SDS100/SDS200: Favorites List(s)

[scanman1958]

This is the first posting I have started on the new look forums. If I am doing it wrong I guess I will find out soon.

I have a new SDS-100 and will be programming it by hand. I already have a 996-xt and a 396-xt with over 80 systems programmed. But this new scanner has me perplexed. Do I "have" to program a 'favorite' list and assign it a quick key before I program a 'system' and assign it a quick key? Do I have to program a favorite list at all or can I start with a system instead, like the 396/996? The 396/996 are so easy and straight forward. Program the system then the group then the channel. Wallah. It's done. I am completely confused as to why a favorite list is needed. What am I missing? The explanation, if there is one, is clear as mud. I want this to be as painless as possible. I have had my other two scanners for many years and am quite comfortable with them. I am afraid this will be a nightmare that could be avoided.

Thanks in advance.

 

[nessnet]

"By hand".... why??
I am curious why you wouldn't use Sentinel.
With the degree of complexity favorite lists / quick keys, etc. bring, you really should be using Sentinel.

 

[hiegtx]

This is the first posting I have started on the new look forums. If I am doing it wrong I guess I will find out soon.

I have a new SDS-100 and will be programming it by hand. I already have a 996-xt and a 396-xt with over 80 systems programmed. But this new scanner has me perplexed. Do I "have" to program a 'favorite' list and assign it a quick key before I program a 'system' and assign it a quick key? Do I have to program a favorite list at all or can I start with a system instead, like the 396/996? The 396/996 are so easy and straight forward. Program the system then the group then the channel. Wallah. It's done. I am completely confused as to why a favorite list is needed. What am I missing? The explanation, if there is one, is clear as mud. I want this to be as painless as possible. I have had my other two scanners for many years and am quite comfortable with them. I am afraid this will be a nightmare that could be avoided.

Thanks in advance.

You can only edit a system, whether a trunked system or one using conventional frequencies, if it is in a Favorites list. Without using a Favorites list, you can scan systems in the main database based on your choices for location, range, and service types. But if scanning using the main database, no editing, additions, or deletions are possible without having the system in question appear in a Favorites list.

See this post on converting programming for older scanners, such as your 996XT and 396XT, into Favorites lists in Sentinel. There is also a link in that post to a companion spreadsheet for converting conventional channel systems.

In Sentinel, you can also append a system from the main database to an existing or new Favorites list. Once it's in a list, then you can edit it in Sentinel to add, modify, or delete anything you want.

 

[Ubbe]

The place where you manually program systems are called favorite lists, you only need one. Quick keys are the same as banks, groups and channels in older scanners so you have to use those as well. You probably also want to program the number tags exactly the same as quick keys. The quick keys are enabled during scan but are disabeld when you have stopped on a channel and instead the number tags are enabled. I have no idea why it's done in such a confusing way but make quick keys and number tags the exact same and it will be less confusing.

/Ubbe

 

[scanman1958]

Thanks for your replies. Sorry I can't really get a conversation going because of my work schedule this weekend. Maybe I will get back to ya'll no later than Monday. Ubbe had a reply that seems to make sense to me. I will get back. Thanks.

 

[scanman1958]

Oh I forgot. I hand program because I am an absolute idiot on the computer. Myself and a few other guys I know on RR do most if not all programming by hand and we can breeze through it like lightning. No problem. If I attempted to try any programming or downloading by computer I guarantee it would crash or I would loose all memory. I hate the idea of a memory card. I have scanners from the 90's that work perfectly with the type of memory they had then. Sure it is different now-days but I really do not need the entire country in my memory at all times. I really don't. Thanks again for your guys' help. I will try and keep in touch soon.

 

[UnidenSupport]

the programming will be pretty much the same as those other models once you create a favorites list. You do not need to create quick keys if you don't want, and you could put all of the systems on the same favorites list if you want.