HELP!! New User Uniden BCD536HP

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Ok;
I am a new user. I am not a radio newbie, I have actually programmed Motorola trunked and conventional radios for decades.

This Favorite Lists and Quick Keys has be baffled.

I had things working up until today. Then all went down hill.

My Favorites are

1 Oviedo (my local disp)
2 Seminole County
3 Duke Energy
4 GMRS
5 FRS
6 ICE

When I do the build I get an entry called Favorites 0. What the heck is that and by deleting it in Sentinel did I corrupt something?

I added some more systems on slots 0, 7, 8. When I did so, I ended up with cross links inside those slots: 4 GMRS got FRS , FRS got ICE, ICE got CB radio.

I have watched several videos on this, and frankly the presenters go too fast and gloss over everything a newbie doesnt know about this database.

 

[ChrisABQ]

I usually go into Sentinel, copy and paste the departments that I want (from the main nationwide list) into the favorites list and then assign it a quick key, it literally takes seconds to do this. It's quite easy to load everything into your favorites list then assign each county, city, department, etc it's own quick key number.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

I usually go into Sentinel, copy and paste the departments that I want (from the main nationwide list) into the favorites list and then assign it a quick key, it literally takes seconds to do this. It's quite easy to load everything into your favorites list then assign each county, city, department, etc it's own quick key number.

That is pretty much what I have been doing.

1) What is the entry FL Number Tag? I have been setting that to match the Quick Key.

2) What does the table 00-99 System Quick Keys Status do? I thought I needed to set that to agree as well. When I go back to Sentinel Favorites List Editor after writing the radio I fond all boxes unchecked?

3) There is a similar table called Department and Site Quick Keys Status in System where I find all the boxes 00-99 are checked. Is that for departments and individual channels? So I could have a quick key for system + department + Channel? Would I default those all checked if I haven't made a determination at the department and channel level?

4) Do you have an entry called Favorites 0 or similar that the radio created in the favorites folder? Is this a system file? Why do I see it?

 

[Timmeh-31]

Not certain, but this may help walk you through favorites/quick keys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECOUceSdVCo

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Thanks to all. I have things working again and have learned some things I really had no clue. Hopefully I will be expert by the next favorites list I add.

 

[ofd8001]

Imagine a filing cabinet which has drawers. In the drawers there are file folders. In each file folder there are pieces of paper.

The scanner can be likened to a file room which contains file cabinets.

The file cabinet is the Favorites List. Systems are drawers in the file cabinet. The file folders are Departments and Channels (Conventional frequencies or TGIDS) are the pieces of paper in the file folder.

A Favorites List Quick Key allows you access to everything in the file cabinet (like unlocking a file cabinet).

A System Quick Key allows you access to everything in a given drawer (as in one or more systems).

A Department Quick Key allows you access to everything in a given file folder.

There is a syntax for Quick Keys. It is FF.SS.DD - there periods are important.

A Number Tag is a little different creature. Number Tagging allows you to rapidly access a specific channel (conventional frequency or TG). You accomplish this by stopping the scan process (pressing Channel button), imput the "address" of the channel and then tell the scanner to jump to the channel (pressing Channel button again).

The "address" of the channel consists of three components. The Number Tag of the Favorites List containing the channel, the Number Tag for the System containing the channel, then the Number Tag of the channel itself.

A Favorites List Number Tag can be the same as the Favorites List Quick Key or different as you prefer. The same is true for System Number Tags and System Quick Keys. (My preference is to use the same number for the FLQK as I do for FL Number Tag as well as System - a little less stuff to remember).

This is something that took me a while to fully grasp. I had to do a lot of experimenting before I got real comfortable with it.

Last bit of advice: Never delete a Favorites List in Sentinel unless you are sure you want it gone forever. If you don't want it in your scanner, you can edit your Profile so it isn't downloaded to the scanner.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Imagine a filing cabinet which has drawers. In the drawers there are file folders. In each file folder there are pieces of paper.

The scanner can be likened to a file room which contains file cabinets.

The file cabinet is the Favorites List. Systems are drawers in the file cabinet. The file folders are Departments and Channels (Conventional frequencies or TGIDS) are the pieces of paper in the file folder.

A Favorites List Quick Key allows you access to everything in the file cabinet (like unlocking a file cabinet).

A System Quick Key allows you access to everything in a given drawer (as in one or more systems).

A Department Quick Key allows you access to everything in a given file folder.

There is a syntax for Quick Keys. It is FF.SS.DD - there periods are important.

A Number Tag is a little different creature. Number Tagging allows you to rapidly access a specific channel (conventional frequency or TG). You accomplish this by stopping the scan process (pressing Channel button), imput the "address" of the channel and then tell the scanner to jump to the channel (pressing Channel button again).

The "address" of the channel consists of three components. The Number Tag of the Favorites List containing the channel, the Number Tag for the System containing the channel, then the Number Tag of the channel itself.

A Favorites List Number Tag can be the same as the Favorites List Quick Key or different as you prefer. The same is true for System Number Tags and System Quick Keys. (My preference is to use the same number for the FLQK as I do for FL Number Tag as well as System - a little less stuff to remember).

This is something that took me a while to fully grasp. I had to do a lot of experimenting before I got real comfortable with it.

Last bit of advice: Never delete a Favorites List in Sentinel unless you are sure you want it gone forever. If you don't want it in your scanner, you can edit your Profile so it isn't downloaded to the scanner.

Perfect explanation. I am surprised Uniden hasn't included a graphic of the hierarchy in the manual.

Also I see this odd folder called "Favorites 0" along with my favorites list. What is it? Do I need it? How can I stop seeing it if it is a system file?

 

[rwier]

....I see this odd folder called "Favorites 0" ....

Where exactly do you "see" this "folder"? In Sentinel? On the scanner screen? I associate "folders" with Windows Explorer.

 

[rwier]

Also, state your State and County, and I will throw something together that you can import into Sentinel (as a study) and then on to the scanner (if desired).

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Where exactly do you "see" this "folder"? In Sentinel? On the scanner screen? I associate "folders" with Windows Explorer.

I call it a "folder", it is probably a file. I think the scanner is creating it, not Sentinel.

When I read the scanner with Sentinel it appears in the same pane as the Favorites Lists. And when I manage Favorites in the scanner, it also appears in the list in the scanner.


See below at <<<<<

0 RDSTF
1 Oviedo
2 Seminole County
3 Duke Energy
4 GMRS
5 FRS
6 ICE
7 CB 27 MHz
FAVORITES 0 <<<<<<<<<<
8 Seminole County Airport
9 Military USA

I am located in Seminole County Florida

Thanks

 

[ofd8001]

I'd use Sentinel to Edit that FAVORITES 0 Favorites List. Most likely it was something you started and saved it, without intending to do so. (Probably how it became "Favorites 0".)

If that's the case and there isn't anything in it, it can be deleted. Then do another write to scanner, checking the Erase Favorites List box. If you don't, it may reappear when you read the scanner and re-add it in Sentinel.

FWIW another user suggested incorportating Quick Key Numbers in the tag for the Favorites List/System/Department. I use this as it helps me remember things.

For example, Favorites List "Jefferson County" with a FLQK of 0 becomes "F00 Jefferson County".

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

I'd use Sentinel to Edit that FAVORITES 0 Favorites List. Most likely it was something you started and saved it, without intending to do so. (Probably how it became "Favorites 0".)

If that's the case and there isn't anything in it, it can be deleted. Then do another write to scanner, checking the Erase Favorites List box. If you don't, it may reappear when you read the scanner and re-add it in Sentinel.

FWIW another user suggested incorportating Quick Key Numbers in the tag for the Favorites List/System/Department. I use this as it helps me remember things.

For example, Favorites List "Jefferson County" with a FLQK of 0 becomes "F00 Jefferson County".

I had deleted it once before in Sentinel and after that my problems started. My last build, I erased all favorites in the scanner and this file reappeared. So I really think the radio needs it. Why it is visible is a mystery.

I used Windows Explorer to look into the Favorites folder on the SD card. The file is labeled like all the other favorites but contains only the first two lines of HEX and is the header information. There is a manifest file and this odd file is listed within the contents.

 

[SteveSimpkin]

ofd8001,
Thank you for that great explanation of the Favorite List organization and options.

 

[rwier]

That looks like you have a well-developed set of FLs. You are probably already familiar with much of the following, but just in case I will go step-by-step.

To "clean up" your list of FLs:

Open Sentinel:
In the Left Pane, Left Click on "Favorites Lists".
In the Right Pane, Right Click on any undesirable entry.
Left Click on "Remove from Favorites List...".
Confirm by "OK".
Repeat until you like what's left (actually, you can make multiple removals at once using standard Windows principles).

To set or change any Quick Keys on the remaining FLs, Left Click on the FL Editor (gold Star with pencil).
Select the FL to change.
The FL Editor should open with the FL highlighted in the Left Panel.
In the Right Panel Left Click on "Options".
Select the FL Quick Key desired.
File>Save>File>Exit.

You are back at the main Sentinel Screen. Left Click on "Edit" (high left). Left Click on "Edit Profile". A new screen opens.

If you have selected Quick Keys for your FLs, Left Click on Scan Selection. Set all FLs to "Monitor On" and "Download On".
Left Click on "Service Types" (high left). Check the ones associated with the FLs you wish to monitor (I have all checked so I don't have to think about it).

Left Click on "Quick Key Status" (high center). Check those FLs that you want to scan when the scanner is turned on. Once the scanner is scanning, you can turn all FLs on and off with the associated Quick Keys.

File>Save (or Save As).

Once you have the FLs desired and only the FLs desired, send them to the scanner with the "Remove FLs from Scanner" option.

 

[ofd8001]

Why this "Favorites 0" continues to show up is a puzzler to me if you have deleted it from both Sentinel and on the scanner. It's possibly some kind of hidden system file that got "unhid" somehow.

I'm still more inclined to think you were doing some kind of search on the scanner, or perhaps scanning the full database and the scanner landed on a channel. You pressed a certain button sequence to Add the Channel to a Favorites List. The scanner may have then created a Favorites List, giving it a default name of Favorites 0.