"Nothing to Scan" what did I do?

[zidatc]

Finally set up with a couple favorite lists. Went to one for a while, tried to go back to another list and it says there is nothing to scan. Help! Uniden BCD436HP

 

[hiegtx]

Finally set up with a couple favorite lists. Went to one for a while, tried to go back to another list and it says there is nothing to scan. Help! Uniden BCD436HP

Start here for a list of things that would give you the 'nothing to scan' message.

https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Nothing_to_Scan

 

[UPMan]

Most common is that the service type is not enabled for channels in that FL.

 

[zidatc]

I just put in police, and fire in Indianapolis. Then the same in Missouri. When I try to change back to Indianapolis, and put in the list selection, it gives me this message.

 

[ofd8001]

Is Location Control turned on, and when you went from Indianapolis to Missouri, did you change the scanner's location accordingly?

Incorrect location information will lead to a "Nothing to Scan" issue.

See: https://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-thread-archives/283404-x36-nothing-scan-checklist.html

 

[zidatc]

ofd8001, you were right. I totally missed the location change. I thought the FL would take care of that. Now I remember changing it when I travelled. Thanks.
Thank you to all the folks who sent advice, hopefully you keep me from another mistake.

 

[ofd8001]

If you do much traveling, a GPS device is really nice to have. That will keep the scanner "informed" as you move around.

 

[zidatc]

Gps

Good idea. Wasn’t sure how well they work. Thanks

 

[jonwienke]

To elaborate, when the scanner is connected to a GPS, channels in the main database and any Favorite Lists with Location Control enabled will automatically turn on and off as you enter or leave their service area. So if you have Favorite Lists for city A and City B with Location Control enabled, and GPS connected to the scanner, if you travel from city A to city B, City A stuff will automatically get turned off when you leave city A, and city B stuff will automatically get turned on when you arrive at city B. When you return to city A, City B's stuff will turn off when you leave, and City A's stuff will turn on when you arrive, again all automatically.

If A and B are far apart, you can scan the Full Database while en route, and the scanner will use the GPS to find local things to scan on the way. As long as you stay within the US and Canada, or areas covered by one or more of your Favorite Lists, the scanner will always automatically scan local channels wherever you go.

If you do not have a GPS, you have to enter a new ZIP code every few miles (while you are driving!) to get the same result.

 

[zidatc]

Gps

I’m going to look into those. If I want the same service types everywhere I travel, do I even need favorites lists with a gps?

 

[hiegtx]

I’m going to look into those. If I want the same service types everywhere I travel, do I even need favorites lists with a gps?

GPS has no effect on Service Types, only on which systems are enabled (or avoided) based on your actual location. Doesn't matter whether you are using the full database, with location by a GPS in use, or a Favorites list with a GPS and location in play. If your service types are set correctly for what you want to monitor, the scanner will only try to monitor the types that you specified, that are also within the range settings you chose. Remember that range, when it comes to which systems are active, is a combination of the range of the system, as well as the range setting in the scanner itself. A more complete explanation is here: How it Works: Location, Location, Location

Also, remember that if you create a Favorites list by appending from the main database, location information will be with the system(s) added. However, if you create all, or part, of your Favorites list by directly entering system details (for instance, a new system, not yet in the RadioRef database), you would need to also add the location information. If you do not do that, the location of the system will be treated as 0 degrees for both latitude & longitude, which is in the Atlantic Ocean, off the northwest coast of Africa. That would be treated as 'out of range' for anywhere in the U.S. anytime location control is in use, whether by GPS, or manually entering a location, such as via a zip code.

 

[ofd8001]

Agreeing with the above, my "method" is to use the full database while traveling from home to my destination. That saves a lot of programming time and ensures up-to-date scanning. I'll update the full database just before I begin my trip. In that regard, the x36 line of scanners has been a blessing.

At home or at my destination, I'm using Favorites Lists just to refine what I'm scanning.

One choice you'll have to make is Range value. The database is arranged so that a Department is "built" around the entity's service area. The thinking there is that people only want to listen to City A's radio traffic while they are in City A's city limits. I'm of a little school of thought - I want to monitor radio traffic a little bit before I get in a jurisdiction. That's the good thing about modern scanners - they can handle differing preferences.