Uniden HomePatrol-1 Scanner

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SeanGrimes

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Mar 8, 2012
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I was wandering if these are any good before I drop 550.00 down on it I live in Mineral County WV and alot of are stuff is switching over to digital or has switched to digital, Just wandering if these would pick them up or should I look for something else?
 

mike_s104

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Berkeley Co. WV/ Loudoun Co. VA
I was wandering if these are any good before I drop 550.00 down on it I live in Mineral County WV and alot of are stuff is switching over to digital or has switched to digital, Just wandering if these would pick them up or should I look for something else?

I have not used a Home Patrol, but I own a Uniden 396T, 396XT, 996T, and a GRE PSR-800. All work well with the Berkeley and Jefferson sites as well as many others. If it were me and I wanted a handheld, I would get a GRE PSR-800 and save over $100 (out it toward a case and maybe an antenna or two). Plus the Home Patrol might be larger than you are expecting. Or, if you can wait, I would see what new models Uniden will be coming out with. The look and feel of the Unidens seem more like you are really holding a radio. The GREs I have seen and the one I own (talking newer models and not the models from the '90s) seem like cheap toys. The display of the PSR-800 is far from the display of the 396XT. BUT...I love my PSR-800 even if it is lacking in a few areas. The performance of it is excellent and the recording feature is killer. The fact it can have the entire RRDB on it is also nice for traveling. The software that it comes with is not too bad either; does take a little to get used it.
 

KD8HE

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Beckley WV
I have two HP1s. I run one mobile with GPS and have one in the house...it is a totally new concept with the touch screen interface. The software is very intuitive for managing the databases and favorites lists and Uniden has made some very nice feature enhancements in firmware update and upgrades...as with the GRE you are dependent on the accuracy and scope of the RR database (thanks to contributors and administrators), but I have no regrets. I doubt Uniden will go a step further until TDMA systems become prevalent so it should remain the technology leader for a while...there is a nice Home Patrol website with a forum, downloadable software and manuals...certainly worth a look
Harry
 

SeanGrimes

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KD8HE so the HP-1 is a good one I just want it for my house I'm not taking it on the road with me and what worries me about the other scanners is that seem like their hard to program I live in Mineral County WV and I think that they hooked up with that state wide radio stuff here.
 

lep

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Jan 15, 2002
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I have 2 HP-1. One is connected all the time to my PC running ARC Patrol under the Virtual scanner mode. THe other is for actual 'easy chair' listening to my local services. Some are P-25 trunking some, are analog turnking, some are conventional. Makes no difference they are all received quite well. I started years ago with a Sonar brand with crystals, Stilll have my RS 2006 and many Uniden modesl over the years, still have my 996XT in my auto but the HP-1 is the most modern, easy to use, and a very good receiver, Decodes P-25 great. I have no EDACs services so can't comment on that type of digital service.
 

ffemt25

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Short Gap, WV
Welcome Sean,

First off I have no experience in the Home Patrol. But If you check ebay for Digital P25 Scanners from Radio Shack you will turn up alot of good scanners. I can put you in touch with someone from your immediate area with the Short Gap FD that can program it. I would but I'm across the county lol. I have a PRO-197 and i have no complaints with it. let me know if your interested.
 

celsasser

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IL
HP-1 is very easy to program/use

I just got the HP-1 about 2 weeks ago, and took it on a road trip through the midwest. Compared to the BCD996XT, the HP-1 is a piece of cake to program and use IMO. I had my HP-1 running on local frequencies within ~60 seconds of turning it on for the first time.... (It really was that easy to get up and going.)

Basic programming on the HP-1 can be not a lot more than entering your zip code from one of the user menus, since the entire RR database is already loaded. Once you do that the HP-1 builds your scan groups/frequencies/services/etc. based on your preferences.

You might want to select or avoid some services; easy to do from the menu. Or you might want to create some favorites; easy to do from the scanner itself or from the Sentinel software. If you have GPS tied into the HP-1, it will update the programming as your location changes, and even switch to the local favorites or services you are interested in as you travel.

Now having said that, having the 996XT caused me to understand what/how trunking systems work; how to program the scanner, use the software, etc. But I don't think you need to really delve into with this stuff nearly as deeply with the HP-1. I found the Sentinel software to be straight forward and easy to use.
 

KD8HE

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Beckley WV
Sean...no "programming" required to listen anywhere in the US and Canada...if you know the city or zip code the HP will load the frequencies from the on board database for the location you enter. You select the services and range from your location you want to hear and you are in business. Can't get much easier than that. As you gain familarity with the unit you can move your "favorite" systems, departments or channels from the main data-base into lists that you can select for your area or interest. What you see in the RR data base is updated weekly at Uniden for download to the HP so as changes come to the system you will have the latest data in each download you make.
 

SeanGrimes

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Mar 8, 2012
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Thank you DanStrainz I think I'm going to pick up one of those pro197's today if I have a problem programing it do u think you could help me out? Can you just program in Talk groups like I see they day Mineral County Sherriff is on TG 1607 or would I need to find the Freq. for those?
 

rwier

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Phoenix, AZ
Sean...no "programming" required to listen anywhere in the US and Canada...if you know the city or zip code the HP will load the frequencies from the on board database for the location you enter. You select the services and range from your location you want to hear and you are in business. Can't get much easier than that. As you gain familarity with the unit you can move your "favorite" systems, departments or channels from the main data-base into lists that you can select for your area or interest. What you see in the RR data base is updated weekly at Uniden for download to the HP so as changes come to the system you will have the latest data in each download you make.

"..you can move your "favorite" systems, departments or channels from the main data-base into lists that you can select for your area or interest."

In my opinion, this is the key to complete enjoyment of the radio.

"As you gain familarity with the unit"

And how difficult is that? When I ordered my first HP-1, I also downloaded the Sentinel Software (free, no purchase required). Within 24 hours, I had created more than half of the FavLists I am still using today (familarity with the unit without seeing it?). Made me very antsy waiting another 2 days for the "Brown Truck", lol.
 

fredva

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Programming

Thank you DanStrainz I think I'm going to pick up one of those pro197's today if I have a problem programing it do u think you could help me out? Can you just program in Talk groups like I see they day Mineral County Sherriff is on TG 1607 or would I need to find the Freq. for those?

Well, I would recommend using software to program the 197. If you are buying it new from Radio Shack, I believe it should include a trial version of the ARC500 software. If you use that software, you can use it to connect to the RadioReference database and select the radio systems and talkgroups you want. The software makes programming the 197 relatively easy.

To answer your question, you would need to enter the system frequencies if you programmed the scanner manually, not just talkgroups.
 
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