SDS100/SDS200: SDS100 Programming Learning Curve

[ScanFanEd]

Well, I know I am going to completely embarrass myself here, but.... Hoping to not get raked over the coals...

Although I understanding programming pretty well of Whistlers (Such as TRX-1 and 2), Unications, several ham radios and even some professional gear, for whatever reason my old brain is just not properly grasping the programming of the SDS100/200. I have the SDS100, however I am know that I am not even close to utilizing it to its potential. I have struggled with Start-up Keys, Quick Keys, Favorite Keys and goodness knows what else. I am just wondering what some of you have found to be some of the best videos or documents that might help nudge me along a bit in having a better understanding of all the program options.

Thanks!

 

[thunderr10]

Try this out...should help. Easier to Read SDS100/200 Digital Scanner Manual

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Youtube also has a plethora of tutorials. I'd also recommend browsing the Uniden Tech Support forum where pretty much every question under the sun about the SDS100 has been asked & addressed. I enabled the SDS100 filter when you click the aforementioned forum link I gave to make it a bit easier for you. Plenty of knowledgeable folks here willing to assist

 

[cfsimmont]

How are you trying to program it, manually via the keypad or by software? I personally have found Proscan to be well worth the registration cost, Sentinel works but just limited on features (still need thou for firmware updates and to edit the color display screen). I keep my RR subscription up to date and simply import whatever systems or frequencies from the database into Proscan and write to the scanner. Doing this eliminates any human error I could make by entering the wrong frequency, talk group, PL tone, etc. So far have not had any issues. As for your frustration with the quick keys I can't help. I have programed many scanners over the years, plenty of them by the keypad before any useful software was available and the quick key setup just doesn't make any sense to me. I have my favorite lists setup so that I can enable or disable them depending on what I want to listen to.

 

[scooter1968]

when i first programmed my SDS-100 i used sentinel and it seemed to work fine for me

 

[Eng74]

There is a big learning curve for the *36HP/SDS radios. Even if you used the earlier 396/996 it is different style of programming. Save you programming in Sentinel and keep working with it and you will be ok.

 

[Randyk4661]

As a Scanner and radio user for 45+ years now, I too have had a SDS100 learning curve. I had a programming curve with the 996P2 I got last year.
Take your time, read radio reference forums (a lot) and ask questions. The SDS100 is not a radio to do most programming from the keypad.

 

[natedawg1604]

You will need to spend a lot of time playing around with the programming software, I would second the recommendation about ProScan, I find it easier and more flexible than Sentinel, especially for programming large multi-site trunked systems.

If you can program a Unication and a TRX then you must be familiar with how trunked systems work in general, the SDS shouldn't be too terribly different.

However the SDS has several layers of dynamic memory, that is wayyyy more flexible than older scanner designs, or pretty much any type of commercial radio software. Once you understand how the memory layers work, the programming process will become easier and more intuitive.

Like others have mentioned, it may be helpful to watch several YouTube videos about the topic; maybe even draw your own diagram(s) to get familiar with the various memory layers and corresponding quick keys.

Also I would suggest you start by programming ONE system, just to get familiar with the programming parameters/options.

 

[ka3jjz]

If Uniden ever releases any more firmware fixes for the SDS scanners, ProScan won't address them. You might as well get comfortable with Sentinel because that is the only way to load them.

Here is the Easier to Read guide for Sentinel

SDS Sentinel Software Manual

Mike

 

[ofd8001]

I don't think ProScan, as good as it is, won't update the master database, or do Profile changes/management.

 

[natedawg1604]

I don't think ProScan, as good as it is, won't update the master database, or do Profile changes/management.

That is true, however Sentinel doesn't allow you to manually import data from RR like other programs. I don't use the master database feature, as I program everything into custom favorites lists. I'm assuming the master database is useful for location-based scanning, but I've not yet used this feature.

 

[Eng74]

That is true, however Sentinel doesn't allow you to manually import data from RR like other programs. I don't use the master database feature, as I program everything into custom favorites lists. I'm assuming the master database is useful for location-based scanning, but I've not yet used this feature.

You can add from the master database on Sentinel to make a favorites list.

 

[hiegtx]

You can add from the master database on Sentinel to make a favorites list.

"Sort of".

You can append a system from the main database to a Favorites list. While, if you are careful, you can limit what gets appended on conventional systems, when you append a trunked system, you'll also get all of the sites, when can be a substantial number on a large regional, or statewide, system. Unless you carefully execute the append, you'll also get all of the departments on the system. Yes, you can either delete the unwanted ones, or set the ones you don't need to avoid. However, if you use 'location control' so that the unwanted sites & departments are avoided, that location setting applies to every system on your Favorites list. If you created the list, both conventional & trunked systems, only via the append process, then location control is effective; location data from the main database appends to a list along with the other system details. But if you manually added one or more systems, sites, and/or departments, such as a new system not yet in the database, then unless you also generate & enter location and range data for your additions, they will be skipped when scanning.

 

[cfsimmont]

That is true, however Sentinel doesn't allow you to manually import data from RR like other programs. I don't use the master database feature, as I program everything into custom favorites lists. I'm assuming the master database is useful for location-based scanning, but I've not yet used this feature.

Same here, everything in my profile is custom favorite lists created by importing from the RR DB. I don't care for the alpha tags that come from the DB so I update everything in an easier to read and understand format as well as everything is centered on the screen. By programing from the master database you have to wait each week until it is updated for Sentinel, however with Proscan I can get it as soon as the DB on RR is updated just by using the import feature. Two different ways of doing the same function, just depends on what flavor your prefer. I will say that I am glad that Uniden created Sentinel for the different scanners that it supports, free and functional software so no need to purchase after market software for programing if you don't want to. Just like with antenna's, I prefer to upgrade from what's included to something that works better for me.

 

[slayer816]

I prefer to program everything via Sentinel manually and only use the onboard database for unexpected trips, programming mistakes, and other unexpected situations. To me, it's much easier to use the radio to monitor only and a computer with Sentinel to program. This is based on years of Uniden product experience and my brain being very detail oriented. I do understand that other people will be different. However in general, I would suggest trying that to a new user. Sometimes keeping it seperate (in a perfect world obviously, I do sometimes have to put in a NAC code or whatever on the fly) is much simpler to grasp.

 

[snerd]

I wonder where the OP went?

 

[gmclam]

I found the programming aspect of using the SDS scanners to be "easy", while I had a big learning curve operating an SDS-100 largely because of its poor documentation. BUT ....

If you are someone who is new to this hobby, yes the learning curve is huge. But if trunking, P25 and the like are already understood, the programming curve shouldn't be steep. I downloaded all the manuals, and Sentinel, long before receiving my SDS-100s and had little issue (in programming).

However, my approach is different because I operate so many different types of radios. I haven't used the import function of RR (in its pure form), but instead maintain an Excel spreadsheet of my "favorites". This provides a means for me to drop the programming into whatever software the target radio uses.

The issues I have with Sentinel are not on the programming side. I'd like to see the "output" in a more complete single file that I can move to other computers and program, share, archive. The program seems like a bunch of smaller programs, one to edit favorites, one to customize the display, one to handle f/w updates and one that's like a host to them all. Klunky but functional.