Scans But Never Stops on an Active Frequency, and an Open "Zero" Squelch Creates No Noise and Unit Continues to Scan

[Checkerboard]

My new SDS200 continues to baffle me. With the help of some blessed souls here, I was able to install Sentinel on my Lenovo laptop, finally, and create and write 3 Favorite Lists to the scanner.

However, the scanner just cycles through all the channels, never stopping on anything - and I know there is "traffic" from my local PD and Sheriff since I have a Uniden 365 on a telescoping antenna that is receiving very well.

Curiously, turning down the squelch to zero - in effect, "opening up" the squelch- neither produces speaker noise nor stops the scanning - it just keeps scanning.

I've searched for a similar issue but no joy so far. Any wisdom from the learned crowd would be most welcome. Thanks, KM6U

 

[belvdr]

Did you select all service types in Sentinel?

 

[trentbob]

First of all make sure all of your service types are turned on.

 

[trentbob]

Put your squelch back on 2 listen to your local weather stations and see if you you hear any of the weather broadcast.

 

[hiegtx]

My new SDS200 continues to baffle me. With the help of some blessed souls here, I was able to install Sentinel on my Lenovo laptop, finally, and create and write 3 Favorite Lists to the scanner.

However, the scanner just cycles through all the channels, never stopping on anything - and I know there is "traffic" from my local PD and Sheriff since I have a Uniden 365 on a telescoping antenna that is receiving very well.

Curiously, turning down the squelch to zero - in effect, "opening up" the squelch- neither produces speaker noise nor stops the scanning - it just keeps scanning.

I've searched for a similar issue but no joy so far. Any wisdom from the learned crowd would be most welcome. Thanks, KM6U

The "three Favorites lists" you created- did you manually create those by entering the information? Or did you append the systems from the main database.

Are you using Location Control on any (or all) of the lists? If using location control, did you verify that your correct location was entered in Sentinel, and also appears in the scanner itself? And that location details are present for the lists you are scanning?

Besides location either not being set correctly, one of the other, most common, issues relates to Service types. When shipped, only Dispatch service types for Public Safety are enabled: Law Dispatch, Fire Dispatch, EMS Dispatch, & Multi-Dispatch. You should also enable the Tac & Talk service types for Public Safety. i.e. Law Talk, Fire Tac, EMS Tac, etc. Also enable the service types for any other users of interest/

Looking at your posting history, I see questions regarding an HP-2. If you still have the Sentinel version for that scanner, as well as any Favorites lists you used in the past, you can export those lists into an hpe file, then import that into Sentinel for your SDS200, either creating additional Favorites lists, or adding the entries into an existing list.

As Bob has already suggested, seeing whether or not you can receive your local weather radio can verify whether of not your scanner is actually receiving anything.

 

[ofd8001]

Put your squelch back on 2 listen to your local weather stations and see if you you hear any of the weather broadcast.

I would also plug the local weather frequency in a Favorites List that you "know" should be scanned, just to see if it stops. That way you will confirm the given list is indeed scanning. Be sure to use a Service Type for the weather frequency that is active in your profile.

 

[Checkerboard]

Well once again guys, thanks - drinks are on me.

I turned on all the service types that weren't already checked... and she's scanning, playing audio, and squelching as you would expect her to. And Steve, you're right- I had a couple HP-2s but I erased all that data and old Sentinel software when I installed the new Sentinel a couple days ago. New Sentinel continues to free when trying to read or write to scanner on the Windows 10 PC, but at least I have a laptop to program the SDS200.

I seem to remember a video by UPman that showed ALL these little steps needed in Sentinel to build Favorites list and then... successfully load it onto the scanner. A tinge of deja vu was felt as I checked all those Service Type boxes - I recall doing it for the HP-2. Is that video still around? It was old-looking even a couple years ago, but very comprehensive, I tried looking at other videos online but have not found anything terribly helpful

I also looked at Location Control, but wasn't sure how to interpret the lat./long. coordinates. I decided to enter my Zip code and change the radius to 20 miles. Can you tell me how I can know if Location Control is being used on my 3 Favorite Lists? Should I disable Location Control, and if so, how to disable it?

Thanks again, Peter KM6U

 

[ofd8001]

There are many "little" settings for these newfangled scanners. Any one of them that is not correct will foul things up. Most all of us have experienced that challenge and took hours to figure out something and then slap our heads and say "A ha".

 

[hiegtx]

Well once again guys, thanks - drinks are on me.

I turned on all the service types that weren't already checked... and she's scanning, playing audio, and squelching as you would expect her to. And Steve, you're right- I had a couple HP-2s but I erased all that data and old Sentinel software when I installed the new Sentinel a couple days ago. New Sentinel continues to free when trying to read or write to scanner on the Windows 10 PC, but at least I have a laptop to program the SDS200.

I seem to remember a video by UPman that showed ALL these little steps needed in Sentinel to build Favorites list and then... successfully load it onto the scanner. A tinge of deja vu was felt as I checked all those Service Type boxes - I recall doing it for the HP-2. Is that video still around? It was old-looking even a couple years ago, but very comprehensive, I tried looking at other videos online but have not found anything terribly helpful

I also looked at Location Control, but wasn't sure how to interpret the lat./long. coordinates. I decided to enter my Zip code and change the radius to 20 miles. Can you tell me how I can know if Location Control is being used on my 3 Favorite Lists? Should I disable Location Control, and if so, how to disable it?

Thanks again, Peter KM6U

For a specific Favorites list, open it in the Favorites List Editor. The setting to use location control, for the list being edited, is under the Options tab:


You can access the Profile Editor in Sentinel, and using it, verify which of your lists are set to use location control:

For individual systems, location information is entered under the Department for Conventional systems:

For Trunked systems, you have location settings at both the Department level,


as well as the Site.


If you leave a location as blank (0 degrees for both latitude & longitude), the scanner uses the zero-zero latitude/longitude, which places the site, and/or department, off the west coast of Africa, well out of range, so the department, and/or site, would not be scanned.

 

[trentbob]

Location control is normally off by default so unless you turned it on it should be off. It's useful when searching the database and your ZIP code actually puts in your approximate longitude and latitude.

I've never been able to figure out why only some service types are turned on by default when the radio comes out of the box. This happens to a lot of people. I have even seen where people have their radio "expertly" programmed for money by a vendor and even they didn't turn on all the service types LOL. The poster couldn't figure out why he wasn't picking up certain things and it was as simple as that. Glad it worked out for you.

 

[Checkerboard]

For a specific Favorites list, open it in the Favorites List Editor. The setting to use location control, for the list being edited, is under the Options tab:
View attachment 109188

You can access the Profile Editor in Sentinel, and using it, verify which of your lists are set to use location control:
View attachment 109189
For individual systems, location information is entered under the Department for Conventional systems:
View attachment 109190
For Trunked systems, you have location settings at both the Department level,
View attachment 109191

as well as the Site.
View attachment 109192

If you leave a location as blank (0 degrees for both latitude & longitude), the scanner uses the zero-zero latitude/longitude, which places the site, and/or department, off the west coast of Africa, well out of range, so the department, and/or site, would not be scanned.

Steve, many thanks for this incredible mini-manual! I plan to print it out and save it. Uniden should be paying you guys. They seem to have offloaded their tech support and documentation to you all!

 

[Checkerboard]

Location control is normally off by default so unless you turned it on it should be off. It's useful when searching the database and your ZIP code actually puts in your approximate longitude and latitude.

I've never been able to figure out why only some service types are turned on by default when the radio comes out of the box. This happens to a lot of people. I have even seen where people have their radio "expertly" programmed for money by a vendor and even they didn't turn on all the service types LOL. The poster couldn't figure out why he wasn't picking up certain things and it was as simple as that. Glad it worked out for you.

I'm glad too! By the way, we moved to California in '94 but I was born and raised in Bucks County, belonged to WARC in the early 90s... Lived near Bowman's Tower KM6U

 

[trentbob]

I am a member of the Warminster amateur radio club LOL. I think we have a hundred and twenty-five members now. Great 2 meter repeater on Echo link with inputs all over the county including Grundy Towers. Bowman's Tower might be closed now to the public. Small world!

 

[tvengr]

I had a couple HP-2s but I erased all that data and old Sentinel software when I installed the new Sentinel a couple days ago.

You can read the favorites lists from your HP2's, if you didn't erase them from the scanners, to repopulate them back into the HomePatrol Sentinel and export hpe favorites list files and then import them into the BCDx36HP Sentinel for your SDS200.

 

[Checkerboard]

This morning I turned the SDS200 on and I'm not certain all is right with the squelch. If I turn it down to zero, i.e. fully open, I expect the scanning to halt immediately, and to hear static/floor noise from an open channel.

Instead, it continues to scan the various frequencies until it finally reaches 173.30, our Sheriff Extender frequency. Then it stops and plays the noise as you'd expect. Could there be yet another "hidden" but easy-to-fix setting somewhere to fix this? Is there some sort of PL or CTCSS embedded that's overriding the manual squelch?

Another question: the scanner seems to display the frequencies received, sequencing through them- I recognize them, because they appear for just long enough for me to "process" them. Is this the actual speed at which the scanner is scanning? If so, it is way too slow in my opinion - it seems like maybe 2 or 3 channels per second are flashing across the display.

Thanks, KM6U

 

[trentbob]

First of all, the squelch does not work like a conventional radio. Opening up the squelch is not a good idea and will interfere with scanning operations, PL tone or not. Always leave the squelch on 2. I'm on the run right now so I can't look at your system or frequencies but they should have PL tones and that should be programmed into the radio. We need more information from you as far as exactly what system or if you could tell us your exact hometown and County in California so we can look in the database and see exactly what you're dealing with.

As far as the scrolling frequencies, they appear to be going slow and you can see some numbers but it is actually scanning all of them. Just because you don't see every number doesn't mean it isn't scanning every number. There is no scan speed that is adjustable. As I say, I'm about to drive and I'm out for the day but if you would provide us with the information we need we can look up in the database later.

 

[trentbob]

What was I thinking Pete, I just looked up your call sign, so what county is Sonora in? I have to go offline now but we will investigate all available frequencies for you to program and see if we can work out your problem. If someone else wants to do it that will be fine. Right now I have to run... Bob.

 

[trentbob]

View attachment 109216

Wow is your life simple LOL. Conventional non trunked VHF hi band. Couldn't be simpler. It looks like there is a California interop system which is Phase 2 but it only has one talk group for the CHP and I don't know if that is around you so this looks like it's it. The only issue could be you're out of range. If you have a 2 meter or a dual band rooftop that will help. Moving the radio around, moving the antenna around, I would make sure that all of the pl tones are entered and definitely leave your squelch on 2, if you turn the squelch off and depend on the tone squelch that is definitely going to mess up scanning. Don't know how far away you are from the Sheriff's Office tower, I would think you would have no problem with your hometown police.