BCD436HP/BCD536HP: Trying to append just 4 channels to favorites list, but Sentinel force appends a lot of extra departments

[yerpaderpa]

When I try to add just 4 channels from a particular department to a favorites list, Sentinel also brings in a large amount of departments/channels from the system it's under (although I think there's some departments that might even be from outside of the system). The favorites list works when I do this, but it spends a lot of time scanning departments that I'm not interested in. However, if I remove all of the departments that I don't care about, and just leave the 4 channels and it's single department from the favorites list, then I get "nothing to scan." I've turned on all service types and I've made sure FL is turned on under Set Scan Selection. I've played around with a bunch of other things too, but I'm sure there's some inherit BCD436 processes I'm not understanding.

 

[nessnet]

Using the right terminology will help us to help you.

In trunking there are systems, departments and trunkgroups.
Systems consists of one or more sites (tower or with simulcast, towers).

I am going to assume by "channels" - you mean trunkgroups(?)
Remember, in trunking, the scanner scans sites - NOT individual trunkgroups.

Slow scanning is caused by trying to scan too many sites.
Or location control used improperly and scanning sites too far away to receive.

Start here:

Trunking Basics - The RadioReference Wiki.

 

[phask]

You can append just 1 talkgroup, which sounds like what you want. However, doing so will add every SITE. Now if you have deleted sites previously it will just re-add them.
Don't delete SITES - just avoid them.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Or use Proscan. Yes you need a RR premium subscription to utilize the RR web import service (the best things in life aren't free) but Proscan allows for greater selectivity so you don't need to avoid or delete anything you don't need. Only want one talkgroup and one site on your system? No problem. Welcome to the RR forums

 

[ofd8001]

Some times it is easier just to manually edit Favorites Lists rather than appending from the database. Less fuss and muss overall

 

[hiegtx]

You can append just 1 talkgroup, which sounds like what you want. However, doing so will add every SITE. Now if you have deleted sites previously it will just re-add them.
Don't delete SITES - just avoid them.

That's not always the case.

I just tried this again, to make sure nothing has changed in Sentinel.

There is a medium sized regional system in my area, that includes a number of city & county agencies in the DFW metro area.

North Texas Interoperable Radio Network (NTIRN) Trunking System, Various, Texas

North Texas Interoperable Radio Network (NTIRN) Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

I can select, and append (in Sentinel) a single talkgroup, from the main database, to a Favorites list. That appends the single TGID, plus all of the sites for the system. Then, I go into the appended system & delete all of the sites except those that cover the talkgroup I appended.

Now, if I go back to the main database in Sentinel, and select a different talkgroup, then append it, it only appends the second selected TGID.

This only works if you do not change the name of the system in the list where these were appended.

The full name for the system, in the database, is North Texas Interoperable Radio Network (NTIRN). As long as I do not change that, it will allow only selected talkgroups (or departments) to be added by appending.

However, if I change the name of the system, as it was appended, that changes what happens. When initially appended, the name of the system, in the Favorites list where the selection was added, was the full, long name: North Texas Interoperable Radio Network (NTIRN)

But, if I use the Favorites Editor to change this to something shorter, such as just the system's acronym, NTIRN, and try to append something additional, then it appends the full system, with all the sites, into a new copy of the system, not the first one with the shortened name.

Or use Proscan. Yes you need a RR premium subscription to utilize the RR web import service (the best things in life aren't free) but Proscan allows for greater selectivity so you don't need to avoid or delete anything you don't need. Only want one talkgroup and one site on your system? No problem. Welcome to the RR forums

As noted, that's the best way to handle it. Using ProScan (or the ARC software), and a Premium subscription, you can import only what you need, whether it's sites, a department, or a single talkgroup, regardless of any name changes.