After paying more attention to the "Downtown" simulcast, I'm getting a bit more but my SDS's really hate this system. The SDS200 with outdoor antenna gets a strong signal from multiple sites but shows all the signs of interference (TG blinks on and off quickly, never goes solid with audio). Actual audio received is minimal and sporadic. Filters don't help.
On the SDS100 with stock duck antenna, and without a filter, I get nothing unless I'm in visual sight of Shaw Butte within 4-5 miles. Once inside of any building, things fall apart. Without a filter I get nothing. With Wide Auto the control channel locks but TG's blink quickly in and out and noise levels go sky-high. However, I can find certain "sweet spots" where some to most transmissions come through. This happens outdoors with visual sight of the towers, and indoors in certain exact spots (think monitoring LSM with non-LSM scanner). Even then signal strength fluctuates wildly. A mile away from Shaw Butte, standing in the open, looking at the radio towers, I can watch the signal go in a second from -45dBm to -110dBM. No other system that I monitor behaves this way. I'm hoping this system is still enough of a "work in progress" that matters will improve for me. Obviously others are having better luck.
I have my 100 sitting in its "sweet spot" in my work office right now and it's picking up conversations. Just FYI, but my office sits less than a mile from Shaw Butte, and I can walk outside and clearly see all the towers. I'm naming TGs and then TLO'ing them as I go so that I can focus on the new / unnamed stuff. I heard conversations on 3001 this morning but didn't get enough info to establish who was talking.
