SDS-series Firmware Update Observations

[clover509]

Good afternoon, all!

SDS-100/200 user here that monitors AWINS, Maricopa County and RWC systems regularly. Reaching out to see if other users in the valley have experienced a serious degradation to monitoring quality after applying the latest firmware from Uniden... which I regret having done.

The Thomspon Peak site for AWINS and Maricopa County used to come in at my location in North Phoenix along I-17 super solid with no audio or decoding issues. Now, the site barely shows 1-2 bars of signal strength and misses 90% of the traffic. I played around with the auto filter settings until I was blue in the face late last night into early this morning... nothing.

On RWC, I have radio IDs for the dispatch consoles of Phoenix PD programmed... my SDS200 continues to only show the radio ID and not the alpha tag I have assigned in Sentinel, so... that's useful.

Any thoughts, suggestions, tricks or pro tips to solve this? Otherwise, Unication may have just gained a customer and my Uniden stuff will be up for sale on the cheap.

 

[Ubbe]

Take a look and see if the old firmware are still in the PC.
Go to C:\ProgramData\Uniden\BCDx36HP\Updater

You will need both the old bin file and the old img.

/Ubbe

 

[clover509]

Unfortunately, it appears that the latest software version of Sentinel overwrote those old files with the new firmware updates.

 

[clover509]

Quick update... solved the radio only showing unit ID and not the name assigned in Sentinel. Had to change the trunk detail field from UID to UID Name.

 

[RCjim]

So that took care of all your problems with the update? Thanks

 

[byondhlp]

Good afternoon, all!

SDS-100/200 user here that monitors AWINS, Maricopa County and RWC systems regularly. Reaching out to see if other users in the valley have experienced a serious degradation to monitoring quality after applying the latest firmware from Uniden... which I regret having done.

The Thomspon Peak site for AWINS and Maricopa County used to come in at my location in North Phoenix along I-17 super solid with no audio or decoding issues. Now, the site barely shows 1-2 bars of signal strength and misses 90% of the traffic. I played around with the auto filter settings until I was blue in the face late last night into early this morning... nothing.

On RWC, I have radio IDs for the dispatch consoles of Phoenix PD programmed... my SDS200 continues to only show the radio ID and not the alpha tag I have assigned in Sentinel, so... that's useful.

Any thoughts, suggestions, tricks or pro tips to solve this? Otherwise, Unication may have just gained a customer and my Uniden stuff will be up for sale on the cheap.

I live in a valley in the mountains of WV, Randolph county, since the firmware update(s) my SDS200 is basically deaf digital and not much better analog. Not happy.....

 

[clover509]

Applied the latest firmware, 1.23.03 Main... and it made things even worse! No singal strengh indicated, or one bar, on a tower site 2.5 miles from my house. RSSI does not show any signal or has plummeted. Thanks a pantload, Uniden. I now have a $700 brick.

​

 

[clover509]

Can anyone please provide older firmware version software and directions on how to safely rollback?

 

[buddrousa]

Doing a search here on the forums you will find people that have the firmware.
Searching for UPMAN updating FIRMWARE you will find the directions.
FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS DO NOT SKIP ANY DIRECTIONS.

 

[ka3jjz]

Actually there's no need to search anything at all. The SDS wiki has a thread linked that discusses how to back out the firmware....

SDS100 and SDS200 FAQ Page 2 - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

There you will also find where to get the firmware if you wish to try it and most of the threads that talk about it. It does have many issues (at least for some)! I have to add 1 or 2 threads, but I think you'll find this is a pretty complete gathering of the traffic on this issue

Mike

 

[ScanRafael]

There was a new firmware update released today. I hope to hear that this resolves your problems. Let us know if a difference is noticed.

 

[i700plus]

I'm in Anthem and monitor AWINS, Maricopa County and RWC and so far have had no problems, with a remtronix 800mhz antenna and the latest firmware 1.23.03 and 1.03.05 sub I can pick up everything I've picked up previously. I'm picking up west valley, phoenix simulcast A,B,D and of course the new river tower. I haven't noticed any decrease in performance in Arizona.

 

[hulka]

I listen to Phoenix PD & Fire, MCSO Sworn, AZ Wins and Topaz without any issues with the last update. I am in area of 202 & Baseline Rd.