SDS Setup Discussion

[IndyScan]

Hey all!

I've been spending more time messing around with the SDS100/200 and Proscan. I was curious how you guys setup your Favorite Lists. I have been using separate FL's for the systems I monitor (Indianapolis Sys 1, Hamilton County Sys 3, Dist 51 & Dist 52 (4 separate Favorite lists). I like being able to quickly toggle the FL's off and on.

I tried putting everything under one FL and toggle the systems/site off and on but it seemed to be more trouble than it was worth with the EXCEPTION of not having to manage so many UNIT ID tables. The way I have things setup is every time I update the UIDs I have to do it for each FL/System.

How are you running your SDS radios for the Indiana systems?

 

[mr10pt]

I have all the state system on one FL and use number tags. Scans quickly through the system. My Hoosier Safe-T is set up as FL-1, System -1. Lake County = D-1, Porter = D2, Jasper = D-3, Benton =D-4, LaPorte = D-5. Then I expand on that by adding Ops channels. I only monitor FD so as an example my Porter County Ops 1 would be D-21 (Ops 2 is 22, Ops 3 is 23, etc). To directly access in the event of an active situation (with the sds200) while scanning, you would enter 1.1.21 E(nter) to lock onto that specific Ops channel. Not sure if Marion and Hamilton have their own system or Safe-T. Didn't have time to look up. Hope this helps.

 

[IndyScan]

Interesting. Maybe I need to spend some of my time off really digging into Quick Keys. I played around with them & have a basic understanding but there's always more to learn with these radios (which I love). Was seeing some weird audio reception issues, even with solid copy, and remembered the Filters option which immediately cleared things up.

I'm currently setup like this (using the Service types to limit some services):

FL-00 Safe-T All sites (used on the SDS100 when traveling with GPS)
FL-01 Indianapolis PS (Separate from SAFE-T)
FL-02 Indianapolis Govt (Separate from SAFE-T)
FL-03 Hamilton County (Separate from SAFE-T)
FL-04 Madison County (Separate from SAFE-T)
FL-51 ISP Dist 51
FL-52 ISP Dist 52
FL-99 ISP Govt center

Appreciate the info on your setup!

 

[INDY72]

In my 436 - FL - Indy Metro... Systems... 1 IDPS S1, 2 IDPS S2, 3 IDPS S3, 4 SAFE-T and on down.... I would NEVER put each site of SAFE-T as its own FL... Too complicated. Its so much simpler to use QK's with ONE FL. Then work the System/Site/Dept/CH/TG hold keys etc.... Especially as I have about 90 systems in the 436. Now when I am going out of State, I set up a FL for travel areas, and FL for where I will be staying on trip.

 

[IndyScan]

Good stuff & I like the different setups and perspectives. I think I need to combine the 4 Indy Metro systems into 1 FL so I can simplify the TGID table. Probably the same with SAFE-T (at least the local ones I monitor regularly). Updating the TGID grid weekly on new finds is a pain to to 8 times with the current setup

My FL-00 is only used on the SDS100 and toggled on with a Range of 0 and GPS enabled when I travel. Works surprisingly well.

 

[west-pac]

I would NEVER put each site of SAFE-T as its own FL... Too complicated. Its so much simpler to use QK's with ONE FL. Then work the System/Site/Dept/CH/TG hold keys etc....

I wish I could do that with the 996P2/325P2.

 

[INDY72]

I wish I could do that with the 996P2/325P2.

You can to a point. My 396xt... System 1 is SAFE-T with State TG's. Then SAFE-T with local Counties. Then IDPS, then other systems. A little creativity goes a long way.

 

[jonwienke]

Don't split systems up among multiple favorite lists, especially don't split by department or service type. It's an extremely inefficient way to scan. Scan the entire system once, using location control and/or quick keys to filter out distant sites in large systems.

 

[IndyScan]

I'm seeing the logic of this now. Especially when I spend a bunch of time updating the same UID file over and over for each of the FL's. I'm going to work on streamlining this this weekend.

Appreciate all the feedback. Used to be HEAVY into this stuff 20 years ago & it's changed a LOT since then. Having a ball with the new toys

 

[bdub5]

My FL's are set up by county. FL49 is Marion County, FL29 is Hamilton, and so on. When I create the SAFE-T system in the respective FL it is always the same system number no matter the county. This design gives me repetitive functionality across many of the counties I have set up.

 

[jonwienke]

My FL's are set up by county. FL49 is Marion County, FL29 is Hamilton, and so on. When I create the SAFE-T system in the respective FL it is always the same system number no matter the county. This design gives me repetitive functionality across many of the counties I have set up.

And if you scan more than one county simultaneously, you're guaranteed to miss traffic. When scanning county A, traffic from county B will be ignored, and vice versa. A statewide system should be in one favorite list, scanned once, and use location control and/or quick keys to toggle counties or departments on and off.

 

[INDY72]

And if you scan more than one county simultaneously, you're guaranteed to miss traffic. When scanning county A, traffic from county B will be ignored, and vice versa. A statewide system should be in one favorite list, scanned once, and use location control and/or quick keys to toggle counties or departments on and off.

Adding to this: As Marion, Hamilton, and Madison are using the same system, just different sites, you should just put the IDPS in a single slot. Use the QK's to turn on/off sites, as at most you are only going to be able to hit 2 of the 3 at the same time. You would need the luck of all lucks to actually be able to get all 3 sites for public safety from a single location. And then there is S2 which is, lets just say interesting, to monitor with its own set of issues with reception in how its set up. So you put IDPS in its own spot with ALL 4 sites their own SQK's. SAFE-T its own single listing, each site its own SQK's. You can then also assign under SAFE-T, each County a DQK's etc....Mobile, also make sure you have the ranges set very, very tight for the GPS etc...

 

[bdub5]

And if you scan more than one county simultaneously, you're guaranteed to miss traffic. When scanning county A, traffic from county B will be ignored, and vice versa. A statewide system should be in one favorite list, scanned once, and use location control and/or quick keys to toggle counties or departments on and off.

Interesting concept - I may have to adapt it to fit my interests. Although in general if you are scanning you will miss something.

 

[jonwienke]

Interesting concept - I may have to adapt it to fit my interests. Although in general if you are scanning you will miss something.

You'll miss more splitting a trunked system as described.

 

[holeinace]

Interesting. Maybe I need to spend some of my time off really digging into Quick Keys. I played around with them & have a basic understanding but there's always more to learn with these radios (which I love). Was seeing some weird audio reception issues, even with solid copy, and remembered the Filters option which immediately cleared things up.

I'm currently setup like this (using the Service types to limit some services):

FL-00 Safe-T All sites (used on the SDS100 when traveling with GPS)
FL-01 Indianapolis PS (Separate from SAFE-T)
FL-02 Indianapolis Govt (Separate from SAFE-T)
FL-03 Hamilton County (Separate from SAFE-T)
FL-04 Madison County (Separate from SAFE-T)
FL-51 ISP Dist 51
FL-52 ISP Dist 52
FL-99 ISP Govt center

Appreciate the info on your setup!

This is very close to how mine is set up. I do not have GPS and do not travel with the scanner very often so I just avoid all sites except my closest (seemed like it took forever). Curious as to a quicker way to just monitor my closest sites than avoiding the ones that are obviously too far away?

 

[jonwienke]

Turn on location control and distant sites automatically get shut off.

 

[holeinace]

Turn on location control and distant sites automatically get shut off.

I have location set to my zip code and range at 10 miles. It appears to scan sites such as mooresville, bluffton, angola ect.....

 

[holeinace]

I have location set to my zip code and range at 10 miles. It appears to scan sites such as mooresville, bluffton, angola ect.....

Problem solved. I turned location on in sentinel instead of manually on scanner for SAFE-T and boom solved. Thanks for your help Jonwienke I appreciate it

 

[Bottlecapr]

Don't split systems up among multiple favorite lists, especially don't split by department or service type. It's an extremely inefficient way to scan. Scan the entire system once, using location control and/or quick keys to filter out distant sites in large systems.

And if you scan more than one county simultaneously, you're guaranteed to miss traffic. When scanning county A, traffic from county B will be ignored, and vice versa. A statewide system should be in one favorite list, scanned once, and use location control and/or quick keys to toggle counties or departments on and off.

Hello again jonwienke. Thank You for Some more great information. So if I understand you right. 😏
I should not be scanning both 32-Hendricks Co ,FL and 41-Johnson Co, FL ?
I should instead combine (for example)
32-Hendricks Co FL and 41-Johnson Co FL into 1 FL
Indiana Project Hoosier SAFE-T System
Hendricks County (32) and Johnson Co (41) Departments
Hendricks Co Simulcast and Edinburgh and Franklin Sites

 

[jonwienke]

Yeah, that's exactly what not to do. Site coverage is usually dictated by topography, not jurisdictional boundaries. So if you program a county as a separate system, you're probably either scanning a border site twice (and missing half of its traffic with each scan), or else missing traffic completely by not programming all of the sites that cover a county.

Scan one instance of the system, and use Location Control and/or quick keys to toggle sites and departments on and off to listen to the counties you want to hear. Every other strategy is less efficient and will miss more traffic.