SDS150 Firmware Update Change Log
All firmware updates are applied using Sentinel. Select Update --> Update Firmware
Before applying updates, you should back up your programming.
Always use the latest version of Sentinel to update.
1.02.01 Main (10/06/2026)
New Features and Improvements
- OTA alias support: Added support for Motorola and Harris P25 over-the-air (OTA) aliases.
- DMR enhancements: Added support for DMR Tier 3 OTA aliases.
- Note on Aliases: Aliases are human-meaningful names that may be assigned by agencies to specific radios. These complement the Unit IDs, which are just unique numbers used to identify radios.
- Location Control: Fixed an issue that occurred when scanning a single site.
- Unit ID management: Fixed duplicate Unit ID registration in Sentinel's/Scanner's System "Unit ID" menu.
- Conventional scanning: Resolved a delay affecting Conventional Scan.
- Signal display: Adjusted the ATT RSSI display.
OTA Alias Reception Requirements
- If aliases do not appear on certain trunked systems, the scanner is not necessarily malfunctioning. All the following conditions must be met for the SDS150 to receive and display OTA alias data:
- Configure the display. The customizable display layout must include the "Unit ID Name" field. If the field is not present in the active layout, decoded alias text will not be visible.
- Account for saved aliases. Aliases are saved automatically. Stale aliases are not updated, and previously alpha-tagged Unit IDs are not overwritten.
- Confirm system-side broadcasting. The monitored trunked network must actively transmit alias data. Some public-safety agencies disable OTA Alias broadcasting or limit it to dispatching consoles. If the system does not transmit the data stream, the scanner has nothing to decode.
- Verify signal quality. OTA Alias data blocks require a clean, high-quality RF signal. Weak reception or a high bit-error rate (BER) can prevent successful decoding. Under these conditions, the SDS150 prioritizes voice packets and may drop the limited sub-audible data packets that carry the alias text.
Technical Note: P25 Phase 1 and Phase 2 OTA Initial Alias Behavior
- With OTA Talker Alias support enabled, initial aliases may appear at different speeds depending on the P25 system type. This is expected behavior caused by differences in the P25 air-interface protocols, not a scanner defect. Captured aliases are instantaneously displayed.
- P25 Phase 1 (FDMA): The system assigns a dedicated 12.5 kHz channel to one conversation. Link Control Words (LCWs), which contain the Unit ID, are interleaved directly into each voice superframe, approximately every 180–360 ms. Because this data is transmitted continuously, the SDS150 can usually decode the alias almost immediately, even when it joins a transmission already in progress.
- P25 Phase 2 (TDMA): The system divides the same channel into two alternating 30 ms time slots. This reduces the space available for sub-audible signaling. Instead of a continuous inline stream, Phase 2 uses a Slow Associated Control Channel (SACCH), which packages and updates alias data over a longer interval. As a result, alias text may take noticeably longer to appear.
1.01.02 Main (03/27/2026)
Please use
Sentinel version 3.01.01 or later.
Added
- Type option to the P25 Manual Band Plan.
- Slot Selection option for DMR OFT frequencies.
- "Disable While ON" option to the battery charging settings.
- Celsius display for battery temperature.
Improved
- Late entry reception for DMR Capacity Max (Tier 3).
- Active channel reception for DMR Capacity Plus.
- Display of TGIDs for RAS enabled DMR.
Updated
- DMR RAS information detection, control, and management.
Fixed
- P25 Phase 2 remaining on the voice channel when two slots were filled.
- Reception issue when a voice frame was present in another slot on the DMR control channel.
- Device not rebooting after disconnecting USB in Mass Storage mode.
- Digital reception on channels with Plus Volume Offset not muting at volume 0.
- WX Alert and SAME Decode stopping.
- Incorrect display of Lower Frequency and Longitude in the Run Results screen of Conventional Discovery.
1.00.43 Main (12/4/2025)
- Fixed an issue where the P25 Integrated Voice & Data control channel was incorrectly recognized.
- Fixed an issue where a click sound could be heard when displaying "LINK" in P25 Conventional mode.
- Fixed an issue when receiving ProVoice.
- Fixed an issue with control channel handoff.