Using a suggested method of scanning on long trips, I decided to try turning on the Full Database and GPS. But setting the range doesn’t seem to have any effect. My trip will start from central Ct. and terminate in Virginia Beach, Virginia. When I set the SDS200 scanner to use the Full Database and GPS with the range severely limited I still get agencies outside the state. Is there a way of limiting the range further?
Scanning on long trips using Full Database and GPS
- Thread starter n1chu
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fowlergk
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I am experiencing same with the SDS100 while traveling for the most part. Range set to 10 miles.
msingewald
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It may help to set the range to zero. The transmitters have a range, lets say 25 miles, and then whatever you set to range gets added to that. So setting range to 10 on a site that has its own range of 25, would mean you hear it 35 miles away.
Yea, I’ve tried everything from zero on up… still get the same agencies that are way out there. It could be I’m not understanding how the range feature works or need to customize the shape of the coverage area. I am getting Tweed New Haven Airport popping up during the scanning, NYC, etc. These are entities well outside what I should be seeing…
Have you looked at the range that each favorite is set to?
When I travel I set the scanner range anywhere between 0 and 1.5 miles. Anything that overlaps my range circle is heard. Some things in the database have ranges that are set to high and that will cause it to try to scan those. The lower the range setting set in the scanner will filter the most out. Turning of service types for anything on non interest will also filter out more. When I travel I only have law and fire related service types enabled as that's all I wish to listen to when traveling..
You said Tweed Airport. Where are you when you are seeing it on the scanner screen?
You said Tweed Airport. Where are you when you are seeing it on the scanner screen?
50 miles away.
Is Tweed in a favorite list or just the full database?
Just the nature of those statewide systems, the range may be 300 miles, and that isneeded for it to cover an entire state. BUT, 300 miles from the edge of that state covers a lot of area outside the state.
I use the full DB on out of my area travel, set the range to zero and ignore it. Sometimes if I will be in unfamiliar territory I do a temp l/o for the item.
The ranges on these large systems are a circle - a very large circle. Be nice if they could follow the contours of state lines, but not doable.
I use the full DB on out of my area travel, set the range to zero and ignore it. Sometimes if I will be in unfamiliar territory I do a temp l/o for the item.
The ranges on these large systems are a circle - a very large circle. Be nice if they could follow the contours of state lines, but not doable.
First: As someone said above range is additive. Whatever the individual object's range is set at, (site, talkgroup or conv freq.) is the estimated range of it's coverage in RR. When you ADD anything above 0 (zero) to your profile's range, it adds this to the objects range. Remember, this is global - it adds this to every object.
The way to have much more precise scanning is via favorites lists. In FLs, not only do you put in the objects you want to scan, but you can set the object's range individually, or just use what is in RR..
Then, there are rectangles. The default ranges are circles (the info in RR) - overlapping circles. You can (I did) build rectangles representing borders of states / counties / cities, etc. You can have multiple rectangles if needed to represent borders that are not completely square / rectangle.
I build my favorite lists by location, grouping cities that are adjacent to each other in the same FL. Then, with a range of 0 (zero) I have a radio that switches to objects I want to monitor in JUST that area.
This takes work, but it will do what you are asking.
https://bboxfinder.com/
Use the tools on the left to draw a box. Then use the lat/long info to put in Sentinel for your rectangles.
There are other on-line tools - Google "Bounding box tool"
bounding box tool - Google Search
Bounding Box Tool: Metadata Enrichment for Catalogue Records by Visually Selecting Geographic Coordinates (Latitude / Longitude) for Maps
This one, you can just put in the object (state / city / etc) and get a bounding box.
The way to have much more precise scanning is via favorites lists. In FLs, not only do you put in the objects you want to scan, but you can set the object's range individually, or just use what is in RR..
Then, there are rectangles. The default ranges are circles (the info in RR) - overlapping circles. You can (I did) build rectangles representing borders of states / counties / cities, etc. You can have multiple rectangles if needed to represent borders that are not completely square / rectangle.
I build my favorite lists by location, grouping cities that are adjacent to each other in the same FL. Then, with a range of 0 (zero) I have a radio that switches to objects I want to monitor in JUST that area.
This takes work, but it will do what you are asking.
https://bboxfinder.com/
Use the tools on the left to draw a box. Then use the lat/long info to put in Sentinel for your rectangles.
There are other on-line tools - Google "Bounding box tool"
bounding box tool - Google Search
Bounding Box Tool: Metadata Enrichment for Catalogue Records by Visually Selecting Geographic Coordinates (Latitude / Longitude) for Maps
This one, you can just put in the object (state / city / etc) and get a bounding box.
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When I do my trips, I do the same except I do permanent avoid. I mostly do tristate trips so a while ago I went in Sentinel's full db and avoided a ton of stuff. Especially NYC since I have to go thru it to get off Long Island.
I see your screen shot but can’t duplicate it. Using Sentinel. How did you get to it?
When using the Full database, along with location & range, you may be getting some "long distance" systems in other states. You may be able to whittle those down by avoiding certain categories.
On the 'Set Scan Selection' menu, select the "Set Nationwide Systems" sub-menu & edit as desired.
You must have the Full Database selected on the scanner to do this, and it has to be done on the scanner itself; this selection does not appear in your Sentinel Profile. (The screenshot, via ProScan, is from my 536HP, but the menu setup in the SDS200 is identical.)
On the 'Set Scan Selection' menu, select the "Set Nationwide Systems" sub-menu & edit as desired.
You must have the Full Database selected on the scanner to do this, and it has to be done on the scanner itself; this selection does not appear in your Sentinel Profile. (The screenshot, via ProScan, is from my 536HP, but the menu setup in the SDS200 is identical.)
I found Location under Profile and set that range to 0.0. (The first FL I came to was set at 260 miles.) Then I let the scanner run and went into the menu using the radio buttons to check “Set Location”. The range showed 0.0. I’m guessing it’s a global setting? I still see stuff on the display that’s further away than I’d like (Tweed New Haven Airport) but that may be explained with what another said about RR starting with a mileage number for a given agency. If RR starts with 50 and I enter 0.0, I haven’t decreased it, I just didn’t increase it. Overall I do see a reduction of agencies so I guess whatever way I got to it I did get a global setting of 0.0.
Ok. I can try that too. Thanks
The range of Tweed is set to 23 miles around the airport in radio reference db. If your in Farmington, that's about 33 miles away. If your range is set to zero, I do not believe you should see it scanning.
Just curious, are you scanning full db and fav lists? What happens if you just use full db with a range of 0? Do you still see Tweed showing as scanning?
And if using fav lists, did you set those fav lists location control to yes for when using the gps?
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I will try that tomorrow (I have both FL’s and Full Database. But Tweed is not in any FL I have created. Im seeing it because I have Full Database turned on. It’s not a problem as I can just avoid it. My main complaint previously was having to avoid a bunch of agencies. Now, it isn’t bad at all to avoid the few that are still showing up. And thanks for the reminder to check yes for FL Location Control.
Unlike setting Site and Department Ranges in Favorites Lists, you are confined to using the ranges that are established in the full database. Some of those Sites and Departments can have very large range values, particularly on Nationwide or large area systems.
The Range you set in the Profile or via keypad, is kind of an "extender". So if there is a Department having a Department Range of 30.0 miles and you set that scanner or Global Range to 10.0 miles, when you get within 40.0 miles (30 + 10), the scanner will start attempting to receive that Department.
The Range you set in the Profile or via keypad, is kind of an "extender". So if there is a Department having a Department Range of 30.0 miles and you set that scanner or Global Range to 10.0 miles, when you get within 40.0 miles (30 + 10), the scanner will start attempting to receive that Department.
I guess the trick is to change those established ranges in the Full Database. And I believe this is possible, but can it be done on a global basis… if not with Sentinel or ARC (which is what I use) then maybe some other aftermarket software?
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