I am looking to get a SDS100, Likely from Scanner Master or Uniden Direct.
SM looks to be a little less $ for what I am for sure interested in and they seem like a reputable dealer.
Here's what I am thinking about adding as options as there are many of them.
Definitely the Remtronix 800Mhz antenna and the extra battery pack with charger. Belt clip and other little things.
My main question is with the optional ARC536 software from the Scanner Master site and county programming. The software looks pretty good and has good features, it seems. Does anyone have experience with this software versus the stock Sentinel software? Is the county programming worth it?
Currently, I do not plan on the DMR upgrades as I can get those later, but may change my mind, especially, if it looks like I have much of that in my area (Dallas, TX). I checked RR for my county and state. I don't see any DMR around here, it seems, unless I am missing something.
All help and any other thoughts I missed are appreciated!
Thanks!
One note: I have a BC125AT will be arriving today. That along with a the Diamond RH77CA antenna will be used for analog VHF and airband reception. The SDS100 will primarily be used for 800Mhz signals.
ScannerMaster currently shows as out of stock.
Other dealers include
BearcatWarehouse, and
Police Scanner Outlet (which is actually a division of BearcatWarehouse.)
Main Trading, which is currently out of stock (the SDS100 is not on their page, but they do sell it) often includes a carrying case for the scanner. Pricing at all of the regular dealers will be the same $649.99, so the case is a bonus. However, this dealer is in Paris, TX, so you would be subject to Texas sales tax. The out of state dealers, like ScannerMaster & Bearcat Warehouse, don't normally collect the Texas sales tax.
The Remtronix antenna is a good choice; I use one on my SDS100.
Rather than buying ARC536 from ScannerMaster, download the program direct from
Butel, which is the publisher of the software. You can use the software for a 30-day free trial, before buying either direct from Butel, or from ScannerMaster. ARC536 Basic, $39.95, allows programming. The 'Pro' version, $69.95, includes virtual control (control the scanner using your PC) and history logging of transmissions.
However, I prefer
ProScan. It also can be downloaded for a 30-day trial. The cost to purchase, after the 30 days, is $50, but ProScan includes virtual control, logging, and other features not offered in ARC Basic. ProScan also can be used with a large number of other scanners, though not your BC125AT.
I would
not pay a dealer, from whomever you buy, to program your scanner. All they are going to do is append systems in the database to a Favorites list file. You can do that yourself, easily, using Sentinel after updating it's database. Lots of helpful information on programming here in the forums, in the Wiki, and videos on YouTube. Regardless of whether you purchase the Butel or ProScan software, you'll still need Sentinel to maintain the scanner's database, and also to load any firmware updates that might be released. A link to download Sentinel can be found on this
page. You will also need to download & install the serial driver to connect your scanner to the PC if you want to try logging or virtual control via software. A link to the driver is
here. Download the file & extract the contents, saving to your PC.
Other links:
wiki.radioreference.com
wiki.radioreference.com
Be sure to explore the links found on the Wiki pages.
While currently, none of the various public safety agencies in the DFW area use DMR, one DMR system that might interest you is the Megahertz system. (Previously, Highland Park was using a DMR trunked system, but they have since moved to
GMRS.)
Megahertz Technology Trunking System Profile
www.radioreference.com
CareFlite, which operates ground EMS services in much of North Texas, also has six air-medical (medevac) copters (including one farther south in Whitney). Their dispatching and response transmissions for the air units are on this system. Being in Dallas, you would hear radio traffic for all of these, communicating with their base here locally. Parkland Hospital is also on this system. Most of the larger hospitals in the area use DMR, as do many businesses. I would not add the DMR upgrade until you are sure that the scanner you receive has no defects or needs to be returned to the dealer for any reason.
Just about all of the major cities and counties in the DFW area either already use simulcast P25 trunked systems, or will be changing to them in the next year or so. Dallas County, and the City of Dallas currently use mostly conventional frequencies, but are in the process of building a large simulcast system and will transition to that. So, your purchase of an SDS100 will keep you in touch.
