SDS100/SDS200: SDS 100 Reception/Behavioral Problem

[Junior08]

I live in MA in Barnstable County. I'm trying to monitor some P-25 conventional frequencies from nearby Plymouth and Bristol Counties. My SDS is connected to a roof mounted Diamond Discone antenna. I am using favorites lists to monitor from home. I monitor several "local" lists without issue but if I include the Plymouth and Bristol lists the scanner just will not pick these up. The only way I can receive these 2 Counties from my favorites is to monitor/scan them alone with no other lists. I receive them fine in this fashion but if I add in more favorites lists the scanner just does not receive them. I have tested this with a 996XT scanner that has the exact same channels from both counties, and the 996XT receives them without issue, where the SDS 100 will only hear them if I only monitor those lists by themselves. More discussion regarding this can be found at Scan New England website.

This is NOT a receive issue, but a scanner behavior issue. Global filter set to OFF. I also reverted to a previous firmware version, 1.23, to see if it was a firmware issue but this seems to not be a cause. Any help appreciated. Below is a link to the discussion at Scan New England, thanks.

Reception Issue

So the soft reset won't bring the scanner firmware back. You have to do that manually.

snewiki.com

 

[ofd8001]

Just thinking out loud. . .

Any chance there might be duplicate Favorites List Quick Keys?

What happens if you include the Plymouth and Bristol systems in one of those "local" Favorites Lists?

What happens if you scan from the full database, leaving the Favorites Lists turned off?

 

[Ubbe]

You mention in the other forum that when it works normal it stays at sites for 3-5 seconds but when in the configuration where it doesn't work it just zip past them in half a second. If it doesn't stop at all it means that the squelch hasn't detected a carrier. Set squelch to 0 and see if it will decode the control channel. It will only do 4 ch/s scan rate when squelch are open.

If it stays a brief 0,5 sec it means it has detected a carrier and decodes the control channel but ignores it, as if it has decoded that it is an encrypted system. If the squelch opened it will stay at least 1,5 sec or more if the hold time are set higher. If the squelch closes again it will probably instantly scan again as there is no point in trying to decode data when there's no carrier. Usually it is interference that block reception that will close the squelch.

It sounds like a filter setting issue, at site level for trunked systems and department for conventional systems. Try that open squelch scan and also selecting the system in hold or even entering the control channel frequency manually, Channel+freq+Channel. You can also program that frequency into quick save memory and set it to analog only and listen to the raw datasignal if it is received clearly at all times. Set a field in the display to show the filter setting so that you are sure of what setting you are actually using.

/Ubbe

 

[cheif]

After I did the update I have strong signal, but it doesn't lock on any sites.

 

[tvengr]

I am using favorites lists to monitor from home. I monitor several "local" lists without issue but if I include the Plymouth and Bristol lists the scanner just will not pick these up.

Please export and attach your favorites lists for Bristol and Plymouth so we can take a look at them. If you are using Sentinel, go to the File tab and click on Export to hpe file (Favorites List). You will need to zip the exported files to be able to attach them. Click on Attach files and open the zipped files.

 

[Junior08]

The channels in question are conventional P-25, no trunk systems so no control channels. I will try to upload my Sentinel scan list setup soon. Right now I have the squelch set to 2. I will try the zero setting. Also, there are no system or department quick keys. I use the Sentinel settings in my profile to monitor/turn off favorites, or just navigate thru the settings in the scanner itself.

Thanks all for the help.

 

[Junior08]

Here are the 2 favorites from Bristol and Plymouth Counties;

 

[Junior08]

Also, I have the global filter se to OFF, are there other filters on a per channel basis? If so how do I find them?

 

[Ubbe]

Also, I have the global filter se to OFF, are there other filters on a per channel basis? If so how do I find them?

Unfortunately no, there are only filter settings per a whole department. But you can program that single frequency in a department of its own and for that department there will be a filter setting. You can also set IFX on and off and see if that helps, do Channel+freq+Channel and then Function+7 to toggle the IFX.

If you have a received signal strength of at least four bars or RSSI of -60dBm then enable the attenuator as that will help the receiver to cope with interference issues.

/Ubbe

 

[tvengr]

I agree that you need to try IFX, especially on the UHF-T Band frequencies (470-512 MHz). I suspect that the repacking of the UHF TV channels may be causing problems. Do you live close to a TV transmitter site? It may be overloading your receiver. Your 996XT probably uses different IF frequencies which could explain why it isn't affected. Most of your UHF T-Band frequencies are in the 482-483 MHz range, so you will probably be able to find one filter which will work the best with all of them.