Sentinel: Importing only selected entries from Radio Reference

[Atoche]

First let me begin by apologizing as I am somewhat confident these questions have been asked, but I am having trouble locating the answers in other threads - so I figured I would start a new one. Please forgive my laziness

Ok, so I have an SDS100 and SDS200. I did the firmware update and I have the full database on my scanner(s). I have entered in my zip code on the SDS100 - and I use my GPS on the SDS200 for my location. I have "30 miles" configured as my distance in the configuration.

I find that I like to listen to Ohio MARCS (I am in central Ohio) the most. When I have full database selected, I have no real way of configuring and selecting Ohio MARCS alone. I have to wait until a Ohio MARCS station comes up, and then lock the scanner to that system.

What I would like, is to import the Ohio MARCS entries from RR into a favorite list - in that way I would get all the MARCS transmissions that are near me. I have tried and tried, but I cannot figure out a way of getting this done in bulk.

I am now left with slowly typing in all of the Ohio MARCS information as new unknown TGID's come up on my radio. This is cumbersome at best.

Please, if anyone could provide any insight on how I could accomplish importing just the Ohio MARCS RR entries, I would be very appreciative as it would save me hours and hours of tedious typing the MARCS database into Sentinel.

Thank you in advance.

 

[dave3825]

Why not import the system into a favorites list, avoid everything of non interest and set location to your liking?

I have tried and tried, but I cannot figure out a way of getting this done in bulk.

 

[nessnet]

First pointer:
Range in your PROFILE is additive to whatever range is in each site / dept's location information.
By setting your profile's range to 30, you are 'casting a wide net', so to speak.
Ex: A dept's range is 20 and you have your profile range at 30 - you are actually scanning a 50 mile radius.
A good way to listen to more than you want.
Remember: The more you scan, the less you will hear.....

What county in Ohio?
Good info to give in order to get help....

2nd pointer: In Sentinel, right click on what you want to put into a favorite list.
See the append to favorite list?

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

What I would like, is to import the Ohio MARCS entries from RR into a favorite list - in that way I would get all the MARCS transmissions that are near me. I have tried and tried, but I cannot figure out a way of getting this done in bulk.

From Sentinel tree menu on left:
USA > Ohio > [choose your county] > Statewide > Ohio MARCS-IP: Multi-Agency Radio Communications
Select the site(s) and Departments you need then right-click to bring up menu options, Left-click Append to Favorites List

 

[dave3825]

Delete sites & departments you don't feel you need

And make sure you run in "Id Scan", not "Id Search" or you will have a ton on unknown talkgroups pop up.

 

[RaleighGuy]

Delete sites & departments you don't feel you need

Or just set to avoid rather than delete, like @dave3825 suggested?

 

[Atoche]

Ok, so thank you all for the suggestions I do appreciate them all greatly.

"Append to favorite list" is wonderful.
"30 miles is more than you think" - I understand now, thank you very much I will trim that way down.
"select the sites you want" - I will need to research these more and figure out what sites are truly important, immensely helpful.
"set avoid rather than delete" - I understand, easier to avoid than add... and "review" periodically
Dave3825 - thank you for sharing the screenshot of your setup - that was very insightful for MANY reasons, I appreciate it!
"ID Scan vs. ID Search" - makes complete sense. Searching is for those times when I AM looking to add to the list, otherwise just scan...

Again, all input much appreciated and thank you all for taking the time to answer what is likely an "old" question by now .

 

[Atoche]

One more question - for SITES, should I "remove/avoid/not append" the frequencies that are NOT listed as control channels?

Thank you in advance.

 

[nessnet]

One more question - for SITES, should I "remove/avoid/not append" the frequencies that are NOT listed as control channels?

Thank you in advance.

On an SDS100/200, you only need the control and alternates (red and blue in RR).
Alternates in case they switch control channels....

 

[dave3825]

set avoid rather than delete" - I understand, easier to avoid than add... and "review" periodically

"ID Scan vs. ID Search" - makes complete sense. Searching is for those times when I AM looking to add to the list, otherwise just scan...

In id scan, the scanner will only scan talkgroups that are programmed into a favorite list. In id search, it will scan all talk groups in the fav list as well as any that are not programmed in. Its always better to avoid unwanted stiff because if that day comes you want to search for new unknow talk groups, the minute you put the scanner into id search the scanner would see anything not programmed in as unknown.

On an SDS100/200, you only need the control and alternates (red and blue in RR).

All control channels are marked in red with a C. The whole alternates thing is a thing of the past.

Control Channel Only - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

 

[hiegtx]

One more question - for SITES, should I "remove/avoid/not append" the frequencies that are NOT listed as control channels?

Thank you in advance.

If you carefully select the departments you want, you can append only those departments to a list. But, it will still append all of the sites on MARCS, However, you are a Premium Subscriber. If, instead of appending in Sentinel, you use ProScan (or ARC536, but I prefer ProScan), you can limit your import only the sites & departments you want. Makes it much easier to listen to only what you want without dealing with excess baggage.

One more question - for SITES, should I "remove/avoid/not append" the frequencies that are NOT listed as control channels?

Thank you in advance.

As noted, you only need the marked control channels. But it does not hurt to just leave the rest in there. For the Uniden scanners, once they find the control channel at a given site, the scanner will only use the first active one it finds. It will not check other frequencies in the site unless & until it can no longer decode the one it had been using. I would note that when using the full database, with location control, the scanner is seeing the sites as they are listed in the database, with all of the site frequencies, not just the marked control channel frequencies.

For the older, GRE-designed, object oriented scanners (like the PSR-500 & -600, as well as the later Whistler or RadioShack labeled versions of these), you had a finite number of objects that could be used. Each channel or talkgroup required at least one 'object', with trunked systems requiring several just to create the system, then additional objects for each site frequency or TGID. With less than 1900 objects to use, you might need to only use control channel frequencies, since you were limited in how much could be programmed without exceeding the limits. With the current database scanners., size is rarely a concern. The size limit for a Favorites list is about 1mb. Unless you're trying to program everything (all sites and all talkgroups) for a sizeable statewide or large regional system, you'll never come close. And, if you did, you could simply continue your programming on one or more additional Favorites lists.

 

[Atoche]

Thank you all again, very much. Not only have you saved me hours of data entry, but also educated me on how to better use the software and my scanner.