SDS100 Programming for I-69 IND>ANDERSON>IND

[cognetic]

Greetings!
I'm looking to fine tune my active monitoring (dedicated favorite list) during early am and late afternoon commutes along the I-69 corridor from Indy to Anderson + return. (On the end of each segment, I'm using a G5 for local monitoring so that could be factored out in this consideration)
There is so much construction, incidents, traffic variability, ISP and local LEO presence that I fear my SDS100 is missing out just scanning the Hoosier Safe-T system with GPS (range at zero). Occasionally some special unit or tactical teams on ISP pops up - usually speeder catch teams or coordinated construction slow-rolls etc.
It is quite relevant to my commute, entertaining, keeps me alert, and helps with timely route & travel adjustments!

My current thinking is favoring ISP and adding the Fishers, Noblesville LEO radio traffic - intent is to keep the number of scanned freqs down to optimize scan times.
I'm open to adding Fire & EMS, but what else am I missing?

Also, I'm not seeing a straightforward way to program the favorite list to monitor relevant IDPS simulcast sites plus Safe-T, etc. without adding additional freqs per statewide or multiple county simulcast coverages.

Any tips from those with similar experience in these areas?

Regards,

-cognetic

 

[eaf1956]

My Safe T has everything Statewide but only scans what is close with zero range.

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[cognetic]

My Safe T has everything Statewide but only scans what is close with zero range.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

Indeed, eaf1956! That's how I've been operating for many months. Lately, I'm seeing a lot more Noblesville and Fishers presence.
Yesterday, I counted 15 LEOs in the afternoon commute back to Indy on I-69 - only 2 had speeders pulled over and they were local vs ISP.
Hence, looking for any other winning configs / tips!

-cognetic

 

[AK9R]

Since all of Hamilton County is on IDPS System 3, you will have to scan it in addition to SAFE-T if you want to get local law enforcement and fire/rescue.

 

[cognetic]

Thank you both for your replies. I've loaded a fav list with IDPS and Safe-T. As it runs here in my office in Anderson, I can see Safe-T scanning Muncie, Greenfield, Hartford city, etc. while IDPS glides past the non-Madison county simulcast. I'm wondering if I can individually avoid some of these in the Fav List programming to improve performance on the Hoosier Safe-T system based on GPS. Does location control matter here if GPS is set to zero anyway? I have it enabled for now and it seems to be doing what I want for IDPS but not so much for Hoosier Safe-T.

-cognetic

 

[cognetic]

Another interesting thing I noted, my office SDS200 is set with Anderson Fav List exclusive for Madison County IDPS simulcast. If I don't do this, it will not pick up any Anderson PD if scanning the IDPS systems for each county.

I noticed the SDS100 is doing the same thing. If not using the Fav List for Anderson vs my commute Fav List scanning Marion, Hamilton, and Madison IDPS, it fails to detect any Anderson PD (which I can confirm is active with the other scanner)....

Hmmm...

 

[WX4JCW]

I came up through there yesterday, Anderson is exclusively on the Madison Simulcast which would be normal, you won't pick up Anderson on the other sites most likely unless radio on an Anderson talkgroup is affiliated with the other site

 

[cognetic]

I came up through there yesterday, Anderson is exclusively on the Madison Simulcast which would be normal, you won't pick up Anderson on the other sites most likely unless radio on an Anderson talkgroup is affiliated with the other site

Yes, I do understand and can confirm. The issue is both SDSs will not receive any Anderson PD unless exclusively scanning the Madison site... so any GPS based location scanning is hobbled by having to manually deselect other system... odd from my perspective.


-cognetic

 

[WX4JCW]

Are you actually Using a GPS, and if so what range? I guess I am a bit confused, the GPS scanning works as intended, I'm not trying to sound rude, but what are you wanting to accomplish

 

[phask]

Yes, I do understand and can confirm. The issue is both SDSs will not receive any Anderson PD unless exclusively scanning the Madison site... so any GPS based location scanning is hobbled by having to manually deselect other system... odd from my perspective.


-cognetic

You could edit the heck out of the location data for the sites . Probably better to use rectangles as well as reduce range of the sites.

Might never be perfect, but can be better.

 

[eaf1956]

Thank you both for your replies. I've loaded a fav list with IDPS and Safe-T. As it runs here in my office in Anderson, I can see Safe-T scanning Muncie, Greenfield, Hartford city, etc. while IDPS glides past the non-Madison county simulcast. I'm wondering if I can individually avoid some of these in the Fav List programming to improve performance on the Hoosier Safe-T system based on GPS. Does location control matter here if GPS is set to zero anyway? I have it enabled for now and it seems to be doing what I want for IDPS but not so much for Hoosier Safe-T.

-cognetic

Location works best mobile with GPS range of Zero. Remember the ranges of the towers are involved in that too.

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[cognetic]

You guys are great for responding.
To clarify, yes, I’m using a GPS and the range is set to zero. Just trying to reduce the number of non-local system scans to optimize target listening to what is relevant to my commute.

What I also mentioned (which probably was confusing) is something I found inherent to both SDS 100 and 200. Anderson PD is only picked up when the Madison IDPS system is the ONLY system being scanned. If left to GPS @range = zero scanning (while in Anderson) the full database (all IDPS simulcast included), Anderson PD is never picked up - though the active scanning does display these systems as if being scanned, it just doesn’t stop on a known active signal. Instead, I have to use a dedicated favorite list with Madison IDPS simulcast being the only system scanned. Which is what I do in my office with a SDS200. This might also explain why they are missing so much IDPS at my Indy home when the 536s, HP1&2s, and G5 are all picking up just fine.


-cognetic

 

[WX4JCW]

You guys are great for responding.
To clarify, yes, I’m using a GPS and the range is set to zero. Just trying to reduce the number of non-local system scans to optimize target listening to what is relevant to my commute.

What I also mentioned (which probably was confusing) is something I found inherent to both SDS 100 and 200. Anderson PD is only picked up when the Madison IDPS system is the ONLY system being scanned. If left to GPS @range = zero scanning (while in Anderson) the full database (all IDPS simulcast included), Anderson PD is never picked up - though the active scanning does display these systems as if being scanned, it just doesn’t stop on a known active signal. Instead, I have to use a dedicated favorite list with Madison IDPS simulcast being the only system scanned. Which is what I do in my office with a SDS200. This might also explain why they are missing so much IDPS at my Indy home when the 536s, HP1&2s, and G5 are all picking up just fine.


-cognetic

That means the tower site isn’t geocoded properly or something is wrong


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[cognetic]

WX4JCW, that makes much more sense than my head scratching and rinse/repeat tweaking only to get the same result! LOL
* My apologies for confusing my original post on commute scan-targets with this "simultaneous" side issue, folks.

Scanning full database with GPS at zero range has worked for much of my desired monitoring... until the SDS series.
The past few weeks, I'd watch the Madison simulcast label scan by in the DEPT area of the SDS200 display without ever stopping on an active channel. Heck, I'd even hold it on a particular channel (being compared to active receive on a G5 or 536/436, HP1/2) in this mode and still not receive a blessed thing on either the SDS100 or SDS200. They behave similar to this in the Indianapolis area, as well (Metro North on IDPS simulcast variant), just more intermittent. Have tinkered with range and filters to no avail...

On the other hand, when I used a dedicated Favorite List (and disabled full database list selection) with the same SYSTEM, DEPT, and CHANNEL configs as is in the full database (only adding to the Fav List from the full db for the specific locale - i.e. Madison Co. - Anderson), they pick up nearly as well as the G5 - hence the head scratching.

-cognetic

 

[INDY72]

Post this as possible bug in Uniden forum they might be able to get a fix with a firmware update.