Sentinel: My town just went P25

[Vermillion]

My town is about the last in the state to get upgraded radios.

They just turned the system up Friday, and since I have lost all Leo conversations.

I updated my favorites to include the P25 trunking data from the RRDB which does contain a list of ids for all the agencies in my county. Still nothing but EMS and fire pages that I think are still on the old system.

Any ideas on how to find out where they are at?

Thanks! (BCD536HP)

 

[dave3825]

Maybe post the name of the entity you're looking for and also ask in your states forum.

 

[Vermillion]

thank you - new here

Clay Co., SD - all

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

RRDB says Clay County Law Enforcement is "in the clear". According to the system's change history page the talkgroups were added to the database back in April. if you've already added the TGIDs as you said you did you'll need to make sure the Law Dispatch service type is turned on otherwise the scanner will omit those talkgroups

South Dakota State Radio System Trunking System, Statewide, South Dakota

South Dakota State Radio System Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

South Dakota State Radio System TG Category: Clay County

South Dakota State Radio System TG Category: Clay County Details

www.radioreference.com

 

[baker50021]

In case they've added some additional TGID edit the system options and set ID Search to on.

 

[timbuktu]

Vermillion, I'm about 75 miles north of you and have not gotten my BCD996P2 to work as before the P25 update. After downloading the database from RadioRef and Locking Out the State Interagency and State Radio other than my county, I was unable to hear anything. I changed my scanner from ID Scan to ID Search and then the scanner was picking up even the Channels I had locked out. I don't want to hear Sioux Falls, Watertown, Mitchel and so on. But when I change my scanner settings back to ID Scan, then nothing on scanner. Seems like it's all or nothing. Can't get it to work like it did before the P25 Update.

 

[werinshades]

Vermillion, I'm about 75 miles north of you and have not gotten my BCD996P2 to work as before the P25 update. After downloading the database from RadioRef and Locking Out the State Interagency and State Radio other than my county, I was unable to hear anything. I changed my scanner from ID Scan to ID Search and then the scanner was picking up even the Channels I had locked out. I don't want to hear Sioux Falls, Watertown, Mitchel and so on. But when I change my scanner settings back to ID Scan, then nothing on scanner. Seems like it's all or nothing. Can't get it to work like it did before the P25 Update.

Did you program a Favorite Lists with the Department(s) that you want to hear? If not, ID Scan will not receive anything.

 

[timbuktu]

Did you program a Favorite Lists with the Department(s) that you want to hear? If not, ID Scan will not receive anything.

I'm not even sure what a favorite list is as I've never needed to do such a thing. Is that a thing with a Uniden 996P2 scanner?

 

[Vermillion]

I did todays RRBD update - and it LOOKED like there were some new entries in different places for Clay Co. ... so I added those to my favorites, and still silencio.

 

[werinshades]

I'm not even sure what a favorite list is as I've never needed to do such a thing. Is that a thing with a Uniden 996P2 scanner?

It's a thing. You might need to look at some owners manuals to get a better grasp of this.

 

[doctordialtone]

I'm not even sure what a favorite list is as I've never needed to do such a thing. Is that a thing with a Uniden 996P2 scanner?

No, that model (996P2) doesn't use favorite lists.

It uses systems, frequencies and channels or talk groups.

Here's an easier to read copy of your scanner's manual,

 

[donc13]

My town is about the last in the state to get upgraded radios.

They just turned the system up Friday, and since I have lost all Leo conversations.

I updated my favorites to include the P25 trunking data from the RRDB which does contain a list of ids for all the agencies in my county. Still nothing but EMS and fire pages that I think are still on the old system.

Any ideas on how to find out where they are at?

Thanks! (BCD536HP)

Just a guess on my part.... But...

Sounds like they switched from convential analog channels to digital trunked channels so you need to reprogram it as a P25 digital system rather than a conventional system.

 

[hiegtx]

I did todays RRBD update - and it LOOKED like there were some new entries in different places for Clay Co. ... so I added those to my favorites, and still silencio.

Export your Favorites list and post it so that we can take a look & help you solve any problems. To do that,
click on the drop-down File menu in Sentinel.
Select "Export to hpe file (Favorites lists)

Sentinel will show a pop-up window with all your lists displayed. Pick the list you want,
Then, you'll get a box for you to choose which systems to export. Make sure all of them are checked, & press
OK to proceed.
Sentinel will create the *.hpe file and give you the option where to save it. (The default name will be that of the
source Favorites list, but you can, instead, use a different name.) Note where the file is being saved. (The
default is usually the Documents folder, but you can save elsewhere if you want.)
Once your file is saved, open Windows Explorer (called File Explorer on some Windows versions).
Find your saved file and <right><click>on it to bring up a sub-menu..

You want to compress it to a Zip file. You cannot attach an hpe file to a post, but you can do that with a Zip file.
(If you don't see the 'Compress' choice, you should see, instead, "Send To". Use that, which will pop-out a menu
on where to send it. One of the options will be to compress the file. Use that.)

If you are using Location Control, either for your Favorites list, or using the main database, be sure & enter your correct location & specify a range. More on how location works can be found here: How it Works: Location, Location, Location

 

[hiegtx]

Vermillion, I'm about 75 miles north of you and have not gotten my BCD996P2 to work as before the P25 update. After downloading the database from RadioRef and Locking Out the State Interagency and State Radio other than my county, I was unable to hear anything. I changed my scanner from ID Scan to ID Search and then the scanner was picking up even the Channels I had locked out. I don't want to hear Sioux Falls, Watertown, Mitchel and so on. But when I change my scanner settings back to ID Scan, then nothing on scanner. Seems like it's all or nothing. Can't get it to work like it did before the P25 Update.

What software are you using to program your 996P2?

You as well might benefit from posting your programming file, so that someone can take a look and see if something needs to be changed or added. Other than ProScan, which creates programming files in a text format, programming files for FreeSCAN and ARCXT would need to be zipped before you can attach them to a post.

 

[Vermillion]

Export your Favorites list and post it so that we can take a look & help you solve any problems. To do that,
click on the drop-down File menu in Sentinel.
Select "Export to hpe file (Favorites lists)
View attachment 150118
Sentinel will show a pop-up window with all your lists displayed. Pick the list you want,
Then, you'll get a box for you to choose which systems to export. Make sure all of them are checked, & press
OK to proceed.
Sentinel will create the *.hpe file and give you the option where to save it. (The default name will be that of the
source Favorites list, but you can, instead, use a different name.) Note where the file is being saved. (The
default is usually the Documents folder, but you can save elsewhere if you want.)
Once your file is saved, open Windows Explorer (called File Explorer on some Windows versions).
Find your saved file and <right><click>on it to bring up a sub-menu..

You want to compress it to a Zip file. You cannot attach an hpe file to a post, but you can do that with a Zip file.
(If you don't see the 'Compress' choice, you should see, instead, "Send To". Use that, which will pop-out a menu
on where to send it. One of the options will be to compress the file. Use that.)

If you are using Location Control, either for your Favorites list, or using the main database, be sure & enter your correct location & specify a range. More on how location works can be found here: How it Works: Location, Location, Location

 

[tvengr]

The P25 SD State Radio System does not have a site. You need to add the Vermillion site.

1 (1)

035 (23)

Vermillion

Clay

157.200c

157.2875

157.3875

159.285c

 

[hiegtx]

Looking at your Favorites list. You have both versions of the statewide system in your list. That's the original Motorola Type 2 system, which has digital talkgroups.

That has talkgroups from your county, and the Vermillion site. However, looking at the database, I see that this system was updated 10/23 (yesterday, as I'm adding the note early Tuesday morning). The Vermillion site was removed from that system per the database. You have it in your system, and for now, it still exists in the main database in Sentinel. But the update that was done Monday, is not reflected in this week's Sentinel DB update. Since the site was deleted from the Motorola system in the database, it likely is no longer in operation. Uniden pulls the information for the Sentinel database on Sundays, so that change missed the cut for this week, but should be reflected correctly after the next database update (info harvested on 10/29, with the update being available 10/30, usually by mid-morning if no issues.

For the P25 version of the statewide system.

South Dakota State Radio System Trunking System, Statewide, South Dakota

South Dakota State Radio System Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

You have your Clay County talkgroups, and some state TGIDs. But there is no site in that system:

So, without a site, you will not hear anything. Here again, the update to that system (the P25 Phase II system) was just done Monday, so the Vermillion site was not in this week's database pull.

Attached is an updated file with the Vermillion site added to the P25 system.

The P25 SD State Radio System does not have a site. You need to add the Vermillion site.

1 (1)

035 (23)

Vermillion

Clay

157.200c

157.2875

157.3875

159.285c

The system was updated Monday (10/23). adding the site, so the Vermillion site was not in the Sentinel database for the OP to append it properly.

 

[timbuktu]

It's a thing. You might need to look at some owners manuals to get a better grasp of this.

Not a thing for my scanner, as I have looked at the owner's manual so much, I can see it with my eyes closed! It mentions the word Favorite once in the 108 pages. The RR Database is not properly updated yet and all I had to do was manually go into the scanner settings and change the DEC number to the new P25 DEC number and the scanner now works as should. Thanks

 

[timbuktu]

No, that model (996P2) doesn't use favorite lists.

It uses systems, frequencies and channels or talk groups.

Here's an easier to read copy of your scanner's manual,

Thanks! I had to go into the scanner settings and manually change the DEC numbers of the State INT and SRC channels as RR does not have them updated in the database I downloaded. Scanner now works as it should! Thanks!

 

[Vermillion]

Thanks all! Appreciate you sussing this out with me.

There is still something rotten in Denmark... I'll keep at it - I think I have a better understanding of how this works... it's just not working now.

Looking at

your Favorites list. You have both versions of the statewide system in your list. That's the original Motorola Type 2 system, which has digital talkgroups.
View attachment 150166
That has talkgroups from your county, and the Vermillion site. However, looking at the database, I see that this system was updated 10/23 (yesterday, as I'm adding the note early Tuesday morning). The Vermillion site was removed from that system per the database. You have it in your system, and for now, it still exists in the main database in Sentinel. But the update that was done Monday, is not reflected in this week's Sentinel DB update. Since the site was deleted from the Motorola system in the database, it likely is no longer in operation. Uniden pulls the information for the Sentinel database on Sundays, so that change missed the cut for this week, but should be reflected correctly after the next database update (info harvested on 10/29, with the update being available 10/30, usually by mid-morning if no issues.

For the P25 version of the statewide system.

South Dakota State Radio System Trunking System, Statewide, South Dakota

South Dakota State Radio System Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

View attachment 150167
You have your Clay County talkgroups, and some state TGIDs. But there is no site in that system:
View attachment 150168
So, without a site, you will not hear anything. Here again, the update to that system (the P25 Phase II system) was just done Monday, so the Vermillion site was not in this week's database pull.

Attached is an updated file with the Vermillion site added to the P25 system.


The system was updated Monday (10/23). adding the site, so the Vermillion site was not in the Sentinel database for the OP to append it pro