Uniden HomePatrol 2 Review
The Uniden HomePatrol 2 is among the most popular police scanner devices on the market today. It provides you with a plethora of great features that can be useful in a wide range of situations. When you are looking for a high-end scanner, this one should definitely be on your list of products to consider.
Table of Contents
Design
We’ll start with this Uniden HomePatrol 2 review with the design. The HomePatrol 2 police scanner measures 4.2 by 3.8 by 6.4 inches with a weight of 1.15 pounds. It is extremely light and portable like other Uniden products, so you can take with you on the go without any issues. One of the best things about this device is its simple design. You shouldn’t have any problems with getting used to it right out of the box. Unlike so many other models on the market, this one doesn’t require a lot of complicated steps or instructions to be followed.
You will be able to use this device to access fire, law enforcement, EMS and weather radio systems. It gives you the option to adjust your settings so you get the best and most convenient performance possible. One of the unique things about this device is that it allows for listening to traffic that most other scanners don’t. This includes SWAT and other law enforcement transmissions, which can be very interesting.
The reception that you get with the Uniden HomePatrol 2 largely depends on the environmental conditions and your location (see if police scanners are legal in your state HERE). It has a stock antenna that is fairly solid and gives you a pretty respectable distance for picking up on local signals. It does not decrypt any encrypted radio transmissions like some other models do. Not all of the digital channels are encrypted, but you will find that certain ones are.
All you need to do to get started is just enter your zip code or city on the touchscreen. The device will instantly start listening for transmissions in your area, wherever you are. It really couldn’t be any easier or simpler, even with our article. You will be able to mount this police scanner inside your vehicle with the hardware that is provided. This makes it easy to use even when you are on the go. It is especially useful during long road trips when you need to stay up to date on weather conditions.
Features
Weather Alerts
The S.A.M.E. weather alerts that you can get with Uniden HomePatrol 2 can provide you with valuable information in the event of severe weather in your area. You will be able to stay apprised of weather conditions so you can take the necessary steps to protect yourself. (See more details for receiving SAME alerts: https://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/info/usingsame.html)
Record and Replay
This device gives you the option of recording whatever you are listening to and playing it back. You will be able to store your recordings on a Micro SD card, which is included with this scanner.
Color Touchscreen
The color touchscreen on the front panel of the Uniden HomePatrol 2 police scanner gives you the ability to go through the menu, where you will find a number of settings. There are also buttons for Replay (recordings), Record, and Mute. This makes it easy to perform a variety of functions quickly and without any hassle. The display itself is fairly bright with multi-colored text, giving you a high degree of visibility at all times.
Digital Capable
You will be able to receive all unencrypted non-proprietary radio systems, including APCO-25 Phase I and Phase II digital, Motorola, EDACS, LTR, conventional analog, and P25 digital channels.
Mountable Design
You can mount this police scanner inside your vehicle and hook it up to your car speakers. This provides you with an easy and convenient way to receive all the up to date information you need. The GPS location gives you accurate positioning, allowing you to get the best possible coverage when you are on the road.
Selection Bar
Uniden HomePatrol 2’s selection bar allows you to set the range in two mile increments, allowing you to tweak its performance exactly how you want.
- Easy to use: Pretty much everything about this police scanner is very easy to use. It only takes a matter of minutes to set it up out of the box.
- Intuitive user interface: The touch display that this device offers has a nice intuitive user interface. This makes it easy to navigate through the various settings and functions.
- Everything included: You will receive everything you need to use when purchasing this device. This includes the flex antenna, desk stand, USB cable, four rechargeable batteries, and an SMA to BNC adapter.
- Long battery life: The rechargeable batteries that this police scanner uses will give you plenty of use before you need to juice them back up.
- Simple mounting: It won’t take much time or effort for you to mount this device in your vehicle.
- The touch display on this police scanner can be a little slow to respond at times.
- Some customers have reported occasional problems with reception.
Customer Reviews
The overall customer reviews for the Uniden HomePatrol 2 are overwhelmingly positive. Most people who have purchased it have nothing but good things to say. One of the most common bits of praise that this device gets is related to the record feature. A lot of people seem to be really happy about their ability to record transmissions and play them back. Need to replay that code for scanners you overheard? This comes in handy. There aren’t very many negative comments from customers, which really says something about this product. It definitely has a very solid overall reputation to say the least.
You can also read about two other top picks from Uniden: we pitted the SDS100 VS BCD436HP here.
Uniden HomePatrol 2 Review Conclusion
There is no question that the Uniden HomePatrol 2 has a lot to offer as a whole. This police scanner gives you an advanced and highly versatile design that you’ll be sure to appreciate. It is made to accommodate the needs of many people. The simple and easy setup of this device gives you the ability to start using it right away without any issues.
The fact is that there are very few bad points to even mention. It has a beautiful touch display that makes it easy to do everything from going through the settings to recording whatever you are listening to.
After reading our Uniden HomePatrol 2 review, would you consider it as your next police scanner?
If you want a more budget-friendly option, see our review of the Uniden BC125At.
If you want to know how this model performs compared to the previous one, check out Home Patrol 1 vs 2 comparison.
William Johnson is the owner and founder of RatedRadarDetector.org. He writes about car accessories, with his passion stemming from a deep enthusiasm for all things automotive. His website, RRD, focuses on in-depth reviews of car accessories to help people find the best and latest products in the market.
