You bought an used/new scanner, now how do I program it?

[ka3jjz]

Our wiki has numerous articles that can help with the answer to this question. Note that links are always blue in color, both here and in the wiki

Let's start with the GRE/RadioShack/Whistler Models. Note that Whistler bought out the rights and patents to the GRE line of scanners, therefore anything written for the GRE (and Radio Shack, which basically cloned the GRE models) applies to the Whistler scanners.

How can you tell which is which? Each article has a chart that cross references the old and new scanner models, where needed.

All of these pages are available from the very first page of the wiki.

If you have purchased a GRE or Whistler scanner, see the FAQs and Shortcuts section of;

Programming Your GRE Scanner - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

If you have purchased a Radio Shack scanner, see the Getting Started and All Other RS Scanners sections of

Programming Your Radio Shack Scanner - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

You will notice that there are many more RS links for scanners; this is because RS (via clones of both GRE and older Uniden models) had been in the scanner market for a very long time, and produced scanners going back many years.

Uniden scanners are cataloged here;

Programming Your Uniden Scanner - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

We have articles and FAQs for both the old pre-DMA and DMA driven scanners. Starting with the DMA articles you will notice that we have links going both forward and back, linking each article in a chain. This chain is displayed near the top of each article to enable ease of navigation.

These pages are part of our wiki, and anyone may edit them. Please feel free to add/change things as needed.

 

[ka3aaa]

downloading and reading the owners manual usually helps.

 

[K7MFC]

You bought an used/new scanner, now how do I program it?

By reading the user manual, of course!

 

[ka3jjz]

Both of you a;re partially correct; Uniden has a bad habit of writing horrid manuals. This has been well documented. The Easier to Read manuals help, but sometimes that's not enough.

Mike

 

[K7MFC]

Uniden has a bad habit of writing horrid manuals.

Maybe I'm in the minority opinion here, but I've never had any issues reading or comprehending the manual for every Uniden product I own. I always read them cover to cover.

The Easier to Read manuals help, but sometimes that's not enough.

I see the "Easier to Read" Uniden manuals often recommended, but the majority of their content is copied verbatim from the original Uniden manual, pictures and diagrams included.

 

[ka3jjz]

Between the Easier to Read guide and the associated wiki pages, you will often find information that simply doesn't exist in the user manual, or is buried and hard to find.

Let me back up by saying that in my professional life, part of my job is writing software manuals. I don't want to toot my horn too much (oh hell why not?) but I've written numerous articles and e-books for our wiki, including being a major contributor for the FreeScan User Guide, among many others.

Let's talk about the SDS100 - since that's a hot topic these days. The Easier to Read manual for the SDS100 has a nice description of the various flavors of DMR and NXDN. Does the Uniden manual have this? Nope. It should have a glossary but it doesn't.

How about options for the battery maintenance? The user manual (which I downloaded from the Uniden site) has only a little on page 9, but the Easier to Read guide has listings of several controls that you can set.

DMR programming is a popular topic these day. There is a single mention of DMR 1 Frequency in the user guide on page 34, and that's it. The SDS100 FAQ page has a link to a discussion thread on this topic.

How about DMR Tier 3 programming? There's a singe mention of it on page 45 and that's it. Want more information? The SDS100 wiki has links for that discussion too.

What about filters? They aren't even mentioned in the manual, but we have a link for that topic too in the SDS100 FAQ page. Looks like that topic is being developed for the Easier to Read guide.

How about customizing the boot up screen? Nothing in the user manual, but we have that in the wiki, too.

Uniden had a TWiki that they could have used to document this scanner (and this was being done for some of the earlier DMA models), but it appears that's pretty much gone by the wayside. Undoubtedly UPMan's illness and subsequent death really put a dent in this. It takes a great deal of work to do something like this - I know from experience.

But Uniden isn't the only one that's guilty of poor documentation (heck it goes all the way back to the BC245 - their first handheld trunker, which had several errors). Whistler is guilty, too. I will mention 2 words, and the groan will be heard all over the place because it's been asked over and over and over again...

Heap Error

The Easier to Read manual for those scanners has the fix, as we do in the wiki - but is it in the 1040 manual? Nope. In fact GRE had a web page on this very subject which we (and others) captured (and a good thing too since it's gone). And that's just one of several things I've spotted in the 1040 user manual.

Also keep in mind that many of the wiki pages start off with links to our Glossary, the Trunking Basics article (and the article written by the late UPMan) and a little about our database. These are all things that a newcomer needs to know to start off

Thinking that a newcomer is going to come in here knowing all that stuff, and just 'read the manual' is going to solve their problems is simply incorrect. These articles are written primarily for their benefit, as well as more experienced folk needing more detailed information than what might - or in many cases, as has been amply demonstrated here, isn't there at all. Mike

 

[Happylady44833]

Can you do a veido on programing a whistler pre preprogramed I bought one but nonething is coming through I tried to register it it will not take serial number already threw receipt away guess there was a number on it i needed to send in to register it online what do i do now?? I also have a trunking scanner the guy use to program does not do it now but he put a password on it I can not get into it cause of that no one around here programs them anymore in ohio can you help me I live in Ohio Crawford county want galion police& ems, &mt.gilead local &ems, regular scanner, police is trunking scanner need the the follow on regular scanner Johnville,Marengo,Iberia,Cardington,chesterville,any help would be appreciated

 

[dmchalmers]

good luck understanding sentinel software if you've never used it before. Theres alot of mistakes on it too. You tube is your best bet getting anywhere with Unidens sentinel

 

[fxdscon]

good luck understanding sentinel software if you've never used it before. Theres alot of mistakes on it too. You tube is your best bet getting anywhere with Unidens sentinel

Can you specify exactly what “mistakes” you are seeing in Sentinel? Specifically what section of Sentinel are you in, and in what specific function are you finding these mistakes?

 

[jonwienke]

Most Sentinel "mistakes" are user error.

 

[ka3jjz]

There are now tons of YouTube videos (and other places too) for instructions on programming scanners. It seems folks prefer this method over reading manuals.

Mike

 

[Sector46]

By reading the user manual, of course!

I Always sent the SD Card to the Factor ( WHistler )and have them do it, as I am NOT COMPUTER SAVVY - especially hearing all the horror stories of people who did their own computer program , not worth the headaches /

 

[K7MFC]

Ha well I guess I’m not one to buy a $500 device and be ok with not understanding how to operate it.

 

[Sector46]

I know exactly how to operate all digital scanners, I do not know how to program them , I leave that to the company professionals . I only monitor 4 or 5 frequencies at once, not to get overloaded , so one scanner remains locked on one talkgroup or the like . I Bought the TRX-1 to match the TRX-2 as some systems closeby are changing to P25 Phase ll which the
1065 and 1040s will not receive.

 

[videobruce]

I see the "Easier to Read" Uniden manuals often recommended, but the majority of their content is copied verbatim from the original Uniden manual, pictures and diagrams included.

One copies the other.This includews major mistakes. (audio AGC )

 

[buddrousa]

Not knowing how to PROGRAM and OPERATE your scanner is like buying a new car and PAYING SOMEONE to drive it for you.

 

[Vk3dbg]

By reading the user manual, of course!

Read the manual my man some scanner can be a pain to program good luck 73s

 

[ka3jjz]

Take a look at message 6 of this thread and you'll quickly learn why "read the manual' is often the wrong answer

Mike

 

[K7MFC]

As I mentioned above, my main beef with the “easier to read” manuals is that the author just copied the contents of the original owner’s manuals pretty much verbatim, even the illustrations. There’s hardly any original writing or information in the ones I’ve read. I don’t disagree that the Uniden manufacturer’s owners manual can be lacking, but I seriously fail to see any significant advantage of those “easier to read” manuals. Other than they’re online and the content is organized a bit differently.

 

[buddrousa]

Most of us say they are much better and easier to find settings you are looking for.