Sentinel Favorites Programming

[BobFam]

Do all of the frequencies have to be programmed in a Favorite list or just the primary and secondary control channels?

For instance in Glendale, CA the following is listed:

RFSS	Site	Name	Freqs
1 (1)	011 (B)	Glendale	470.0875	470.1375	470.2125	470.2625	482.0875	482.1375	482.1875a	482.2375a
			482.2875a	482.3375	482.3875	482.4375	482.4875	482.5375	482.5875	482.6375
			484.1875c	484.2625

Thanks, Bob.

 

[jonwienke]

You can get away with programming just the control channel(s). BUT if the control channel changes (and on some system that happens on a daily basis), then you'll lose all reception from the site. Programming all the site frequencies has negligible effect on scan speed (Unidens cache the control channel frequency once one is found, and the scanner doesn't look for a different one until it can't find a signal on the cached frequency), and ensures you can still receive the site no matter which frequency the control channel migrates to.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

What radio you using? Answer varies

 

[jonwienke]

"Sentinel" indicates a HomePatrol, x36, or SDS model. The answer I gave applies to all of those.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Yeah my bad. Being this is in the "General scanning" & not in a Uniden forum I momentarily overlooked that detail in the subject line

 

[marksmith]

When you have to go to extra effort to exclude frequencies, why do it?

The radio locks on to the control channel and does not "scan" trunked system frequencies unless it cannot find one. By excluding frequencies all you do is make it more possible not to find one.

 

[BobFam]

Thanks to all who have replied. I have a BCD436HP. I have all of the frequencies programmed. I was just wondering if all were required. Bob.

 

[JoeBearcat]

Do all of the frequencies have to be programmed in a Favorite list or just the primary and secondary control channels?

For instance in Glendale, CA the following is listed:

RFSS	Site	Name	Freqs
1 (1)	011 (B)	Glendale	470.0875	470.1375	470.2125	470.2625	482.0875	482.1375	482.1875a	482.2375a
			482.2875a	482.3375	482.3875	482.4375	482.4875	482.5375	482.5875	482.6375
			484.1875c	484.2625

Thanks, Bob.

You should program the primary and alternate control channels as you suggested. The odds of those changing is very rare. The secondary CCs are used in case the primary CC is unavailable for whatever reason. Switching to secondary channels is not uncommon. Switching to an entirely new CC is (again) very rare since it requires reprogramming of the system radios. In your case all those extra channels will be evaluated if you are out of range of the system. If another system uses any of those frequencies, it can lead to erratic operation.

 

[hiegtx]

You should program the primary and alternate control channels as you suggested. The odds of those changing is very rare. The secondary CCs are used in case the primary CC is unavailable for whatever reason. Switching to secondary channels is not uncommon. Switching to an entirely new CC is (again) very rare since it requires reprogramming of the system radios. In your case all those extra channels will be evaluated if you are out of range of the system. If another system uses any of those frequencies, it can lead to erratic operation.

I would caution that if you know, or suspect, that your target system is one provided by Harris, as opposed to Motorola, that you should program all of the site's frequencies. The Harris systems can use any of the site frequencies as control, and some of them rotate the channel used on a systematic basis. Of the local P25 systems here in the DFW metro area, three are Harris systems.

 

[BobFam]

Thanks Guys! Good info! Bob.

 

[JoeBearcat]

I would caution that if you know, or suspect, that your target system is one provided by Harris, as opposed to Motorola, that you should program all of the site's frequencies. The Harris systems can use any of the site frequencies as control, and some of them rotate the channel used on a systematic basis. Of the local P25 systems here in the DFW metro area, three are Harris systems.

That was not included in the info. Yes, Harris and Explicit P25 systems are the exception to the rule.

That system should be tagged to indicate all frequencies are alternates, as they are.

 

[ofd8001]

This question comes up regularly. I too favor the "program them all". That's because of a control channel switch and bearing in mind the database is a product of human action where mistakes cannot be ruled out.

The potential for erratic behavior when going away from home could be avoided by use of Location Control. However I have never experienced this predicament.

Most importantly and with all respect to JoeBearcat, Uniden programs all frequencies associated with a site in the full database. If you import data from the full database to create a Favorites List, all frequencies associated with a site are brought in. (Limiting imported frequencies to just primary and alternate control channels is "do-able" because Butel has that option in their software).

 

[BobFam]

Thanks again Guys. Great info. Bob.