Scan & Record GMRS with SDS200 & Sentinel/ProScan?

[N4SRN]

Can a SDS200 be configured with Sentinel and/or ProScan to scan and record RX of GMRS transmissions? I would be looking for freq/tone combinations active in my area. While there are published GMRS repeater lists, I’m told there are several unpublished private repeaters nearby. I plan to set up a local group GMRS repeater and would like to make sure I’m picking an open freq/tone. Given how infrequently GMRS repeaters can be used, I’d run a scan for a week or so for confirmation.

Thanks!

BRET N4SRN/WRFQ595

 

[KevinC]

Sure.

 

[JethrowJohnson]

You could program them in, but you'd need to know the frequencies. I don't know if Sentinel or Proscan would have those frequencies listed or not.

 

[jtwalker]

If GMRS is your only interest, there are cheaper alternatives to the SDS200.

 

[belvdr]

If GMRS is your only interest, there are cheaper alternatives to the SDS200.

Agreed, I'd be more inclined to use a decent SDR, like an AirSpy, to do this. It can scan a wide spectrum very quickly.

 

[N4SRN]

If GMRS is your only interest, there are cheaper alternatives to the SDS200.

I have an SDS200 already so would just be using it for this little project.

 

[hiegtx]

You could program them in, but you'd need to know the frequencies. I don't know if Sentinel or Proscan would have those frequencies listed or not.

I have an SDS200 already so would just be using it for this little project.

In Sentinel, go to the Database section and click on USA to expand the list of states.
Now, scroll down to any state & click on it to expand the list of Counties.
Next, scroll down to any county & select it to expand.
Click on the Nationwide folder.
Among the 'systems' in the Nationwide folder are one for GMRS, & another for FRS.
<Right><Click> on GMRS (or FRS) and you'll get a pop-up menu with the option to append that to a Favorites list. Much easier than going through the Import process or entering manually.
(The Nationwide folder in any county is identical to all the other folders in any state & any county.)

 

[N4SRN]

I got that scan up and running and copied the ProScan History Log for ~15hr below, sorted by Duration. There a huge number of hits on 462.6250 Simplex/Repeater and FRS with no duration. There is a GMRS repeater on that frequency with 141.3 travel in/out tones also #2 on the list below. Are these zero duration hits likely the same GMRS Repeater? I just flipped the ProScan Recorder on to see what I can hear today, using the Skip Silence option.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Are these zero duration hits likely the same GMRS Repeater?

Can't say for sure with no tone(s)

 

[JethrowJohnson]

I thought Channel 15 through 22 were GMRS only?

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

I thought Channel 15 through 22 were GMRS only?

Nope, all 22 frequencies are shared use. 15 to 22 allow up to 50W power output for GMRS

 

[JethrowJohnson]

I didn't know that, me and the neighbors have FRS/GMRS radios that we use at the flea market and it says that 1-7 are both, 8-14 are FRS, and 15-22 are GMRS. Maybe they just set it up that way?

 

[sallen07]

I got that scan up and running and copied the ProScan History Log for ~15hr below, sorted by Duration. There a huge number of hits on 462.6250 Simplex/Repeater and FRS with no duration. There is a GMRS repeater on that frequency with 141.3 travel in/out tones also #2 on the list below. Are these zero duration hits likely the same GMRS Repeater? I just flipped the ProScan Recorder on to see what I can hear today, using the Skip Silence option.

Question: What do you have the squelch on your SDS200 set at?

If you are looking specifically for GMRS repeaters, here are a couple suggestions. First, delete (or avoid) the "Family Radio Service" frequencies. The FRS and GMRS services share all twenty-two "FRS" channels, but repeaters are only found on the eight frequencies that are listed in the database as "General Mobile Radio Service". If you look, the 8 "GMRS" channels are the same as FRS channels 15-22. While you are at it, you can remove MURS too. If your curiosity extends to simplex FRS/GMRS usage then ignore this suggestion.

Since you are chasing repeaters I would also recommend that you click the "Each Transmission New Row" box on the "History Logging" tab in ProScan. If you don't do that then I think the entry in the history will either have the tone from the first 'hit' or from the last. If you have ProScan log every hit then you'll see all of the tones being used on that frequency.

 

[N4SRN]

Question: What do you have the squelch on your SDS200 set at?

If you are looking specifically for GMRS repeaters, here are a couple suggestions. First, delete (or avoid) the "Family Radio Service" frequencies. The FRS and GMRS services share all twenty-two "FRS" channels, but repeaters are only found on the eight frequencies that are listed in the database as "General Mobile Radio Service". If you look, the 8 "GMRS" channels are the same as FRS channels 15-22. While you are at it, you can remove MURS too. If your curiosity extends to simplex FRS/GMRS usage then ignore this suggestion.

Since you are chasing repeaters I would also recommend that you click the "Each Transmission New Row" box on the "History Logging" tab in ProScan. If you don't do that then I think the entry in the history will either have the tone from the first 'hit' or from the last. If you have ProScan log every hit then you'll see all of the tones being used on that frequency.

Squelch on 2 - does that sound right?

I was just curious on FRS/MURS - I recorded a fragment of a woman discussing a movie with someone else on FRS16. There might be ~150 homes in a 1/2mi radius of me...

GMRS Simplex - mostly silence recorded with Skip Silence Threshold Level set on 10 and Delete <2sec set n Options. I'll bump up the Skip Silence Threshold until those go away. Maybe Squelch up to 3 if that doesn't work?

GMRS Repeater w/Tones - I got one guy doing a repeater range test - I got his CS which is a local FCC registrant. I might have found him on FB and sent a message. There's no QRZ for GMRS CSs, unfortunately. I'll even to call him on the repeater!

Good tip on "Each Transmission New Row" - I'll try that.

 

[sallen07]

Squelch on 2 - does that sound right?

That's what I would have recommended, yes. I just wondered if all those 0-second hits were becuase you had your squelch too low. You could try increasing it to 3 or 4 and see if that makes any difference.

Good luck on your search!

 

[mmckenna]

I didn't know that, me and the neighbors have FRS/GMRS radios that we use at the flea market and it says that 1-7 are both, 8-14 are FRS, and 15-22 are GMRS. Maybe they just set it up that way?

The older radios made before FRS and GMRS rules were changed a few years ago, were set up that way.