Uniden HomePatrol-2 Color Touchscreen Simple Program Digital Scanner, TrunkTracker V and S,A,M,E, Emergency/Weather Alert, APCO P25 Phase 1 and 2! Covers USA and Canada, Quick Record and Playback

This scanner is fabulous. I love not having to enter all the system info. I can just let it scan. It even works well with my Mac using Parallels desktop for Windows. Syncing isa very easy. The only things I wish it had were easier way to manage favorite lists from the scanner itself and the ability to set priority channels. I miss not having it switch to a priority channel when theres activity.

Number one, you dont just enter your zip code and away you go unless you just want to listen to every possible transmission source. I received a lot of transmissions i didnt want to hear so i had to make favorite lists and only have those scanned. Included instructions werent that detailed so i played with it until i figured it out myself. (Yes i know i can go online and find a manual). Number two the included antenna is almost useless. Im in a large suburban area but i usually have 0 bars lit up. Now i have to buy a larger antenna. I read a number of other people have the same problem and are buying the same antenna as me. They should include a good antenna for the $400+ dollars this unit costs. I also had a Uniden BCD996XT I programmed operating nearby and it received many more transmission signals with its larger antenna than did this HomePatrol. Hopefully when my antenna gets here Ill find i no longer own a $400+ paperweight.

Easy to use. Much better than a cell phone appams it is about 20 seconds faster than a delayed cell phone scanner app. I was hesitant to spend this much money on something like this knowing that a cell phone as an app that can do the same thing, not true whatsoever this thing is great, it’s faster than a cell phone and when you’re on a cell phone you’re only picking up one channel the scans them all this is a definite must buy I absolutely love it

Fantastic. First impression was when I opened the smaller than expected box. There were two complex cardboard shapes with everything slipped into carefully designed spaces inside the folds. (I am impressed when someone takes the time to design a simple thing like packaging. I believe this indicates an overall high level of quality that permeates down to the internals of the product.) I installed the four rechargeable AA batteries and found it to be pre-charged to a useable level. I fiddled for a while then plugged it into a USB charger overnight. (The red CHARGE light never did turn green, but the onscreen battery indicator was a solid green.) I got out the quick start guide and dove in. I plugged the included USB cable in my PC and selected NO on the Start Charging screen. This is clever: if you choose YES it accepts a charge current off the USB cable, as one might expect. If you select NO, the PC sees a flash drive with a SETUP folder! I went through the setup process and watched it load the scanners interactive software onto my PC, which downloaded the latest firmware and national+state frequency database. I read up on the use of this software and then loaded the profile from the scanner. I reset my location (zip code) and the services I wanted it to scan. I tweaked the volume, squelch, etc. and saved the profile back to the scanner. (All this can be done on-screen, but its much easier with the PC software.) I held down the power switch for a second or two and it came to life. Im too new at this product to judge yet, but I spent some time fiddling with the attenuation and range controls to get it to find what I wanted to listen to. Ive been learning the HOLD and AVOID functions by trial and error. Im going to read the owners manual (also loaded onto my PC) soon, but Im having too much fun for now. Overall, this is a really sophisticated scanner that comes with local PC software support, which uses an Internet connection to keep the frequency database up to date for me. Ive had scanners before. The early ones required me to use a book to keep my frequencies up to date. Later many of the radio systems went to trunk and digital modes that my little scanner couldnt handle. When the police and news helicopters were nearby over some incident, it was nearly impossible to find out what was happening. That scanner, as nice as it was, sat in a drawer for many years. This one, however, looks like it will prove to be a lot more interesting and informative. And when we go to the local small airport restaurant for lunch, we will be able to monitor aircraft and tower conversations while we watch the takeoffs and landings. The old scanner didnt support that mode.

The listing on Amazon says just put in your zip code and its ready to go. That is so misleading, and when I tried to comment on Amazon where it asks to let them know if the description is wrong, the send link wont send. Also the description does not say for PCs, you will need additional support for MACs. You dont have a clue until you are told it will take nearly $300 to program it! Since we are a MAC household, we have no ability to do so, and the Sentinel software that will supposedly help says they have no intention of making a MAC-compatible software. I planned on taking this with me when I go camping but right now, it would just be useless dead weight to carry. STOP saying how easy it is to use and NOT informing people right up front that it is a PC product and how expensive it will be to get it programmed. My ancient Radio Shack scanner works better than this.

Very nice unit. The AC charger was nice on the HomePatrol-1 (doesnt come with this one). However, you can take the USB cord and plug it into any USB wall charger you may have (like for iphone). It self detects whether the charger has enough current to power the unit & charge at the same time. If not, its one or the other. If you plug it into a computer, it is one or the other (at least on my MacBook Pro). Of course, this unit doesnt support Apple and Safari, so thats another problem. Luckily, I had another Windows computer to do the firmware/database updates. If it had an AC adapter and Apple support it would be a 5 star.

The battery icon is useless; it either has power or its battery low. Im not sure if the battery icon was ever intended to show status like on your phone. Also, it takes 14 hours or more to charge and the useful battery time you get out of it is way less then that before you have to charge again. Unlike a phone you charge for an hour and can use for a day or two. The radio itself is very useful and is fantastic. Just keep it near a live power source at all times.

Not good at all had to send it back. Would not work.they are sending me a new one???

This is a great little radio. I was thrilled to finally have a scanner but disappointed to find out many local communications agencies are going to be encrypted so I had to return the radio. The radio is easy to program using your zip code. It gets a little more complicated using your computer to create a favorites list, but there several youtube videos explaining the process. I was really bummed out that I couldnt keep the radio because it is such great product

As someone who loves to stay up-to-date on local news and events, Ive been on the lookout for a police scanner thats both easy to use and packed with features. The Uniden HomePatrol-2 delivers on both counts and more. The first thing I noticed about this scanner is how easy it is to set up and use. The color touchscreen is intuitive and responsive, and the pre-programmed channels and location-based scanning made it a breeze to get started. I was up and running in no time, and quickly began to explore all the different features the HomePatrol-2 has to offer. One of my favorite features is the ability to customize the scanner to my specific needs. With the ability to create custom scan lists and assign priority channels, I can focus on the frequencies that are most important to me. And with the GPS functionality, the HomePatrol-2 can automatically adjust the channels it scans based on my location, making it even easier to stay informed about whats happening in my community. The audio quality is also top-notch, with clear and crisp reception that makes it easy to hear even in noisy environments. And with the ability to record and playback transmissions, I can go back and listen to important broadcasts again if needed. Overall, I highly recommend the Uniden HomePatrol-2 to anyone looking for a high-quality police scanner thats packed with features and easy to use. Whether youre a hobbyist, a journalist, or just someone who wants to stay informed, the HomePatrol-2 is a great investment that will provide hours of listening pleasure.