SDS100/SDS200: Anyone know Close Call frequency range?

[GregOH]

I'm wondering what the frequency range is with Close Call on this scanner because I'd like to listen to the wireless PA system at church with it and some earbuds (if possible).

Anyone ever receive a wireless mic with the SDS using Close Call?

 

[GTR8000]

Easier to Read SDS100/200 Digital Scanner Manual

 

[mass-man]

I'm wondering what the frequency range is with Close Call on this scanner because I'd like to listen to the wireless PA system at church with it and some earbuds (if possible).

Anyone ever receive a wireless mic with the SDS using Close Call?

Done it many times, but I know the wireless mic frequency going in...looking at the SDS 100 CC range, you have a good chance of finding the mic frequency, but it will depend on the age and make of the mic. A lot of older stuff is in the 600mhz range as well some of the wireless systems are actually encrypted. If it's a newer system, I wouldn't bother with the VHF range...stick to the UHF stuff! 52 years of using wireless mics I still remember a thing or two!!!!

 

[n1chu]

The set band default limits will also be the limits for using Close Call. However, you should first check to see if there have been any changes from the default settings. If they have, reset the limits on any band that needs it. The limits should be listed in the spec sheet of the radio, but you can also see them on a SDS100/200 radio that hasn’t had them changed by using the menu.

 

[GregOH]

The set band default limits will also be the limits for using Close Call. However, you should first check to see if there have been any changes from the default settings. If they have, reset the limits on any band that needs it. The limits should be listed in the spec sheet of the radio, but you can also see them on a SDS100/200 radio that hasn’t had them changed by using the menu.

When I programmed the radio with Sentinel, I didn't change any parameters and last time I checked CC options all bands were set to on.

 

[n1chu]

Then you should be able to use Close Call to identify the frequency. You could also do a custom search. Search only the bands that another post eludes to.

 

[avaloncourt]

Done it many times, but I know the wireless mic frequency going in...looking at the SDS 100 CC range, you have a good chance of finding the mic frequency, but it will depend on the age and make of the mic. A lot of older stuff is in the 600mhz range as well some of the wireless systems are actually encrypted. If it's a newer system, I wouldn't bother with the VHF range...stick to the UHF stuff! 52 years of using wireless mics I still remember a thing or two!!!!

It's been ages since I've done anything with wireless mics. Are modern mics digital now?

 

[jgorman21]

Really close. They are low power after all!

 

[GregOH]

I received a wireless PA when passing by a fairgrounds with my Pro-135 with no problem in the past but I'm thinking the church has more modern equipment. I'll just have to take it with me Sunday and see if it works because I don't know the frequency and if it's RF or IR.

 

[Echo4Thirty]

Done it many times, but I know the wireless mic frequency going in...looking at the SDS 100 CC range, you have a good chance of finding the mic frequency, but it will depend on the age and make of the mic. A lot of older stuff is in the 600mhz range as well some of the wireless systems are actually encrypted. If it's a newer system, I wouldn't bother with the VHF range...stick to the UHF stuff! 52 years of using wireless mics I still remember a thing or two!!!!

Most of the mics i have dealt with were in the 600 range, but we did have a couple in the 200mhz range, 500mhz area as well as one at 740ish. Mics can be all over the place.

 

[wtp]

170's even !

 

[mass-man]

There are wireless mics in IR, 2.4ghz, 600mhz, 500mhz, 200mhz and yes 170 mhz! But heck during an hour plus service, you should be able to find them...if you can.
There are indeed some digital mics out there, but only recently and churches may not have sprung for that kind of money, yet! Then there is the digital hybrid, which are digital audio on analog FM carriers! The loss of a lot of freq space led to many advancements and some back stepping in wireless mic technology!!!

 

[JoeBearcat]

I'm wondering what the frequency range is with Close Call on this scanner because I'd like to listen to the wireless PA system at church with it and some earbuds (if possible).

Anyone ever receive a wireless mic with the SDS using Close Call?

For the most part, you are looking at a Close Call effective range of maybe 5 feet since they are usually very low power. And that is if you have no other RF sources in that band, as the signal has to be 18 dB stronger than any other signal in the band. That is a high bar for a flea power unit.

For better results try a band search.

 

[GregOH]

For the most part, you are looking at a Close Call effective range of maybe 5 feet since they are usually very low power. And that is if you have no other RF sources in that band, as the signal has to be 18 dB stronger than any other signal in the band. That is a high bar for a flea power unit.

For better results try a band search.

I figured the only difference of Close Call and Custom Search are one scans faster than the other because if you edit band ranges, aren't they both scanning the same ranges?

 

[n1chu]

Wow! 5 feet? Maybe if it’s a very low powered mic, but I’ve used Close Call at fire scenes. Worked great (as long as you remember the apparatus may be on a semi-duplex repeater system, where dispatch probably won’t be heard but the other half of the communications, meaning the transmit frequency the apparatus uses will be heard. Saving that frequency and thinking all you need to do is add it to that system won’t get you the dispatches… you need the repeater output frequency.

Sometimes a PA system will use Bluetooth Instead of running new speaker wires, especially in older structures such as churches. It makes the installation of speakers much less labor intensive, but only as long as there is an AC outlet available for each speaker. (Some of those speakers are located high up in a cathedral ceiling, requiring scaffolding or a tall ladder to get to them.)

 

[MStep]

Perhaps a 5 foot range when monitoring low-powered transmissions, such as a PA system as mentioned. Here in New York City, the Close-Call function has been very effective up to around 100-500 feet or more, depending on the power of the unit transmitting. It's so good here, because of the RF density and transmitting power, that I have one receiver set up solely for Close-Call operation. Also depends of course on the effectiveness of your antenna setup. Close-Call is a function that I would sorely miss.

 

[n1chu]

You could always try antenuation nstead of Close Call. (But I don’t know the difference in the amount of antenuation between the two. It sounds like you have the perfect location that turns your Close Call feature into just what the doctor ordered! Good to hear!

 

[bearcat]

The perfect radio for doing what you want is a BR330T. It is a wideband receiver, probably 15 or more years old. I still do a lot of work with wireless mics and the majority of them are not going to be in the range the SDS100 receives. Also a side note: AT&T (or maybe T-Mobile) now owns 600mhz (at least most of it) and it is used for cellular. 600mhz wireless mics are actually "illegal" to use. That being said there are plenty of them out there on the air. They are pretty much useless if they can hear the AT&T/T-Mobile signal. Do not for get many new ones both digital and analog are in the 944Mhz range. 944mhz became very popular after the so called 600Mhz shutdown.

 

[GregOH]

I took three scanners with me and I faintly received the music portion of the service in the parking lot with my RS Pro51, and since it has a headphone jack issue, I decided to take the Pro135 inside. The result was good but not great. I was seated at the back of the room and most of the time the reception was clear but when the bottom of the mic was covered by a hand or moved behind the podium, intermittent static occurred.

 

[bearcat]

I took three scanners with me and I faintly received the music portion of the service in the parking lot with my RS Pro51, and since it has a headphone jack issue, I decided to take the Pro135 inside. The result was good but not great. I was seated at the back of the room and most of the time the reception was clear but when the bottom of the mic was covered by a hand or moved behind the podium, intermittent static occurred.

Keep in mind the audio bandwidth of a wireless mic is wider than the NFM/FM setting on the scanners. They usually work fine with strong signals. They are trying to achieve a studio quality audio. This may/can result in low audio or choppy noisy audio. Sometimes WFM will help but WFM is much wider than a wireless mic and sometimes WFM will not pass any audio.
You never said what frequency range you found the mics in?