Database or Favorites (Your Preference)

[Omega-TI]

Some scanners have huge databases that can cycle through hundreds of frequencies that sometimes take a lot of time to manage. Sometimes these big lists contribute to missing voice traffic. This poll is to determine what percentage of the users out there, have opted to turn OFF the databases and strictly scan only their favorites lists... (at least 90% of the time).

 

[belvdr]

Always a favorite list, when I had them. Using the database caused slow scanning, as many of the systems I didn't care about.

 

[MStep]

My favorites lists are running 99 % of the time. Sometimes I cycle in the full database as well just to mix things up a bit. An interesting "variation" is to run the full database only with no favorites lists, but with just a few select "service types" activated.

The SDS scanners offer so much versatility that you can never really get bored with such a great "toy".

 

[J-Wrock]

At my home base location, I use favorites. If I travel, I will use the database enroute but will only have certain services active.

 

[trentbob]

The radios are meant to be used with numbered and labeled favorites list using a quick key so you can enable and disable favorites list easily.

That's why your survey will probably be 100% to 0 LOL. Searching the database can be fun in a new area if you put it on 5 Mile range which actually gives you a lot more range than actually five miles the way systems are set up. You can eliminate certain Service types unless you enjoy school buses, taxi cabs and oil delivery trucks

I personally like to listen to very little... specific objects that are pertinent to what I'm looking to follow and eliminate any unnecessary stuff. Remember the saying... The more you scan, the less you hear.

If you need to follow a lot of things then you use multiple scanners.

 

[ofd8001]

Only time I use full database is if I'm away from home in a town where have not created a Favorites List. Everything else, Favorites List.

 

[CrabbyMilton]

I use the favorite lists that I create on my 436HP. Or if I want to only listen to air and rail, I'll use the search in both or respective search ranges that I set.

 

[belvdr]

I didn't vote because I no longer own them. Any way to see the results?

 

[CrabbyMilton]

Just keeping reading this thread from time to time.

 

[tvengr]

I program scanners for firefighters. They are interested only in their jurisdiction and surrounding jurisdictions for mutual aid. I create favorites lists similar to the way their fire radios are set up. You don't get that using the database.

 

[KevinC]

I didn't vote because I no longer own them. Any way to see the results?

He set it so you can only see the results if you vote.

 

[belvdr]

Ok, I just voted no, because I don't own one now. You can ignore one of the "No" votes.

 

[Omega-TI]

I didn't vote because I no longer own them. Any way to see the results?

26 Favorites
03 Datebase - 01 = 02

 

[GregOH]

I prefer to use a FL all the time and with it only being a small fraction of the DB, it's still more than I want to monitor.
I'm locked onto one site and I'm still avoiding many TG's.

 

[Omega-TI]

I never thought I'd be "that guy", but I have two radios locked on specific frequencies (so I don't miss anything), and then let the new scanner go through all the other stuff.

 

[ladn]

My scanners don't have databases. I program everything (via software). As @trentbob said, "the more you scan-the less you hear". I like to keep my scanning down to only a couple of banks (or "systems") with maybe 25-50 channels.

When I was a news photographer, I had (at least) three scanners in the car: one for law enforcement, one for fire/USFS and one for misc agencies. There was a lot of overlap between the scanners so,, at a large incident, I could dedicate, say two scanners to fire and one to law enforcement.

 

[redbeard]

I NEVER use FLs, strictly database and ZIP for me.

#1 As a DB Admin I want to make sure things are working and looking right.

#2 Everything I want to listen to at home is on the countywide P25 trunked simulcast.

#3 I use DSD+ and SDR# when signal hunting and my scanners are just for casual monitoring.

#4 When I go to an area where I don't know what's active I prefer to let it play and will hold or avoid as needed to hear what I want to in the moment.

 

[tglendye]

Favorites List only. If I am traveling, I'll more than likely have Full Database with GPS turned on, with the range very low. When I get where I am going, I usually have a Favorites List already created for that location.

 

[GreyhoundPolar]

I have many fave lists but all are quite small. That way I can turn off ones I don't want to hear and zero in quite sharply on channels I really want to listen to at that time.

 

[dwh367]

I program my scanners manually. That way I know the information is both current and correct. I've noticed the RR database is sometimes neither. That's not an insult. Just an observation.