SDS100/SDS200: SDS 100. Display and receiving ENC noises.

[jgorman21]

Good Morning.

I’n still learning more about this radio as I go. Today I have two questions.

I have started to play around a little with some of the display options. While it’s interesting for indoor use, I have noticed that it is pretty much impossible to read anything on the display while outdoors! Does anyone have a recommendation on how to remedy this?

I realize that these new radios are designed to not receive anything when an ENC transmission comes on. I also realize that the little ”ENC” indicator comes on. To clarify, I’m not asking about receiving, decoding, or listening to transmissions that we can’t listen to. But is there anyway - a “hack?” Or modification…or…to turn this off? Here’s why. We have all experienced hearing an agency do communications where one side is ENC and one is not. Simply put, doing a side by side with a radio that can get the garbled noise and the 100, it would seem that the 100 is not quick enough to pick up the clear half The way it is configured now. Personally, I’d rather have the ability to “log” (if you will) what it is I’m receiving then simply push the “avoid” button!

Thanks!

 

[trentbob]

As far as seeing the display in daytime outside you have the option of white text on a black background. Push it up to 100%.

Not exactly sure what you're asking about with regard to encryption. I've heard the garbled noise and I've heard nothing during encrypted transmissions. It really depends on the way the system you're listening to is set up, for example when encryption was optional and selective in my County and the cop would use the slide switch on their apx7000 to go encrypted temporarily and dispatcher stayed in the clear I never had any delay or problem between the two sides of the conversation and the encrypted transmission came through as garbled noise. Maybe it has to do with how many sites you're rolling through how many systems you're scanning and the radio is not catching up.

Once the decision was made for my County to go encrypted full-time, you hear nothing but you do see the encryption indicator on the display and you just delete that talk group... Permanently... you're never going to hear anything again.

 

[dave3825]

I realize that these new radios are designed to not receive anything when an ENC transmission comes on. I also realize that the little ”ENC” indicator comes on. To clarify, I’m not asking about receiving, decoding, or listening to transmissions that we can’t listen to. But is there anyway - a “hack?” Or modification…or…to turn this off?

I’d rather have the ability to “log” (if you will) what it is I’m receiving then simply push the “avoid” button!

If your quick enough, (I am not always) you can hit avoid twice, like a double tap. Single tap avoids will reset when the scanner is restarted so you will have to do it again. Double click avoid is a permanent avoid and will not return until you manually turn it off.

You can connect the scanner to Sentinel and read the scanner. Then if the tg is in a favorites list, you can navigate to it via edit favorites list, and permanently avoid it. Then write back to the scanner. I would not delete the talkgroup if you ever plan to use the id search feature, it will just come back .

If the tg is not in a favorites list, its in the scanners full database. You still read the scanner, then navigate to the tg in the database and set an avoid there. Then write back to the scanner.

You may be able to turn of the field that displays "enc" on the display in the display settings but unless you avoid or delete the tg, you will still here the enc sounds and not see what ever else is displayed in that field.

What system are you monitoring?


.

 

[Ubbe]

But is there anyway - a “hack?” Or modification…or…to turn this off? Here’s why. We have all experienced hearing an agency do communications where one side is ENC and one is not.

I've asked for this feature to be added to the wish list for Uniden scanners firmware enhancements. To be able to have a user selection to keep the scanner monitoring an encrypted transmission but with the audio muted, the way Whistler does it. Maybe it's a patent and licenses issues that makes Uniden reluctant to add that feature. The best you can currently do are to use the frequency search mode, which doesn't ignore encrypted calls. You can set scan+search mode and program one search range with a single frequency, if that system are a conventional one and not trunked. There's a lot of disadvantages with it but that's the only way, if you don't have a Whistler scanner.

/Ubbe

 

[jgorman21]

As far as seeing the display in daytime outside you have the option of white text on a black background. Push it up to 100%.

Not exactly sure what you're asking about with regard to encryption. I've heard the garbled noise and I've heard nothing during encrypted transmissions. It really depends on the way the system you're listening to is set up, for example when encryption was optional and selective in my County and the cop would use the slide switch on their apx7000 to go encrypted temporarily and dispatcher stayed in the clear I never had any delay or problem between the two sides of the conversation and the encrypted transmission came through as garbled noise. Maybe it has to do with how many sites you're rolling through how many systems you're scanning and the radio is not catching up.

Once the decision was made for my County to go encrypted full-time, you hear nothing but you do see the encryption indicator on the display and you just delete that talk group... Permanently... you're never going to hear anything again.

Thanks! I’ll try that With the display.

All I want is to receive the transmitting station like my GRE PSR 500 does. Then like on the 500 I could always use temporary avoid.

 

[jgorman21]

If your quick enough, (I am not always) you can hit avoid twice, like a double tap. Single tap avoids will reset when the scanner is restarted so you will have to do it again. Double click avoid is a permanent avoid and will not return until you manually turn it off.

You can connect the scanner to Sentinel and read the scanner. Then if the tg is in a favorites list, you can navigate to it via edit favorites list, and permanently avoid it. Then write back to the scanner. I would not delete the talkgroup if you ever plan to use the id search feature, it will just come back .

If the tg is not in a favorites list, its in the scanners full database. You still read the scanner, then navigate to the tg in the database and set an avoid there. Then write back to the scanner.

You may be able to turn of the field that displays "enc" on the display in the display settings but unless you avoid or delete the tg, you will still here the enc sounds and not see what ever else is displayed in that field.

What system are you monitoring?


.

Thanks.

All I want is to receive the transmitting station like my GRE PSR 500 does. Then like on the 500 I could always use temporary avoid. I don’t use permanent avoid. I just delete thos frequencies.

 

[jgorman21]

I've asked for this feature to be added to the wish list for Uniden scanners firmware enhancements. To be able to have a user selection to keep the scanner monitoring an encrypted transmission but with the audio muted, the way Whistler does it. Maybe it's a patent and licenses issues that makes Uniden reluctant to add that feature. The best you can currently do are to use the frequency search mode, which doesn't ignore encrypted calls. You can set scan+search mode and program one search range with a single frequency, if that system are a conventional one and not trunked. There's a lot of disadvantages with it but that's the only way, if you don't have a Whistler scanner.

/Ubbe

Excellent! Fingers crossed!

 

[trentbob]

Thanks! I’ll try that With the display.

All I want is to receive the transmitting station like my GRE PSR 500 does. Then like on the 500 I could always use temporary avoid.

Yep, back when I used a Whistler 1095 which was the GRE psr900 that was never released to the public before Whisler took over, I would listen to Conventional digital p25 Coast Guard frequencies where the boats would be encrypted but sector would be in the clear and I chose a busy tone like on a telephone when an encrypted transmission occurred. Now I hear nothing when boats reply on the 100/200.

 

[dave3825]

I've asked for this feature to be added to the wish list for Uniden scanners firmware enhancements. To be able to have a user selection to keep the scanner monitoring an encrypted transmission but with the audio muted, the way Whistler does it.

@JoeBearcat that would be a nice feature in the 4/536/sds models to either have a setting for, or extend the display time enc transmissions are visible, so they stay on the screen a little longer, so us, not so young and quick people can easily avoid an enc tg when using the scanner and can't at the moment connect to Sentinel.

 

[jgorman21]

@JoeBearcat that would be a nice feature in the 4/536/sds models to either have a setting for, or extend the display time enc transmissions are visible, so they stay on the screen a little longer, so us, not so young and quick people can easily avoid an enc tg when using the scanner and can't at the moment connect to Sentinel.

Yes ndeed!

 

[JoeBearcat]

@JoeBearcat that would be a nice feature in the 4/536/sds models to either have a setting for, or extend the display time enc transmissions are visible, so they stay on the screen a little longer, so us, not so young and quick people can easily avoid an enc tg when using the scanner and can't at the moment connect to Sentinel.

It's on the wish list, but it's not really high on it. Hopefully it will be a quick enough fix it will be added. I would think it should be easy, but it would mean that Sentinel would also have to be updated to set that flag.

 

[Ubbe]

That feature, and probably some others, are enough to have in the scanners menu and not accessible in Sentinel. It's like the Attack Decay Level settings for audio AGC in BCT15, that you only can alter directly on the scanner. Then it only needs one extra flag in the Settings menu in the scanner and the firmware to check that flag before the force to scan or do a normal delay but mute audio when it senses encryption. A 5 minute work to a firmware programmer.

I believe UPman had an in house software guy he could borrow from other Uniden projects for one hour to do the Friday Firmware releases. If you where allowed source code access @JoeBearcat you could easily do these kinds of small modifications to be beta tested.

I guess most features will only be set in firmware for the beta testers anyway, and not put any costly work into a beta Sentinel that might need several changes until beta testers are satisfied with the scanners functionality. The project costs comes with the final quality assurance of code, check for patents infringements, possible patent applying and all other documentation including user manuals.

/Ubbe

 

[dave3825]

@JoeBearcat Cant speak for others but I would be happy if an enc tg would just stay on the screen longer how ever Uniden would choose to do it. Many use scanner with gps when traveling and it is a pia to have to try to catch the tgid, then program it in, just to set an avoid. Pretty much the only way if you do not have scanner programming software with you.

Another useful feature would be if the scanner could display the digital format it is receiving, even if paid upgrades have not been purchased yet. I myself know what the different digital modes sound like but I would bet there are many people that do not know the difference between what Nxdn, Dmr and Provoice sound like. I would think if new owners kept seeing the mode being displayed, it might encourage them to purchase the upgrade.

 

[JoeBearcat]

Re Ubbe's comment, I have not found any firmware guys this side of the Pacific yet. Maybe his guy was the guy I'm thinking of but he is overseas.

@JoeBearcat Cant speak for others but I would be happy if an enc tg would just stay on the screen longer how ever Uniden would choose to do it.

I would think if anything is done, it will be the 'all or nothing' ends (stays there forever or skips).

Another useful feature would be if the scanner could display the digital format it is receiving, even if paid upgrades have not been purchased yet.

I think this is an issue that in order to decode the stream, you have to be 'licensed'. IOW, it cannot decode a stream to get the format without the license being active. But I will try to check.

 

[jgorman21]

Re Ubbe's comment, I have not found any firmware guys this side of the Pacific yet. Maybe his guy was the guy I'm thinking of but he is overseas.



I would think if anything is done, it will be the 'all or nothing' ends (stays there forever or skips).



I think this is an issue that in order to decode the stream, you have to be 'licensed'. IOW, it cannot decode a stream to get the format without the license being active. But I will try to check.

Any way to unblock enc transmissions?

 

[JoeBearcat]

Any way to unblock enc transmissions?

Read the thread. Short answer: It's on the feature request list. (unblock = stay on that channel)

Of course, even if this happens, decryption will not be possible.

 

[jgorman21]

Read the thread. Short answer: It's on the feature request list. (unblock = stay on that channel)

Of course, even if this happens, decryption will not be possible.

Yes. It’d just be more fun for those of us who are used to being able to follow these transmissions using other radios. Additionally, I have seen and heard cases where one side of the conversation is clear and the other is not. Neither side came over the SDS 100.
Apologies. I was Not clearly understanding that from the other post.

Thank you.