Thank you, Ifter doing some digging AND lots of reading I’ve managed to get the firmware updated and data update . Still confused and learning what to scan locally without a favorites list . Thank you for the reply
For scanning without a Favorites list, you can use your location. Enter your location via zip code. Note that if your zip code covers a large area, you would be better off to use a map program to get your exact location, latitude & longitude. But zip code would at least get you started.
Next, enter a range. That range will determine the agencies and systems that will load in the scanner. Note that those systems are not just based on the distance from your location. Instead, what it is really doing is using your range setting, plus the range distance in the database for the given entity. A more complete explanation is here:
How it Works: Location, Location, Location
The other key is Service Types. By default, the scanner will have Dispatch service types enabled, such as Law Dispatch, Fire Dispatch, EMS Dispatch, and Multi Dispatch. But if you look at the database for your area, you'll a number of other types used. Such as Law Talk, Fire Tac, Multi Tac. Be sure and enable the Talk and Tac types for each of the public safety types (Law, Fire, EMS, & Multi).
The above will get you going. Note that you can also create a Favorites list via Sentinel, once you've made the settings above. In Sentinel, after you have updated the database, set your range, location, and Service Types of interest, click on the Edit drop down menu at the top of the Sentinel window. Select 'Add channels in range'. That will create a Favorites list based on the settings you entered. You likely will find some things that do not interest you, such as perhaps a large statewide system, or certain cities or counties that you do not care to listen to. You can trim out the ones not of interest by either clicking on them to select, and then right><click>. From the pop-up menu that generates, choose Remove from Favorites.
If, instead, you choose to modify your list with the Favorites List Editor (accessed either from the Edit menu, or by clicking on the small icon under the 'w' in 'View', resembling a star with a pencil on it), you can make your choices in the editor. There, you can also modify the text tags to make something more to your tastes. Also, using the Editor, you can set individual channels or talkgroup IDs to active an alert tone when the channel is active, or set the LED to show a specific color, such as Red for Fire related, Blue or Cyan for Law Enforcement, or any other color combinations you want.