HP-2: Uniden Homepatrol-2

[ltginrage]

So my friend just bought a HP-2 and he can't get it to receive anything. We've turned on all the service tags, have the system programmed, squelch is at 0, volume is up, antenna is connected. He said he reciving a VHF fire channel earlier clear as day as well as starcom (Illinois P25 system). He can't recive anything on this other P25 system, I've walked him through the programming process twice and we've tried holding on the channel. He has a signal its not speaking it out. I was reciving it on my 325p2 but his HP-2 didnt do anything. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[hiegtx]

So my friend just bought a HP-2 and he can't get it to receive anything. We've turned on all the service tags, have the system programmed, squelch is at 0, volume is up, antenna is connected. He said he reciving a VHF fire channel earlier clear as day as well as starcom (Illinois P25 system). He can't recive anything on this other P25 system, I've walked him through the programming process twice and we've tried holding on the channel. He has a signal its not speaking it out. I was reciving it on my 325p2 but his HP-2 didnt do anything. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Without seeing his programming file, I'm going to hazard a guess.

Make sure that he has the Service Type enabled for whatever he is trying to hear. Initially, when the scanner is shipped, and/or when Sentinel is first installed, only Dispatch call types for Public Safety are enabled: Law Dispatch, Fire Dispatch, EMS Dispatch, and Multi-Dispatch. You also need to turn on the Tac and Talk service types for Public Safety: Law Talk, Fore Tac, EMS Tac, etc.

Your 325P2 does not utilize Service types, so you can hear whatever you have programmed. But the HP2, and the other Uniden Database Scanners, such as the SDS & x36HP series, do depend on service types. If your friend is using Location control, be sure that the location data is present for whatever site or department he is trying to monitor.

 

[ChrisABQ]

Have you seen this video on Youtube?

 

[tvengr]

If you export and attach a hpe file of your favorites list, I will check it for problems. Let me know what system you are not receiving. You will have to right click on the hpe file and Send to Compressed (zipped) folder to be able to attach it.

 

[phask]

Need to have the squelch at 2 at least, otherwise, it's just sitting on one freq/system.

 

[ltginrage]

I'm redid the file and I'll send it to him after you check it over. Would not having the bandplan affect not receiving it?

EDIT - He is not reciving DeKalb County Public Saftey but the other systems he is receiving fine

 

[ltginrage]

So we figured it out. He was not reciving a enough signal to recive it even though he had a signal off the tower. Thanks for the help anyway.

 

[jonwienke]

EDIT - He is not reciving DeKalb County Public Saftey but the other systems he is receiving fine

DeKalb County's P25 system is simulcast, and the HomePatrols are Uniden's worst model for handling simulcast. It's not a matter of not enough signal, the HomePatrol simply can't parse bits from simulcast correctly. Trading the HomePatrol in for a SDS100 is probably the best solution.

 

[KK4JUG]

DeKalb County's P25 system is simulcast, and the HomePatrols are Uniden's worst model for handling simulcast. It's not a matter of not enough signal, the HomePatrol simply can't parse bits from simulcast correctly. Trading the HomePatrol in for a SDS100 is probably the best solution.

I think it's actually too much signal

 

[Ronaldski]

These zipcode scanners when shipped usually have databases that are years out of date and latest firmware not installed.
Example someone came to me who got an hp2 last Christmas and the database was from 2014, in meantime his county(simulcast) went digital.
Updated database, it started working.

To decipher if its the simulcast issue ,take a drive just inside or a bit farther to a neighbor county, that way your reducing the number of towers your receiving compared to inside the county. If it starts to receive outside the county, its the simulcast issue.

Install sentinel, hookup to your pc -

 

[tvengr]

I don't see any Illinois State Police talkgroups in the STARCOM system. In the Profile Editor, make sure Custom 1 Service Type is enabled for Dekalb County in the Custom Service Types. If you enter a frequency or talkgroup without specifying a service type, the service type defaults to Custom 1.

 

[KK4JUG]

To decipher if its the simulcast issue ,take a drive just inside or a bit farther to a neighbor county, that way your reducing the number of towers your receiving compared to inside the county. If it starts to receive outside the county, its the simulcast issue.

Sometimes you don't even have to go across the street. Simulcast is so tricky that you might even be able to walk to the other side of the room. The HP2 is a great scanner, for what it's designed to do but it has its limitations.

 

[jonwienke]

Sometimes you don't even have to go across the street. Simulcast is so tricky that you might even be able to walk to the other side of the room. The HP2 is a great scanner, for what it's designed to do but it has its limitations.

I've gone from dead silence to perfect reception going from one end of a Wal-Mart parking lot to the other.