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

THE BAD: I will start by saying I think my unit is faulty. It has little to no traffic when the online scanner has lots of traffic. THE GOOD (and bad): This Uniden Home Patrol-II is certainly easy to program. Turn it on, put in your zip code and it starts scanning. The Sentinel software is a free download, but be forewarned! If your frequency is not list listed in the database, you can only add one additional channel to this unit without additional software. Even with additional software, the channels you are able to add are limited. You cannot upgrade this unit with NXDN or DMR. (A lot of law enforcement use these. So you wont be able to pick them up). the touch screen is a nice feature and seemed responsive without being overly sensitive. RECOMMENDATIONS: If you want a scanner, spend the extra money and opt for the Uniden 436HP, 536HP or top of the line would be Uniden SDS100 (portable unit) or Uniden SDS200 (Desktop or vehicle mount).

If you are not interested in becoming a self-taught radio engineer or working through complex radio system hierarchy programing, then the HomePatrol II scanner is for you. Its as easy as it gets and is a radio scanner for the rest of us. The HomePatrol II is simple to operate and youll be listening in minutes. Just follow the Quick Start-Up instructions and you will hear everything you buy a scanner for. ZERO painful manual programing required. Plug it into your PC, install the Sentinel software, let the unit automatically update its firmware, follow the touch screen instructions, allow it to charge, put in your ZIP Code and voilà, youre listening to whats going on around you. You can pick and choose the services you want to hear. Take it with you when you travel, load in the ZIP Code of your destination, choose the services you want to hear, and youre listening to the local radio traffic. All via touch screen menus. I also own the BCD325P2- which I like, but it requires complex manual programming or third party software to program. I learned to use FreeScan to program it and can get the Systems, Sites, Groups and Talk IDs that I want to hear loaded into the scanner but it takes some time and effort even after the learning curve. My BCD325P2 and BC245XLT Trunk Tracker III are great scanners and learning them made me more technically savvy. But if simplicity and actual listening is what you seek, youve found it with the HomePatrol II. However, if the actual journey towards scanning is just important to you as the destination; then I recommend the BCD325P2 or one of the high-end Uniden scanners. No malfunction issues with the HomePatrol II yet. I put it in a padded carrier then inside my backpack when I travel and have had no problems.

works great

I have had this scanner and it is the replacement for the Home Patrol 1. For simple scanning and the novice, it is perfect. It can be used as a mobile as well as a base, and not only does it receive APCO 25 Phase 1 and 2, but will handle all forms of conventional and trunked frequencies in your area as well. The Home Patrol 1 is virtually identical, but does not have Phase 2 capabilities. Whether that is important depends on where you live and whether the local public service agencies have decided to go to Phase 2 to reduce band crowding. I do find that it has a few shortcomings versus the Home Patrol 1, however. First, unless you have a larger power supply, it cannot be listened to while charging. So that means if you use the USB to your computer you either charge or listen, so get a good power supply. In a pinch you can use the one from your cell phone or iPad, but a separate one is best. Secondly, the charging light is bright and annoying if you have this in a bedroom. Maybe a piece of electrical or masking tape would help dim it. Overall, it is a good scanner with the ability to pick channels simply with inputting your ZIP Code. It comes with the Home Patrol Sentinel software and all frequencies in the US and Canada pre-loaded on a micro SD card.

works great

I purchased this because our countywide system switched over to digital a year ago. Because of the lack of frequency updates for this area from Uniden, I am still unable to listen to anything “local”. I can hear the Illinois State Police, but not my county or local police. Do your research before you buy, download the update app, and check your location. I update once a week to check. Would I buy it again? Only if I lived somewhere else.

I am very happy with this scanner. I debated purchasing it for a few months due to the cost. Seriously, this thing is expensive! We moved to Galveston recently and I thought it would be great to know what is going on and it is. This is the type of scanner that I had to have to hear the broadcast here. I was a little disappointed in the beginning because I was only getting a few channels but I discovered it was user error. I needed to make some adjustments like making sure EMS-Talk and the other Talk options were highlighted. It is now giving me what I expected. We were full-time RVers and I wish we would have had it when we were traveling because it is so easy to change the location. It is easy to use. My only complaint is the price.

I had been wondering why a trio of emergency vehicles would rush past my house about once or twice per week lately. Watched this thing forever on my watch list, realized it just isnt going to go down in price much, so I bought it. Functions as promised, you can dial in your local channels and fine tune down to a smaller list. Before you buy, check the scanner guides for your local system. I did, saw nothing in Atlanta is Encrypted except Homicide and Detectives in Atlanta. I was still worried it wouldnt work, but it did just fine, right out of the box. The charging is funky and can seem problematic, as others have commented. One important key is to get a definite high capacity USB cable, because this unit can tell the difference and wont charge well on an older/cheaper cable. Experimentation will be required. I was so confused at one point, I requested a replacement, which Amazon promptly sent. Then I decided my original worked just fine, so I sent the replacement back and kept the original unit. Touch screen and graphics could be better, but not an issue in using it. I have mine tuned to my local precinct, which is only a mile away. I pick that up, as well as counties north and south of me. With the aftermarket antenna, Im pulling in way more than I can ever listen to. Discovered the emergency activity around my house was a interdepartmental drug task force. They send the cop in for the drug bust and have fire truck and EMS standing buy for gunshot wounds, I guess! They must have got those folks, because the activity dropped way off. Show it to your friends, just leave it on so they hear it when they come in. They will be amazed.

Battery life is excellent. Good national database. Problem is with reception. Scanning local airport channels while next to airport and did not pick up transmission. Same issue scanning local fire and police while at home. Only picks up a transmission once in a while.

I got this because my local police recently upgraded their radio system to an unencrypted Project 25 Phase 1 system. This raised my awareness to how many local systems are now digital, and I was looking for a quick solution. The HomePatrol 2 is a nice solution. It was very easy to get going using the ZIP code location setting. The connection with the RadioReference.com database works nicely--it automatically pulled up a LOT of frequencies, and the ability to select by service is very handy. It takes some getting used to if youre an old-school scannerist like me because Im so used to doing all the work! Be aware that, for amateur radio use, this receiver will only decode AM or FM signals in the VHF and UHF amateur bands. If you need something for HF amateur work, this is NOT the unit for you, but it WILL automatically load local repeater frequencies for you. Im not keen on the landscape device format, but the color touch screen and included desk stand are very nice. I also like the ability to pause reception by System, Department or Channel with a single touch. This is great for limiting the scanned channels on-the-fly, but you can also set up favorites for doing this more permanently, The right-angle antenna is a slight annoyance, especially being SMA, but the included SMA-BNC adapter will allow you to connect your favorite scanning antenna. In that case, youll need a right-angle BNC elbow (NOT included) if you want to use a vertical antenna directly on the unit. Although this unit is pretty nice, I decided to return it and get the Uniden BCD436HP instead, which is very similar in functionality to the HP-2, but in a more conventional handheld format with a few extra features (and slightly less expensive). I still recommend the HomePatrol-2 as a great general modern scanner with plenty of capabilities, especially if you like a desktop format (and it can be mounted mobile as well).