SDS100/SDS200: SDS100 has broken my brain

[W2IRT]

Hi all,
I've been scanning since the days of the 10-channel regency rock-bound radios, and have used pretty much ever evolution of scanners monitoring across North America. My newly-acquired SDS-100 has broken me and I hope a kind member can help guide me along the path to SDR-scanner righteousness here <grin>. I bought the radio used so I don't have the original manual at hand (the original owner said he'd look for it for me).

First, what I have figured out: How to create Favorites Lists from the master database, upload them and turn them on and off. Also how to enter some overall radio parameters, update the DB and firmware, set beep and backlight, etc. I have only a very tenuous grasp of memory organization. The scanner will exist in an ecosystem of 3 BC9996P2 and 996XT radios, and a 396 portable, so I'm trying to keep the programming and quick keys somewhat similar to the existing DMA radios.

I've been using FreeScan for the DMA radios and I can basically make those sit up and sing with it. Sentinel....not so much. So my first question: Is there any software that makes programming as easy in the SDS radios as Freescan did for the DMAs? Sentinel is seriously amongst the worst pieces of software I've ever used for anything and I find it profoundly limiting when it comes to wanting to organize departments, etc.

Is there such a thing as a scan or hold button? I can't even figure how to pause on a conversation or resume scan!

How do I get FLQKs to work? On my 996/396, if I want system QK 1 (my local town) to be active or bypassed I just press 1 and that's it. I generally use about a dozen SQKs on my 996/396 and the keyboard or . plus keyboard keys works great. I can't figure this out on the SDS.

Is there a primer, with actual examples, of how best to organize systems/departments/etc? I can't wrap my head around the "easier" to understand manual. It's just too far advanced for my old braincells, and having a few real world examples to see would help tremendously here.

Is there any way to copy/paste a talkgroup, department or system from on favorites list to another, or even from one department to another? I just can't figure out how to do this. Again, the aim is to get my SDS to behave as similarly to my 996s as possible.

Is it possible to edit channel or TG data (delay, audio offset, name, etc) without invoking the Favorites List editor? This is painful!

This should (hopefully) be enough to get me started. If there's perhaps some kind soul who could PM me with how to start understanding all of this I'd grateful appreciate it. Please-and-thanks, and 73.

 

[W2IRT]

Per the above, here's my real-world setup.

My town's PD and FD are conventional NFM repeaters and simplex on VHF-Hi. Neighboring towns FDs are UHF Hi conventional.
My town's EMS and area paramedics are on a statewide 700 MHz P25/Phase-2 system. PDs for the surrounding towns are also on the same system.

I don't think this is possible on the DMA scanners, but on the SDS series is it possible to have both conventional and trunked under one FL? If I want just my town (conv PD/FD, trunked BLS and ALS) can I do this under a single FL? I tried to program this, didn't get any errors, but it's not working either.

 

[trentbob]

Your sentiments are very understandable, if you did not own one of the x36 radios this is quite a learning curve.

First of all take a moment to get your manual, there are many ways to do it but the fastest is just Google sds100 manual and there you go.

There are many resources here on RR from Wiki and from the forums. A tremendous amount of information well over a year after its release. Tons of information, if you have a question that's not in the manual and there will be many, just Google it and it will take you to the many threads that address the issue. There is no limit to what you can learn here about your radio on RR, it's all been covered.

I'm sure you're going to get quite a bit of help here on this thread also. Take a moment now and read the manual, you'll have it in 10 seconds.

PS... the answer to most of your questions is... YES... LOL.

 

[ofd8001]

Is there such a thing as a scan or hold button? I can't even figure how to pause on a conversation or resume scan! Press the Channel button to hold on an active channel. Pressing it again releases it. You can also do active System or active Department holds the same way.

Last version of scanners have an expanded memory, with lots of components.

Look at your scanner as a file room with lots of cabinets. Each cabinet is a Favorites List. Each drawer in the cabinet is a System. Each drawer has file folders, which are Departments. In those file folders you have pieces of paper, those are the channels.

So you have Scanner>Favorites List>System>Departments (Used to be called groups).

 

[ka3jjz]

It has been mentioned many times that the 436 Easier to Read manual contains about 80% of what you need to learn. In addition, there is a Sentinel Easier to Read manual - and both are linked from here....

SDS100 and SDS200 FAQ Page - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

The rest are links to threads that might help you further...Mike

 

[palmerjrusa]

Do a search on YouTube for SDS100 tutorials.
It's a great scanner and the Sentinel software is worth spending some time getting to know, it's more powerful than I initially thought and, once the underlying logic is mastered, easy to use. In fact, I now prefer the Sentinel software to the third party software.

 

[ka3jjz]

If you look at the bottom of the FAQ, thee are links to searches for videos on the 100 and 200. Mike

 

[W2IRT]

Well here's one real-world headache that I'm trying to work around with software. One of my FLs is for the Type2 statewide system (NJICS in New Jersey), and I selected a handful of TGs for the local agencies in my area that are on that system. All fine. I edited down the sites so only West Orange Simulcast is shown (the only one really active in my area and to which the local towns' radios affiliate). And then I noticed I'd forgotten one TG.

The only way I found to add it is to go into the database, locate the TG and add it to the favorites list. That should be easy enough, except for the fact it then re-adds all 32 sites for the entire statewide trunking system in addition to the one needed talkgroups, which is then added as a separate department. All I want to do is say "Add TGID #1234 to the "Local" department in the NJICS favorite list. It shouldn't be that difficult to do this. As mentioned earlier, there doesn't seem to be any way to copy and paste in Sentinel.

To re-ask one of my initial questions, is there anything more user-friendly than Sentinel that works with the SDS-100 and that would facilitate the action I just described?

 

[W2IRT]

I have watched a number of YouTube videos on the radio and that's gotten me as far as I've already gotten, but they all seem to be either overall reviews, features I either know how to use already, don't need/want, or 45 minutes with bad audio and lousy presenters that I just can't watch for more than a few seconds.

 

[W2IRT]

Another question: Can I save multiple profiles to the scanner itself rather than needing Sentinel to switch? When I travel I almost never bring a laptop, so I'd just like to be able to use a menu item on the scanner to enable profiles for Toronto, Boston, or NYC as necessary.

 

[fxdscon]

Another question: Can I save multiple profiles to the scanner itself rather than needing Sentinel to switch? When I travel I almost never bring a laptop, so I'd just like to be able to use a menu item on the scanner to enable profiles for Toronto, Boston, or NYC as necessary.

Profiles exist only in Sentinel, not in the scanner.

Using the GPS feature is ideal for the travel you describe.

.

 

[W4WMH]

Well here's one real-world headache that I'm trying to work around with software. One of my FLs is for the Type2 statewide system (NJICS in New Jersey), and I selected a handful of TGs for the local agencies in my area that are on that system. All fine. I edited down the sites so only West Orange Simulcast is shown (the only one really active in my area and to which the local towns' radios affiliate). And then I noticed I'd forgotten one TG.

The only way I found to add it is to go into the database, locate the TG and add it to the favorites list. That should be easy enough, except for the fact it then re-adds all 32 sites for the entire statewide trunking system in addition to the one needed talkgroups, which is then added as a separate department. All I want to do is say "Add TGID #1234 to the "Local" department in the NJICS favorite list. It shouldn't be that difficult to do this. As mentioned earlier, there doesn't seem to be any way to copy and paste in Sentinel.

To re-ask one of my initial questions, is there anything more user-friendly than Sentinel that works with the SDS-100 and that would facilitate the action I just described?

I think in this instance, you would go to "Edit Favorites List", go to the System, Site, Department, etc, and add TG #1234 to the one above it, and an appropriate Alpha tag.

 

[W2IRT]

Hmm. I don't have the GPS option. When I travel I only like to listen to local patrol and undercovers (not that there are that many in the clear any more), Fire (always), EMS (maybe), and the state troopers/provincial police. I don't really want parking control, PD precincts across town, parking/towing enforcement officers, and so on. That's what I have FLs for. So can I do this without GPS (or something similar)? I figured that's what ZIP code scanning was for, but that's pretty advanced for me at the moment (and I think that will overwrite my existing settings, no?).

 

[sibbley]

Hmm. I don't have the GPS option. When I travel I only like to listen to local patrol and undercovers (not that there are that many in the clear any more), Fire (always), EMS (maybe), and the state troopers/provincial police. I don't really want parking control, PD precincts across town, parking/towing enforcement officers, and so on. That's what I have FLs for. So can I do this without GPS (or something similar)? I figured that's what ZIP code scanning was for, but that's pretty advanced for me at the moment (and I think that will overwrite my existing settings, no?).

GPS will work with your favorites lists. You can turn on all the favorites, and GPS will control what you hear based on your location. I use GPS when I travel across PA. Each County I travel through is in it's own favorite list. I only hear what I'm near based on my GPS location and range set in the scanner. Usually only set at 5 miles.

 

[trentbob]

W2IRT... I'm curious, I know you didn't have a manual but have you read the manual I showed you access to cover to cover?

GPS works for a lot of people and is a very popular thing to do. Personally I operate in a different fashion and I've never used the zip code function on any scanner searching the database but I know how it works. I've lived in the area I'm in for a long time and have been monitoring consistently since I was a kid.

Everything I monitor is in my head and I just want specifically the things I want to hear, I believe in the old adage, the less you scan, the more you hear so I hand-pick very carefully exactly what I want to listen to and listen to 1 favorites list that has those objects on it whether it be a few P2 simulcast talk groups along with a UHF repeater, 2 T band type II smartzone TGs, VHF High simplex Marine channels along with one VHF High digital Coast Guard Channel etc etc. Just the stuff I need and want. When I hear a transmission I don't have to look at the radio to know what I'm listening to, I recognized it for what it is often recognizing the dispatchers voice or the prefix on the car number.

Even though I never use it you should use the ZIP code method. Read the manual I told you to get off of Google, read all the links that have been provided and Google how to use the ZIP code method of programming your radio. It's a button right on the keyboard and just follow the prompts. The ZIP code sets your location and you have to set what kind of range you want the radio to search from the database. I also assume that you have the latest firmware and the latest database update. If not do that now before anything else.

You will find out that you can choose the type of services that you want the radio to search the database for. As you search if you see something you want on a favorites list stop on it, backing up if you have to to find it, hold on it using the channel button and press enter, follow the prompts and put that object on the favorites list you choose.

You have a lot of reading to do, it's all there in the different sources available on RR.

 

[radio3353]

To re-ask one of my initial questions, is there anything more user-friendly than Sentinel that works with the SDS-100 and that would facilitate the action I just described?

Proscan works with the SDS series...
ProScan

You can download it and try it for 30 days at no cost. It is reasonably priced at $50 if you decide it is for you. As far as user-friendliness, that is something only you can answer as we all have different technical abilities.

 

[W2IRT]

I actually owned ProScan back from my 996XT days, but didn't realize it handled the SDS well. I'd mainly been using FreeScan and didn't bother with Proscan due to its complexity. It handles the SDS FL's like a pro--far better than Sentinel now, it seems. I don't stream or record my audio, I just like listening to the local agencies and maybe get a heads-up when there's something going on in-town.

Still reading, still having difficulty wrapping my head around systems, departments and how to allocate them correctly. At least with Proscan I don't have the copy/paste problems that had plagued me the last few days!

 

[maus92]

Hmm. I don't have the GPS option. When I travel I only like to listen to local patrol and undercovers (not that there are that many in the clear any more), Fire (always), EMS (maybe), and the state troopers/provincial police. I don't really want parking control, PD precincts across town, parking/towing enforcement officers, and so on. That's what I have FLs for. So can I do this without GPS (or something similar)? I figured that's what ZIP code scanning was for, but that's pretty advanced for me at the moment (and I think that will overwrite my existing settings, no?).

GPS location based scanning requires an external add-on GPS receiver. Not an elegant solution for a handheld scanner. There is a member in the RR forum who installs internal GPSs into SDS100s, but currently he is on extended vacation. I plan to have him install one in my SDS100 once he returns.

I do have a GPS installed on my SDS200, and it is great. I drive all over the Mid Atlantic region on a daily basis, and it tunes only systems that I am able to receive - best $50 I've spent recently.

 

[TailGator911]

I would recommend that you do not give up on Sentinel when it comes to programming your SDS100 scanner. Take the time to learn it and once you 'get it' you will never want to use anything else. I program with Sentinel and use ProScan for virtual desktop control. I am an old scanner fart, too, and it took some time and repeated efforts and mistakes and lots of questions answered here to round that learning curve but once you grasp it and understand it you will love it. I use it for my SDS scanners and my 536, different profiles for the different scanners. \

It is also important to mention something about Profiles and Favorites Lists. All of your constructed Fav Lists will populate to all Profiles, and they are all the same. You cannot remove them individually for each Profile (they all will load) , but with the Download and Monitor options for each radio you can choose which ones will be uploaded to that specific scanner when you power on. Hope that makes sense.

Don't get too frazzled. I always recommend sitting down with a pot of coffee and taking your time with it. I looked at it like I had signed up for 1 week of night classes lol. Don't worry, you will get it. There are a lot of helpful folks on here who have been where you are right now, and are willing to 'Pay It Forward', to coin a phrase. Don't be afraid to ask. Above all, have fun with it!

JD
kf4anc

 

[trentbob]

I agree with JD, that's Sage advice, learn Sentinel, it's great when you get the hang of it.

It's a little frustrating now but you're new to it. Once you get the hang of it, the frustration will be replaced by Fun.

You can also do stuff right on the radio itself in the field plucking things off of the database and putting them into favorites list, moving objects from one favorite list to another Etc. and when you get back to the computer just read the card from the radio and transfer the changes into your profile.

You will get the hang of it.