Review on Uniden HomePatrol-2 TrunkTracker V and S,A,M,E Digital Scanner with Color Touchscreen, APCO P25 Phase 1 and 2, Emergency/Weather Alert. Covers USA and Canada, Quick Record and Playback by Will Rahman

I got this because my local police recently upgraded their radio system to a Project 25 Phase 1 unencrypted system. It made me realize how many local systems are now digital and what I was looking for a quick fix. HomePatrol 2 is a great solution. It was very easy to start setting zip code location. The connection to the RadioReference.com database works great - MANY frequencies are retrieved automatically and the ability to select by service is very handy. It takes a while to get used to if you're an old school scanner like me because I'm so used to doing all the work! Note that this amateur radio receiver only decodes AM or FM signals on the VHF and UHF amateur bands. If you need something for amateur HF operations this device is NOT for you but it will automatically download local transponder frequencies for you. very pretty. I also like the ability to pause by system, department or channel with a single tap. This is great for restricting scanned channels on the fly, but you can also set up favorites to do this more consistently. The rectangular antenna is a bit annoying, especially the SMA, but the included SMA to BNC adapter allows you to connect your favorite scanning antenna. In this case you need a BNC angle (not included), if you want to use the vertical antenna directly on the device. I decided to return it and replace it with the Uniden BCD436HP, which is very similar in functionality to the HP-2 but in a more traditional portable format with some added features (and a little cheaper). I still recommend HomePatrol-2 as a great, versatile, feature-packed modern scanner, especially if you like the desktop format (and it can be installed on mobile too).