SDS100/SDS200: SDS Navigation

[bamx2]

I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the navigation on the SDS100.

If I am in scan mode, and I hear a dispatch go out, what is the most efficient way to navigate to the fireground talkgroup, and hold? It seems cumbersome to do a system/department hold and scroll through to find the correct entry. It also seems cumbersome to go through and turn off all of the active quick keys.

Thanks

 

[BenScan]

I normally press the Channel soft menu button, which puts the scanner in hold mode on a channel. Then I'll type in the Favorite List Number, System number, and channel number I want to go to followed by the menu channel key again(can't remember, and I don't have the scanner in front of me). It looks something like Channel, 1.3.151, Channel. This assumes you've programmed in number tags for Favorite Lists, Systems, and Channel numbers. If when you pressed Channel to hold, you are already on the Favorite List and System that you want to go to, then you can leave out those, and just type in the channel number+Channel button.

 

[jtwalker]

I wait for traffic on the ops channel and then press channel hold. I may hold on system or dept first. Number tags might also be an option, but even though I have these assigned I don’t use them.

 

[n1chu]

I don’t use quick keys. What I do is hit the channel hold button to stop scanning while the dept is dispatching. I then hit the Dept button and wait for it to register (it takes about a second). Then I go back and hit the channel hold button again. That allows the scanner start scanning only those channels I have programmed in the dept. I can go one more step and hit System and allow everything in the town to be scanned.

 

[hexagon_keyhole]

I don’t use quick keys. What I do is hit the channel hold button to stop scanning while the dept is dispatching. I then hit the Dept button and wait for it to register (it takes about a second). Then I go back and hit the channel hold button again. That allows the scanner start scanning only those channels I have programmed in the dept. I can go one more step and hit System and allow everything in the town to be scanned.

Yep! That's exactly how I do it.

This example organizational setup works pretty well for me. You can get pretty fancy with Services and Quick Keys, but ultimately I did it this way and use the described hold function because it was easier for me:

Example Regional Radio System​

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Sheriff Department​

Sheriff Channel 1​

Sheriff Channel 2​

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Police Department​

Police Channel 1​

Police Channel 2​

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Fire Department​

Fire Channel 1​

Fire Channel 2​

​

 

[BenScan]

Number Tags are your friend, especially where there's lots of systems and activity. If you use them, then you don't have to wait for activity on a channel or department, and hope that you hit the correct button to hold at the right time. You can also use them to navigate to a channel that is not currently enabled to be scanned.