SDS100/SDS200: Programing help

[pauljmertz]

I have a new sds200. the sentinel software does not have the following frequencies:

61591	f097	D	WIOSPDDISP	Police Dispatch	Law Dispatch
61592	f098	D	WIOSPDTAC1	Police Tac 1	Law Tac
61593	f099	DE	WIOSPDTAC2	Police Tac 2	Law Tac
61599	f09f	DE	WIOSPD	Police	Law Tac
61691	f0fb	D	WIOSFIRE	Fire Dispatch	Fire Dispatch
61692	f0fc	D	WIOSFDTAC1	Fire Tac 1	Fire-Tac
61693	f0fd	D	WIOSFDTAC2	Fire Tac 2	Fire-Tac
61694	f0fe	D	WIOSFDTAC3	Fire Tac 3	Fire-Tac
61699	f103	D	WIOSFDEMS	EMS	EMS-Talk

While I found this list on RR, I cannot find the frequencies. Any guidance would be appreciated. I have no idea how to program these items.

Paul

 

[Colin9690]

I have a new sds200. the sentinel software does not have the following frequencies:

61591	f097	D	WIOSPDDISP	Police Dispatch	Law Dispatch
61592	f098	D	WIOSPDTAC1	Police Tac 1	Law Tac
61593	f099	DE	WIOSPDTAC2	Police Tac 2	Law Tac
61599	f09f	DE	WIOSPD	Police	Law Tac
61691	f0fb	D	WIOSFIRE	Fire Dispatch	Fire Dispatch
61692	f0fc	D	WIOSFDTAC1	Fire Tac 1	Fire-Tac
61693	f0fd	D	WIOSFDTAC2	Fire Tac 2	Fire-Tac
61694	f0fe	D	WIOSFDTAC3	Fire Tac 3	Fire-Tac
61699	f103	D	WIOSFDEMS	EMS	EMS-Talk

While I found this list on RR, I cannot find the frequencies. Any guidance would be appreciated. I have no idea how to program these items.

Paul

Location?

 

[pauljmertz]

Oshkosh, Wisconsin

 

[Colin9690]

Oshkosh, Wisconsin

What you posted are called talkgroups, which are assigned to a specific user/agency. The frequencies are what users of ALL talkgroups transmit on.

The software should already have the frequencies for the system loaded, you just need to input these talkgroups manually.
-On the left side of the screen, right-click the favorites list the system is contained in. Select “program favorites list”.
-In the window that pops up, find the system you’re going to edit, and expand the tree by clicking the + sign. Click on the “department” that you’re going to edit.
-You’ll see that you’re now on the “channels” tab. Click the green plus sign that’s directly under where it says channels, to add new rows to the spreadsheet. This is where you add these talkgroups. So type in ”Police Dispatch” under channel name, and type in 61591 in the TGID field, for example. TGID = Talkgroup ID.

 

[nessnet]

By your question, I think the FIRST place to start is to understand trunking.
Once you have a basic understanding, you will much better know how all this scanner stuff works.
Then... you will know what a talk group and a site / control channel and channel grant is....
Lots more to it than just scanning "frequencies"...

Trunked radio system - Wikipedia

How does trunking work? | Tait Radio Academy

Trunked Radio System - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics

 

[Colin9690]

trunk group

Talkgroup?

 

[nessnet]

What you posted are called talkgroups, which are assigned to a specific user/agency. The frequencies are what users of ALL talkgroups transmit on.

The software should already have the frequencies for the system loaded, you just need to input these talkgroups manually.
-On the left side of the screen, right-click the favorites list the system is contained in. Select “program favorites list”.
-In the window that pops up, find the system you’re going to edit, and expand the tree by clicking the + sign. Click on the “department” that you’re going to edit.
-You’ll see that you’re now on the “channels” tab. Click the green plus sign that’s directly under where it says channels, to add new rows to the spreadsheet. This is where you add these talkgroups. So type in ”Police Dispatch” under channel name, and type in 61591 in the TGID field, for example. TGID = Talkgroup ID.

No... as a newb, please don't try to program your radio manually.
One mistake and you will be listening to - silence.
(range, lat/long, service type, control channels, etc, etc, etc... all have to be correct)

Let Sentinel build favorite lists.
It will do all of the heavy lifting for you.
Everything will get built correctly.

(right click on Oskosh, - append to favorite list / new favorite list)

 

[nessnet]

Talkgroup?

Yea.... it's late.
Edited.
(career telco guy... )

 

[Colin9690]

Let’s not put the cart before the horse here, you’re talking about having to learn “channel grants”, but for some reason are strongly opposed to someone manually entering a few talkgroups. A newcomer will understand the concept better by doing it (especially something so simple), and learn about how to use Sentinel.

Sure it’s nice having it do it for you, but what if those talkgroups really aren’t in Sentinel? In that case, what you just told him to do would be utterly pointless.

 

[nessnet]

Let’s not put the cart before the horse here, you’re talking about having to learn “channel grants”, but for some reason are strongly opposed to someone manually entering a few talkgroups. A newcomer will understand the concept better by doing it (especially something so simple), and learn about how to use Sentinel.

Sure it’s nice having it do it for you, but what if those talkgroups really aren’t in Sentinel? In that case, what you just told him to do would be utterly pointless.

There is so much to get wrong by doing it manually - and especially if you don't know how it all works.
Very daunting for someone just starting out.
AND LISTENING TO SILENCE IS FRUSTRATING - which will happen if one thing isn't correct.

I stick by my recommendation of starting out by letting Sentinel build favorite lists.
(the system he wants is the screenshot I posted - the TGs are all there...)

And, to also go to those trunking links and learn about how it all works

 

[pauljmertz]

Thank you all for your help. It seems I did not drill down on one of the elements in Sentinel because of how it was listed. got it now and it works great!

 

[n1chu]

Try this… click on the system in your favorites list you want to look at. There will be a bunch of tabs available. Choose “Sites” and then hit the green “plus” tab. Your frequencies assigned to that site should now be visible. I did a google search for Uniden Sentinel screen shots that show frequencies in trunking systems and came up with what you ask. Try it.

 

[nessnet]

One last thing.....
Seriously consider purchasing ProScan.
It's really good for importing from RR and building/editing favorite lists.
It is more 'visual' - meaning it shows the hierarchy really well.
And you can search/replace, (etc) much better than Sentinel.

You'll still need Sentinel for database/firmware, but ProScan is much more powerful for most everything else.
And... you can remote control your radio via Ethernet.

 

[Ensnared]

Let me put it this way. I will be happy to get your started by giving you an example. If you would like for me to build a Favorite for you, I would be happy to help. Programming this radio has a steep learning curve for someone new to the hobby.

I agree, manual programming is an exercise in self-flagellation. Sentinel is free and it works well.

If you want some help, send me a message. I am semi-retired and tired of hearing my wife.

 

[nessnet]

Old saying.....
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

You have a good number of people here willing to teach...

 

[Ensnared]

Old saying.....
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

You have a good number of people here willing to teach...

Bless you pea-picking heart.