New SDS100

[yankees6161]

Thanks for that info. I just added another county for traveling purposes which I can turn on and off. I downloaded to the scanner and turned on. I did shut that county off and only have reno county on. Back to where I was yesterday hear nothing. I deleted all favorites in Sentinel the added Reno County again with what I wanted to hear. Every is fine again. Im using my TRX as my control. I don’t understand what I’m doing incorrectly when I add a separate favorite list (county) I’m doing every thing the same

 

[DudleyG]

Sounds like you want to keep your home county favorite list PLUS add a couple more favorite lists (counties). After you add the new counties in Sentinel, are you checking the "Erase Favorites Lists on Scanner" box on the Write To Scanner popup box? If checked, that will force Sentinel to re-add (replace) your home county favorite plus add the new ones you just created AND clear out any other favorites (including your original attempts of new favorites that might not been working correctly) . Otherwise, you may be leaving unwanted favorites (i.e. duplicates on the scanner with Favorite Quick Keys) which is what is getting scanned and no hits. In other words, you want to completely replace anything on the scanner with what you just created.

 

[trentbob]

So I've been trying to think about this problem also and along those lines above. My understanding is now you are hearing what you want to hear on one favorites list, if I might suggest. Each time you hook up to Sentinel the first thing you should do is transfer all the data on the scanner to the computer.

This is a good habit to get into anyway because you may find yourself, as you get to know the menu on the radio itself, might start making changes on the Fly that you want to save to your profile.

 

[yankees6161]

I am not checking erase favorites. I am only adding different sites to different countries and naming the appropriately ( McPherson, Rice Saline etc). I think i may try a different sd card

 

[yankees6161]

So I've been trying to think about this problem also and along those lines above. My understanding is now you are hearing what you want to hear on one favorites list, if I might suggest. Each time you hook up to Sentinel the first thing you should do is transfer all the data on the scanner to the computer.

This is a good habit to get into anyway because you may find yourself, as you get to know the menu on the radio itself, might start making changes on the Fly that you want to save to your profile.

I will try that

 

[yankees6161]

The more I read about this scanner I’m considering buying a GPS for traveling. That seems it would be easier than programming all the counties (which I’m having troubles with) although I’m not seeing alot of options. I’ve read some post about the GPS and there doesn’t seem to be alot of negatives. Are there any other thoughts?

 

[trentbob]

The more I read about this scanner I’m considering buying a GPS for traveling. That seems it would be easier than programming all the counties (which I’m having troubles with) although I’m not seeing alot of options. I’ve read some post about the GPS and there doesn’t seem to be alot of negatives. Are there any other thoughts?

Mmmm... that is certainly a personal decision and option. It seems to be very popular but for me personally, just like you said, I don't like zip code scanning. You can adjust service types, something I think are often mislabeled, you can set a range, also something that is hard to pin down, and you're going to listen to a lot of stuff... sure you can reduce the number of service types you listen to but the way they are assigned you could be missing the most important thing in a town because it is mislabeled.

My feeling is the more you scan the less you hear. If I was going on a trip I would map out the police dispatch for each place I went to while traveling. Whenever I travel I always listen to just the police dispatch because it all comes back to that desk. If there's a fire, or some other problem in town that's big and important to even pay attention to it's all going to come back to... The police dispatcher.

Again it's very popular, it's all a personal preference. I'm a retired newspaper guy and we only listen to a few things. And we listen to them on a number of radios. As I said, The more you scan, the less you hear.

I would never want to miss a bank robbery down the street because of a out of town car stop. You very well might like GPS scanning oh, it's a personal preference. You might swear by it like so many people here do but, I've never, ever used zip code database scanning, I listen to a very few specific pertinent objects.

Not to say I don't have one radio dedicated to things like Amtrak police, state Forest firefighters, Marine channels, news Choppers, Bridge Commission police, Statewide crime alerts, fish and game, Park Rangers, local plows during a snowstorm, EMA, emergency ham Nets, local hospital security etc etc.

Again I'm not knocking it. Is very popular and everyone seems to want to do it. I encourage you to pursue it and if it works for you that's great.

 

[eaf1956]

What I do with the GPS is I make FL of the route and let the GPS control what is in range. Be sure to turn location control on. Also, I set my range to ZERO, which sounds low but actually works rather well. I also only enable the service types I want to hear on the trip. ie Law Dispatch, Law TAC etc

 

[jonwienke]

GPS is the only feasible option for vehicle scanning. Constantly entering zip codes or toggling quick keys (if you can memorize them) is a safety hazard just like texting while driving. GPS eliminates the need for any of that and lets you focus on driving.

 

[trentbob]

+1 on the distracted driving issues. I should have qualified my response. I love road trips but since retiring my eyes aren't what they used to be and I love having someone else drive my nice car on field trips.

Mobile scanning and driving has always been somewhat of an issue safety-wise. Enthusiast always pushing for bigger displays. Since you're using the database in uncharted territory frequent glances at the display would be required to know exactly what you're listening to, as you get more familiar with your radio, I would recommend uncluttering the display. Many things you don't need after a while...

If you do pursue GPS I recommend that you contact the member above Jon.

 

[yankees6161]

Mmmm... that is certainly a personal decision and option. It seems to be very popular but for me personally, just like you said, I don't like zip code scanning. You can adjust service types, something I think are often mislabeled, you can set a range, also something that is hard to pin down, and you're going to listen to a lot of stuff... sure you can reduce the number of service types you listen to but the way they are assigned you could be missing the most important thing in a town because it is mislabeled.

My feeling is the more you scan the less you hear. If I was going on a trip I would map out the police dispatch for each place I went to while traveling. Whenever I travel I always listen to just the police dispatch because it all comes back to that desk. If there's a fire, or some other problem in town that's big and important to even pay attention to it's all going to come back to... The police dispatcher.

Again it's very popular, it's all a personal preference. I'm a retired newspaper guy and we only listen to a few things. And we listen to them on a number of radios. As I said, The more you scan, the less you hear.

I would never want to miss a bank robbery down the street because of a out of town car stop. You very well might like GPS scanning oh, it's a personal preference. You might swear by it like so many people here do but, I've never, ever used zip code database scanning, I listen to a very few specific pertinent objects.

Not to say I don't have one radio dedicated to things like Amtrak police, state Forest firefighters, Marine channels, news Choppers, Bridge Commission police, Statewide crime alerts, fish and game, Park Rangers, local plows during a snowstorm, EMA, emergency ham Nets, local hospital security etc etc.

Again I'm not knocking it. Is very popular and everyone seems to want to do it. I encourage you to pursue it and if it works for you that's great.

Very well said

 

[nessnet]

"It seems to be very popular but for me personally, just like you said, I don't like zip code scanning."
" You very well might like GPS scanning oh, it's a personal preference. You might swear by it like so many people here do but, I've never, ever used zip code database scanning"

I am one of those that always "swear by" GPS. And I NEVER do "zip code scanning" - ever.
The real power of GPS is to be able to turn on/off the favorite lists that you have set up for each city/county/state (whatever). Then, as you travel, the freqs for JUST that area are scanned.

To take it a step further, if you take the time and effort to set up rectangles for each FL, you can very accurately define where the FLs turn on and off. Setting the range to zero, I literally see the radio switch cities/counties/states as I cross the different borders.

And... I never have to touch the radio - 100% automatic. VERY cool.....

 

[yankees6161]

Can you elaborate on rectangles please?

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Can you elaborate on rectangles please?

From the easier to read SDS100 manual...

 

[yankees6161]

That sounds like a nice setup. I will start looking for a GPS

 

[Patch42]

I will start looking for a GPS

I put one on my Christmas list. Check Amazon for the BR-355S4. It's much cheaper than the Uniden one, looks to be almost identical, and works fine with the Uniden patch cord. There are instructions floating around for modifying an inexpensive USB cable to work for this but I decided it wasn't worth messing with for the little bit of extra the official cord costs. (No insult intended to those who make their own. I'm just not good with a soldering iron.) If you go with something else, bear in mind you need a serial interface, not USB, despite the fact it plugs into a USB connector on the scanner. If you get the Uniden cable and the GPS I mentioned, it just works.

 

[yankees6161]

Thanks for the info

 

[nessnet]

'the BR-355S4. It's much cheaper than the Uniden one, looks to be almost identical'

It is identical BTW... Only difference is the sticker.

Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JQFHLBL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[nessnet]

Can you elaborate on rectangles please?

A couple of terms help.
Google "bounding box" - there are a number of on-line tools that will help out with defining the lat/long of what you need.

Basically, a bounding box is a box (rectangle) that defines a certain area.
In the case of Uniden location control, it's the NW and SW corners of the defined area.
IMPORTANT: many (most) boundaries are not a square or a rectangle. Easily remedied by just using multiple bounding boxes, as many as you need.

Range:
Range becomes important when you want to control WHEN the radio (w/ GPS) switches according to your programming.
Anything >0, you have overlap, so to speak. With 0, the radio will switch when you cross the border of whatever rectangle you programmed.

Caution: time suck....!!
I have every state/county/city/reservation, (anything with LE) in two states defined by fairly precise rectangles. There used to be an on-line tool where you input the city/county - even reservations and it spit out the bounding box for that jurisdiction. I'm sure there are probably similar tools still.... But so worth the effort. I hit the power button and drive. The 100 just does it's thing, 'hands free'...!

 

[Patch42]

I have every state/county/city/reservation, (anything with LE) in two states defined by fairly precise rectangles. There used to be an on-line tool where you input the city/county - even reservations and it spit out the bounding box for that jurisdiction. I'm sure there are probably similar tools still.... But so worth the effort. I hit the power button and drive. The 100 just does it's thing, 'hands free'...!

Isn't this a tad restrictive, particularly if combined with a range on your location of zero? If I went strictly by precise jurisdictional boundary, I'd miss calls about things happening just beyond my property line on one side, at the end of the block in one direction, at the end of the block and just around the corner in the other direction. I'd miss calls concerning the major shopping area less than two miles away but also two jurisdictions away. Even on the road I'd be interested in things happening a few miles ahead.