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Reviews For: Uniden Home Patrol

Category: Receivers: Scanners

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Review Summary For : Uniden Home Patrol
Reviews: 36MSRP: $500
Description:
The Uniden Home Patrol is a new scanner that includes the scanner database preprogrammed into its memory. This allows local programming via zip code or city county state locations. Updates can be downloaded. Easy setup and start scanning all services or just select law enforcement or others.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.uniden.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00363.6
ZF2RN Rating: 2010-10-22
Simply simple...Unless you want to do more. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This scanner is simplicity defined. You just need to know your ZIP code. However, if you want to do more with it, (e.g. Enter your own frequencies, delete some, etc.) then you can do that too. The software included with the scanner and the included USB cable make it truly easy to tweak the scanners abilities.
I would strongly suggest that you read and subscribe to the Uniden Forum on this scanner. The moderators really do read and respond to posts. Nice to see that from a manufacturer.
Everything is included. You can be unpacked and receiving in 10 minutes.
When attached to an outside antenna, this thing can REALLY listen! I had to cut back on the range settings on some things because I was hearing stuff from WAY out there at times. I was very surprised.
I don't like having to read a PDF file on the computer for the manual. But that is my only nit to pick on this scanner.
K3GIL Rating: 2010-10-15
Excellent Approach to Scanning Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have been using Uniden scanners since 1975. Programming has always been an issue, even with software. The beauty of this scanner is the "zip code" or GPS method of programming. I travel a lot and like to take a scanner, but programming for new destinations keeps me from doing so. This scanner makes it EASY!

Also, the color touch screen is a wonderful thing, especially since it shows, in detail, who you are listening to. The receiver is very good as is the audio quality.

Only thing I miss is the marine band, which I hope Uniden adds in the future.

The Sentenial Software that comes with this unit alows frequent and easy updating. The radio comes with a neat desk stand and both AC and DC Chargers. A very complets package!
W2WP Rating: 2010-10-12
Good for the Technically Challenged Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
First let me state that I have been a Uniden/Bearcat user since the 70's, back to the day needing to buy crystals at Rat Shack. I'm currently using the BCD396XT and will be sticking with it. I decided to give the HP1 a look at because well, it looked good. To me that's where it stopped though. This scanner is perfect for someone who has no scanner experience. Just key in your zip code or town and look at all the freqs load. Pay no mind that you just loaded 1500 channels and must now tweak it down by distance/mileage, or type of channel you want to listen to get it somewhat manageable.

Speaking of setting the distance of the freqs you load from the database. It does not work very well for me, your result may vary. Here is an example. I live on a 5 sq. mile Peninsula that has Newark Bay on one side and the Hudson on the other. Newark Int. Airport is about 3 air miles across the water from me. If I set the scanner distance to 1 mile I did not get Newark Airport but it did load 2-3 other Airports that were 20+ miles away. I needed to tell the scanner 5 miles and then instead of now loading Newark, I now had the original 2 or 3 that weren't even close, plus Newark and now all NYC Airports included. Sure I could "Avoid" each channel as it came on but is this easier then my 396XT?

About the form factor. It's a good size scanner. About 1 1/2 the size of my 396XT. It looks like it would work well in the home, car, or portable (to some degree). The SMA antenna could not have been placed in a more awkward place. It protrudes off the upper left side of the radio. It has about a 1/4 inch elbow and the antenna swivels. BUT there is no way to fold over the antenna to make it compact or to fit the form of the radio. Forget about adding an aftermarket antenna like a Watson because now the antenna sticks out 1 inch+ and then folds upward.

I will say it does hear great. The P25 transmissions seem clearer with no robotics to the voices. The color touch screen is nice. I'm not sure about the webiste RadioReference.com as its data base source either but time will tell. You give up a lot of configuration flexibility with this scanner as compared to a “conventional” scanner. As far as I can see you can manually enter a freq to listen to but can't save to add multiples. Maybe this a future firmware upgrade ALONG WITH THE MARINE BAND! Yes that's correct, there is no pre-loaded Marine Band.

I've heard and read many complaints that the Uniden digital radios are hard to program. Maybe it's me but just adding a few control channels and wahla, you're up and running on the 396's.

Maybe like all new products this scanner is still in its growing stages and may improve over time & firmware updates. Until then, I will keep my 396XT for a while.

Closer to a 3.5 out of 5
WA8EBM Rating: 2010-10-09
Awesome Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just received the newly released HomePatrol-1 from AES yesterday. I have never been so impressed with such innovation. I thought my Flex 5K and K3 were great but this is a truly awesome radio.
I have a 996T and R2500 scanners but the sensitivity of this radio totally surpasses them.
P25 transmissions that I needed a beam antenna for are coming in clear with just a discone. I had it up and running within 2 minutes scanning everything in my area. Nice feature is that I hooked up a 15 year old Rand Macnally hockey puck GPS to it and when you drive around it automatically loads in departments for the area you are currently in. Outstanding color display and touch screen. Comes with 2300ma rechargeable batteries, AC and DC adapters, USB cable and a desk stand. On the downside, it is brand new. There is no mobile mount, yet available, it doesn't come with the GPS cable, I am using the programming cable from a Uniden 996T scanner which is DB9 to mini 4 pin serial. You can't enter more than 1 frequency to monitor. It gets all the info from the Radio Reference site via Uniden updates so you don't have to pay to use the service. Uniden keeps their updating software up to date with changes and firmware upgrades, which are free. It currently is not able to scan a segment of spectrum and find active frequencies. There is a Yahoo group that appears to be monitored by a Uniden rep and they take all feedback seriously. Some people say their areas are not properly covered by the radio. If you are interested download the free Uniden Sentinel software for the radio and you can see what frequencies are loaded for your area. This scanner is designated for the novice scanner operator but it is just what I have always wanted. Ground breaking! Lots of info available if you Google for a while along with YouTube presentations.
N8TXX Rating: 2010-10-02
Revolutionary Scanner Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've been using scanners since the early 80's. My area went Motorola Digital APCO P25 in the early 2000's. I bought a Uniden BC785D with digital card when it first came out to listen to the digital trunking channels and still using it today, it works great but a bear to program and 3rd party software is a must. Well, I just bought the new Uniden HomePatrol-1 scanner and it is unbelievable how easy it is to program. All you have to do is tell it your zip code, or city, or let it auto locate. Within a few minutes you can scan everything available in your area. It has great audio, great screen, replay and record, GPS hookup for on the road scanning, and much more! I highly recommend it.
K4YRK Rating: 2010-10-01
New scanner easy to use Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is a new scanner with new technology released in October 2010. The Home Patrol features a preprogrammed internal memory database for US and Canada emergency services. Start by loading in your zip code and the scanner will scan your services, it is that easy. It also includes the ability to connect to a gps to auto update the scanning as you change locations.
The scanner looks somewhat like a gps unit instead of a traditional radio. Bright screen with lots of info given durning scan.
Scanner appears to have a "hot" receiver and is receiving multiple local police services within 10-50 miles on small supplied antenna.
This is a new technology and appears to have outdated all existing scanners.
You have got to experience this new scanner to believe what you see!