Do NOT use Diamond SRH77CA on SDS100

[bob-k]

Hi all,

There is many who ask what a better all-around antenna may be to use on the SDS100! Many have reported that the Diamond SRH77CA is a great antenna! It is BUT...The SRH77CA uses a SMA connector which will not fit the SDS100. In laymen terms the neck or base of the antenna is too thick and will not fit inside the collar of the radio antenna base, not allowing the center pin to touch center connection on radio acts like there is no antenna attached at all!

ALTERNATIVE: Seek the same antenna with the BNC connector and use included converter Uniden sent with new radio!

That is the Diamond SH77CA again a great antenna with a useable connection!

 

[ColonelMike]

The RH77CA is the way to go!!

 

[bob-k]

we agree

The RH77CA is the way to go!!

Yep I am doing same.......what do you use on the car?

 

[ColonelMike]

I use a cheap magnet mount on my 536 but I am removing it and switching to the SDS100 only. I have had pretty good luck with it the last 2 weeks. If a mobile version of the SDS100 ever comes out, I may consider adding it back in.

 

[srpawski]

I am using the same Diamond RC77CA on an Opek AM801 window mount. It works great.

 

[Markb]

Phooey!

5 minutes with a Dremel and problem solved!

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

[W4KRR]

Mark, you created a side business for yourself!

 

[Markb]

Haha, Seriously!

I was even thinking that I could carve a circumferential groove that would accept an "O" ring.
Hello early retirement!!!!:lol::lol::lol:

 

[jonwienke]

Get a lathe!!!

 

[srpawski]

Speaking of which, this cat just got the port savers back in stock. I just bought 4 of them

https://www.ebay.com/itm/221584357640?rmvSB=true

 

[Ubbe]

Are anyone using their expensive scanner outside in the rain, without an umbrella and holding it in your hand and not protected inside their jacket?

Why did Uniden think that we want to use a scanner in pouring rain so that they had to make it less user friendly with o-rings at the non-standard antenna and a funky bubble keypad and making special arrangement to not trap condensation inside the scanner? Who requsted a watertight scanner? Jacques Cousteau with his underwater explorations?

/Ubbe

 

[jonwienke]

Rain protection is also protection from spilled coffee.
https://1drv.ms/f/s!ApJIS-l4xqPtgvgHaDzdq-htyNkJvQ

 

[srpawski]

I personally don't see what the hype is over the antenna. It's no big deal. Either use the adaptor and go BNC, or whittle on the SMA based antenna and make it fit or get an adaptor/extender. Just like with amateur radio HT handhelds, you can go SMA or BNC depending on what you have for antenna or adaptor. Its the same thing.

 

[TxScanner]

Are anyone using their expensive scanner outside in the rain, without an umbrella and holding it in your hand and not protected inside their jacket?

Why did Uniden think that we want to use a scanner in pouring rain so that they had to make it less user friendly with o-rings at the non-standard antenna and a funky bubble keypad and making special arrangement to not trap condensation inside the scanner? Who requsted a watertight scanner? Jacques Cousteau with his underwater explorations?

/Ubbe

Heck no, i have mine in my room, take with me when i go in the car, and then take it back in the house, i dont haul it around in the yard, etc. It’s not its like a real two-way radio, i can understand if it was like a real police radio, or other 2 way that you may use outdoors


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[jaspence]

Antenna "standard"

There is no written standard, and many if not most ham radios now come with the SMA connector. A caution if using a BNC to SMA adapter. A longer or heavier antenna with the additional length of some adapters can put more stress on the SMA in the radio. Check the SMA on the radio for looseness occasionally or you make find the solder joint inside broken.

 

[pinballwiz86]

Rain protection is also protection from spilled coffee.
https://1drv.ms/f/s!ApJIS-l4xqPtgvgHaDzdq-htyNkJvQ

Those buttons on the 436HP are ridiculously worn off! What kind of duty has that scanner seen?

 

[jonwienke]

Don't know, it was a customer unit. Some of the keys didn't work because of the coffee residue on the keypad contacts. I charged the customer an extra $10 for cleaning all the crap out of every crack and crevice inside. The Mini-USB jack was broken, I had to replace it as well. The moral of the story is that the SDS100 is far less susceptible to that sort of abuse, at least the coffee bath part.

 

[pferama]

RH77CA arrived today.

History logging data says meh for this antenna, but still too early for final judgement:

Average RSSI before RH77CA (using stock SDS100 antenna): -65.48958333 (3 days of data)
Average RSSI after RH77CA: -77.44444444 (3 hours of data)

The jury is still out.

 

[jonwienke]

What bands are you monitoring?

 

[pferama]

A mix of things and and the scanner hasn't moved in about 5 days, but we have changing weather and other factors. Not sure this data means anything because I can watch the RSSI fluctuate significantly while signal is active (I didn't pay enough attention to know if same behavior with the stock antenna). The log only shows the RSSI value at the point when the signal ended so I guess YMMV. Maybe SDS100 behavior or signal interference issues. I'll take a snapshot of new data after a couple days of history to compare.

Not trying to imply the antenna doesn't work. Rather, so far, I can't see a benefit. Maybe real test is when I'm traveling through local cities and towns.

--Edit: and I'm new to scanning 3 weeks ago...

Here's a slice of recent entries:

TGID Freq Digital Type System Type RSSI UID Mod. Hits Duration Start time End Time System/site - Dept - Channel
23184 Motorola -77 25352 NFM 297 00:19:06 06/22/18 18:26:55 06/26/18 21:13:36 Seattle-King County Public Safety (KCERS) - King County/ValleyCom Simulcast - Valley Communications - ValCom Spec1
23152 Link Motorola -71 25401 NFM 4712 06:02:29 06/22/18 18:25:56 06/26/18 21:12:22 Seattle-King County Public Safety (KCERS) - King County/ValleyCom Simulcast - King County Sheriff - KCSO N
18544 Link Motorola -102 20889 NFM 1101 00:53:28 06/22/18 18:23:41 06/26/18 21:11:54 Seattle-King County Public Safety (KCERS) - King County/ValleyCom Simulcast - Redmond - Red PD Disp
21424 Link Motorola -69 23323 NFM 2962 02:58:11 06/22/18 18:25:14 06/26/18 21:11:35 Seattle-King County Public Safety (KCERS) - King County/ValleyCom Simulcast - NORCOM - NC Pol 1
23344 Link Motorola -69 26981 NFM 1224 01:12:23 06/22/18 19:15:43 06/26/18 21:11:01 Seattle-King County Public Safety (KCERS) - King County/ValleyCom Simulcast - King County Sheriff - KCSO NW
23280 851.9625 Link -73 25938 NFM 2487 01:24:07 06/25/18 13:39:00 06/26/18 21:13:58
23216 Link Motorola -70 24073 NFM 2242 01:21:59 06/22/18 18:54:57 06/26/18 21:09:35 Seattle-King County Public Safety (KCERS) - King County/ValleyCom Simulcast - Seattle Police - SPD Cmnd 1
19472 Link Motorola -106 21470 NFM 2604 02:35:32 06/22/18 18:32:14 06/26/18 21:07:44 Seattle-King County Public Safety (KCERS) - King County/ValleyCom Simulcast - NORCOM - NC Pol 2
59208 774.8062 P25 P25 Trunk -87 7503924 NFM 682 01:20:25 06/22/18 18:23:32 06/26/18 21:07:19 WA State Patrol - King Lake - WSP District 2 - WSP Seattle N 710
23312 Link Motorola -74 25073 NFM 255 00:30:59 06/22/18 20:45:58 06/26/18 21:02:31 Seattle-King County Public Safety (KCERS) - King County/ValleyCom Simulcast - King County Sheriff - KCSO Tac 4
3728 Motorola -82 46255 NFM 34 00:05:08 06/22/18 20:24:13 06/26/18 20:55:23 Seattle-King County Public Safety (KCERS) - King County/ValleyCom Simulcast - Seattle Police - SPD Tac W
18928 Link Motorola -73 18551 NFM 765 00:37:57 06/22/18 18:37:20 06/26/18 20:53:11 Seattle-King County Public Safety (KCERS) - King County/ValleyCom Simulcast - NORCOM - NC Pol 3
32784 Link Motorola -78 29833 NFM 132 00:10:01 06/22/18 21:08:16 06/26/18 20:50:32 Seattle-King County Public Safety (KCERS) - King County/ValleyCom Simulcast - Duvall - Duv CityWide
4304 Motorola -102 47493 NFM 24 00:02:21 06/26/18 18:16:43 06/26/18 20:43:55 Seattle-King County Public Safety (KCERS) - King County/ValleyCom Simulcast - Seattle Police - SPD CIS 2
59202 769.9687 P25 P25 Trunk -91 7501906 NFM 16 00:02:14 06/22/18 23:56:56 06/26/18 20:34:46 WA State Patrol - King Lake - WSP District 2 - WSP Car 2
59209 769.7187 P25 P25 Trunk -91 7503924 NFM 1119 02:25:45 06/22/18 18:27:27 06/26/18 19:56:11 WA State Patrol - King Lake - WSP District 2 - WSP N King N 710
37072 Link Motorola -67 38132 NFM 85 00:06:28 06/23/18 01:36:39 06/26/18 19:38:06 Seattle-King County Public Safety (KCERS) - King County/ValleyCom Simulcast - Des Moines - Des PD Tac
37520 Link Motorola -91 36898 NFM 186 00:10:22 06/22/18 20:57:03 06/26/18 19:28:08 Seattle-King County Public Safety (KCERS) - King County/ValleyCom Simulcast - Valley Communications - ValCom Spec2
37168 Link Motorola -74 36457 NFM 254 00:20:52 06/22/18 19:21:53 06/26/18 19:14:19 Seattle-King County Public Safety (KCERS) - King County/ValleyCom Simulcast - Kent - Kent PD Tac