SDS100/SDS200: SDS100 and GPS

[buddrousa]

I just got back from a 500 mile road trip each SDS100 connected to its own GPS unit all scanners connected to the same antenna a TRIBAND 150 450 700/800.
This time I took SDS100 #1 and entered all the counties along my route plus 1 county each side and setup Location Control Range 20 Miles.
With SDS #2 I turned on the Full Database Range 20 Miles
Just For Fun I Programmed my TRX-1 the same as SDS100 #1
What I learned SDS100 #1 run circles around SDS100 #2 and the TRX-1 running 6 Counties at a time turning off 3 and turning on 3 every county.
The SDS100 #1 still out worked the TRX-1 with was a hand full adding and removing Favorites running down the road.
As for SDS #1 and SDS #2 the SDS100 #2 did not keep up with SDS100 #1 due to all the BLOAT in the DATABASE. I setup SDS100 #1 with each County Law Fire and EMS only and that is the way to go. I will be running all 3 in the same configuration here at local for a few weeks in my service van as I was happy with what I learned on the road trip.

 

[Dewey]

Very understandable, especially when you consider the systems in the Statewide and Nationwide portions of the database that get included.

 

[buddrousa]

It was a couple of hours research and setup before the trip but it was well worth the time I put in doing my setups for the SDS100 #1 and the TRX-1.
The other thing was the TACN System in Tn I setup All Sites and All THP Districts plus the Local Users I was Interested in and it followed me just fine through the State.

 

[drdispatch]

Curious:
In SDS100 #2 (database) did you:
A. Turn off any Service Types?
B. Turn off any Nationwide Systems?

The reason I ask is that if you programmed only Law, Fire, & EMS into SDS100 #1, but ran full database with all Service Types in #2, it would be comparing apples to, well, watermelons, IMO.

 

[dave3825]

I live in Suffolk County Long Island and when traveling, I have to go thru Nassau County and NYC. I have Nass and Nyc fav lists (and all large trunked systems in the tri state area) in my scanners and utilize @ProScan RRDB differences to keep them up to date. Any thing I have a fav list for is set to avoid in the full db. I only use law and fire related service types when traveling with a half mile range set. I always prepare a fav list for where I am traveling to and set that area to avoid in the full db. Using a combo of fav lists and full db with lots of crap set to avoid works quite nice.

 

[Nasby]

Good info. I did the exact same thing on a trip across Ohio. The preprogrammed unit had nearly twice the activity. I believe the reason is because the database contains so many outdated frequencies that are no longer in use. Example; Ohio BCI still lists a number of VHF channels. Come on now.

 

[dave3825]

Good info. I did the exact same thing on a trip across Ohio. The preprogrammed unit had nearly twice the activity. I believe the reason is because the database contains so many outdated frequencies that are no longer in use. Example; Ohio BCI still lists a number of VHF channels. Come on now.

That and also anything that's trying to scan because its range overlaps the set range programmed in. There are lots of entries in the db that have ranges set much larger than the intended area of operation.

 

[buddrousa]

In SDS100 #2 I did weed out most nonessential Service Types but you always have the BLOAT like the old THP Lowband and other Agencies that are just the wrong Service Type.
My whole point is to make users aware that the way #1 was done is the way to go.
Just to let you know I needed out 100's of Public Works that was mixed in with Law Fire and EMS.

 

[hazrat8990]

There is a lot of bloat in the full database for sure, especially when it comes to nationwide systems. Lots of traffic will be missed when it is enabled. Realistically, I can only catch about 25% of what's going on while it's busy digging through the trash.

 

[buddrousa]

@hazrat8990
This is the exact reason why I posted and started this thread so others can learn the most efficient way to use the GPS with the X36's and the SDS's. I have used a GPS with the 436 and Full Database from the day the 436 was released and the SDS100's up until I could put 2 identical SDS100's sharing the same antenna with each SDS100 having its own GPS for a good road test.

 

[drdispatch]

At the end of the day, much respect for taking the time to program every county along your journey. Unfortunately, it's just not practical for me to do that, especially when driving from Michigan to, say, Rhode Island or Arkansas. For trips like that, I program a Favorites List for my destination, and run the DB while enroute. I have a GPS for my 436 but not my 100, so the 436 runs the DB and I save the 100 until I get close to my destination. In the 436 I turn off all Service Types except for Law, Fire, & EMS, set the range to 1 mile, and disable all of the Nationwide Systems; I leave the 100 as-is. I accept that I may potentially miss traffic while DB scanning, but for me, it's preferable to fussing with Quick Keys every so often at highway speed and spending hours pre-trip programming every county on my route.

 

[ofd8001]

I've got a lot of time on my hands, so I create Favorites Lists for my journeys.

Scanning the full database hasn't been very desirable in the past as many systems were NXDN, etc., and all I heard was awful noises more than I wanted to.

 

[dave3825]

Scanning the full database hasn't been very desirable in the past as many systems were NXDN, etc., and all I heard was awful noises more than I wanted to.

If you have Proscan, turn all Nxdn off..

SDS100/SDS200: - SDS200 - Possible to only scan P25 system while on travel with GPS?

I’ve owned the SDS200 for a few months and use it often when on the road. I haven’t been able to figure out if it’s possible to set it up to only scan for P25 systems when traveling. I presently have the radius set to 10 miles, letting the GPS monitor the relevant channels as I pass through...

forums.radioreference.com

 

[drdispatch]

...I believe the reason is because the database contains so many outdated frequencies that are no longer in use. Example; Ohio BCI still lists a number of VHF channels. Come on now.

That falls squarely on the shoulders of RR users in that state/region/locality to submit updated info to keep the database current. IMO we all owe each other that.

 

[hazrat8990]

If you have Proscan, turn all Nxdn off..

SDS100/SDS200: - SDS200 - Possible to only scan P25 system while on travel with GPS?

I’ve owned the SDS200 for a few months and use it often when on the road. I haven’t been able to figure out if it’s possible to set it up to only scan for P25 systems when traveling. I presently have the radius set to 10 miles, letting the GPS monitor the relevant channels as I pass through...

forums.radioreference.com

I was going to mention this, but you beat me to it! This feature comes in handy for those of us that travel around and don't have a need, or desire to monitor systems that require a paid upgrade.