It's hard to know where to start, but we'll try. First we should note that Uniden doesn't even call this product a scanner—it’s simply HomePatrol-1. One reason for this is that unlike so many police scanners, particularly those of recent vintage, HomePatrol-1 is so easy to operate that anyone can use it. You don't have to know a thing about police radio scanners. All you need to do is enter your zip code (or a city name) and the device will autoload the frequencies, alpha tags, trunking systems and sub-audible tones for that area. HomePatrol-I includes the entire RadioReference.com U.S. and Canadian databases of radio systems. If you travel with HomePatrol-I, with a special GPS receiver (available from Scanner Master for $89.95 ), the radio will automatically re-tune itself based on its location (so long as GPS coordinates for the various systems have been entered into the RadioReference databases, which in very many cases they are). This means no more programming!
HomePatrol-I also has a color touch screen, another first in the industry. What we particularly love about this radio is its capacity for hierarchical tuning. You can now tell the radio with just a few clicks: I want to monitor all the agencies in County X, or I want to monitor all the agencies in City Y within County X, or I want to monitor the fire department in City Y. You can go further and state that you only want to scan, for example, Police, EMS and utilities within any group of counties. This allows tremendous flexibility in monitoring, and with the beautiful full-color display it's a pleasure to use.
HomePatrol-I's new Extreme Software Upgrade
Uniden has now taken a ground-breaking new police scanner and brought it up to incredible new heights of functionality and fun. The Extreme Software Upgrade for the HomePatrol-1 HP-1 radio is the ultimate toolkit for the communication professional and serious scanner hobbyist. This optional upgrade allows the radio to not only perform all the regular scanner functions but also to analyze trunking systems in great detail, find new talk groups and frequencies, enhance search functionality, perform direction-finding analysis and much more. Using Extreme is like owning a whole suite of custom radio research scanner apps -- the software is informative, exciting and entertaining. This is a powerful tool for both communications professionals and radio hobbyists. Even novices will enjoy the features as it will boost their understanding of radio systems, particularly trunked systems. Check out the details of the HomePatrol-I Extreme Software Upgrade option.
Note that HomePatrol-I owners can download andinstall their own ExtremeUpgrade for $50 or Scanner Master can handle the installation whenpurchasing the radio new for $59.95.
HomePatrol-I Features:
•Anabsolutely astonishing receiver. We're hearing far more with this radio than weever heard before!
•Mountingbracket included
•Rechargeablebatteries included
•Simpledatabase and firmware upgrade capability
•A trueUSB cable included
•Programmingsoftware included to customize what you scan
•Record/Replaycapability built-in
•CreateFavorites Lists
•Super-detailedchannel descriptions
•SentinelSoftware works with a PC only, not a Mac.
We want to describe the last bullet point in a little greater detail because it's so important and so useful. We're looking at a HomePatrol-I screen right now as we write this report. It's showing an active Boston Police channel.
Where on other scanners we typically are only able to see:
01-0003
CONV P1D
(Channel/Bank Number/Priority Condition)
au
460.400000
(Receive mode -default-; Frequency)
PATROLANDDISPATC
(A 16 character channel description)
DC:346
(Sub-audible tone status)
or on other scanners two lines X 16 characters of a channel description.
Yet on Home Patrol we see:
Suffolk
(County)
Boston Police
(Agency name)
Patrol and Dispatch
(Channel use)
District B-2/B-3
(Channel area)
Law Dispatch
460.2250
HOLD
(Channel Type, frequency, Hold condition)
Note that depending on the detail provided by the database administrators this will vary from one agency to another, but in many cases you'll see this kind of amazing channel detail. (Note that you do not see sub-audible tones.)
Where on other police scanners you do not have the text flexibility to easily identify the agency, HomePatrol-I never has that problem. Because it uses a full graphics display it's much easier to describe a channel clearly and as you wish. Because of the hierarchical structure of the data channel and bank locations have far less importance. We do note that other scanners have sub-audible tone display and a more distinct and easy-to-read signal strength meter. These are the reasons why many serious hobbyists and professional users consider radios such as the GRE PSR-600 and the Uniden Bearcat BCD996XT better radios for their purposes.
For serious scanner hobbyists and professionals we continue to recommend high-end models that give you the full capacity to program and tune as you wish. But even for this of group of users, HomePatrol-I is a fantastic choice when traveling when you don't have the time to pre-program a police radio scanner for your visit. Specifications Specifications for this unit are subject to change without notice by the manufacturer.
HomePatrol Sentinel Software Sentinel software for managing your HomePatrol on a PC
Set-up & Optimize Package Details With Scanner Master's exclusive Set-up & Optimize Package we see to it that your HomePatrol is fully updated and ready to use for your area, perfect for your own use and especially perfect for a gift. First we optimize the internal database by updating the frequency library, which changes daily. We will also check and install any firmware updates to the HomePatrol before the radio ships. (The firmware is the operating system for the radio, which may have been updated or tweaked by the factory following its production in Asia.) Scanner Master will then build a Favorites List for the customer (based on the ship-to address of your order), or for the area in which this police scanner will be used if the customer specifies a different city and county (if the radio is given as a gift, for example).
(The benefit of this Favorites List work is that we ensure that the most important data to the user is readily accessible, as oftentimes if the database for the end user's area hasn't been completely prepared with what's known as "geo-tagging," then some or all of the local agencies will not activate for scanning. Scanner Master ensures that this will not be the case.)
Scanner Master will also pre-tune the radio by entering the end-user’s zip code. Finally we will give the radio's installed re-chargeable batteries a brief charge to ensure that the radio will be ready to use right out of the box. We also set the clock for the user's time zone.
The charge for this service is $39.95. Note that this service will add approximately 2 to 3 business days for processing before the radio will be shipped.
ARC Patrol Software HomePatrol comes with software, but the included software has some limitations. With the optional ARC PATROL you expand the functionality of your HomePatrol HP-1: • Add a frequency that is not in the built-in database • Add a talkgroup that is not in the built-in database • Add a trunk system that is not in the built-in database • Add NASCAR and other race frequencies • Change Alpha tags • Change or add subtones • Add Airband, CB, Marine, Railroad, FRS and GMRS frequencies • Change the service type of frequencies and/or talkgroups • Search a frequency range
GPS Accessory Kit
In order for the GPS receiver to connect to the radio you need three additionalcomponents: Aspecial Uniden serial cable which includes the proper micro-serial connector toconnect to the radio itself and a DB9. Additionally you need a gender-changeadapter and a null modem adapter. This GPS accessory kit contains all threecomponents which are then connected to the DB9 jack on the GPS receiver. The reasonfor this configuration is that the GPS receiver also connects to the BearcatBCT15X and BCD996XT which requires a standard serial port connection. Note thatdue to limited production of the serial cable we may at times be out of stockof this kit. Please also note that your everday GPS unit will not work withHomePatrol. This radio requires the antenna for the GPS and must have its ownpower source. The SpectrumForce GPS receiver along with this accessory kit isexactly what is needed. This is a very specialized requirement.
AGENCY INFORMATION Lets you see at a glance the Agency, Department, and Channel you are monitoring.
ON-SCREEN CONTROLS Let you quickly access the features you'll use the most. Just tap the desired control to apply the feature or to bring up a function menu.
CONTEXT SIDE MENUS Give you quick access to control HomePatrol-1's operation. From avoiding systems, channels, or departments you don't want to monitor to adding channels to Favorites Lists, we could not have made it any simpler.
QUICK HOLD Just Tap on a System, Department, or Channel to hear only those comms. Tap again to return to normal monitoring
EASY-TO-NAVIGATE MENUS Lets you quickly get to the options you want.
MULTIPLE SETUP OPTIONS You can set your location using Zip Code, City, GPS or even have HomePatrol-1 automatically determine its location using a patent-pending search algorithm. For precise location, connect a GPS or manually enter your latitude and longitude coordinates.
HEAR WHAT YOU WANT Hone HomePatrol-1's selection by picking just the types of agencies you want to hear. By default, HomePatrol-1 picks Fire, Ambulance, and Law dispatch channels, but you can explore to hear even more!
George Valentine from Warfordsburg, PA United States
December 24, 2017
A concern over programing
I recently bought a home patrol. I thought I was buying a new unit software #2, but it seems I got a 1 again. After the holidays I will pursue this concern
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Arlene hedlund from detroit lakes, MN United States
August 28, 2017
Home parol
When I finally got the programming card all is good
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William Santagata from New Haven, CT United States
August 4, 2017
Home Patrol Scanner Purchase
Great company to do business with. Someone is always available to help with questions on your product purchase and they are very knowledgeable
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Anonymous Person from Sioux Falls, SD United States
February 2, 2017
Uniden HomePatrol-I Scanner
After ordering another brand of scanner from another company that represented an item as Digital and it was actually Analog I returned it. I then found this one and Scanner Master. I'm thrilled with the Scanner and the Scanner Master company!!! The Scanner was well described and the comments helped me a lot. We have an Apple computer so all I needed to do was enter my zip code in the scanner an
I think this is the way to go, it saves so much time and headaches. I hope to see others following Uniden with pre programming. It's like having a small computer in your hands. I took it out of the box, turned it on and it's been on ever since, which is about 3 weeks now I do believe, and the thing is doing just what it's supposed to do. I am very satisfied with there product, and if I could, I would like to see a few changes made. Other then that it's a great scanner, very easy to use and a fun hobby to have. I can't shut the thing off, it's very addicting. Get one and you will know what I'm talking about.
