Poor receive HP-2

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cfdlt6

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I have had nothing but problems since purchasing a Home Patrol 2. The first unit didn't recognize or charge batteries, so it was sent back and replaced. The replacement has the same problem. I've thrown my hands up and just run it off AC. The receive quality is pretty poor in my vehicle, in my opinion. I have tried 3 different antennas and there is no real performance gain with any. Does any else have problems like this or am I just continuing my streak of luck? <insert sarcasm here> Thanks for any input. Brian
 

sibbley

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Wow, sorry to hear your HP2 has been a bad experience. I can say I have not had any real issues. Just a question since you did not specify. Are you using an antenna mounted to the outside of the vehicle? I've had trouble over the years with scanner mounted duck antennas inside certain vehicles.

Have you checked to make sure the frequencies have not been accidentally attenuated? Attenuation can be set globally or on a channel by channel basis.
 

cfdlt6

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I started with the duck antenna and had expected results, marginal. I have tried an interior glass mount and an exterior mount. There was some improvement but certainly not great. I haven't messed around with the attenuation, I am not very familiar with adjusting those settings.
 

Guccisock5

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Where are the sites you’re trying to pickup. You may be in a bad spot using not the greatest antennas.
 

maus92

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How did you "increase the range?" Have you programmed a Favorites list?
 

cfdlt6

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How did you "increase the range?" Have you programmed a Favorites list?
On the top of the screen "Range". I haven't done a favorites list yet, I want to getting it working before I invest time in to it... Pretty close to just throwing in the towel to be honest.
 

hiegtx

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On the top of the screen "Range". I haven't done a favorites list yet, I want to getting it working before I invest time in to it... Pretty close to just throwing in the towel to be honest.
Since you are using just the main database:
Make sure it's up to date. Get the latest database version by downloading into Sentinel (you might want to wait until tomorrow afternoon, after this week's update is available.)
Make sure that your location is correct.
Also, make sure you have all the correct Service Types enabled. By default, only Dispatch is enabled for Public Safety Services, i.e. Law DIspatch, Fire Dispatch, etc. Also enable Talk & Tac service types for public safety. Law Talk, Law Tac, Fire Talk, Fie Tac, etc.

I've had no reception problems with my HP-1 nor my HP--2. Probably more than a year ago, another member had posted a sensitivity test table for all the scanners avaiilable at that time. While the HP-2 was not the 'most sensitive', neither was it the worst. IIRC, it was in about the middle of the models tested.
 

cfdlt6

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Since you are using just the main database:
Make sure it's up to date. Get the latest database version by downloading into Sentinel (you might want to wait until tomorrow afternoon, after this week's update is available.)
Make sure that your location is correct.
Also, make sure you have all the correct Service Types enabled. By default, only Dispatch is enabled for Public Safety Services, i.e. Law DIspatch, Fire Dispatch, etc. Also enable Talk & Tac service types for public safety. Law Talk, Law Tac, Fire Talk, Fie Tac, etc.

I've had no reception problems with my HP-1 nor my HP--2. Probably more than a year ago, another member had posted a sensitivity test table for all the scanners avaiilable at that time. While the HP-2 was not the 'most sensitive', neither was it the worst. IIRC, it was in about the middle of the models tested.
Thank you Steve, I will give this a try. I did confirm I have the attenuation set to "off".
 

maus92

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Yup, operating even the HP-1/2 takes some effort on the user's part to make sure it is set up properly.
 

Guccisock5

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I would also recommend using the advanced reception analysis feature. I mostly use it in the house and there are quite a few ‘dead spots’. Using this feature I can pin point a spot with good reception/quality.

The tower I pick up is about 25 miles away (Fleetnet Zone 2).
 

jonwienke

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Another possibility: the HP-x scanners work very poorly receiving simulcast. Is the system you're trying to get simulcast?
 

Station51

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Riverside County, CA
Antenna makes all the difference on scanners and two way radios. My own experience with my HP-2 was that it received very well with an external antenna on my vehicle and a rooftop antenna on my house. The screw on rubber ducky antenna only picks up very close and strong signals, especially true if you are trying to receive low band (44 Mhz range)
FYI I have NEVER had a glass mount antenna that worked well. I have tried about 3 over the years. Now I just drill a hole in the roof! lol
 

hiegtx

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Looking at the OP's county in the database, the only simulcast system is Portland's. But that is a considerable distance from him, so might not be in range.

Most everything else in the county is conventional, mostly Vhf-high, with a few Uhf channels. There are a handful of agencies with one or more DMR channels, which the HP-2 cannot receive, but the majority appears to be frequencies that the HP-2, with a decent antenna, could receive. The unknown factor is whether the OP is in sort of a valley, surrounded by hills that could impede reception.
 
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