Can't Read or Write Scanner w Sentinel

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wd6awp

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Hi,

I have a new BDC532HP. Just came today from Amazon. For the life of me I can't get the Sentinel software to read or write. I have version 1.01.07. I did get it to "Clear User Data" by checking the the "Display All Drives" box and selecting the E: drive.

Anybody else having problem getting Sentinel to communicate with their scanner? Is there a fix for this?

Thanks,
Tim
 

detroit780

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Sentinel

Try this the latest Sentinel is 1.02.01 then ceck your firmware make sure it is the latest

BCD536HP < UnidenMan4 < TWiki

Les


Hi,

I have a new BDC532HP. Just came today from Amazon. For the life of me I can't get the Sentinel software to read or write. I have version 1.01.07. I did get it to "Clear User Data" by checking the the "Display All Drives" box and selecting the E: drive.

Anybody else having problem getting Sentinel to communicate with their scanner? Is there a fix for this?

Thanks,
Tim
 

DaveIN

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When you plug the cable from the PC to the 536 do you see the display look like this? Did you select "Mass Storage"? Does the drive display in the "Devices and Drives" or "My Computer"?
 

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wd6awp

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Try this the latest Sentinel is 1.02.01 then ceck your firmware make sure it is the latest

BCD536HP < UnidenMan4 < TWiki

Les

Thank you Les.

I found that link shortly after posting. (That was my first post to this list, and it had to be approved, which takes a while.)

I've updated the firmware and the database. Now I can scan the full database and that works well.

I have created a favorite, assigned it to Startup Key 0 and it loads but is says there's nothing to scan. I'm trying to figure out what to do to the favorite list to get it to scan.
 

wd6awp

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When you plug the cable from the PC to the 536 do you see the display look like this? Did you select "Mass Storage"? Does the drive display in the "Devices and Drives" or "My Computer"?

Thanks for the suggestions, Dave. I was running an old version of Sentinel. Better now and I've got much more learning to do.
 

Maddogz4

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WD,

I just bought a BCD436HP, I used to listen to scanners all the time but back then just plug in a frequency and go! I am trying to learn this scanner, I also ran into the issue "nothing to scan" even though my favorite list was set-up. I had a few entries from Sterling Heights, MI but it would only scan when I had a conventional frequency added for SH fire at 460.625 under a county system. I also have some favorites set from statewide MPSCS that will not scan for some reason so I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Did you have any more luck since your last post?
 

lacadien72

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I have created a favorite, assigned it to Startup Key 0 and it loads but is says there's nothing to scan. I'm trying to figure out what to do to the favorite list to get it to scan.


In Sentinel, go in Edit => Edit Profile
Make sure Download and Monitor for your favorite list(s) are set to On.


On the scanner, see #2, #3, #6 an #7 below...

Scan Mode, Nothing to Scan
1. Make sure you Set Your Location to scan the Database.
2. Make sure Favorites Lists are enabled in Set Scan Selection.
3. Make sure Service Types are enabled for the Channels you want to hear.
4. Make sure you have locations programed if Use Location Control is On.
5. Make sure longitude and latitude are N and W (for N America).
6. Make sure Systems/Departments/Channels are not Avoided.
7. Make sure Favorites List/System quick key is enabled.
8. (Search with Scan) Make sure Search with Scan is enabled in Select Lists to Monitor and
the Search for Menu and for the Custom Search.
 

JamesO

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McLean, VA
Most common "Nothing To Scan" is due to missing Talk Groups or Service Type defaulted to "Custom 1".

Ask me how I know.

On your Favorites List make ABSOLUTELY sure you choose and enter an appropriate "Service Type", of for the novices, it is probably best to "ENABLE" all Service Types in the software for the first 2-4 weeks of using the scanner. The Service Type tag is a powerful filter and if the Service Type is not enabled in the scanner, you will get the "Nothing To Scan" death message.

Many times it is easier to import frequencies from the Master Data Base, but this assumes you really understand the Sentinel software, which will take a few weeks and a number of mistakes.

I think the issue is most people want to get the scanner up and functioning and the way most of the Service Types are turned off, it filters out most, if not all of the frequencies/channels/Talk Groups.

Personally, I think the Sentinel software should default all Service Types as on when a Favorite List is created. This would eliminate A LOT of the frustration with the HP platforms.
 

Maddogz4

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Jun 20, 2013
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Thank you for all the help, I verified that I had monitor and download set to "ON" in my favorite list. I also made sure I followed what Lacadien72 and James mentioned as well. I have alot to learn but keeping learning pieces every day. This is whats going on: 1) I went into the sentinel software and enable all service types on my favorite lists, hit save and then chose "write to scanner". When I go into the scanner itself and look at the service types they are not all enabled like it was in the sentinel software. Alot of the service types have --- (3 lines) in the selection and wont let me turn them on so I must be missing something. 2) The favorites I had chosen were from Michigan/statewide/MPSCS/Macomb County (50) Sterling Heights as one example and the other entries are just different cities under MPSCS, when these are in my fav's then I get "nothing to scan". I added a couple more favorites but this time from Michigan/County Systems/Macomb/Municipalities and Districts - Sterling Heights and these are scanning fine. These are conventional frequencies so seems like that has something to do with it, not sure. Thanks for the assistance, anxious to keep learning and to be able to make favorite lists that function properly. I watched UPMAN video and that was helpful on creating fav lists but now I am stuck getting some of these favorites to function.
 

AC2OY

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Wow I see as the blind man said...LOL I have Meade every mistake you guys mentioned and then some.... But the beauty is eventually we will a get it. I have to check that latitude longitude setting. This is why this is such a good site,tool,...ect. The more I read here the more I learn!!!
 

stephend

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Jan 27, 2006
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Sentinel

Maddogz4,

I had a simular problem. I found that if you don't have any boxes checked in the "Quick Key Status"
boxes, your favorites will not load to the scanner.

Go to: Edit Profile, open up the "Quick Keys Status" tab.
Make sure each favorite quick key is checked that you want to load.
Save it, then download to the scanner.
As far as the Monitor and Download on/off switches, I switch all my monitor switches to off and
switch them on at the scanner when I need them. All the download switches are always on.

Hope this helps.

Stephen
 

Maddogz4

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Jun 20, 2013
Messages
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Thanks for the info Stephen, I took a look and did have the quick keys set up and I can see all my favs in the scanner but only the conventional frequencies that I chose from county systems are scanning for some reason, not my MPSCS favorites.
 
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