possible to hard program these frequencies into the HP2, and it scan them? I've researched a little bit and keep seeing stuff about a "favorites" list or something. Anyone care to explain a little deeper? Thanks!
With the HP2, you can scan using one, or both, of these two ways:
You can scan simply using the main database, using your location and range, and setting the service types for the types of transmissions you are looking for. Should you choose to use this method, I would still second RBMTS' suggestion to download & install Sentinel. Then, update the database in Sentinel & use the software to download the most current database to the scanner. As originally shipped, your scanner will have a copy of the database, but it is likely to be well out of date. If using location and range, you want to have current information, as there could have been many changes and additions since the database version on the scanner was created.
Or, you can create one or more Favorites lists, containing only those agencies and channels you prefer. You can do that either by manually entering system information for each agency, or by appending the information from the main database in Sentinel. If you append to a Favorites list, you may well get certain channels, and/or sites, that are not of interest, or well outside of your area. The "extra sites" often occur when you append a statewide or regional trunked system, but these can easily be excised via editing.
Note that if you are manually creating one or more systems that you want included in your Favorites list, then you must either include location data for them, or do not use "location" on your list. The reason is, if you manually create a system, and do not add location details, the latitude & longitude are blank, essentially zero degrees for each. That is treated as a location in the Atlantic Ocean, off the west coast of Africa, which the scanner will ignore as out of range. If, instead, you append the system from the main database, the location will append with the system, requiring no additional editing in order to use location control when scanning the list.
For an illustration of how Location Control and Range work, see this:
How it Works: Location, Location, Location
Also, when shipped, the only public safety service types that are enabled are the ones labeled as Dispatch (Law Dispatch, Fire Dispatch, EMS Dispatch, and Multi-Dispatch). Also enable the
Tac and
Talk types for those (Law Talk, Fire Tac, etc).
There is an Easier to Read manual that covers both your scanner as well as Sentinel.
There is also a page in the Wiki with an overview of the Home Patrol scanners,
wiki.radioreference.com
You can also find a number of 'how to' videos on YouTube.
