Getting REAL frustrated

[dcisive]

I'm sorry guys and I'm sure you're ready to throw me out the door. But keeping in mind I was a scanner enthusiast years ago having NO issues. I guess I miss the days when if you programmed a frequency in you'd get results and lots of it. On this 536 I'm using and programming if I use the FULL Database or ID Search mode it's alive non stop with great stuff. Of course I get no ID info on the Search mode but it sure is busy.

I so carefully loaded the databases for a dozen subjects in the Salt Lake valley. I did this no problem on my HP1 and that works gloriously well. Trunks like a sucker no issues. This thing acts as if it's dead. Scans up and down and I get NOTHING or so infrequent as to not make it worth it. I've checked and rechecked all my settings and just can NOT figure out WHY it's not full of info stopping on channels left and right as it SHOULD. There is a LOT of activity around here but you'd never know it listening to this thing. I have ALL of the obvious settings done right. ALL Services are chosen. I even allowed it to load ALL of the sites so I wasn't missing anything. It obviously shows it scanning all those sites which worries me it's slowing the process down as well. Is there any quick fix for this issue? I just KNOW there is a ton more activity on this thing I'm not getting. The HP1 does a better job for some weird reason.

 

[hiegtx]

I'm sorry guys and I'm sure you're ready to throw me out the door. But keeping in mind I was a scanner enthusiast years ago having NO issues. I guess I miss the days when if you programmed a frequency in you'd get results and lots of it. On this 536 I'm using and programming if I use the FULL Database or ID Search mode it's alive non stop with great stuff. Of course I get no ID info on the Search mode but it sure is busy.

I so carefully loaded the databases for a dozen subjects in the Salt Lake valley. I did this no problem on my HP1 and that works gloriously well. Trunks like a sucker no issues. This thing acts as if it's dead. Scans up and down and I get NOTHING or so infrequent as to not make it worth it. I've checked and rechecked all my settings and just can NOT figure out WHY it's not full of info stopping on channels left and right as it SHOULD. There is a LOT of activity around here but you'd never know it listening to this thing. I have ALL of the obvious settings done right. ALL Services are chosen. I even allowed it to load ALL of the sites so I wasn't missing anything. It obviously shows it scanning all those sites which worries me it's slowing the process down as well. Is there any quick fix for this issue? I just KNOW there is a ton more activity on this thing I'm not getting. The HP1 does a better job for some weird reason.

Based on your other posts, I still believe that you need to take a second look at the service types that are enabled for this scanner. You have updated the Sentinel database, right? Current version is 01/29/2017.
And, you have also used Sentinel to write the database update to the scanner?

If you have the Sentinel version for the HP-1, and were using a Favorites list for it, you can export that Favorites list then import them into Sentinel for the 536HP. In the HP-1 Sentinel, select File->Export to hpe file
Then choose the Favorites list you want to export, and select the systems (all of them or just the ones of interest). Make sure you note the name, and also where it is being saved.

Then, in Sentinel for the 536HP, select File-> Import from hpe file
Go to where the HP-1 Sentinel saved the export, and select the file.
The 536HP Sentinel will then ask whether to append the hpe file to an existing list, or create a new list with a name of your choice.

Once you have the new list created in Sentinel for 536HP, be sure that in your profile it is tagged as both to download to the scanner and also monitor. Then, write to the scanner.

This would also be a good time to compare the profile in both versions of Sentinel. be sure that the Profile for the 536HP matches that for the HP-1, for location, service types, and range settings.

 

[dcisive]

I am going to do exactly this. The HP1 is playing tons of activity and on the same supposed database choice on the 536 it's deaf as can be. Something is very wrong here. I've looked at all the settings and there's no apparent reason. So i'll do that import and see if it doesn't snap into place. if not I'll be thinking there's something amiss with this 536.

 

[marksmith]

I would just stay with creating favorites lists in the x36 Sentinel rather than exporting out of the HP1 version. Because there are additional things to consider, and additional fields in the favorites list records, you need to fix imports anyway, and add quick keys, etc.

Also, the x36 version was made to work with the x36 radios.

Knowing that you have experience with the hp1, sentinel, etc., my only recommendation for not receiving as much as you believe you should, would be to clear the radio of all favorites lists, review your work in Sentinel, including quick keys and service types, and re-upload the data to the 436.

As I indicated to you previously, I would not have expected lots more activity on the 436 than the hp2, but there should not be less.

The only other recommendations I would make if that doesn't work is to reformat the SD card, and use the Clear User Data, and then reinstall all the database and favorites list data.

The far and away #1 issue with the 436 for resolving problems deals with the SD card. Almost any stupid operation of the radio will involve dealing with the SD card.


Mark
536/436/WS1095/HP1/HP2/996T/996XT/996P2/396XT/325P2/PSR800/15X/others

 

[dcisive]

AHHHHAAA! NOW it's working.....but why?

I'll have to check out WHY in the heck after importing my HP1 file for Salt Lake County PD I made up for the HP1 it's working gloriously stopping on tons of activity and correctly allowing the trunking to work. Why in the heck it working right where I don't believe I did anything outright wrong I'll be examining the layout of the Favorite file as it's got me amazed as to why it is different.

 

[dcisive]

I'll be doing that for sure marksmith. I do suspect there is something strange afoot. Also when I was operating the 536 in ID Search mode in the FULL Database it was picking up tons of stuff, especially PD and such where when I tried to load a Favorite for a PD it was deaf and dumb. That is what was making me crazy. The imported file for Salt Lake County PD I did in the HP1 is working gloriously on the 536. Go figure. I've got to figure out WHY and get all the other favorites made so the channels are found and heard, as the way it is now it's simply NOT responding. I KNOW I did all the obvious settings right but still not happening. It IS however on that imported file. Hmmm

 

[jonwienke]

Start over from scratch. Do an Add Channels On Range to make a favorite list with local stuff. Get that working first.Then play with import/export.

 

[dcisive]

if I may be so bold, where do I gain access to Add Channels On Range?

 

[marksmith]

I'll be doing that for sure marksmith. I do suspect there is something strange afoot. Also when I was operating the 536 in ID Search mode in the FULL Database it was picking up tons of stuff, especially PD and such where when I tried to load a Favorite for a PD it was deaf and dumb. That is what was making me crazy. The imported file for Salt Lake County PD I did in the HP1 is working gloriously on the 536. Go figure. I've got to figure out WHY and get all the other favorites made so the channels are found and heard, as the way it is now it's simply NOT responding. I KNOW I did all the obvious settings right but still not happening. It IS however on that imported file. Hmmm

Definitely best to work with just making a local favorites file in x36 Sentinel rather than importing things. That introduces other potential problems.

Also, you can't run the full database in ID Search mode on the 536, but I think I understand what you are saying. (Remember now you got the 536).

If scanning the full database works great, but your favorites list does not, especially if it,was made from an import, I would just delete all favorites lists in Sentinel x36, and start over Using the full database to append local systems to a new favorites list from scratch.

Start over from scratch. Do an Add Channels On Range to make a favorite list with local stuff. Get that working first.Then play with import/export.

Mark
536/436/WS1095/HP1/HP2/996T/996XT/996P2/396XT/325P2/PSR800/15X/others

 

[jonwienke]

if I may be so bold, where do I gain access to Add Channels On Range?

Sentinel.

Edit menu.

 

[dcisive]

So Far So Good

I just spend some good time putting together a nice single Favorite list of all the PD's in the Salt Lake Valley. I named them all by their specific city eg: Unified Police, West Valley City, South Jordan etc. I meticulously went through and made sure each detail of each addition was flawless, and also since it was the 1st new Favorite list I made sure to attach "0" as the QuickKey to every area it could possibly be added, including the sites and all. I wasn't taking any chances. I noted in one guys video along with comments that if you don't assign a "QuickKey" a Favorites list simply will NOT be properly scanned. Don't KNOW for a fact if that is the case, but simply took NO chances this time.

I'm happy to report this sucker is singing away like crazy. Nonstop activity and trunked responses seem to be coming in properly. I once again took great care to do the research on any local "Sites" that might be of potential need to be able to properly receive all the programmed channels.I eliminated all the rest that are out of area that I won't be using. No I'm not mobile so not concerned about that. I suspect it speeds up the scanning a tad when it's not looking at a ton of unneeded sites. So finally I think I've figured out the solution. I had examined the HP1's Favorite and pretty much copied the exact same method I used adding of course the QuickKey to this Favorite list I put together. I even went and edited each Site's frequencies so that the lowest number was at the top on down. I'm not sure that gains much either but what the heck, it looks nice ;-) Wish me luck as I'll now add several more Favorite lists and edit them accordingly using the same Sites as I believe that helps. Just glad it's finally doing what it's supposed to.

 

[ofd8001]

Having the same sites in multiple Favorites Lists is inefficient. It would be better to have one larger Favorites List and set up multiple Departments. You could use Department Quick Keys to toggle groups of talkgroups on/off.

For example, Unified Police would be in its own Department with DQK1; a Department for West Valley City with DQK 2; etc.

If you want, I can go into an explanation of why this is more efficient, but it would be lengthy.

 

[dcisive]

I'd love to read about your idea. What I've mainly done or was planning on doing is, since this ONE Favorite list I put together so far is ALL of the separate Police Departments in ONE Favorites list. My next Favorites list was going to be VECC or Valley Emergency Communications Control which has a tone of frequencies mainly in the city for you name it, but does get some exciting stuff. Then I was going to do another all Fire, and another Business. This pretty much works for me. Not sure how it works in an inefficient manner if I have each of those with it's own grouping of the 5 sites each would have access to. Does that slow down scanning in general? Tell me all about what you propose and how it works best.

I did want to mention that I find to be a truly EASY manner of choosing what department I want to hear, is I scan and if it stops on them, I simply hit the Department and it freezes THAT department and I can listen to it for a bit which is what I tend to prefer anyway. But once again by all means tell us what you recommend and how it's set up

 

[marksmith]

I just spend some good time putting together a nice single Favorite list of all the PD's in the Salt Lake Valley. I named them all by their specific city eg: Unified Police, West Valley City, South Jordan etc. I meticulously went through and made sure each detail of each addition was flawless, and also since it was the 1st new Favorite list I made sure to attach "0" as the QuickKey to every area it could possibly be added, including the sites and all. I wasn't taking any chances. I noted in one guys video along with comments that if you don't assign a "QuickKey" a Favorites list simply will NOT be properly scanned. Don't KNOW for a fact if that is the case, but simply took NO chances this time.

I'm happy to report this sucker is singing away like crazy. Nonstop activity and trunked responses seem to be coming in properly. I once again took great care to do the research on any local "Sites" that might be of potential need to be able to properly receive all the programmed channels.I eliminated all the rest that are out of area that I won't be using. No I'm not mobile so not concerned about that. I suspect it speeds up the scanning a tad when it's not looking at a ton of unneeded sites. So finally I think I've figured out the solution. I had examined the HP1's Favorite and pretty much copied the exact same method I used adding of course the QuickKey to this Favorite list I put together. I even went and edited each Site's frequencies so that the lowest number was at the top on down. I'm not sure that gains much either but what the heck, it looks nice ;-) Wish me luck as I'll now add several more Favorite lists and edit them accordingly using the same Sites as I believe that helps. Just glad it's finally doing what it's supposed to.

Sorting frequencies on a site is useless.

Sent from my LG-V410 using Tapatalk

 

[sparklehorse]

Sorting frequencies on a site is useless.

Sent from my LG-V410 using Tapatalk

I agree. Waste of time. What might be helpful though is to delete all the frequencies from a given site except the primary and secondary control channels. Those are all you need, and to determine which ones those are you just look in the RR database page for your system and specific site. The frequencies you want to keep are shown in either Red or Blue text, and are appended with either a 'c' or an 'a'. So for example , on your Salt Lake County Simulcast site, the only frequencies you need are 853.0875, 853.1125, and 853.5125. This gives the scanner the smallest possible number of frequencies to check when it's trying to locate the control channel for a site.

.

 

[ofd8001]

With regard to scanning the same tower/site in multiple Favorites Lists:

Here is the scenario - you have Favorites List "A" monitoring Site 1 and a second Favorites List "B" also monitoring Site 1. Favorites List "A" is looking for activity only on ABC Police Department talkgroups. Favorites List "B" is looking for activity on XYZ Police Department talkgroups.

During the scanning process, while scanning Favorites List "A", the scanner dwells on Site 1 for about two seconds monitoring the control channel for channel grants. It will only look for active transmissions on ABC Police talkgroups. It will ignore active transmissions on XYZ Police talkgroups. So in this situation, you would miss any XYZ Police transmissions.

After that two second or so dwell time, the scanner will move to Favorites List "B" again monitoring Site 1 for another two seconds or so. However, in this case, it is only looking for active transmissions on XYZ Police talkgroups and would ignore active transmissions on ABC Police talkgroups.

Thus with this two Favorites List set-up you could miss traffic. It would be even worse if you have three or four Favorites Lists (each one monitoring for about two seconds), all monitoring Site 1 but only for different sets of talkgroups. In that total 8 seconds (or more) you would certainly miss transmissions.

It would be substantially more efficient to have something like:

Favorites List "N"
​

Site 1
​

Department 1 ABC Police
​

Department 2 DEF Police
​

Department 3 GHI Police
​

Department 4 XYZ Police
​

(Each Department would have its own Department Quick Key so you can toggle the various Police agencies to suit your scanning desire.)

My two cemts are to create/import/append a Favorites List from the full database, letting Sentinel do it the way it wants to. Yes you may have to either delete/avoid/use different quick keys for sites too far away to receive and departments out of the area. It takes a little bit of time. However by doing this, you are taking full advantage of the "brain power" of those setting up the database/scanner/software and not trying to over-think or out-think them.

 

[mickeylynn]

With regard to scanning the same tower/site in multiple Favorites Lists:

Here is the scenario - you have Favorites List "A" monitoring Site 1 and a second Favorites List "B" also monitoring Site 1. Favorites List "A" is looking for activity only on ABC Police Department talkgroups. Favorites List "B" is looking for activity on XYZ Police Department talkgroups.

During the scanning process, while scanning Favorites List "A", the scanner dwells on Site 1 for about two seconds monitoring the control channel for channel grants. It will only look for active transmissions on ABC Police talkgroups. It will ignore active transmissions on XYZ Police talkgroups. So in this situation, you would miss any XYZ Police transmissions.

After that two second or so dwell time, the scanner will move to Favorites List "B" again monitoring Site 1 for another two seconds or so. However, in this case, it is only looking for active transmissions on XYZ Police talkgroups and would ignore active transmissions on ABC Police talkgroups.

Thus with this two Favorites List set-up you could miss traffic. It would be even worse if you have three or four Favorites Lists (each one monitoring for about two seconds), all monitoring Site 1 but only for different sets of talkgroups. In that total 8 seconds (or more) you would certainly miss transmissions.

It would be substantially more efficient to have something like:

Favorites List "N"
​

Site 1
​

Department 1 ABC Police
​

Department 2 DEF Police
​

Department 3 GHI Police
​

Department 4 XYZ Police
​

(Each Department would have its own Department Quick Key so you can toggle the various Police agencies to suit your scanning desire.)

My two cemts are to create/import/append a Favorites List from the full database, letting Sentinel do it the way it wants to. Yes you may have to either delete/avoid/use different quick keys for sites too far away to receive and departments out of the area. It takes a little bit of time. However by doing this, you are taking full advantage of the "brain power" of those setting up the database/scanner/software and not trying to over-think or out-think them.

ofd8001:

Thank you so much for your post. I was also having trouble programming my scanner and your information made everything click in my head. Yesterday I planned out my Sites and Departments and I was up and running by evening.

 

[marksmith]

Note....

You could also miss traffic by only using the one list method.

If ABC police is yacking all the time constantly and they are in the same list with xyz police, which you are very interested in, but has less activity, you are better off going with 2 lists.

That way, xyz police gets a chance to be heard. ABC police cannot monopolize the scan time.

Just another thought on how to program a scanner, and it depends on your interests.

On some systems, where a few channels are continuously active, you never hear the other stuff.

I have one scanner set up to scan the same system 3 times.
Once for police, once for fire, and once for plows, public service, and other stuff.

This way, fire gets scanned and listened to as often as police, who are yacking away constantly.

I may miss police transmissions, but this is more than offset by the fact that I hear a lot more of the fire and other public service stuff.

Mark
536/436/WS1095/HP1/HP2/996T/996XT/996P2/396XT/325P2/PSR800/15X/others

 

[marksmith]

I'd love to read about your idea. What I've mainly done or was planning on doing is, since this ONE Favorite list I put together so far is ALL of the separate Police Departments in ONE Favorites list. My next Favorites list was going to be VECC or Valley Emergency Communications Control which has a tone of frequencies mainly in the city for you name it, but does get some exciting stuff. Then I was going to do another all Fire, and another Business. This pretty much works for me. Not sure how it works in an inefficient manner if I have each of those with it's own grouping of the 5 sites each would have access to. Does that slow down scanning in general? Tell me all about what you propose and how it works best.

I did want to mention that I find to be a truly EASY manner of choosing what department I want to hear, is I scan and if it stops on them, I simply hit the Department and it freezes THAT department and I can listen to it for a bit which is what I tend to prefer anyway. But once again by all means tell us what you recommend and how it's set up

That is a perfectly logical way to do it. Whether or not it is more efficient for the scanner is less important than whether you get to hear what you want.

Mark
536/436/WS1095/HP1/HP2/996T/996XT/996P2/396XT/325P2/PSR800/15X/others

 

[jonwienke]

Don't break up trunked systems among multiple favorite lists, though. It will slow down scanning enough that you will miss traffic.