SDS200-PRIORITY-NO CHANNEL?

[werinshades]

That's what I thought, and that's too bad because with many departments switching over to trunked systems, it seems like a PRIORITY SCAN feature is kind of useless on these expensive supposed State of the Art and highly expensive radios. Seems like a good Firmware update for Uniden to consider.

Yes, it has been discussed in these forums. It functions like the Conventional DND (Do Not Disturb), and not the Conventional Preemptive Priority feature which would "interrupt" the non-priority talkgroups. In it's current form, it does have some advantage when a conversation ends on a non-prioritized talkgroup it "jumps" over, but a true priority would be more convenient.

 

[rbritton1201]

Can an entire Favorites List be programmed to have Preemptive Priority? Right now, I have a particular agency setup in a separate Favorites List, where I can turn off the County Wide Favorites List, and just have this particular agency that has its own favorites list turned on, and I can turn off the other County Wide favorites list so that if something occurs in this particular agency's venue it can be monitored without interruption from the County Wide favorites list.

But, if I were able to activate a preemptive priority function on the favorites list that has this one agency in it, then I wouldn't have to access it to monitor it exclusively by turning off the County Wide other favorites list.

I have these on a server where I can monitor traffic via my cell phone, so having a favorites list on preemptive priority would eliminate my having to access the scanner remotely to focus on just receiving traffic from that one agency that is in it's own favorites list.

I hope that makes sense, it's kind of convoluted, and hard to explain in writing.

Yes, it has been discussed in these forums. It functions like the Conventional DND (Do Not Disturb), and not the Conventional Preemptive Priority feature which would "interrupt" the non-priority talkgroups. In it's current form, it does have some advantage when a conversation ends on a non-prioritized talkgroup it "jumps" over, but a true priority would be more convenient.

 

[werinshades]

Can an entire Favorites List be programmed to have Preemptive Priority? Right now, I have a particular agency setup in a separate Favorites List, where I can turn off the County Wide Favorites List, and just have this particular agency that has its own favorites list turned on, and I can turn off the other County Wide favorites list so that if something occurs in this particular agency's venue it can be monitored without interruption from the County Wide favorites list.

But, if I were able to activate a preemptive priority function on the favorites list that has this one agency in it, then I wouldn't have to access it to monitor it exclusively by turning off the County Wide other favorites list.

I have these on a server where I can monitor traffic via my cell phone, so having a favorites list on preemptive priority would eliminate my having to access the scanner remotely to focus on just receiving traffic from that one agency that is in it's own favorites list.

I hope that makes sense, it's kind of convoluted, and hard to explain in writing.

I don't think you can make a Conventional System Preemptive Priority, just certain channels. I personally don't like the Conventional Preemptive Priority feature because it's "interrupts" other Conventional system channels while in use, so parts of conversations are being "cut out".

 

[rbritton1201]

My goal was to be able to remotely access using ProScan via my cell phone to lock onto one department in particular if something interesting is happening with that particular one department (channel). I wanted to lock onto that one particular department (channel) so that there would not be any interruptions from other traffic that would be occurring within the Favorites List of departments at the same time the interesting traffic was occurring from the one particular department (channel).

Utilizing "NUMBERS" seems like one way to accomplish selecting one channel out of many within the Favorites List, but I am so confused by how to set NUMBERS up, and even after experimenting with programming to accomplish this, I just could never get them to work.

The PRIORITY feature doesn't seem to be an option with respect to setting up a priority channel, if that channel is trunked P25. So, the PRIORITY feature seems kind of useless for accomplishing what I want to accomplish. In addition, as was mentioned, the interruption when the scanner switches to PRIORITY is an annoying interruption to other traffic within the Favorites List.

So, for now, until I can learn how to setup NUMBERS within the Favorites List, and learn how to lock onto one particular NUMBER within the favorites list, I've had to come up with a work around.

I set up a separate favorites list with the one particular department in it. When I want to monitor only that one department (channel), I turn off the favorites list containing all the departments in that County, where the one department is also programmed, and turn on the favorites list that contains only that one department (channel).

It works fine accessing a separate favorites list to lock onto the one particular department (channel), but I can't help but think the NUMBERS method might be the more correct method of locking onto the one particular department (channel) that's programmed in the original County Wide Favorites List. But, when experimenting with programming and accessing NUMBERS, I must be doing something wrong when trying to access NUMBERS programmed into the County Wide Favorites List because it rejects my entries when I attempt to do so.

 

[werinshades]

This is one of a few videos on You Tube you might look into:

 

[ofd8001]

Number Tags is your best option to jump to a specific channel. To set your scanner up for Number Tags, you have to give the desired channel(s) an "address". This is a really great feature to navigate to those "extra special" channels.

So here's how it goes. (Setting it up and then "activating" it).

Assign a Favorites List Number Tag to the Favorites List. (Sort of like the city and state in a postal address). I usually use the same digit for the Favorites List Number Tag as I do for the Favorites List Quick Key. So my FL with a Quick Key of 1, has 1 as its Number Tag.

Assign a System Number Tag to the System in the Favorites List. (Sort of like the street name/number in a postal address). Again I'll use the same digit for the System Number Tag as I do the System Quick Key. (Easier to remember). So my System Number tag might be 2 as its Number Tag.

Assign a Channel Number Tag to the Channel, in the System which is in the Favorites List. (Sort of like the house number in a postal address). I try to use numbers that help me remember what the channel is. For example in my ancient scanners, Police channel was in slot/position 22, so the police channel Number Tag is 22.

Now that you have set this up and programmed the edits to your scanner, here is how you make the Number Tag "thing" work.

1. Press Channel to stop scanning.
2. Type in the "address" of the desired channel: Favorites List Number Tag PERIOD System Number Tag PERIOD Channel Number Tag. (The periods are important separators so the scanner doesn't get confused). Using my example above, my Police channel would be 1.2.22
3. Press Channel again to complete the process of jumping to the channel.

Note: Nowhere in the Number Tag process should you press Eyes (Enter). If you are tempted to press Enter, the scanner will think you are trying to do something that is not a Number Tag operation.

 

[ProScan]

Utilizing "NUMBERS" seems like one way to accomplish selecting one channel out of many within the Favorites List, but I am so confused by how to set NUMBERS up, and even after experimenting with programming to accomplish this, I just could never get them to work.

Number Tags is for navigating the scanner to a certain FL, system or channel. Setting it up is pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Each FL, system, and channel are assigned number tags like this. Number Tags are in bold.

FL - 1

System - 1​

Dept.​

Channel - 1​

Channel - 2​

FL - 2

System - 1​

Dept.​

Channel - 1​

Channel - 2​

System - 2​

Dept.​

Channel - 1​

Channel - 2​

​

In ProScan, the History Logging will log the FL, System, & Channel in the Number Tag Tune column and clicking the button will take the scanner to the channel logged.

 

[rbritton1201]

I did get the numbers programming successfully entered through Sentinel, and everything works fine if directly accessing the specific numbered channel through the front buttons of the radio.

However, when remotely accessing the scanner via ProScan's remote access feature, I notice that the channel button disappears from the display.
In order to turn on the numbered channel, you are supposed to press "channel" button again, at the end of the sequence, but the channel button is no longer visible within the remote access display window when you reach that part of the sequence.

If I press the blank channel button, it will transition to the numbered channel. But, the alpha numeric part of the channel button is no longer visible, there's just a green bar above where the alpha numeric display is normally seen that is supposed to display "CHANNEL."

Might be something to put on the list for firmware updates...thanks!

Number Tags is for navigating the scanner to a certain FL, system or channel.

 

[ProScan]

I did get the numbers programming successfully entered through Sentinel, and everything works fine if directly accessing the specific numbered channel through the front buttons of the radio.

However, when remotely accessing the scanner via ProScan's remote access feature, I notice that the channel button disappears from the display.
In order to turn on the numbered channel, you are supposed to press "channel" button again, at the end of the sequence, but the channel button is no longer visible within the remote access display window when you reach that part of the sequence.

If I press the blank channel button, it will transition to the numbered channel. But, the alpha numeric part of the channel button is no longer visible, there's just a green bar above where the alpha numeric display is normally seen that is supposed to display "CHANNEL."

Might be something to put on the list for firmware updates...thanks!

I see that. You're right. The Channel button is the same as the 3rd softkey on the display. The "Channel" disappears on the softkey on the display. It seems to work by hitting the button anyways. Uniden makes the firmware so we have no control over that.

 

[rbritton1201]

I see...Well, I won't hold my breath that Uniden will make a firmware change that will restore the "Channel" display at that point in the sequence. But, I may make them aware, just to see what they have to say. Thanks for verifying that I wasn't doing something wrong, and that I don't have a defect occurring or something. I am glad that it still works without the display none the less...

I see that. You're right. The Channel button is the same as the softkey on the display. The "Channel" disappears on the softkey on the display. It seems to work by hitting the button anyways. Uniden makes the firmware so we have no control over that.
I think the

 

[ProScan]

I see...Well, I won't hold my breath that Uniden will make a firmware change that will restore the "Channel" display at that point in the sequence. But, I may make them aware, just to see what they have to say. Thanks for verifying that I wasn't doing something wrong, and that I don't have a defect occurring or something. I am glad that it still works without the display none the less...

I made a workaround in ProScan so when entering in a number tag, the button that represents softkey #3 will show "Channel".

 

[rbritton1201]

Oh, COOL! I'll take a look at it, thanks!

I made a workaround in ProScan so when entering in a number tag, the button that represents softkey #3 will show "Channel".

 

[rbritton1201]

I don't notice it showing up when I just checked it...I should have mentioned that the System, Dept., and Channel soft keys on the ProScan display disappear, and all have the little green line above where the button name displays. But, it only does it at that part of the sequence where you're entering digits. Is it possible why I'm not seeing the alpha numeric change you made yet because I need to do an update of Proscan software?

I made a workaround in ProScan so when entering in a number tag, the button that represents softkey #3 will show "Channel".

 

[ProScan]

I don't notice it showing up when I just checked it...I should have mentioned that the System, Dept., and Channel soft keys on the ProScan display disappear, and all have the little green line above where the button name displays. But, it only does it at that part of the sequence where you're entering digits. Is it possible why I'm not seeing the alpha numeric change you made yet because I need to do an update of Proscan software?

If you take a look at the actual scanner display, you will notice that the SYSTEM DEPT CHANNEL disappears also.

 

[rbritton1201]

Are you able to fix "System" and "Dept" as well. When you advised that it was a Uniden software issue, I posted the issue in the Uniden Tech Support section, hoping that Uniden might see it, and correct the software. But, if you're able to fix it on your end, that would be great!

If you take a look at the actual scanner display, you will notice that the SYSTEM DEPT CHANNEL disappears also.

 

[ProScan]

Are you able to fix "System" and "Dept" as well. When you advised that it was a Uniden software issue, I posted the issue in the Uniden Tech Support section, hoping that Uniden might see it, and correct the software. But, if you're able to fix it on your end, that would be great!

Can't fix the actual scanner display issue but did make a workaround.

What needs to be done to "System" and "Dept"?

 

[rbritton1201]

"System" and "Dept" disappears as well when you enter into the last part of entering the number sequence, to turn a particular channel number on. But, activating a channel number doesn't really require a pressing of System or Dept keys, so it's not crucial to have those corrected from disappearing if all you're trying to do is turn on a channel number.

Can't fix the actual scanner display issue but did make a workaround.

What needs to be done to "System" and "Dept"?

 

[ProScan]

"System" and "Dept" disappears as well when you enter into the last part of entering the number sequence, to turn a particular channel number on. But, activating a channel number doesn't really require a pressing of System or Dept keys, so it's not crucial to have those corrected from disappearing if all you're trying to do is turn on a channel number.

I don't want to put SYSTEM and DEPT in as that will cause confusion since they are non functional in the Direct Entry screen.

 

[rbritton1201]

Yes, agreed, that does make sense, in that the point at which the CHANNEL label disappears, you would be deep into the NUMBER activation sequence, so it might tend to confuse, whereas if all that was visible was the CHANNEL label, it would help guide someone into pressing CHANNEL at the end of the sequence, rather than accidentally pressing SYSTEM or DEPT. I got messed up initially entering "E" at the end of the sequence, when I should have been pressing the CHANNEL button. So, having SYSTEM and DEPT also displaying might lead someone to press the wrong button.

I don't want to put SYSTEM and DEPT in as that will cause confusion since they are non functional in the Direct Entry screen.