SDS100/SDS200: SDS 100 disconnected with GPS running. Now channels missing from FLs.

[PWScan]

Scanner not scanning all channels in FL.

I think I did something wrong today. I was driving with my scanner in GPS mode and inadvertently disconnected the GPS system (usb cable) by accident. At the time I had 3 FLS enabled. "Home Monitoring", Wireless Mics and Full database.

I realized a bit later that I was not getting many of the stations I previously was receiving. I am most concerned about "Home Monitoring". I took the following steps:

1. Manually stepped through my "Home Monitoring" FL. All channels appear when stepping through them, but only a small portion of the channels can be seen and received on the scssanner.

2. I shut the scanner off and restarted it. No difference.

3. I turned location services OFF of that FL and I think) ALL my channels came back. I am not entirely sure.

4. I connected to my computer, updated the master database and then wrote the full database and erased FLs on the scanner. Same results.

I think something screwed up when I disconnected the GPS while powered on, driving and scanning.

See attached for partial list of my FLs.

Any thoughts welcome before I start troubleshooting ( and possibly do more damage) on my own.

Thanks.

 

[jaspence]

Disconnecting a USB cable on any brand operating scanner can cause problems. Probably the SD card was corrupted and needs to be reformatted and reloaded. Best rule is turn the scanner off before connecting or disconnecting any cable.

 

[900mhz]

did you ever save a known working file?
if so, its an easy reload to the card.

 

[KK4JUG]

Yeah, it's probably the SD card. If you're a frequent user of the GPS function, you might consider one of Jon's built-in GPS receivers. It's trouble-free and quite sensitive. There's a small flashing light above the screen or you wouldn't know the GPS is there. You can locate the radio anywhere in the vehicle and still get good GPS reception.

(Disclaimer: Other than being a customer, I'm not affiliated in any way with Jonweinke.)

 

[PWScan]

did you ever save a known working file?
if so, its an easy reload to the card.

900, If "known working file" means do I have a known good config, I have to assume where I have never "read from scanner" Ie loaded the scanner config back into Sentinel, nor have I made any significant changes on the scanner, that my latest config/profile (albeit old) in Sentinel is still a non-corrupt, working version. Do I have this right?

Is it just a matter of reformatting the SD and using Sentinel to "write to scanner"?

Thanks.

 

[PWScan]

Does any of this have to do with "Location" settings? I have never messed with them, yet a handful of my FLs have it off. And in fact, with my "Home Monitoring" FL location off, it seems to perform as expected. IE all channels seem to scan.

 

[900mhz]

A good known config means a working config that was saved as such. Did you ever save your known working configuration, aka, backup? Every time you make changes, it is prudent to do so.
In light of your circumstance, you can disable location based scanning. Have you tried that? With no GPS engaged, there would be no reason to have location monitoring active. That would only come into play with a GPS actively communicating with the device.

 

[PWScan]

900, Tnx again for the reply. No I never backed up from the scanner, but I never made any changes via the scanner either. So in theory, my current profile in Sentinel should be a known working config. WOuld you aGREE?

What is the best way to format the SD card and get my information back onto it?

Use SDFormatter on the PC, and then put the SD card back in the SDS100 and "write to scanner" ? Or is there another method?

Thanks.

 

[900mhz]

I would save the current file. Just like anything else, click under file and save as...your choice of file location.
My guess is that your card and files are just fine. Do a read from scanner and see what comes up. If it looks right, by all means do the save part.
Some here have gone as far as building a spare SD card, just in case.
But, your issue appears to be related to GPS and the radios inability to re-recognize the disconnected/reconnected GPS.

 

[PWScan]

<<< I would save the current file. Just like anything else, click under file and save as...your choice of file location. >>

Do you mean after reading from the scanner? Or just after opening sentinel and saving what's already there?

<<But, your issue appears to be related to GPS and the radios inability to re-recognize the disconnected/reconnected GPS.>>

Any chance just reconnecting with GPS attached and then shutting down "gracefully" might resolve the issue?

 

[900mhz]

Take the GPS out of the loop for a second...make believe it doesn't exist.
Read the scanner.
That read file would be present right on your computer screen.
Review the contents.
If it looks correct, do the save as.
I usually name said file with a date and time stamp, for future reference.
Review that saved file for accuracy.

Now, if you are satisfied the file is correct, then you can play with the GPS.

Now, there is one thing to bear in mind regarding favorite lists, or any lists contained within the SD card file. With a properly working GPS, and your physical location, as it relates to the contained favorite file(s), it is possible that you may be "out of range". Depending on how far you have your range set, and how that correlated to your present location may make some sites not show up at all. With a range of 0.0 miles set up, with a GPS connected, coverage patterns will be tight, in relation to your location and the RR database GPS location. You may need to make adjustments on the range...I believe the default is 0.0 miles. With an optimum antenna system, this range should be increased.

 

[sfb88]

You should probably check the scanner to see what current location is stored for it. Maybe it got corrupted information in the process of cable disconnection and has an incorrect location. This would explain why the channels scan with location control off but not with it on.

 

[ofd8001]

I'd be tempted to re-format the SD card using SD Formatter, Clear the User Data and do a write to scanner. A different SD card would be even better. There is no better way to effectively start from scratch than this.

If it does not, the only other likely culprit is the SD corrupted by disconnected the USB cable, as suggested above. If you have recording or replay features on, that increases the odds of a corrupt card.

To answer your question, when you re-wrote from your computer to your scanner, you wiped the slate clean and the scanner should act exactly as it did the previous day.

Location Control Off for a Favorites List means it is to scan everything in the Favorites List regardless of location. Location Control On means it will scan only those things that meet Location parameters.

 

[900mhz]

I'd be tempted to re-format the SD card using SD Formatter, Clear the User Data and do a write to scanner. A different SD card would be even better. There is no better way to effectively start from scratch than this.

If it does not, the only other likely culprit is the SD corrupted by disconnected the USB cable, as suggested above. If you have recording or replay features on, that increases the odds of a corrupt card.

To answer your question, when you re-wrote from your computer to your scanner, you wiped the slate clean and the scanner should act exactly as it did the previous day.

Location Control Off for a Favorites List means it is to scan everything in the Favorites List regardless of location. Location Control On means it will scan only those things that meet Location parameters.

I would not reformat that if the original config is readable and capable of being saved. sfd88 is on the right track. But, the prudent activity, which would be on the OP, would to save the contents of that SD card. I cannot over emphasize...save that card data. Resynchronizing the GPS would work wonders.

 

[n1chu]

Is the scanner still looking to GPS when disconnected? Is there an on-off for GPS that you didn’t consider? (There’s a lot of info in all the replies and if my questions have been answered, I missed it. My apologies.

 

[PWScan]

Just to reiterate my current symptom:
When at home, I pretty much only use my "Home Monitoring" FL. It has some state and county agencies. It's not very big. 8 county channels, 2 state channels.

While I can MANUALLY step through (by twisting the knob), and see ALL 10 CHANNELS, when scanning, only a handful of the 10 ever show up in the display and only the same handful receive transmission. For example two of my county channels are VERY busy. They cover 8-10 towns each. Pretty much non-stop transmissions. Since my incident with the GPS (and it has been unplugged since I accidentally removed it) I never get any reception from those channels any more. It seems like it just skips over them. Location Control for the list is currently OFF. See attached.

Though I haven't tested "conclusively" (it's difficult because of my location), the other FLs "appear" to be working fine. But again, It's difficult to test.


So as of my last writing here is where I am.

The GPS has not been in the loop since I unplugged it inadvertently yesterday. So I am sure it is out of the picture.
As SFB88 mentioned, I thought that maybe the scanner had "kept" the last location it had (when/where I unplugged it) 20 miles away. I went out to the car and plugged the GPS in and it updated my lat lon. It wasn't off by much. My range is set to 1.0 miles.

It still exhibited the same behavior.

I guess I am a little confused by 900mhz's post:

Take the GPS out of the loop for a second...make believe it doesn't exist.

Done.

Read the scanner.
That read file would be present right on your computer screen.

Done. It IS on the screen

Review the contents.

From what I can tell it looks like it should. What should I be looking for?

If it looks correct, do the save as.

I did a "save AS" from the file pulldown, and it said BCDx36HP "file already exists" . It wanted a new name. per your suggestion I gave it a name with the date. All it did was add it as a FL at the bottom of my FLS. See attached. What did I do wrong?.

At this point, I would be satisfied with doing a format, and just restore my last config (before today's Save As mixup). I don't have a lot of changes on the scanner.

I don't know that I did this when I got it. I think it came all set up from ZipScanner with a few FLS on it.

What would be the procedure for reformatting and restoring my best config?

I'll add that I have spare 8 gb SD card I could use.

Thanks for all the help. I appreciate it.

 

[phask]

I haven't followed all this, but as you just stated: When the GPS is disconnected it will retain that location until reset. Either via GPS or via manual input.

No idea what all your issues are, as, imho, it's way too difficult to follow with all the ill-advised comments.

Many years running Uniden GPS fwiw.

 

[PWScan]

I haven't followed all this, but as you just stated: When the GPS is disconnected it will retain that location until reset. Either via GPS or via manual input.

No idea what all your issues are, as, imho, it's way too difficult to follow with all the ill-advised comments.

Many years running Uniden GPS fwiw.

Tnx for the reply. I am not blaming or doubting the GPS system. The issue was caused by me. I just want to get back to where I was prior to the incident.

Posts 1 and 16 pretty much indicate where I am.

 

[jasoyeom]

Have you tried programming the scanner from scratch? ie program in a few systems (without gps) that you don't seem to be getting and see if they come in. Just a thought.

 

[donc13]

Turn off location control or set your zip code