just got a new scanner...
homepatrol 1
downloaded the software and upgraded the firmware and the programming.
first 2 days i was getting in longview tx PD and tx DPS on tx WARN.. now nothing I passed a LPD officer today and he was on the mic and my scanner was doing nothing on txWARN... how often does tx WARN need to be updated? also Tyler PD is on tx WARN but I am still getting them in .. weird i figured they all would change at the same time but i guess not...
sorry I'm new to this .. but does anyone know how often i just update my programming or is there a schedule?
thanks in advance ..
JD
Hi JD
Database updates are done on Monday, using any changes as of the previous Sunday. Actual cut-off time (on Sunday) is not set in stonee, as the updates, from what I understand, are pulled on a state by state basis, in alphabetical order, then combined into the update that is made available in Sentinel on Monday. Occasionally, a system issue will push that off schedule, but Monday is the normal day.
I have not noticed any recent updates for Longview. I monitor the Kaufman site from my home in Dallas, and will hear mostly ETMC traffic, with occasional DPS or Tyler/Smith County units if they get far enough west.
I do see several encrypted talkgroups listed for Longview PD in the
database. Those are flagged with an "E" in the mode column. If he was using an encrypted channel, the scanner will ignore and skip over it. Other than that, make sure that you have all the related service types enabled for Law Enforcement (Law Dispatch, Law Tac, Law Talk, Multi-Dispatch, etc).
Of course, the other possibility is that there may be one or more talkgroups that have not been submitted and entered in the database. To find those, you can reset TxWARN P25 to be scanned in ID Search mode. That will pick up any talkgroups that are not in your favorites list and that are not "avoided" (locked out). However, if you do that, and don;t have all the public works and other agency talkgroups entered (but Avoided), you'll be hearing the garbage trucks and water dept.
If you're using the original antenna, you'll find that your reception will improve a great deal (on that trunked system) with an antenna such as the Radio Shack 800MHz one. That's what I'm currently using, though it does require an adapter. Another antenna that works well is the
SRH789. That's the version that will go onto your scanner, no adapter needed. It has a pivot base, so that you can attach it to the side, yet still have the antenna vertical.