Basic Sentinel Help Needed...

I am trying to set up the Sentinel software before actually getting the 536hp. After watching several videos on programing Sentinel, I am still a little confused on how it will be set up. Below is how I would like to organize the lists if possible. If there is a better way that I am overlooking, I am open to suggestions. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Mobile Set Up with GPS: I would like for the scanner to tune into the correct frequencies when driving through the specific areas.

Favorite 1 City Police
City Fire
City Public Works
Favorite 2 County Sheriff
County Emergency
Other Cities within County
City 2 Police
City 2 Fire
City 3 Police
City 3 Fire
Favorite 3 Neighboring State
City Police
City Fire
Favorite 4 State Hwy Patrol (3 State Minimum, 1 Fav. Per State or All Clumped together?)
Local Police (of Cities when driving through)

familycache - I am not familiar with using my 436 with gps (yet) so unfortunatly I cant' help you out on that one. But perhaps Marks Scanners Mark's Scanners can help.

Not impossible - but going to take a lot of time It can take several appends, edits, etc. to put all that in favorites. Then if something changes - it's out of date.

For multi state travel you are probably ahead to stick with the full db. Make Favorites for areas you do travel a lot. ( at least until you learn to use it).

Unless it is something that you use a lot and can micromanage it can be a PITA

For me, when I'm traveling outside my local area, I turn the Full Database On and let the GPS device doi its thing as far as which things come on. I'll select the Service Types I'm interested in hearing (Law Dispatch, Law Tac, Fire Dispatch etc) and turn off those I'm not interested in (Business, Schools, Security, etc.)

I only create Favorites Lists for my local area or travel destination. Typically I set these to Location Control On, so they get turned off when I'm not in the area.

In my local area or travel destination, I'll turn the Full Database Off.

For example I live in Louisville and travel to Minneapolis. I have a couple of FLs related to Louisville and one for Minneapolis. When I leave Louisville headed to Minneapolis, I turn the Full Database On. That lets me hear all the "stuff" between the two points. When I arrive in Minneapolis, I turn off the full database and let the Minneapolis FL do its thing, as I'm a little more particular on what I want to hear while there.

While its good that you are getting a jump start on programming, as did I, you might find the actual function to be a little different than what you anticipte. It just takes a little time to see what actually happens and how you can fine tune the programming. I'd caution against investing a lot of time in programming until you actually get the radio.

Got it! I thought about that but was/am concerned that the scan time would be significantly longer with the full database running. I found that was the case with my 996T.

If you have a GPS device connected, it isn't too bad. That's because the GPS "locks out" things that are out of range. You can refine this even more by setting the Range value to 0, tightening the circle for which the scanner seeks.

I've taken numerous long distance trips with the 536/Full Database On/GPS combination and am very happy with the results.

The only beef I have, and I understand why this is so, is that the scanner will attempt to receive frequencies using NXDN, DMR, ProVoice (formats the basic scanner won't handle). That's because they are listed in the database.

The Avoid button is the work around. (Fortunately upgrades are available for ProVoice and DMR. Hopefully NXDN is on the horizon.)

I much prefer favorites lists to the full database, so I can listen to only what I select. Having said that, ALL of the items in the OP's proposed lists, I would put into ONE list.

Not concerned about maintaining favorites lists, as I find that to be one of the enjoyable parts of the hobby. It's easy to review RR periodically and make any updates. You would be surprised how few there really are, and when there are more, that's even better.

Having said the above, when I am out of my main geographic areas covered by my favorites lists, I use the main database, with GPS, location control, and judicious reduction in the service types.

Bottom line though, for the OP, I think you should put all those categories in one favorites list, not a dozen or whatever you had there.

Mark
WS1095/536/436/996P2/HP1e/HP2e/996XT/325P2/396XT/PRO668/PSR800/PRO652