SDS100/SDS200: Scanning order seems to jump around

[Fubar]

I have a favorites list of analog stuff to scan. Watching the screen, the scanner seems to jump back and forth a lot instead of progressing through the scan list progressively.

I did a test where in the favorite list I only had two systems, each department had a couple of departments, each department had a couple of frequencies.

System 1
-> Dept 1
->-> Channel 1
->-> Channel 2
->-> Channel 3
->-> Channel 4
->-> Channel 5
->-> Channel 6

-> Dept 2
->-> Channel 1
->-> Channel 2
->-> Channel 3

-> Dept 3
->-> Channel 1
->-> Channel 2
->-> Channel 3

System 2
-> Dept 1
->-> Channel 1
->-> Channel 2
->-> Channel 3

-> Dept 2
->-> Channel 1
->-> Channel 2
->-> Channel 3

-> Dept 3
->-> Channel 1
->-> Channel 2
->-> Channel 3

I then used my iPhone to shoot some "slow-mo" footage of the screen's display, what it shows is after I turn scan back on:

System 1
->Dept 3
->-> Channel 1

System 1
-> Dept 1
->-> Channel 1

System 1
-> Dept 1
->-> Channel 3

System 1
-> Dept 1
->-> Channel 6

System 1
-> Dept 2
->-> Channel 2

System 1
-> Dept 3
->-> Channel 3

System 1
-> Dept 1
->-> Channel 6

System 1
-> Dept 2
->-> Channel 2

I could keep going, but as you can see it jumps around and seems to even repeat the same channels before eventually moving on to system 2. System 2 then behaves the same way.

I don't have any kind of priority scanning turned on and I verified I didn't accidentally repeat systems, departments, or channels.

Any ideas what the scanner is doing?

 

[n1chu]

This is just a guess, my understanding on how the scanner determines which channel in any particular dept, within a system, it goes to next…

It could be that the scanner progresses thru the programming in the following order… system, dept, channel. But if it stops on channel 4 the next channel it scans on would be channel 5 within that same dept and system, it listens until the transmission stops, waits the 2 seconds (default) for a reply and then picks up from where it left off. If nothing is heard it would finish with that channel in that dept and system and move to the next system. That seems logical to me but as I said, it’s only a guess. (There are two methods used by a Uniden scanner to store programming, what they use in the BCDx36HP’s and the SDS100/200 models and what is used prior to these models like the BCDD996 and the BCD325P2. Another consideration would be the use of FL’s… are FL’s susceptible to appending? Meaning if you have added a new system to an FL after the FL has been created? Much like the order in which the scanner will check priority channels? [The order in which the scanner checks priority channels is determined by the order in which they have been entered into memory. The first one you have selected gets looked at first and so on.]) I also don’t know how you are determining the scanner might “jump” around without knowing if the next “logical channel within that system and dept is busy. Do you have a second receiver locked down on the next logical channel to make that determination?

 

[Ubbe]

The display doesn't update quick enough to show exactly how it scans. If you have the hold time set to anything else than 0 it could scan the channels several times in one system. The scan sequence follow the quick key numbers, if those have been programmed, in a way that have been thought out to be the most beneficial to the user.

Scans Out of Order...

I notice that the Uniden SDS200 scans through these three agencies out of order. The display shows the same "Favorites List" (F02), the same "System" (S02), but the scan sequence scans out of order. Scan Sequence: Scans Favorites List 02, System 02, and Department 1 (D01) Scans Favorites...

forums.radioreference.com

/Ubbe

 

[nd5y]

I could keep going, but as you can see it jumps around and seems to even repeat the same channels before eventually moving on to system 2. System 2 then behaves the same way.

I don't have any kind of priority scanning turned on and I verified I didn't accidentally repeat systems, departments, or channels.

Any ideas what the scanner is doing?

What model is this? The BCD396T and probably other Uniden models after that have hold time that sets the minimum amount of time it scans each system. Make sure that is turned off on each system.

 

[doctordialtone]

What model is this? The BCD396T and probably other Uniden models

It's a model that uses Favorite Lists, so none of the 396 / 996 / 325 models.

 

[jtwalker]

Quick keys have an impact on scanning order.
scanning order

 

[nd5y]

It's a model that uses Favorite Lists, so none of the 396 / 996 / 325 models.

Does a favorites list on those have a default hold time of 2 seconds like the systems on the older models?

 

[hiegtx]

Does a favorites list on those have a default hold time of 2 seconds like the systems on the older models?

There is a default of two seconds delay on each channel. However, the default system hold time is zero, though, of course, you can change that if so desired.

 

[ofd8001]

Does a favorites list on those have a default hold time of 2 seconds like the systems on the older models?

A Favorites List does not have a Hold Time. Systems within the Favorites List have a Hold Time, but the default value there is 0. Channels have Delay Times which is a default of 2 seconds, which is what you might be thinking about.

Update-
Sorry Steve - you and I must have been typing the same thing at the same time. . .

 

[Fubar]

Sorry, I put the little SDS100 label on the title, but I should have mentioned it in body as well. This is a favorites list of analog frequencies with no trunking involved. It's also scanning in this manner without stopping for any radio traffic and it's going fast enough I had to shoot slow-motion video to see exactly what it was doing.

I use "System" really to represent an agency and "Department" to group stuff together that I can selectively "avoid" as a group. So for example, in the Favorite List I'll have a system called "Fire Department" and departments called "Repeaters", "Fire Ground", and "Paging". All of the channels are analog frequencies with no trunking of any kind. Yet watching the display, it bounces around between channels in "Repeaters", "Fire Ground", and "Paging" in seemingly a random order without anything breaking the squelch, sometimes repeating a channel. Then it moves to the next "System" in the favorites list and does the same kind of bouncing around.

I'll keep digging, but I can't find any settings that would tell the scanner to randomly jump around. I appreciate the help here!

 

[sallen07]

I'll keep digging, but I can't find any settings that would tell the scanner to randomly jump around. I appreciate the help here!

It's not.

The display cannot update anywhere near as fast as the scanner can scan. So it only updates the display periodically. That's why it appears to skip around.

 

[jtwalker]

@Fubar did you read the info in link I posted above on post #6 ? It explains scanning order.

 

[Fubar]

@Fubar did you read the info in link I posted above on post #6 ? It explains scanning order.

Sorry, I did not when I saw it wasn't for the SDS100. I take it the page applies to the SDS100 as well?

 

[jtwalker]

Sorry, I did not when I saw it wasn't for the SDS100. I take it the page applies to the SDS100 as well?

Yes info is same for x36 and SDS scanners. Here is link for SDS.

 

[Ubbe]

Sorry, I did not when I saw it wasn't for the SDS100. I take it the page applies to the SDS100 as well?

The same firmware code have been ported over between models and only small adjustments to it have been made depending of which models it is 436 536 SDS100 SDS200. Functions and features that applies to one model will usually also apply to the other models. Uniden developed the firmware and split the cost between 436 and 536 and then it's practically free to use at no cost in SDS scanners, besides the interface to the new receiver chip, and produce a higher profit rate for the SDS line, as long as they can keep bug fixes and feature development to a minimum and not have to pay a full time project manager and without too many users openly complaining about the lack of support.

/Ubbe

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

delete

 

[Fubar]

The same firmware code have been ported over between models and only small adjustments to it have been made depending of which models it is 436 536 SDS100 SDS200.

Good to know, thank you!