Help with CoMIRS on SDS100

Tergar4

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So i'm new to digital scanners, i just picked up an SDS100 off ebay and have been playing around with it. I'm trying to make a favorites list with area fire related frequencies and i tried to add 5 frequencies from the CoMIRS section (Massachusetts State Police TG Category: Mass Fire Services) into it on sentinel. They appear to be there on sentinel but when i write them to the scanner they don't show up there but everything else does.

I've checked and i have all services types enabled, and when i try to add other types of frequencies from that same CoMIRS group to my scanner it doesn't work either, MassDOT's digital frequencies for example. What am i doing wrong?

Thank you!
 

ecps92

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So i'm new to digital scanners, i just picked up an SDS100 off ebay and have been playing around with it. I'm trying to make a favorites list with area fire related frequencies and i tried to add 5 frequencies from the CoMIRS section (Massachusetts State Police TG Category: Mass Fire Services) into it on sentinel. They appear to be there on sentinel but when i write them to the scanner they don't show up there but everything else does.

I've checked and i have all services types enabled, and when i try to add other types of frequencies from that same CoMIRS group to my scanner it doesn't work either, MassDOT's digital frequencies for example. What am i doing wrong?

Thank you!
What you linked to are TG's (Talk Groups) that would be heard on the Analog and Digital ComIRS system, they are not frequencies.

As to Mass DOT they are still much VHF Low band Analog, but are slowly moving to using the Trunked Network in the next few months (rumors)

BTW those TG's you listed will only be heard during a HazMat or Major incident only, not much day-day use
 

garys

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MassDOT is very active on the Zone 5 analog trunk for unit operating on the turnpike and tunnels. That includes the MAPFRE Help Vans. I hear them far less than I used to on Low Band, but they are still there.
 

garys

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Depending on where you are, you aren't going to hear much on the digital sites. If you're in the immediate Boston area, you'll hear traffic on the 700Mhz Boston (overlay) site, but I don't recall MassDOT being there. The only other digital part of P25 system is in western MA.

The TGs you linked to are analog not digital.

It can be confusing as the system is currently a mix of analog and digital sites. Keep in mind also that "campus" sites such as Cambridge, MassPort, Worcester, and others share the trunking "core", but otherwise operate independently.

Can you list or link to the five frequencies you entered? That way we can help figure out what sites you're trying to hear and help sort it out.
 

Nascar18

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The MSP CoMIRS system is a P 25 trunking system, your TG= talkgroups are your frequencies in a trunk system. The only frequencies you need are the CC= control channels for the zone you want to monitor.
 

ecps92

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The MSP CoMIRS system is a P 25 trunking system, your TG= talkgroups are your frequencies in a trunk system. The only frequencies you need are the CC= control channels for the zone you want to monitor.
actually incorrect.
ComIRS is both (0d14) and Analog with some P25 Voice Legacy Trunk
as well as the P25 Phase II

Both are ComIRS - it was just easier to leave the Legacy listed as State Police, till it is phased out (updated) to the newer Network
which right now is only heard for the following sites/areas
Western Mass, Logan Airport/Massport, Worcester City of , Cambridge City of, Metro Boston 700 overlay, Ludlow HOC and the two Mass DOC sites of Framingham and Walpole/Norfolk
 

W1KNE

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However Tim is correct in that you only need to program in the control channels on the legacy system as well.
None of this matters unless the OP @Tergar4 comes back and states where he is located, so we can help.
We also need to know HOW he is programming it. Sentinel? Front Panel? Other software?
Otherwise, nothing else in this thread matters.
 

Tergar4

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However Tim is correct in that you only need to program in the control channels on the legacy system as well.
None of this matters unless the OP @Tergar4 comes back and states where he is located, so we can help.
We also need to know HOW he is programming it. Sentinel? Front Panel? Other software?
Otherwise, nothing else in this thread matters.
Sorry, i didn't see that i got any replies here. I'm in north middlesex county. I've been playing around with in on sentinel today and i'm still having issues.

For instance, i tried to make a FL for MSP. I made sure i have all service types on, i made the list and added all the SP related stuff i could find. I added quick numbers and uploaded it. I know the upload went through ok because i can see all the other lists I made and if i go under 'select lists to monitor' i can see everything -- however f i go under manage quick key status the slot that i put the MSP FL under is dashed out like its empty. this is the case with a few other FL's i made too. I made sure that all lists are downloaded, and all lists are monitored but even if i scroll thru manually i can't seem to find the bank with any of those channels on it.

Same with a few other lists I made using the sentinel database, mostly regarding state level stuff like the gov't channels, DOT etc.

I'll keep a better eye on the thread this time, thank you for any help!!
 

garys

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I don't use Sentinel because I think it's a PITA to program. Try going into MENU and find the Quick Key setting. I think it's under the Set Scan Selection, but I don't have a SDS in front of me. I had to go into the menu on my SDS200 earlier because I got the dreaded "Nothing to Scan" message even though I had set to Favorites Lists to scan. For some reason, the Quick Keys were set to "OFF" instead of "ON."



Sorry, i didn't see that i got any replies here. I'm in north middlesex county. I've been playing around with in on sentinel today and i'm still having issues.

For instance, i tried to make a FL for MSP. I made sure i have all service types on, i made the list and added all the SP related stuff i could find. I added quick numbers and uploaded it. I know the upload went through ok because i can see all the other lists I made and if i go under 'select lists to monitor' i can see everything -- however f i go under manage quick key status the slot that i put the MSP FL under is dashed out like its empty. this is the case with a few other FL's i made too. I made sure that all lists are downloaded, and all lists are monitored but even if i scroll thru manually i can't seem to find the bank with any of those channels on it.

Same with a few other lists I made using the sentinel database, mostly regarding state level stuff like the gov't channels, DOT etc.

I'll keep a better eye on the thread this time, thank you for any help!!
 

ecps92

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Sorry, i didn't see that i got any replies here. I'm in north middlesex county. I've been playing around with in on sentinel today and i'm still having issues.

For instance, i tried to make a FL for MSP. I made sure i have all service types on, i made the list and added all the SP related stuff i could find. I added quick numbers and uploaded it. I know the upload went through ok because i can see all the other lists I made and if i go under 'select lists to monitor' i can see everything -- however f i go under manage quick key status the slot that i put the MSP FL under is dashed out like its empty. this is the case with a few other FL's i made too. I made sure that all lists are downloaded, and all lists are monitored but even if i scroll thru manually i can't seem to find the bank with any of those channels on it.

Same with a few other lists I made using the sentinel database, mostly regarding state level stuff like the gov't channels, DOT etc.

I'll keep a better eye on the thread this time, thank you for any help!!
Which Site/Zone are you trying to listen to/from ?? 5 or 8 ?? 5 would be best for A/H Troop and 8 for C Troop

Others who are more familiar with FL's will likely chime in..
 

W1KNE

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Export the HPE file and attach it here (you may have to zip it), so I can look at it.
If you are entering the zones manually vs downloading from the DB, remember that you have to put the rebanded tables in for Zone 5 and Zone 8. However all of the C-PTL-1 and C-PTL 3 comms come through Zone 5, so if those are of interest you'll only need that.
 

Tergar4

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Export the HPE file and attach it here (you may have to zip it), so I can look at it.
If you are entering the zones manually vs downloading from the DB, remember that you have to put the rebanded tables in for Zone 5 and Zone 8. However all of the C-PTL-1 and C-PTL 3 comms come through Zone 5, so if those are of interest you'll only need that.
Attached is my MSP favorites list which won't come up at all. I can see it under "select lists to monitor" but it won't show under the quick key menu, a few other lists are doing this as well and some lists are even coming up incomplete.

Thanks for your help, this is probably just some noob error i'm making but digital scanning is like an entirely different beast.
 

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  • Massachusetts State Police.zip
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W1KNE

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So the first issue I see is, under the Mass State Police, you have quick keys assigned but none are turned on. Also you have no trunking sites.
So it has nothing to scan. Same with CoMirs. For now, don't worry about CoMIRS

Here is my local MSP file, this should help you get started. It's organized very similar to yours.
 

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  • MSP.zip
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Tergar4

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So the first issue I see is, under the Mass State Police, you have quick keys assigned but none are turned on. Also you have no trunking sites.
So it has nothing to scan. Same with CoMirs. For now, don't worry about CoMIRS

Here is my local MSP file, this should help you get started. It's organized very similar to yours.
So i think i'm in over my head. I thought programming a FL would be as easy as just selecting the frequencies you want from the database and adding them. I used quick keys to control the FL that i want to toggle on and off on a regular basis but it seems you don't do it that way. How do you toggle lists on and off depending on what you wanna listen to at the time? Using the "lists to monitor" function or the system quick keys?

Thank you for sharing that list, it does seem to be working fine now. Do you know of any resources i can learn about the trunking sites? it's true i don't have any programmed but i thought that would just be part of whats loaded from the database when making lists.

Thank you again!!
 

W1KNE

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So first things first, I think you're getting the different levels mixed up a little with terminology, so let's simplify it.
Favorite List - System - Department/Site. So in my list I have - Massachusetts - MSP Local - Statewide.
Massachusetts is the Favorites List, MSP Local is the System, and Statewide is the Department.
My favorite list quick key is 25. (I use FIPS codes for my states). MSP local is 9 and Statewide if 00.
So if I want to turn Statewide on, I press 25 . 9 . 0 and hit enter. This turns the quick key on or off.
If I am ONLY monitoring one favorite list, let's say Massachusetts, I only need to enter the 2nd and 3rd.
So in that case I press . 9 . 0 , hit enter - and that will turn it on. It gets even simpler. If I am only monitoring one SYSTEM, aka MSP Local,
and I want to turn on H PTL 2, which I have favorite key 02 assigned to, I press . . 02, hit enter. However if you turn everything off by accident.
You have to use all three to turn them back on again.

For MSP I separate each troop out to their quick key and in logical order
01 - for H PTL 1
02 - for H PTL 2
11 - for A PTL 1
33 - for C PTL 3
etc.
 

pm1502

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So first things first, I think you're getting the different levels mixed up a little with terminology, so let's simplify it.
Favorite List - System - Department/Site. So in my list I have - Massachusetts - MSP Local - Statewide.
Massachusetts is the Favorites List, MSP Local is the System, and Statewide is the Department.
My favorite list quick key is 25. (I use FIPS codes for my states). MSP local is 9 and Statewide if 00.
So if I want to turn Statewide on, I press 25 . 9 . 0 and hit enter. This turns the quick key on or off.
If I am ONLY monitoring one favorite list, let's say Massachusetts, I only need to enter the 2nd and 3rd.
So in that case I press . 9 . 0 , hit enter - and that will turn it on. It gets even simpler. If I am only monitoring one SYSTEM, aka MSP Local,
and I want to turn on H PTL 2, which I have favorite key 02 assigned to, I press . . 02, hit enter. However if you turn everything off by accident.
You have to use all three to turn them back on again.

For MSP I separate each troop out to their quick key and in logical order
01 - for H PTL 1
02 - for H PTL 2
11 - for A PTL 1
33 - for C PTL 3
etc.
I know it's a little later than the original post, but would you be able to upload your "Massachusetts" favorites list? Mine is not setup very well and just trying to see how others do it.

Thanks.
 
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