Newbie HomePatrol User

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guruuno

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Joined
Nov 18, 2011
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81
Location
Metuchen, NJ
Recently bought a HomePatrol-1, upgraded to Extreme, have ICOM Discone antenna, not particularly super excited about the coverage. Am I missing something? I was drooling for this scanner, and years ago was a happy camper with my RS Pro-2006, but now.......uuuugh! How do I put it in 'auto-pilot' air what do I need to do?

I punch in my zip, I get Senior Bus, Menlo Park Mall Security, pretty much quiet.

Please, I want to utilize the fun of this, but so far am a little disappointed!!

(Called Uniden support, tech guy did not even know what a Discone antenna was!!!!)
 

OCO

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Jul 17, 2011
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928
Location
Central Michigan
For a start (using full database, not a Favorite):
1: Set the range at maximum ( even though this may overlap the range of any systems that you are located within)
2: Make sure the attenuator is off (dot next to "ATTEN" is white, not red
3: Set the squelch at one or two bars to start.
4: Verify your Zip is correct
5: Most important, check which Services you have turned on to monitor. ( I turn them all on to test).

Note that after selecting the full database and turning on all Services to monitor, you should see many systems to monitor in the count it gives you.

This should run the unit about as wide open as possible. You obviously will want to turn some services off, adjust range and go from full database to creating some Favorites once you verify that you're getting systems to listen to..
 

guruuno

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Nov 18, 2011
Messages
81
Location
Metuchen, NJ
OK, now?

OK, I reset, followed thee instructions, and now all I get is New York City.
Can someone give me a pointer, or an idea as to why I bothered to buy this scanner?
Additionally, was there a reason O purchased the 'Extreme Upgrade'? (other than to be EXTREMELY dissatisfied)

I'd would really like to maximize my usage of this scanner, anyone?
 

sjlamb

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Joined
May 27, 2007
Messages
882
Location
Sarasota County, FL
OK, I reset, followed thee instructions, and now all I get is New York City.
Can someone give me a pointer, or an idea as to why I bothered to buy this scanner?
Additionally, was there a reason O purchased the 'Extreme Upgrade'? (other than to be EXTREMELY dissatisfied)

I'd would really like to maximize my usage of this scanner, anyone?

At the risk of sounding stupid... Have you read the User's Manual yet?? I only ask because it seems as if you have no idea as to what a "Favorites List" is.... How to make one, and, how to use one. If you learn and master the use of "Favorites Lists", you will fully appreciate the reason why you bought the radio and the upgrade.

If you're simply not into reading... then you could try to post in the New Jersey section of the forum and see if someone will email you the custom list(s) that they have made up for specific use in your area.
 
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OCO

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Jul 17, 2011
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928
Location
Central Michigan
If you don't want to listen to NYC, then set the range lower. If you want to get more selective about what you are hearing, shut off undesired services. If you still aren't happy, read the manual, learn how to create Favorites with Sentinel and select exactly what you want. If you don't know why you purchased options, it sounds like you didn't do much homework before you bought......can't help you there.

Steve - they're in New Jersey, Middlesex COunty, fairly close to NYC and using a Discone.. fairly hard to shut out NYC .
 
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sjlamb

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May 27, 2007
Messages
882
Location
Sarasota County, FL
Steve - they're in New Jersey, Middlesex COunty, fairly close to NYC and using a Discone.. fairly hard to shut out NYC .

Yeah... I just now realized that he's in NJ. He needs to do exactly as you have outlined. Learning to make Favorites List in Sentinel for just those comms he wants to hear will make him a happy camper.

Since he makes no mention of using the Sentinel software, you now have me wondering if he is even hook-up to the computer for programming and editing.
 

guruuno

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Nov 18, 2011
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Location
Metuchen, NJ
RTFM, yes I did

However, maybe I'm "misled" but the sales pitch. "Just punch in your zip code and go"?

Go where, why "program" favorites if I cannot even get anything but NYC....what's the point?
 

sjlamb

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Joined
May 27, 2007
Messages
882
Location
Sarasota County, FL
However, maybe I'm "misled" but the sales pitch. "Just punch in your zip code and go"?

Go where, why "program" favorites if I cannot even get anything but NYC....what's the point?

The claim is true. You just punch in your zip code and you will be scanning EVERY radio system of every kind under the sun that is within 30-50 miles of your location. Given your location near NYC, that means there will be a HUGE amount of radio traffic to be scanned before it may reach that which your'e interested in hearing.

On the other hand, if you pare down that huge amount of radio traffic in your area to just those things and areas that interest you, you will begin to appreciate the tremendous flexability of this scanner. If you expect the scanner to know what small amount of the database that you personally want to monitor then, yes, you will continue to be disappointed. It IS a great piece of equipment but only as great as you tell it to be.

If you bothered to learn how to create and use "Favorite Lists", you wouldn't be hearing NYC or anything else that you didn't put on the Favorites List that you created.
 
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Joined
Aug 31, 2011
Messages
63
Location
North Zulch, Tx.
Here is a question for you, Have you tried taking the scanner outside of your home and using it in the open? The reason I ask is depending on where you live and the type of structure you live in you may need an external antenna. My house is entirely made of metal and I can't pick up anything with the little rubber antenna that comes with this radio or any other or TV stations. If I go outside I can pick up most of the stations within about 20 miles. With my third party scanner antenna that I purchased 10 or so years ago mounted on a 20 foot pole I easily pickup stations as far as 100 miles away.

Just a thought,

Richard
 

jkahn

Very good looking Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Aug 7, 2003
Messages
403
Location
Silver Spring MD

If you followed the above instructions, it should already be there in the full database that was selected by using your zip code. The NYC system you are hearing is probably got enough channels that it is not releasing the carrier long enough to scan other systems that were selected. Try this:

While the NYC system is talking, tap the top of the three bars across the screen to highlight it. tap the little arrow on the right side of that bar. a menu appears with "AVOID" on the top line. tap the word AVOID. another menu appears across the screen. Tap the leftmost of the three choices "temporary". The menu disappears with a "beep". tap the highlighted bar at the top of the screen to resume scanning.

You will have temporarily locked out (Avoided) the NYC system, which should now allow other systems to appear on the scanner. When you turn off the scanner and turn it back on, the avoided system will be restored to scanning again. If this does what you want it to, you can select permanent avoid instead of temporary, and you will have to choose and "un-avoid" the system if you want to turn it back on again.

Using a discone is going to pull in more systems rather than less, so you might also try using the rubber duckie that came with the HP-1 and see if that limits reception to more local traffic.

I have found that this radio is more sensitive than my older 296 and 996 (T models), although the speaker and amplification leave something to be desired when outside or mobile.

Most of us HP-1 users love the radio, but it does take some reading and playing to get comfortable with, unless you just want to use it out of the box, in which case you lose the ability to choose a lot of what you hear in favor of everything it can (and will) pick up.

JK :)
 

rwier

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Nov 6, 2006
Messages
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Phoenix, AZ
..........................................................................Most of us HP-1 users love the radio, but it does take some reading and playing to get comfortable with, unless you just want to use it out of the box, in which case you lose the ability to choose a lot of what you hear in favor of everything it can (and will) pick up.
JK :)

Hear! Hear!

Every now and then a post comes up on RR resembling:

___________________________________________I Just bought this ______ radio. I've followed the instructions perfectly and entered all the frequencies perfectly and I still can't hear _______! I'm about to throw this $500 brick out the window. Can any of you help me? I am about to go crazy!_______________________________________

I always suspect that the poster actually works for a competing radio company, and is an Industrial saboteur, lol.
 

KD8HE

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
177
Location
Beckley WV

To create a new favorites list (database) with these systems you show...
-Open Sentinal
-Find your county in the main HP database in the left viewing pane
-Left click mouse on the county of interest in the list on the left
-you should see all of the systems listed in that county in the right viewing pane
-Left click on the first system at the top of the right pane
-hold the shift key and left click on the last system in the right pane
-all systems should be highlighted in blue.
-place your cursor anywhere over the highlighted area and right click
-drop down menu will appear... select first item "append favorites list"
-a dialogue box will appear asking you to choose a favorites list to append or give you an option (button) to create a new list.
-Once you create a new list or select and existing list your selections will be added to the list you have selected or created (in one fell swoop)

Keep in mind you can duplicate systems in one database if you chose to append (add) the same systems intentionally or by mistake. Also note that all of the systems you desire for your new list may not be in one category in the main HP database (i.e. State, County, Nationwide, etc) so you may have to select systems from several categories to get all you want. You cannot modify the main HP database nor would you want to since each new update would overwrite any modification you would make.

All in all Sentinal does a nice job of database creation and edits once you find your way around.
Good Luck,
Harry
 
Joined
Aug 31, 2011
Messages
63
Location
North Zulch, Tx.
To create a new favorites list (database) with these systems you show...
-Open Sentinal
-Find your county in the main HP database in the left viewing pane
-Left click mouse on the county of interest in the list on the left
-you should see all of the systems listed in that county in the right viewing pane
-Left click on the first system at the top of the right pane
-hold the shift key and left click on the last system in the right pane
-all systems should be highlighted in blue.
-place your cursor anywhere over the highlighted area and right click
-drop down menu will appear... select first item "append favorites list"
-a dialogue box will appear asking you to choose a favorites list to append or give you an option (button) to create a new list.
-Once you create a new list or select and existing list your selections will be added to the list you have selected or created (in one fell swoop)

Keep in mind you can duplicate systems in one database if you chose to append (add) the same systems intentionally or by mistake. Also note that all of the systems you desire for your new list may not be in one category in the main HP database (i.e. State, County, Nationwide, etc) so you may have to select systems from several categories to get all you want. You cannot modify the main HP database nor would you want to since each new update would overwrite any modification you would make.

All in all Sentinal does a nice job of database creation and edits once you find your way around.
Good Luck,
Harry

And don't forget that after you create the lists in sentinal you still have to upload the new lists to the Hp1
 

KD8HE

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
177
Location
Beckley WV
absolutely...you would have a nice new favorites list (in Sentinal) and still couldnt hear anything...thanks
Harry
 
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