BCD436HP/BCD536HP: Need help with programming - Will tip $$

[ofd8001]

The thinking I believe, is that the Home Patrol line is geared toward the novice scanner user. So the manual for that may give a little better fundamental/basic instruction on some topics.

The x36 line is geared toward those who have a little more scanning and scanner programming experience under their belts. Thus, for better or worse, the thinking may be the person reading x36 manuals may not need the basic explanations.

In any event, if you have grasped the Favorites List concept from your Home Patrol reading/experience, those principles are applicable to the x36.

Even better - Favorites Lists created for one scanner can be exported for programming into the other. So you don't end up having to plow a field twice.

 

[Voyager]

And no operators manual will (or should) give lessons on scanning basics. They should only teach you how to operate that unit - not how to know basic terms.

As I've said before as a comparison, your car's owner's manual tells you everything about how to operate the car, but nothing about how to drive. It's assumed you gained that knowledge elsewhere.

 

[AA6IO]

I agree that the HP1/2 are easier to figure out than the x36HPs. But the x96XTs, the GRE/RS/Whisters, and others are "not a piece of cake" to learn. Even the HomePatrol 1 and 2, if you really want to get the most out of them, have a learning curve.
However, I don't think this is primarily because the scanners themselves are complicated (though they are), but more because of the complicated nature of scanning with trunking/digital that is now prevalent.
Its was a relatively simple matter to enter a few conventional analog channels back many years ago. Not so nowadays. The whole game of scanner monitoring has changed. And it will further as NXDN, DMR, and other protocols become more prevalent.
Therefore, I share the opinions of others above. You really have to learn the basics of scanning nowadays. Luckily we have a lot of good resources and experienced scanners who have already knocked their heads against a few walls trying to figure this stuff out.
But once you understand the basics of today's complex systems, then any scanner becomes a bit easier to set up (easier being a relative term).

Steve AA6IO

 

[wolfe27]

Tacoma

If the system is already in the database (as in your example), then there is no need to create it from scratch. Just make a Favorites list and put the system there (assuming you want to isolate to just scan that system). All settings come over from the main database for correct scanning of the system.

UPMan or anyone: so I did the Sentinel update today and the new Tacoma System is on there. I downloaded it to scanner and need additional help. As I been monitoring online as well and my scanner and my scanner is not picking up any side channels but the main dispatch channel. I verified the channels I am hearing online is the same I have programmed in my scanner Any suggestions?

 

[Voyager]

Are all the Service Types enabled?

 

[chasealert]

I've been reading through all these post, you guys rock!

I am trying to monitor Burbank ICIS. I've programmed the frequencies and the talkgroups but I cannot get anything at all. I've programmed it based on the Pomona file that was attached to a previous post and I get ZIP (I also get nothing for Pomona, but maybe I'm out of range?)... It cycles through everything but it's radio silent. Clearly I'm doing it wrong...or something.

I live in Burbank so I should be in range...

Help? Thoughts? Tips? Frequent mistakes? I just got the scanner a few days ago so I'm a rookie at this one, but not scanners in general.

Maybe someone has an .hpe file for Burbank I can use/test with?

Appreciate it!

 

[fmalloy]

It was pretty easy. . .

1. Started Sentinel
2. Clicked on the + sign by USA under Database, which expanded the list.
3. Clicked on the + sign for California, which further expanded the list.
4. Clicked on the + sign for Los Angeles, which further expanded the list.
5. Clicked on the + sign for County System, again expanded the list.
6. Clicked Interagency Communications Interoperability System (ICIS) Proje to highlight it.
7. Right mouse clicked which opened a little window, clicked "Append Favorites List". Another window opened.
8. Clicked on New Favorites List and entered Pomona as the Favorites List Name, clicked OK.
9. Then went to Edit>Edit Favorites List.
10. Double Clicked on Pomona to open Favorites List Editor.
11. Clicked on Interagency Communications Interoperability System (ICIS) Proje
12. Deleted all the departments that were there except for the Pomona which you desired.
13. Clicked File>Save
14. Clicked File>Exit

You are an amazing help. But, I don't call 14 steps easy. It's hard to know where to start.

I am very familiar with some very complex software packages, and Sentinel is right up there with Photoshop. It needs a simple mode where you:

1. Filter available systems based on the zip code and radius it asks you
2. Drag the systems you want to hear into a FL creation window
3. It asks you if you want to create new FL, or merge into existing FL
4. Prompt you to select a FLQK and name the FL
5. Upload to scanner. Done.

It enables all the keys, it enables the service types, enables Monitor, blah blah. It should also be polite and warn you about encrypted channels and ask if you want them removed.

Better UI design and more universal drag and drop would help immensely, and reduce the amount of "I just got my $500 scanner and how do I get it so I listen to the systems I want"

 

[jjuneau]

You are an amazing help. But, I don't call 14 steps easy. It's hard to know where to start.

I am very familiar with some very complex software packages, and Sentinel is right up there with Photoshop. It needs a simple mode where you:

1. Filter available systems based on the zip code and radius it asks you
2. Drag the systems you want to hear into a FL creation window
3. It asks you if you want to create new FL, or merge into existing FL
4. Prompt you to select a FLQK and name the FL
5. Upload to scanner. Done.

It enables all the keys, it enables the service types, enables Monitor, blah blah. It should also be polite and warn you about encrypted channels and ask if you want them removed.

Better UI design and more universal drag and drop would help immensely, and reduce the amount of "I just got my $500 scanner and how do I get it so I listen to the systems I want"

Honestly brother, it comes down to creating favorite lists and making sure they are set to "active" under the scan menu. After following the videos below, I've been good to go. I hope these help you as much as they helped me. The only thing I can say is, the Uniden manual appears to be written by the engineers, not customer-oriented users whatsoever.

Also see:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgz7heeOUKY

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

Another one shows how you could create a Favorites List directly from the scanner (but I've not tried this myself):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1kHvFXTu1M