HP-2: Reviews

[Mike48824]

Ok thanks!im gonna check them out!

 

[MStep]

The Home Patrol series, while very good receivers, do have limitations in terms of lack of DMR, NXDN, etc. They have also struck me as being somewhat in a niche marketplace position. Do to its footprint, it's neither (IMHO) the best suited for consistent/constant base nor mobile operation. However, I know many folks who have them set up on a desk at work or at home, and if some incident occurs, they'll just grab the unit and head out to the car with it. For that type of purpose, it is really a nice radio. Of course, you could essentially do the same (and then some) with a 436 or SDS100 portable.

It strikes me as the kind of device (and I've used it as such), that one would have nicely seated on their desk at work, being very unobtrusive size-wise, and sitting neatly within its plastic stand with a small internal antenna attached and very convenient with its touch screen operation, basically monitoring local police, fire, and a few other services.

I used to store an HP1 under the seat of my Jeep, and when I got on the road, would simply prop it up top of the dash, and it worked out really well.

 

[Mike48824]

I came across an sds100 with accessories for $500 like new?Should I grab it? Thanks

 

[hiegtx]

I came across an sds100 with accessories for $500 like new?Should I grab it? Thanks

That would be a good price, providing it is in good working order, and the seller can be verified as not a scam.

 

[scosgt]

Ok thanks!im gonna check them out!

Suffolk County is NOT simulcast, and most of it is not digital at this time. I used my HP2 there today, reception is perfect.

 

[Mike48824]

Yeh I do like the HP-2 but was told that it wouldn’t work well in Suffolk?

 

[hiegtx]

Yeh I do like the HP-2 but was told that it wouldn’t work well in Suffolk?

There are two trunked systems in your county. The older one is a Motorola Type II system, which the HP-2 can handle without an issue,

Suffolk County Trunking System, Suffolk County, New York

Suffolk County Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

However, there is a newer, P25 Phase II system, that agencies in the county are migrating to. (See the notes on your county's database page.)
This is the newer system:

Suffolk County Trunking System, Suffolk County, New York

Suffolk County Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

And two of it's sites are Simulcast.

And fxdscon's comments on Simulcast are also accurate:

Anything other than the Uniden SDS scanners will be hit or miss as far as usable reception for simulcast systems as far as scanners go.

Have a read here:

Simulcast Distortion - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Check the link he provided. If you are extremely lucky, and in the exact right spot, the HP-2 might work. But it's much more probable that Simulcast issues will effect you, so I would also lean away from the HP-1.

 

[Mike48824]

There are two trunked systems in your county. The older one is a Motorola Type II system, which the HP-2 can handle without an issue,

Suffolk County Trunking System, Suffolk County, New York

Suffolk County Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

However, there is a newer, P25 Phase II system, that agencies in the county are migrating to. (See the notes on your county's database page.)
This is the newer system:

Suffolk County Trunking System, Suffolk County, New York

Suffolk County Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

And two of it's sites are Simulcast.

And fxdscon's comments on Simulcast are also accurate:

Check the link he provided. If you are extremely lucky, and in the exact right spot, the HP-2 might work. But it's much more probable that Simulcast issues will effect you, so I would also lean away from the HP-1.

 

[Mike48824]

Which would you go with?big price difference in them?And some luck!

 

[Mike48824]

Suffolk County is NOT simulcast, and most of it is not digital at this time. I used my HP2 there today, reception is perfect.

 

[Mike48824]

I’m in Huntington so you think it would be alright?

 

[hiegtx]

If you could get the SDS100 you mentioned earlier for $500, that would be best (again, if you can confirm good working order & a seller that's reputable.)

If, instead, you first wanted to try an HP-2 or 436HP (portable) or 536HP (base mobile), then only purchase from a seller that would let you return without a penalty (restock fee).
As already mentioned, simulcast problems are extremely location specific, even down to the point that moving the scanner a few feet in one direction or another, inside your home, can be the difference between working, or not.

There is another option, other than the SDS series scanners, or the Unication pagers. This receiver is also reported to work well in Simulcast areas:

Easier to Read BCD436/536HP Digital Scanner Manual

There is a long discussion thread on it in the forums.

P25RX P25 Phase 1/2/DMR Receiver With Bluetooth Audio Support

https://bluetailtechnologies.com Open-source Configuration software https://github.com/bluetailtech/BTConfig

forums.radioreference.com

 

[hiegtx]

I’m in Huntington so you think it would be alright?

I have no way of knowing. Perhaps review the threads in the New York forum to see if anyone has commented one way or the other.It might work, or, instead, work so poorly you want to airmail it out the closest window.

 

[Mike48824]

If you could get the SDS100 you mentioned earlier for $500, that would be best (again, if you can confirm good working order & a seller that's reputable.)

If, instead, you first wanted to try an HP-2 or 436HP (portable) or 536HP (base mobile), then only purchase from a seller that would let you return without a penalty (restock fee).
As already mentioned, simulcast problems are extremely location specific, even down to the point that moving the scanner a few feet in one direction or another, inside your home, can be the difference between working, or not.

There is another option, other than the SDS series scanners, or the Unication pagers. This receiver is also reported to work well in Simulcast areas:

Easier to Read BCD436/536HP Digital Scanner Manual

There is a long discussion thread on it in the forums.

P25RX P25 Phase 1/2/DMR Receiver With Bluetooth Audio Support

https://bluetailtechnologies.com Open-source Configuration software https://github.com/bluetailtech/BTConfig

forums.radioreference.com

 

[Mike48824]

Thanks!The ladder seems way to complicated for me!lol

 

[mitbr]

Thanks!The ladder seems way to complicated for me!lol

Here is what you do..... all of the comments above are relevant to hp series. Buy the hp 2 from reputable dealer with liberal return policy and if it does not work to your liking send it back.. done.
Tim

 

[scosgt]

I’m in Huntington so you think it would be alright?

as of now it works perfectly in Huntington and every other place in Suffolk County I have been. It is NOT subject to simulcast distortion at all, and again, most all of the talk groups are analog. No telling what the future will bring, it will go digital (which the HP2 does fine) but it may be simulcast OR encrypted.
Bottom line:
You do NOT need an SDS200 NOW. Any modern trunking scanner will work fine.
In the future, it is possible that only the 100 or 200 will work, or it is also possible that NONE of them will work. Nassau has been encrypted for a few years, so for me the 200 would be throwing money away, it won't do anything that my other scanners can do.
Best bet, IMHO, is go cheap and see what happens. If they upgrade to a system that the 200 can handle, you can go for it then. If they go encrypted, you just saved a lot of money. $700+ is a lot of money for a scanner that can not receive the local PD!

 

[scosgt]

I have no way of knowing. Perhaps review the threads in the New York forum to see if anyone has commented one way or the other.It might work, or, instead, work so poorly you want to airmail it out the closest window.

And I am answering. I live in the next county and travel to his area. HP2 is more than enough right now, in fact a 15X would receive most of what is on that system at this time since most of it is not digital.

 

[Mike48824]

as of now it works perfectly in Huntington and every other place in Suffolk County I have been. It is NOT subject to simulcast distortion at all, and again, most all of the talk groups are analog. No telling what the future will bring, it will go digital (which the HP2 does fine) but it may be simulcast OR encrypted.
Bottom line:
You do NOT need an SDS200 NOW. Any modern trunking scanner will work fine.
In the future, it is possible that only the 100 or 200 will work, or it is also possible that NONE of them will work. Nassau has been encrypted for a few years, so for me the 200 would be throwing money away, it won't do anything that my other scanners can do.
Best bet, IMHO, is go cheap and see what happens. If they upgrade to a system that the 200 can handle, you can go for it then. If they go encrypted, you just saved a lot of money. $700+ is a lot of money for a scanner that can not receive the local PD!

 

[Mike48824]

Thanks soo much!$700+ is a lot of money!