SDS100/SDS200: SDS100 Scanning Issues

[blades561]

Thanks

Well showing my ignorance of how to get the zip file into my Sentinel. Please help.

Got it done.

The Still Used? frequencies only come up with static. So I set them to Avoid. Currently running the rest of your file. So far nothing picked up.

Is there a way I can just delete all the stuff I created on Sentinel and the scanner and start again but not lose the programming I paid for from Bearcat when I bought the scanner. Everything I did was working up till I have been trying to find how to pick up the missing frequencies from the Police.

Fire and EMS worked perfectly. scanner stopped on frequency when the tones broadcast and then picked up the broadcast. So I originally created favorite lists correctly. Im so lost because nothing is working normally as it did.

Thanks

 

[hiegtx]

Got it done.

The Still Used? frequencies only come up with static. So I set them to Avoid. Currently running the rest of your file. So far nothing picked up.

Is there a way I can just delete all the stuff I created on Sentinel and the scanner and start again but not lose the programming I paid for from Bearcat when I bought the scanner. Everything I did was working up till I have been trying to find how to pick up the missing frequencies from the Police.

Fire and EMS worked perfectly. scanner stopped on frequency when the tones broadcast and then picked up the broadcast. So I originally created favorite lists correctly. Im so lost because nothing is working normally as it did.

Thanks

As far as "saving" whatever was programmed you paid for, just "read" the scanner into Sentinel.
Connect your scanner to your PC & choose Mass Storage Mode.
Click the 'read from scanner' icon from the second line menus.


That will read any favorites lists on the scanner back into Sentinel. Unless you selected "Erase Favorites Lists on Scanner" when writing one of the lists you created, or the one I posted, that will read all the lists on the scanner, included the list you paid for.

If you had selected the 'erase lists' option, then it was probably deleted. But what they "created" was almost certainly appending systems for your county and whatever other county you selected to a Favorites list. That could be duplicated in a fairly short time.

I still think that you are getting some sort of interference, and that the "right" filter would help.

On your scanner, press the Menu button
Scroll down & select Manage Favorites
The next screen will show any Favorites lists on the scanner. Select the one I posted
On the next screen, select Review/Edit System
Now, select the Hartford system
On the next screen, select Edit System Options
Scroll down to the filter & change it to Auto

From there, you can press the System soft key to resume scanning.
If you start hearing activity on the Hartford system, then a different filter other than Wide Invert will be your best choice.
Try editing it again, and setting the Filter to the other options, one at a time. After you make a change, resume scanning for a while to see if you hear traffic now. If, after waiting a reasonable period of time to make sure that your agencies were just not talking for some time, you still do not hear anything, do the Edit process again & select a different filter. Once you find one that works the best, edit your list in Sentinel to match that. Otherwise, the next time you wrote a list to the scanner, it would wipe out your changes.

I suspected that you would not hear anything on the 'Still used' frequencies, but you verified that nothing was there by only hearing static.

 

[blades561]

As far as "saving" whatever was programmed you paid for, just "read" the scanner into Sentinel.
Connect your scanner to your PC & choose Mass Storage Mode.
Click the 'read from scanner' icon from the second line menus.
View attachment 100315

That will read any favorites lists on the scanner back into Sentinel. Unless you selected "Erase Favorites Lists on Scanner" when writing one of the lists you created, or the one I posted, that will read all the lists on the scanner, included the list you paid for.

If you had selected the 'erase lists' option, then it was probably deleted. But what they "created" was almost certainly appending systems for your county and whatever other county you selected to a Favorites list. That could be duplicated in a fairly short time.

I still think that you are getting some sort of interference, and that the "right" filter would help.

On your scanner, press the Menu button
Scroll down & select Manage Favorites
The next screen will show any Favorites lists on the scanner. Select the one I posted
On the next screen, select Review/Edit System
Now, select the Hartford system
On the next screen, select Edit System Options
Scroll down to the filter & change it to Auto

From there, you can press the System soft key to resume scanning.
If systemsyyou start hearing activity on the Hartford system, then a different filter other than Wide Invert will be your best choice.
Try editing it again, and setting the Filter to the other options, one at a time. After you make a change, resume scanning for a while to see if you hear traffic now. If, after waiting a reasonable period of time to make sure that your agencies were just not talking for some time, you still do not hear anything, do the Edit process again & select a different filter. Once you find one that works the best, edit your list in Sentinel to match that. Otherwise, the next time you wrote a list to the scanner, it would wipe out your changes.

I suspected that you would not hear anything on the 'Still used' frequencies, but you verified that nothing was there by only hearing static.

Well I followed your instructions until you said to Edit System and change filter to auto. Following your exact steps in order there was nothing. So I just made sure I had the global filter to auto. Nothing works

I deleted all the favorites I created in Sentinel and on the scanner. Then I went in and entered my zip code. Ran scan from zip code. Got nothing. One quick static and thats it.

Then I created a brand new favorites list on Sentinel and used the national database to grab my town. 12 frequencies. Thats it. Downloaded to the scanner. Started scan and catch 1 or 2 calls over the whole day. Again I have the fire frequencies running on my phone app. The tones get broadcast and nothing on the scanner. They talk on phone nothing on scanner. So I freeze the scanner on Fireground 1 and then it picks up the talking.

I'm baffled. I called Uniden and I'm gonna send it in for repair. Otherwise I give up.

Again thank you for all you help and patience. I will keep you advised.

Pete

 

[JoeBearcat]

Check the 'nothing to scan' WIKI. Usually the active frequencies are in the county systems info, not in the nationwide or statewide databases. Nationwide data is usually interop which may be rarely used.

 

[jonwienke]

So I freeze the scanner on Fireground 1 and then it picks up the talking.

I'm baffled. I called Uniden and I'm gonna send it in for repair.

Don't. There's nothing wrong with your scanner. If you get traffic when manually holding on a channel, but not otherwise, that means the channel is being skipped normally because you have the channel's service type turned off, the scanner location set wrong, a quick key turned off, an avoid on the system, department, or channel, or one of the other things on the "nothing to scan" checklist. Your problem is 100% a configuration error, and 0% a hardware defect.

 

[MStep]

....... I'm baffled. I called Uniden and I'm gonna send it in for repair. Otherwise I give up.

Pete

Hi Pete--- I have to agree with Jon in his post just above. Sounds to me like a 99% chance of a configuration error. The SDS series can be a little daunting and confusing for those who did not migrate up from the 436/536 line. Not sure what your past experience is with Uniden scanners. but it appears you are in Connecticut. I would jump into your state forum here on Radio Reference and look for someone near you with either an SDS100/200 to get a little help.

Based on current postings here, a repair trip to Uniden can be a 4 - 8 week process. I know how frustrating it can be. The fact that you are receiving signals is good. A little more patience and practice, and perhaps some help from someone in your area, should get you on the right track.

 

[doctordialtone]

I'm baffled. I called Uniden and I'm gonna send it in for repair. Otherwise I give up.

I live down the road as I've told you.

I recommend try monitoring something like the state system CLMRN. The buses are non-stop on that system.

Turn on all of your service types for troubleshooting purposes.

I'm not sure where Rocky Hill is operating but I'll try to monitor them today. They were on their own frequency but they may have moved to CLMRN.

 

[doctordialtone]

This is on the CLMRN system

Make sure you have the Service Types enabled.

 

[blades561]

View attachment 100356

This is on the CLMRN system

Make sure you have the Service Types enabled.

Thanks.

I do have them set correctly. The scanner sets them correctly when you transfer the favorites list. At least it did in the beginning. I've checked everything over and over and over again. Something is off somewhere and I can't find it or figure it out.

 

[blades561]

I live down the road as I've told you.

I recommend try monitoring something like the state system CLMRN. The buses are non-stop on that system.

Turn on all of your service types for troubleshooting purposes.

I'm not sure where Rocky Hill is operating but I'll try to monitor them today. They were on their own frequency but they may have moved to CLMRN.

Thanks. I saw you live near me. I can't figure out what changed in the scanner last Thursday or Friday or in Sentinel that I did and transfered a bad file.

You cant turn on service types manually. They automatically get set when you select a list to scan.

Maybe we can meet up at some point and you can look at the scanner.

Pete

 

[blades561]

Anyone in favor of me resetting the scanner and restoring it to factory settings?? Im worried about doing it without being sure.

Thanks
Pete

 

[doctordialtone]

Good idea.

FYI, I'm listening to Rocky Hill PD right now on 453.925 on my SDS200 (LAW Dispatch)

 

[blades561]

Don't know if this means anyth7ing but when I choose WX Operation and select Weather Scan all I get is constant static as I rotate thru each Channel

 

[blades561]

Good idea.

FYI, I'm listening to Rocky Hill PD right now on 453.925 on my SDS200 (LAW Dispatch)

 

[blades561]

If I park on a frequency I get most (I can't say all) of the transmissions. But when scanning only the 12 frequencies in rocky hill I rarely get a hit

 

[doctordialtone]

when scanning only the 12 frequencies in rocky hill I rarely get a hit

OK. I'm trying a "DEPT Hold" on Rocky Hill. I'll see if I miss anything.

EDIT: After 15 minutes . Quiet. I'll continue to scan on Department Hold

 

[doctordialtone]

Update: I am scanning with the DEPT held and hearing them normally. They only talk a few times per hour.

453.925

Did you reset the scanner yet?

 

[blades561]

OK. I'm trying a "DEPT Hold" on Rocky Hill. I'll see if I miss anything.

EDIT: After 15 minutes . Quiet. I'll continue to scan on Department Hold

Update: I am scanning with the DEPT held and hearing them normally. They only talk a few times per hour.

453.925

Did you reset the scanner yet?

I'm afraid to so far

 

[blades561]

Update: I am scanning with the DEPT held and hearing them normally. They only talk a few times per hour.

453.925

Did you reset the scanner yet?

I only get 1 per few hours. Last week there was more. Its also because I was told it's simulcast so more frequencies involved.

You should pick up alot more ems and fire. I'll let you know if there's a fire call when I hear it on my phone.

 

[blades561]

I only get 1 per few hours. Last week there was more. Its also because I was told it's simulcast so more frequencies involved.

You should pick up alot more ems and fire. I'll let you know if there's a fire call when I hear it on my phone.

I turned on Cromwell yesterday and I got nothing. When I first got the scanner I turned it off because it was active enough to slow down scanning of rocky hill.

So if its if working for you how the heck do we figure out whats wrong with mine. I must have done something. The last thing I did before this happened is that I tried to Run a Conventional Discovery. I had run one in the past but this time it seemed to be weird. I can't remembe rwhy. So I deleted the discovery. I used create list. Also compare to favorites lists.