SDS100/SDS200: SDS 200 while travelling

Jaserbug

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Jun 5, 2023
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Location
Statesville, NC
I live in NC and like to listen to HP, I have all troops in a favorites list and have scanner on GPS. When I travel the unit doesn’t seem to pick up very well, will pick up fine when I’m home but just don’t seem to when traveling. Unit will pick up small town traffic but not much talk from HP, what’s my problem ?
 

62Truck

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Uranus
What kind of antenna are you using when mobile?

When you say pick up "small town traffic" is that on the viper system as well?
 

WRQS621

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Are you using Autolocate? or GPS? The database is setup to monitor via location.
 

Jaserbug

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Jun 5, 2023
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Statesville, NC
Ok, so you have all troops (talkgroups) but do you also have all sites on this system in the favorites list? And do you have the favorites list set to use location control?
I am using location control but not sure about the sites in the favorites list, thought the GPS took care of that. How do I know or enter them ?
 

jtwalker

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Gettysburg, PA & Fenwick Island, DE
I am using location control but not sure about the sites in the favorites list, thought the GPS took care of that. How do I know or enter them ?
You append the sites from full database, similar to how you did the talkgroups. Since you are using a GPS and traveling, you should append every site from the VIPER system to your fav list.
 

hiegtx

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Dallas, TX
When using the main database, along with a range, selected service types, and a GPS, you should hear any of the state HP units within the range settings you are using.

But if you are using a GPS, but with a Favorites list instead of the main database, then as noted, you will miss anything on a site not in your list.
 

drdispatch

If 1000 hertz, think what 1 gig must feel like
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I am using location control but not sure about the sites in the favorites list, thought the GPS took care of that. How do I know or enter them ?
If you append any talkgroups from the statewide system into your Favorites List, all the sites in the state will automatically append as well.
 

ofd8001

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Louisville, KY
Sorry about being late to the party. You may want to create an entirely new Favorites List for the entire North Carolina system, on its own unique Favorites List Quick Key. Set Location Control to On and don't mess with anything, other than turning off those Service Types that are not of interest to you.

Probably could set your Range to 10.0 miles (at most).

Once you are satisfied that your scanner works to your liking, you can pare down the Departments that are not of interest to you. For statewide system scanning, since you have a GPS device, you should leave all sites intact. (The scanner will sort out what is needed at what point).
 

Jaserbug

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Jun 5, 2023
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Location
Statesville, NC
I have ask before and tried a couple different things but no success. I live in NC and have an SDS 200 in my vehicle, it seems to work pretty good at home but once I travel I wanna listen to HP. This scanner rarely picks up HP traffic when I travel. I have it on a GPS . I have a favorites with only HP in it and it still picks up very little. What am I doing wrong ? Traveled from Statesville to Asheville yesterday , over 100 miles and few transmissions.

Thanks for any help
 

Jaserbug

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Statesville, NC
Checked my programming on Favorites sites, made sure all systems were there, have it on GPS and location control on. Just not sure what I’m doing wrong.
 

hiegtx

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Checked my programming on Favorites sites, made sure all systems were there, have it on GPS and location control on. Just not sure what I’m doing wrong.
For the Favorites list that you are using, did you create them by appending from the main database, or did you manually create them in Sentinel.

When you travel, are you scanning only your Favorites lists? Or are you using the main database along with your GPS.

If you'll post your Favorite lists, we can take a look to see if something was overlooked or has an error.

Select the drop-down File menu in Sentinel.
To do that, click on the drop-down File menu in Sentinel.
Select "Export to hpe file (Favorites lists)
1694568675185.png

Sentinel will generate a pop-up window with all your lists displayed. Pick the list you want,
Then, you'll get a box for you to choose which systems to export. Make sure all of them are checked, & press OK to proceed.

Sentinel will generate the *.hpe file and give you the option where to save it. (The default name will be that of the source Favorites list, but you can, instead, use a different name.) Note where the file is being saved. (The default is usually the Documents folder, but you can save elsewhere if you want.)
Repeat the export process for each of your Favorites lists.

Once your files are saved, open Windows Explorer (called File Explorer on some Windows versions).
Find your saved file(s).
If you exported more than one list, hold down the Control key. While holding the key, select each of your lists.
1694568806202.png


You want to compress these to a Zip file. You cannot attach an hpe file to a post, but you can do that with a Zip file. (If you don't see the 'Compress' choice, you should see, instead, "Send To". Use that, which will pop-out a menu on where to send it. One of the options will be to compress the file. Use that.)

Once you have the Zip file created, you can attach it to a post. Then we can open it & see what might need changes or adjustments.
 

Ubbe

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Sep 8, 2006
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Stockholm, Sweden
This scanner rarely picks up HP traffic when I travel.
Is it less than any other scanner you have? Where I live and when I also watch police documentary's from countries like Denmark and UK I notice that the equivalent to HP only use their radio if there's a car chase. They use mobile phone apps to check plates and drivers and even talking between patrols and dispatcher.

It's a lot easier using a full duplex mobile phone than any 2-way radio. It could be region dependent of how much a new guy from Police Academy actually picks up from seasoned colleagues when to use their radio, could be a lot of use by your local HP but not so much in other regions.

Have you checked how much HP use their radios in other countys by listening to a streamed scanner from that area? Perhaps not many stream HP traffic as it is too boring and perhaps not so active that it is worth streaming so maybe difficult to know how much communication you can expect when travelling.

/Ubbe
 

donc13

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Dec 19, 2002
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Location
Grand Junction, CO
Obviously, what kind of antenna are you using at home vs in the car? What is your range setting? Do you have all the highway patrol sites in your favorites list or just the ones near your home?
 
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