SDS100 And State Police

[darkness975]

Hi all,

I just received an SDS100 the other day. I noticed that my HomePatrol 2 and BCD325P2 are picking up state police channels, such as Troop L dispatch, the same as they always have. But the SDS100 is silent on these same channels. I double checked that I have the correct frequencies (both the HP2 and SDS100 I just used the zip code feature - I have not made any favorites list yet). I need to double check the squelch, but for such a close transmission it should not matter anyway. All service types, except HAM, Media, and a couple other random ones, are set to ON, same as my others.

Thoughts??? I'm trying not to "panic" given the cost of this unit ...

Thanks in advance.

 

[jfr454]

have you updated to the latest firmware?

 

[darkness975]

have you updated to the latest firmware?

Yep, latest firmware and database thru sentinal last night.

 

[trentbob]

Hey Darkness, I have to make a confession that I have never once ever used the ZIP code method on any radio and never needed the database in the field. I'm not familiar with that process.

If you're not hearing anything at all, make sure all of your service types are on. By default on delivery they may not be and your State Police might be using an oddball service-type instead of maybe just police dispatch.

Check your database in RR for that system and see what the service types look like. It's a good policy just to turn them all on but then again when you're using the ZIP code method with the database you will then hear all service types.

Squelch doesn't make any difference on these particular radios as it would other radios. Just leave it on 2 all the time, it could come in handy on non PL tone protected frequencies like marine radio or aircraft but other than that the squelch is kind of irrelevant.

You will figure it out just keep playing with it. When you make your favorite list make sure all favorite list are turned on as they may be off by default on delivery. Simulcast systems should go on one favorites list in Toto so if you have to modify them you'll get every talkgroup modified.

Let us know how you do. Put that State Police system on a favorites list and see if it works as the service type will be programmed when you program the system.

This is going to keep you busy for a while... That's why they call it a hobby LOL.

 

[darkness975]

I will try adding the state PD to it's on favorite list, but like I said I hear it on the other two just fine and the frequencies are the same.

The HP2 doesn't have special programming , just the zip code setting.

All service types are on.

 

[trentbob]

Okay so I just looked at your state police system. Whew... you know until you program that system into the radio I don't think you even had some of those screwball service types listed to turn on until a system was added that had them. After you program the system you may find some new service types on your list you didn't see before.

I'm just taking shots in the dark here.

 

[darkness975]

Okay so I just looked at your state police system. Whew... you know until you program that system into the radio I don't think you even had some of those screwball service types listed to turn on until a system was added that had them. After you program the system you may find some new service types on your list you didn't see before.

I'm just taking shots in the dark here.

A weird development. The only time I hear ANYTHING on CT State Police is when the unit is sitting next to my laptop. So apparently it is using my laptop's electronic waves to bounce its own receiver off of somehow. As soon as I move it a bit, it drops out and CT State Police seems to not exist at all, even though I can hear my other (older) scanners blaring away in the other room on these same channels ...

 

[trentbob]

Mmm... Just to clarify, when I said turn on all scan lists the two that you don't want on are full database and search with scan.

So I guess we move it from the area of your laptop and I'm going to take a quick look at your system again. If I remember it's a smart zone system.

This has to be something simple. Are you programming that entire system or just one facet of it that serves your area. I'm going to take another glance at your system which is the Connecticut State Police multisite system.

 

[trentbob]

In the meantime look and see what sites are programmed in the radio.

 

[darkness975]

@trentbob Someone else from my area informed me that despite extensive trial and error he was never able to get it to work here.

I have it locked on the CT State Police channel so it's not scanning through anything else. The unit is simply not picking up anything despite near constant transmissions being broadcast that should be coming in.

 

[trentbob]

Just so I understand. You can pick this system up on your 325 P2 and your HP2? Also he said that he could never get it to work on the SDS 100 or on any radio? We are talking about the 800 megahertz simulcast system?

 

[darkness975]

@ems170 stated he could never get his sds100 to work on the CSP system . Other scanners pick it up fine.

Both my bcd325p2 and HP2 are receiving transmissions from, for example, Troop L Dispatch without issue as I type this message. Both the HP2 and the sds100 have Diamond SRH789 antennas.

 

[n2pqq]

Try different squelch settings > I use 2 but on some things I listen
to I use 1.
Never anything higher.

 

[trentbob]

I'm pretty good with this kind of stuff and have a lot of experience but I'm starting off cold here.

I'm not familiar with your system but I have taken a good look at it. I would think if your radio is not working and His Radio is not working this would be quite an event, especially if the system works good on the other two radios.

I don't follow your area at all but I would think there would be quite an uproar on your local state forum with complaints and inquiries to Uniden tech support. I didn't look at your state forum but I imagine the Uproar would start around the beginning of June if you want to check that out in the Connecticut forum, actually it would be on the Uniden tech support forum in the month of June and they would have addressed it with a firmware release. Something doesn't add up here.

You are going to need to do some investigation here. You want to know how other SDS 100 owners are doing with this system.

So I could understand the system not working on the SDS 100 but not when it works with older radios like the HP to and the 325 P2. Since it's two radios that it's not working on we are probably not looking at a defective radio.

I'll sniff around and look at some searches but you are going to want to program other things that work well on your other two radios and see how they sound on the SDS 100. Leave this system on its own favorites list without adding any other channels or objects to it. You will get to the bottom of this.

 

[trentbob]

By the way a squelch setting of 1 means the squelch is off. Just leave it at 2. Remember I said on this particular radio with systems like this the squelch is irrelevant

 

[trentbob]

If it works with the squelch off because you are that far from the system and your problem is solved but I don't think that's the problem. It could be an antenna issue because you're using a antenna on the unit and not the roof

 

[trentbob]

Wait a minute you are using on the unit antennas on the 325 P2 and the hp-2 so the antenna is probably not the problem.

 

[trentbob]

Okay I just did some searches and I'm coming up dry with problems with the SDS 100 picking up Connecticut State Police. Doesn't mean there isn't any forums I'm just not finding them

This doesn't add up because the two older radios pick the system up and there is no uproar on Uniden tech support about this. That I could find any way.

It's got to be something simple but you're saying another SDS 100 owner can't receive it either. This just doesn't add up.

You will find you will get some responses on your state forum that will give you the answer you're looking for.

 

[darkness975]

@trentbob I did find a thread in the CT forum that unfortunately this issue with this specific system, the CT state police channels such as Troop L, never got resolved.

Other systems come in fine, such as Oxford FD. the only one I am seeing any issue with is the CT State police (troop L and troop A are the troops in this part of the state).

 

[trentbob]

Also keep in mind the stock antenna is crap and you will want to get the remtronix 800 megahertz UHF antenna with the SMA that fits the SDS 100. I mean this could be an antenna issue but someone else told you there's didn't work either, there has to be a simple answer.