Problem monitoring NJIC system

Status
Not open for further replies.

ELITEscanner

Member
Joined
May 7, 2020
Messages
85
I just bought the Uniden HomePatrol II scanner. It says it has ability to get departments that use the P25 Phase 1. I am in NJ and my local police department uses NJ Interoperability Communication System. I have that channel on the scanner but no departments are coming through it. I have the range of 10 miles and just for Law, Fire and EMS. Any thoughts on why that is happening? I don't have a full manual for this scanner...only a quick guide and I did everything it said to do.
 

ScubaJungle

Active Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2020
Messages
618
Location
West Central Florida
It looks like NJICS is not fully encrypted, so that probably isnt the reason.

Its hard to say without information, but I would:
(not sure if this applies to HP)
1. Create a favorites list with that system
2. enable ID search (not ID scan)
3. make sure you are not "holding" on any inactive talkgroups
 

hiegtx

Mentor
Premium Subscriber
Joined
May 8, 2004
Messages
11,172
Location
Dallas, TX
I just bought the Uniden HomePatrol II scanner. It says it has ability to get departments that use the P25 Phase 1. I am in NJ and my local police department uses NJ Interoperability Communication System. I have that channel on the scanner but no departments are coming through it. I have the range of 10 miles and just for Law, Fire and EMS. Any thoughts on why that is happening? I don't have a full manual for this scanner...only a quick guide and I did everything it said to do.
What is your location?
City or County?
 

ELITEscanner

Member
Joined
May 7, 2020
Messages
85
It looks like NJICS is not fully encrypted, so that probably isnt the reason.

Its hard to say without information, but I would:
(not sure if this applies to HP)
1. Create a favorites list with that system
2. enable ID search (not ID scan)
3. make sure you are not "holding" on any inactive talkgroups

I created a favorites list with just the two towns I want to monitor on it (for now). When I choose to listen to that list...it just keeps "scanning" for the towns I put in. I have attached a photo. I have tried it with NJIC highlighted and NJIC not highlighted..does the same thing
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2520.jpg
    IMG_2520.jpg
    56.1 KB · Views: 38

ScubaJungle

Active Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2020
Messages
618
Location
West Central Florida
Im not familar with the HP1, but it looks like you are system held on NJIC on the full database?

Is there an option to "set scan selection"? If so, go there, and then set "select lists to scan" and select your FL.

Someone with more knowledge on the HP1 will jump in
 

ELITEscanner

Member
Joined
May 7, 2020
Messages
85
I have HP2. I tried it both locked on and not locked on. I added about 6 more departments to that fav list as well and NONE of em are coming in. I mean, they aren't "busy/slammed" departments; but, I know that Fairfield does A LOT of traffic stops so SOMETHING should be comin in.
I looked around all the buttons and don't see a "Set scan selection" but I know I am listening to my fav list because when I hit "Next" it only shows the ones I added to it.
 

ELITEscanner

Member
Joined
May 7, 2020
Messages
85
[
I have HP2. I tried it both locked on and not locked on. I added about 6 more departments to that fav list as well and NONE of em are coming in. I mean, they aren't "busy/slammed" departments; but, I know that Fairfield does A LOT of traffic stops so SOMETHING should be comin in.
I looked around all the buttons and don't see a "Set scan selection" but I know I am listening to my fav list because when I hit "Next" it only shows the ones I added to it.

You know..I just noticed that my signal has no bars. I tried moving it to a window. I even put it outside the window. Still no better signal. Could it be because it is not fully charged? I am going to let it fully charge overnight and maybe that will resolve the signal issue.

I appreciate your help with this!
 

dougjgray

Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2003
Messages
535
Location
Englewood CO
Is that new jersey system big? it maybe scanning alot of sites you cannot recieve, you might look and find a site close to you
 

hiegtx

Mentor
Premium Subscriber
Joined
May 8, 2004
Messages
11,172
Location
Dallas, TX
[


You know..I just noticed that my signal has no bars. I tried moving it to a window. I even put it outside the window. Still no better signal. Could it be because it is not fully charged? I am going to let it fully charge overnight and maybe that will resolve the signal issue.

I appreciate your help with this!
Battery charge itself is not likely the problem. Since it appears that you are using the main database and location to scan, have you updated the database in Sentinel & written it to the scanner?
 

ELITEscanner

Member
Joined
May 7, 2020
Messages
85
Battery charge itself is not likely the problem. Since it appears that you are using the main database and location to scan, have you updated the database in Sentinel & written it to the scanner?
Yes. The database and firmware were automatically updated when I plugged in the HP2 to my laptop. What I do notice is that the signal bars (the ones that are also on your cell phone) keep going full then to none then to full. Do the signal bars normally do that or is that the problem?
 

ELITEscanner

Member
Joined
May 7, 2020
Messages
85
OK..so I was able to hear a few transmissions from the town I couldn't hear before; but, still no signal bars. Also, my fav list has 18 frequencies on it now; but, when I "use list" and listen..it only finds 10. So, there is something going on I can't figure out. I am not a scanner expert; but on my older scanner, it would scan all channels all the time until it found transmissions. The HP seems to be just stuck on one system with the 4 little dots over department and channel.
 
Last edited:

ScubaJungle

Active Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2020
Messages
618
Location
West Central Florida
WHen you are scanning your FL, it should not show "full database" as it does. I think you may have made a favorites list, but you are not scanning just that.
 

ELITEscanner

Member
Joined
May 7, 2020
Messages
85
WHen you are scanning your FL, it should not show "full database" as it does. I think you may have made a favorites list, but you are not scanning just that.
That was not a photo of me scanning FL. That was a photo prior to being told to create a FL.. It was to show that all I was getting were 4 dots over "department" and "channel". Everything is OK now. Even though the HP auto updated firmware and database when I first connected it to my laptop, I decided to do the update again and it worked.
I appreciate the feedback....thanks!
 

hiegtx

Mentor
Premium Subscriber
Joined
May 8, 2004
Messages
11,172
Location
Dallas, TX
WHen you are scanning your FL, it should not show "full database" as it does. I think you may have made a favorites list, but you are not scanning just that.
Looking at the screenshot the OP posted, in that case the scanner was holding on the main database. So, no way to know, for sure, if any Favorites lists had also been loaded and set to be monitored.
I have HP2. I tried it both locked on and not locked on. I added about 6 more departments to that fav list as well and NONE of em are coming in. I mean, they aren't "busy/slammed" departments; but, I know that Fairfield does A LOT of traffic stops so SOMETHING should be comin in.
I looked around all the buttons and don't see a "Set scan selection" but I know I am listening to my fav list because when I hit "Next" it only shows the ones I added to it.
Can you export your Favorites lists from Sentinel into *.hpe files? Do that, and then you will also need to use Windows Explorer to be able to post them. Right click on one of the files, then you get a pop-up menu. One of the choices on that is labeled as "Send to". Select that, then once there, choose the option to 'send' the file to a "Compressed (zipped) folder". You can then attach the zipped file to a post. Do that for both, so that someone can take a look and see if something needs to be added or changed., or both, have you made sure your correct location, and desired range, is set?

If you are using location, on either the main database, your Favorites lists, or both, have you verified that your location, and desired range, are set correctly? And, again, it would be helpful to know your location. Simply saying you are trying to monitor NJIC and Fairfield, is not really helping much.. Are you in Fairfield? Or just near it.

Fairfield is in Essex County, Looking at NJIC in the database, the Essex county site is listed, in the details, as being a six site simulcast. Unfortunately, since the site is using state issued 700MHz channels, not a license specific to Essex, there is no map as to the actual locations of the sites,
 

ELITEscanner

Member
Joined
May 7, 2020
Messages
85
Looking at the screenshot the OP posted, in that case the scanner was holding on the main database. So, no way to know, for sure, if any Favorites lists had also been loaded and set to be monitored.

Can you export your Favorites lists from Sentinel into *.hpe files? Do that, and then you will also need to use Windows Explorer to be able to post them. Right click on one of the files, then you get a pop-up menu. One of the choices on that is labeled as "Send to". Select that, then once there, choose the option to 'send' the file to a "Compressed (zipped) folder". You can then attach the zipped file to a post. Do that for both, so that someone can take a look and see if something needs to be added or changed., or both, have you made sure your correct location, and desired range, is set?

If you are using location, on either the main database, your Favorites lists, or both, have you verified that your location, and desired range, are set correctly? And, again, it would be helpful to know your location. Simply saying you are trying to monitor NJIC and Fairfield, is not really helping much.. Are you in Fairfield? Or just near it.

Fairfield is in Essex County, Looking at NJIC in the database, the Essex county site is listed, in the details, as being a six site simulcast. Unfortunately, since the site is using state issued 700MHz channels, not a license specific to Essex, there is no map as to the actual locations of the sites,
I was the OP. The photo is in the "hold" position; however, it was just a photo to show that all I got were 4 dots over "department" and "channel". When I posted that photo, I had already tried it not "holding". As of now, everything is OK. Even though the HP got automatically updated (firmware and datatbase) when I first connected to Sentinel, I decided to just do it again. After that, everything started to work properly. Thanks for the feedback. I also called Uniden to make sure it was set up properly because I didn't get a manual...just a quickstart guide. All is well now..thanks!
 

ELITEscanner

Member
Joined
May 7, 2020
Messages
85
OK...so everything is OK. Even though the HP was automatically updated (firmware and database), I reinstalled Sentinel and did the updates and writing to my HP. I also called Uniden to make sure I had it all set properly..which I did. Everything is working fine now...I really appreciate all the feedback!
NOW, so I don't waste people's time, is there a way to make a thread inactive or delete it?
 

ELITEscanner

Member
Joined
May 7, 2020
Messages
85
I just replaced my old scanner (had it since 1994 when I was a deputy in FL) with a HomePatrol 2 scanner. I am able to listen to all systems except NJIC. I was getting sporatic transmissions; but, now nothing. I am only trying to listen to 2 departments one of which is my town’s PD. I hadn’t heard anything dor 2-3 hours and so I tried adding another department on that system. Nothing comes through. All other departments come through fine. Anyone know the problem? I have gone through all the screens/options on menu.

thanks in advance!
 

NParkNJ

On the Road
Joined
Dec 29, 2017
Messages
628
Location
Northern NJ
Sorry to hear its not working.

for starters, what scanner is it? Is it Phase 1 or 2 TG’s?

what sites are you trying to monitor?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top