Need a self programing P25 p2 scanner

[Randyk4661]

In a case like this I would look for a rent a kid 10 years or older that has computer experience. Family, Friends, Neighbors, coworkers, church members. Someone knows someone that can help.
At the vary least you will need to update the database and firmware. Programming from the keyboard is not easy, I've done it just to do it.
Even if you only use the database import, there is likely changes to the systems you want to listen too.
I find kids very helpful when it come to technology. They are born with a cellphone in their hands these days, and they work cheap.
With YouTube they are more likely to understand how to do the programming easier than us older folks.
Once it is programmed, you will need a tutor on the basics of operations itself.

Good luck

 

[Chris0516]

I still don't understand, why. People make a major OS switch. Only to find out. They made a major mistake.

 

[J-Wrock]

OP stated that he wanted to get away from cables and software as he now uses Linux instead of Windows which doesn't support Proscan or Sentinel. That's going to put him on a long road that may or may not work depending on any upgrades that occur in his area. My personal recommendation would be to buy a cheap low-end Windows laptop and use it only for the scanners. But that's just my 2 cents.

I own 2x 325p2 Uniden scanners that work fine. (....) Last year I switched all PCs to linux & have issues with ham radio & scanner software, so just trying to get away from needing a PC for scanning.

 

[natedawg1604]

Just get a windows Laptop with ProScan, or consider running a computer in Dual Boot mode. I run a laptop in Dual Boot mode, with Windows 10 and Kali, it works great. (You can also try Virtual Box or another virtual OS) If you want your Linux machines 100 percent dedicated to Linux, it's easy to find a cheap used Laptop with Windows 10. Manually programming pretty much any modern scanner is not realistic, yes it can be done, but in my opinion it's a huge waste of time.

 

[pb_lonny]

Manually programming pretty much any modern scanner is not realistic, yes it can be done, but in my opinion it's a huge waste of time.

And some settings can only be edited via software.

 

[RobDLG]

Perhaps it would be worthwhile to wait and see if Uniden releases a successor to the SDS200, potentially including WiFi (like the BCD536HP) and/or GPS/Bluetooth/App support like the SDS150.

An upgraded smartphone app could even perform wireless database and firmware updates. Everything is already online.

Even web browsers now support serial port access, so there's no reason to run a desktop application requiring ".NET Framework" (or whatever it's called). Support for Web Serial in Mozilla Firefox was recently announced, and Google Chrome has had it for years. Plus, these browsers already run on Linux, Mac, and Microsoft Windows!

 

[donc13]

Perhaps it would be worthwhile to wait and see if Uniden releases a successor to the SDS200, potentially including WiFi (like the BCD536HP) and/or GPS/Bluetooth/App support like the SDS150.

An upgraded smartphone app could even perform wireless database and firmware updates. Everything is already online.

Even web browsers now support serial port access, so there's no reason to run a desktop application requiring ".NET Framework" (or whatever it's called). Support for Web Serial in Mozilla Firefox was recently announced, and Google Chrome has had it for years. Plus, these browsers already run on Linux, Mac, and Microsoft Windows!

There is no such thing as a self programing anything. If nothing else, you have to tell it where you are (which can be done via a GPS or tell it what zip code you are in) plus, you need to tell what kind of stations you want to listen to. In addition, you need to update the firmware and database.

 

[wa8pyr]

I still don't understand, why. People make a major OS switch. Only to find out. They made a major mistake.

Let’s not belittle someone for switching their OS. If it works for them on 99.9% of what they do, it’s hardly a major mistake. Remember, scanning for most people is only a small part of their lives, and a computer choice should hardly be made based on only that one thing.

I switched from Windoze to Mac 20 years ago, and I’ve been very happy with my decision. It works wonderfully for nearly everything I do, I can run Windoze in a virtual machine for most scanner programming, and I have a cheap CF53 Toughbook for programming my commercial radios and the few scanners that won’t work with the virtual machine.

Not a major mistake for me, so there….

 

[belvdr]

You can run Sentinel on Linux easily.
Software Setup For Linux - The RadioReference Wiki

I updated the Arch section in March and someone else updated the Ubuntu section in April. The only nuance is after you attach the SDS to the computer, and after Linux mounts the drive, run:

winecfg

Change the SDS attached drive from "autodetect" to "floppy' and click OK. Then run Sentinel and you have access to do everything. I have researched for a way to auto-change this to floppy, but have come up short.

 

[belvdr]

I updated the wiki for Arch as some packages moved around. I also changed the modified date format for our international friends that don't use the same MM/DD/YYYY format that others do.

 

[K9KLC]

Not a major mistake for me, so there….

Me either. I not run winbloze for almost 20 years now in a day to day basis. It's simple, If I need to program something I fire up my OLD HP laptop that was actually given to me, and if not programming I'm back on my Mac's. Easy peasy. I spend such a small amount of time percentage wise programming

I can't understand why people haven't made a major OS switch from that bloated thing.

 

[Chris0516]

I can't understand why people haven't made a major OS switch from that bloated thing.

Because of both, ease of use, and compatibility issues with the Mac.

 

[J-Wrock]

I have a Mac running Parallels with Windows 11. I don't like Windows but have to use it for a couple of video games I enjoy (darn addictions!) and Sentinel and ProScan. I could program the scanners by hand (and have before!) but need Sentinel if a new firmware update comes out for one of my scanners. It also gives me peace of mind to have the programming stored on Sentinel or ProScan in case the microSD card goes belly up! If a Windows update breaks my Windows install, I just delete and reinstall the virtual environment while my day to day life remains unaffected on the Mac.

 

[belvdr]

If a Windows update breaks my Windows install, I just delete and reinstall the virtual environment while my day to day life remains unaffected on the Mac.

Snapshots make recovery a few second ordeal. Snapshot before, if update goes well, delete. Otherwise revert. Just don't keep them lying around for much longer than a week or so.

 

[K9KLC]

Because of both, ease of use, and compatibility issues with the Mac.

Just like I have more than one radio/scanner/receiver for various tasks, I have different computers for different tasks. I have no compatibility issues with either my radios or computers, they each have a job to do and they all do it well. Not even gonna comment on "ease of use", that's a whole different story.

 

[maus92]

Let’s not belittle someone for switching their OS. If it works for them on 99.9% of what they do, it’s hardly a major mistake. Remember, scanning for most people is only a small part of their lives, and a computer choice should hardly be made based on only that one thing.

I switched from Windoze to Mac 20 years ago, and I’ve been very happy with my decision. It works wonderfully for nearly everything I do, I can run Windoze in a virtual machine for most scanner programming, and I have a cheap CF53 Toughbook for programming my commercial radios and the few scanners that won’t work with the virtual machine.

Not a major mistake for me, so there….

As you say, select the OS that works for a major portion of software that they use in their normal activities. That said, as a gamer I have an extremely spec'd Windows box because the games I play are designed for Windows, as are Uniden's Sentinel, Unitrunker 2, and Proscan - all programs that I use almost daily. However I perform my day-to-day tasks like email and web browsing on a Macbook Pro as I like the email client that comes with Mac OS - and I like the solid (and unfortunately expensive hardware). I'm also invested in their ecosystem as I own an iPhone. I don't consider the Mac OS to be superior to Windows - they have their uses and their idiosyncrasies. Then there is the Linux box I use for SDRTrunk....

 

[wa8pyr]

I think this one has been beaten to death. Closing.