I'm astounded how well the SDS series units perform.

[mancow]

I'm sitting here listening to a huge distant nasty simulcast system on my SDS200 where all sites are all about 35 miles in one direction away from me. Signals are -112 dBm best on a beam on the roof and it's rock solid. My RSSI bar barely has a blip of fill but it's still pulling it all in 100%.

As for portable, I can only hear it when there is a bit of propagation enhancement. I'm right on that edge where the nearby houses just block it too much. I have a an APX-4000 on the same system. When the band is up the SDS100 actually receives better than the APX and the APX is nearly brand new.

I've already sold the BCD536HP and am getting rid of everything and converting to all SDSs. They did it right this time. I couldn't be happier.

 

[eaf1956]

I'm sitting here listening to a huge distant nasty simulcast system on my SDS200 where all sites are all about 35 miles in one direction away from me. Signals are -112 dBm best on a beam on the roof and it's rock solid. My RSSI bar barely has a blip of fill but it's still pulling it all in 100%.

As for portable, I can only hear it when there is a bit of propagation enhancement. I'm right on that edge where the nearby houses just block it too much. I have a an APX-4000 on the same system. When the band is up the SDS100 actually receives better than the APX and the APX is nearly brand new.

I've already sold the BCD536HP and am getting rid of everything and converting to all SDSs. They did it right this time. I couldn't be happier.

I did the same all SDS now after selling 4 scanners.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[BBossman1]

Hey, hey... easy, whats with all the positivity around here?

 

[buddrousa]

“AWWWWWWWW SCANNER WORLD! DON’T YOU DARE BE SOUR! CLAP FOR YOUR WORLD FAMOUS 2 NEW CHAMPS SDS100 SDS200, AND FEEEEEEL THE POWWAAAAAAAA!”

 

[AA6IO]

I have found that using a PAR FM broadcast filter on my SDS-200 and using the global filter option really cuts down on the intermod here in LA basin. Surprisingly, I am hearing stations on UHF analog and digital at distances I've never heard before using the SDS-200. Same is true on 800 Mhz. Audio in general is great, and display is fantastic.
Overall, I am very pleased with the SDS-200 and agree that if you were to own only one handheld and one base/mobile, the SDS series is probably the way to go.
I surely do appreciate Paul Optiz and Uniden putting so much effort into development of these units.

 

[tkowalik]

Well, I guess you can add me to the list of ‘couldn’t be happier.’

 

[CQ]

A solid step in the right direction although the BCDx36HP series can still hold their own in most environments. I've kept mine.

Next up...SDS500. It was about 8 months between the 100 and 200.

 

[wx5uif]

Mine is exceeding my expectations in the vehicle. We'll see if it continues to function for me and have no issues.

 

[darkness975]

I want to try another one but after what happened with my last one I am still a bit leery of pulling the trigger again.

Nice to see some positive comments though. Gives me at least some hope.

With my state's PD going more digital and what not (phase II if I am not mistaken) I would certainly like to have one.

My BCD325P2 seems to be keeping up for now (minus an update that it probably needs since it's been a couple years) and my HomePatrol II is great for more local stuff but struggles with farther away. Then there is the terrain of my area which is a whole other ball of wax.

Anyway, (hoping that encryption doesn't take over completely) I hope to pick up another SDS100 at some point. I also want the SDS200 but at the moment it would be just in the way (my place isn't that big sadly) so I would prefer to stick with the smaller footprint SDS100 for now. At least, as long as the firmware updates and such make them reasonably equal to one another.

 

[K2KOH]

I have to say I am using my SDS100 with a cheapo wideband mag mount on my Escape...using a BC amplified speaker and am very satisfied with it. Peformed well on the CNYICC in upstate New York.

 

[w4amp]

If you have a good outdoor antenna you can receive 700/800 mhz P25 systems much farther away. For me at 1150'asl 100 miles away is common.

 

[darkness975]

I had a diamond srh789 on my new sds100, and now I have the new retronomix antenna for it. So far reasonably happy with the results.

I cant mount an outdoor antenna right now since I am renting.

 

[MAguln8839]

I do have to say that my sds200 is pretty much the best scanner I have ever bought, and I have bought a lot of them over the past years. They did a really good job on it. It is the first scanner that performs and sounds really good.

 

[K2KOH]

I'm using it up here in the North Country in New York. It did quite well on the Central NY Interoperable Communications Consortium. Working well on Lewis County simulcast as well. The filters are confusing but I think I have everything set right.

 

[TailGator911]

I've done some DXing searches with my SDS's and I have picked up signals all the way down in Kentucky, over in Indiana and about 60 miles north of me using Diamond N130 rooftop discone. Located in Dayton, Ohio area.

On a recent stay at a rental cabin in Hocking Hills I was hearing fire call outs in WV (VHF!). Very satisfied with SDS's reception, both analog & digital.

JD
kf4anc

 

[qman62]

Bought a used SDS100 from HRO little over a week ago, and extremely happy I did. On the local P25 LSM system this thing really shines - pretty much a night and day improvement over my 325P2.

It's brought me back to the pre-simulcast days when everything was easily listenable.

 

[garys]

I didn't know that HRO sold used scanners. Hmmmm.

 

[mule1075]

I didn't know that HRO sold used scanners. Hmmmm.

They show up in the used,open box and consignment section of the website from time to time. At this moment they have 2 436hp's listed one used and one open box. Really not that unusual.

 

[garys]

I'll keep my eyes open. I bought my 436HP from them, new. I think that was because they were offering free shipping when everyone else was charging.

I should at least put the 436HP up for sale before I consider a SDS100.

 

[mule1075]

I'll keep my eyes open. I bought my 436HP from them, new. I think that was because they were offering free shipping when everyone else was charging.

I should at least put the 436HP up for sale before I consider a SDS100.

I check them from time to time. Picked up a 796d for $69+ shipping last year they had on consignment.