[Scan-DC] Fw: Pro 106 and DC Fire

[Steve Siegel]

Item #4 will work if you use the following:
a GPS with 9 pin serial connector and NMEA data stream capable (i.e. Garmin GPS-18)
a 9 pin null modem connector (make sure you get the gender correct for your cables below)
a Uniden 9 pin serial cable (like the one supplied with a 396xt)
a standard 9 pin serial cable (needed only if you need more distance than provided by the GPS and Uniden cables above)

Scannermaster has the Uniden serial cable at
http://www.scannermaster.com/Uniden_4_Serial_Cable_BC15_95_246_396_996_230_p/01-530894.htm

73 de K3SLS

_________ 
§


-----Original Message-----
From: scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Andrew Clegg
Sent: Monday, January 03, 2011 6:46 PM
To: cohenner at gmail.com; scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net; cliffj at cox.net; scan-dc at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] Fw: Pro 106 and DC Fire

David,

There are several ways to update your location in Home Patrol. I've tried 
the first three. Those have been good enough on the road so far.

1) Enter zip code. That's the quickest, but of course when you're traveling 
down the highway, most of us haven't memorized the U.S. zip code map.

2) Enter city/state. That's a pretty easy way. Home Patrol is pretty liberal 
with "range," so when, for example, you're still 40 miles outside of 
Pittsburgh, if you enter Pittsburgh, you'll get a lot of the surrounding 
area. Sometimes the small towns aren't in the city/state database (for 
example, Linden, VA, isn't), so you have to go with the next major town 
(Front Royal, in this case). The downside of this method is that typing in 
city names while driving is as dangerous as texting while driving. It's 
better if you have a passenger do it.

3) Autolocate. The HP has some kind of proprietary algorithm that will sniff 
out the local pattern of control channels, weather stations, etc. (I'm 
guessing), and come up with a decent guess about where it's at. I have tried 
this in a variety of areas, and I can tell you that it works about half the 
time, which frankly is pretty amazing. It takes anywhere from about 30 
seconds to a few minutes to complete the autolocate.  My experience is that 
the longer it takes, the less likely it is to be successful.

4) GPS. You supposedly can connect a GPS to the HP and have it update your 
location regularly. Last time I checked, no GPS cable was available yet. I 
have a really old Garmin handheld that could be put to good use for this.

5) Manual location (punch in your lat/lon).

I find that when you're on the highway, doing a location update about every 
30 - 45 minutes is a good interval.

One issue with the HP database is the "range." I find that the database is 
too liberal with this. For example, if I enter my Arlington zip code and use 
a range of 1 mile, I get 1052 channels, covering DC, PG county, GSA, Natural 
Resources, VSP, "Department of the Environment" (?), DOT, Medevac, Fairfax, 
Prince William, Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel Commission (!), Marine 
Corps Base Quantico, Alexandria, Arlington, Delmarva Power, Fort Belvoir, 
Naval District Washington, WMATA, and some other stuff (and this is just 
with public safety selected -- I'd get a lot more with other services 
selected). The problem appears to be it's not just your range, but it's the 
range of the system. For example, if the Delmarva Power system is listed as 
serving within 100 miles of the Delmarva Peninsula (which technically they 
might, but in reality they don't), then it will show up as covering 
Arlington. As Cathy said, you spend more time deciding what NOT to listen to 
than you do deciding what TO listen to. The flipside of this is that I've 
found myself listening to things that I would have never bothered with 
before, but have turned out to be interesting (Prince William County, for 
example).

Fortunately, you can create your own Favorites lists, where you can 
customize your choices.

Also, with regard to the discussion on this group a couple of weeks ago, I 
went and tried a 4 GB microSD card in my HP, and it works fine. The entire 
database takes only a few tens of MB, so that leaves the vast majority of 
the card available for audio recordings of the action. When you connect the 
HP to a computer, it looks just like an external drive or USB stick, so you 
can copy the audio files over to your PC drive for long-term storage. I'm 
thinking of leaving the HP always recording when I'm listening. That way if 
something cool happens, I already have the audio. After many many hours of 
recording, I'll have to clear the disk, but that's easy to do.

Cheers,
Andy

--------------------------------------------------
From: "David Cohen" <cohenner at gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, January 03, 2011 6:04 PM
To: "Clegg, Andrew W." <aclegg at nsf.gov>; <scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net>; 
<cliffj at cox.net>; <scan-dc at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] Fw:  Pro 106 and DC Fire

> My problem with the Home Patrol (and maybe I just don't understand), 
> hence, I have been hesitant to splurge and buy one:
>
> When you leave one zip code and move into another, (provided of course its 
> a new jurisdiction) or you move into a new jurisdiction, you need to 
> re-enter the zip code?
>
> That could be tedious if on a long trip through multiple little towns.
>
> David
> Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Clegg, Andrew W." <aclegg at nsf.gov>
> Sender: scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2011 16:35:15
> To: <cliffj at cox.net>; <scan-dc at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] Fw:  Pro 106 and DC Fire
>
> On Christmas weekend, I took the family up to the Pro Football Hall of
> Fame in Ohio. I took the Home Patrol with me, and it was GREAT just
> being able to update the programming automatically as I drove up the
> highways. I would have otherwise never bothered to program in all the
> little towns in MD, PA, and OH, and the Turnpike Police, and the major
> cities (Pittsburgh, Cleveland), etc., etc., before I left. That would
> have taken hours (or days, in my case). I got to listen to a lot of
> action that I would have missed before. My BCD-996T was relegated to
> Close Call only for the whole trip. Kind of sad.
>
> By the way, at a truck stop on the way, I found a nifty $20 cigarette
> lighter cradle adapter thing that can hold the Home Patrol, plus
> provides a cigarette lighter port and a USB power charger port. It's
> marketed for holding cell phones, but it works great with the Home
> Patrol too! If anyone is interested, I can send the exact model name
> when I get home.
>
> Andy
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of cliffj at cox.net
> Sent: Monday, January 03, 2011 4:29 PM
> To: scan-dc at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [Scan-DC] Fw: Pro 106 and DC Fire
>
> I just got a home patrol and it truly does make life easier. Having that
> and the pro-96, I have all I need. The home patrol will make traveling a
> lot easier
> Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Clegg, Andrew W." <aclegg at nsf.gov>
> Sender: scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2011 16:15:59
> To: Dewey<dewey3 at gmail.com>; Barile, Philip<philip.barile at dhs.gov>
> Cc: <scan-dc at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] Pro 106 and DC Fire
>
> Sure glad I have a Home Patrol! :)
>
> Seriously, it's great just being able to listen rather than spending
> lots of time programming. You do lose some flexibility, but you gain a
> lot more in simplicity.
>
> Andy
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dewey
> Sent: Monday, January 03, 2011 4:03 PM
> To: 'Barile, Philip'
> Cc: scan-dc at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] Pro 106 and DC Fire
>
> I can't speak to the programming of the Pro-106 itself, but I can say a
> little about DCFD / DCPD.  First, forget the fact that they are the same
> system, as this is where most programmers get messed up.  While they are
> both 603d, program the 460 system separate of the 800 system.  The 460
> system is DCPD, and has a custom fleetmap, so don't forget about that
> when
> you do your programming.  The DCFD and other DC Govt entities use the
> 800
> side, and that can be programmed as a "standard" Moto 800 system.  If
> all
> you want to monitor is FD, you do not need to enter any of the 460
> stuff.
>
> I hope that helps,
> Dewey
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Barile, Philip
> Sent: Monday, January 03, 2011 15:03
> To: Scan DC
> Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] Pro 106 and DC Fire
>
> I have a new Pro 106 scanner and I have attempted to set up DC Fire both
> the
> 800 and the 460 MHz with all the frequencies and talkgroups associated
> with
> Fire and no police talkgroups.  They are separated into 2 scan lists.
> When
> I turn on either or both lists I pick up nothing.  I know there are
> calls
> being dispatched because in my conventional objects group I have the
> 154.190
> frequency.  Can anyone provide some insight on the issue?  Has anyone
> else
> has this same problem.
>
> Thanks for any help anyone can give.
>
> Philip Barile
> IT Specialist - ISSO
> (202) 254-4081 (Office)
> (202) 528-8998 (Cell)
> philip.barile at dhs.gov
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