SDS100/SDS200: Sds100 to sds100e

[wthclt]

Can the sds100 become sds100e with firmware update like the TRX-1 can? I will be traveling to the UK.

Thanks in advance.

 

[buddrousa]

I have learned to never say never but if so I would say it would not be factory supported.

 

[belvdr]

Typically, you'd need to modify what the hardware identifies itself as, in order to load the alternative firmware. That's assuming Uniden's firmware update mechanism checks to ensure the firmware is correct for the model (i.e. so you don't load the incorrect firmware and brick the device).

I'm not willing to take that chance to test. If you are able to get this to work, however, let us know. Inquiring minds and all that.

 

[wthclt]

After searching on Uniden site, it doesn't look to be an easy option like it is with the TRX-1.

 

[Mogley]

Could someone with a higher IQ than me explain what an sds 100e is? I own an sds100. What's the difference?

 

[ecps92]

Could someone with a higher IQ than me explain what an sds 100e is? I own an sds100. What's the difference?

e = European model

 

[Mogley]

What's the difference between the European model and the American one

 

[donc13]

Frequencies that are covered and band plans.

 

[iMONITOR]

If Uniden chose to do so it should be possible and easy to do being that the SDS100 is a true SDR. It should not require any hardware changes or additions. That is why Whislter is able to offer this on both their hand-held and mobile/base scanners.

 

[Ubbe]

There's different bandplans for each country in EU, look at the number of bandplans Whistler has for TRX E, and the SDS100E only has one bandplan. But as it is user editable it can be tailored to match each country but the frequency ranges might not be a perfect match. The US SDS100 model can just as easily be used without converting it to an E model. It's probably just for support and the service aspect that there's an E model. Uniden US wont touch the E models as the economical and warranty responsibility are at the EU distributor Avera.

/Ubbe

 

[donc13]

There's different bandplans for each country in EU, look at the number of bandplans Whistler has for TRX E, and the SDS100E only has one bandplan. But as it is user editable it can be tailored to match each country but the frequency ranges might not be a perfect match. The US SDS100 model can just as easily be used without converting it to an E model. It's probably just for support and the service aspect that there's an E model. Uniden US wont touch the E models as the economical and warranty responsibility are at the EU distributor Avera.

/Ubbe

To the best of my knowledge, the E model covers cell phone frequency bands, the US model does not and the FCC requires the manufacturer to certify they cannot be modified to do so.

I could certainly be wrong on that, I do know earlier Uniden models had to have epoxy over circuit boards where the modification could be done.

 

[Ubbe]

To the best of my knowledge, the E model covers cell phone frequency bands, the US model does not

Yes, that's true. The E models have full coverage from 758MHz up to 960Mhz but the US model has two holes between 824-849 and 869-894. But there's only digital cellular in those ranges in EU and digital telemetri and some wireless headphones audio, so are of no interest to monitor.

/Ubbe

 

[donc13]

Yes, that's true. The E models have full coverage from 758MHz up to 960Mhz but the US model has two holes between 824-849 and 869-894. But there's only digital cellular in those ranges in EU and digital telemetri and some wireless headphones audio, so are of no interest to monitor.

/Ubbe

Agree, all digital in cell bands now and I can't imagine anyone trying to listen. But I believe that FCC mandate still exists that the receiver has to be "locked" out of those bands and can't be modified to receive them. Thus, doubtful it's as simple as a firmware change.

 

[gary123]

Actually all it would take is to modify the band limits in the FW. I would love to add ADS 1090Mhz capability but as it has been said Uniden is not interested in doing anything like this.

Personally the cell ban is obsolete legislation everything is now digital so blocking the range is not needed any more.

 

[Ubbe]

What's the reason for Uniden to stop at 960MHz and then add a range at 1240-1300 for the HAM band? Why not allow full coverage above 960? The bandfilter probably looks the same as for the BC780 that are not a bandpass filter but a highpass filter passing everything above 750MHz

There's nothing in the x36/SDS scanners that can be used to lock out a frequency range in hardware, it's all done in the firmware so would be an easy fix for Uniden. Even Whistler did that easy fix to open up the 68-88MHz range in the TRX E models, although their filters where not design for that range and real world usage are limited.

/Ubbe

 

[donc13]

Without access to the firmware code, a simple jumper or efuse could prevent various bands via a simple IF statements. Obviously I have zero knowledge if any such code exists.

 

[Ubbe]

Yes, an external signal can be used to tell the firmware to block certain frequency ranges, but the actual block are in firmware. You can take any SDR dongle and tune to those blocked frequencies so I don't know why FCC persist with their ban in scanners when cellular anyhow are digital and encrypted. It just makes it more difficult to repair and modify with additional antenna connectors for different bands and if scanners where "open" it would only require one model to handle the whole world, if the bandplan where more flexible to program and looked more like the programming of the 10 search ranges.

/Ubbe

 

[gary123]

The band limits in the FW are a look up table type of check.

if (frequency >= xxxxx || frequency <= yyyyy)
{
    inhibit/error as invalid frequency
}

As it has been said if you could decrypt the FW you could make the change. For obvious reasons Uniden is not going to release the decrypt method. Can you imagine the inrush of messed up units with "bad" customized FW in them. Or unscrupulous people stealing their code and using it themselves. Still Uniden could make the band limit change with no issues. The hardware is as Ubbe says just a high pass filter in the 700Mhz region.

There are a few other tweaks that Uniden could do. Change the step size to calculate from the lowest frequency in the search range. Try searching 26.965 -27.405 in 10 Khz steps you will see what I am referring to. The valid steps sizes needs to be updated to include 7.5 khz some new systems (VHF) are appearing that use the 7.5 khz steps instead of the 15.0khz steps. I would love to see the entry of custom tones like 150.0 allowed but i suspect they are using a existing pl/dpl decoder circuit so I doubt that will be a viable change.

 

[RidingDownUnder]

Yes, that's true. The E models have full coverage from 758MHz up to 960Mhz but the US model has two holes between 824-849 and 869-894. But there's only digital cellular in those ranges in EU and digital telemetri and some wireless headphones audio, so are of no interest to monitor.

/Ubbe

Hi Ubbe,
our band plan on Uniden scanners are the same as yours (EU), 25MHz-520MHz/758MHz-960MHz and 1240MHz-1300MHz. I haven’t seen a Uniden scanner do a no gap plan. Why is uniden USA still putting the gaps in the analog cell phone range.? Plus I don’t know why there’s a gap from 960MHz-1240MHz on all models. Maybe it’s cheaper to manufacture, like no x-tra high pass filters for that range..? I have a Kenwood RZ-1 made in Japan scanner that does 500Kc’s to 960MHz no gaps from the 90’s. It’s the same size as the 536. The workmanship is typical Kenwood from back then. The buttons and even the vol and sq knobs are detailed, plus it looks like a piece of HI-FI equipment. Plus it has true stereo output on the FM broacast and TV bands. There are connections to plug the scanner straight into a amplifier for your car. I haven’t tried it in my car, but at home it’s superb.

Yes I think the SDS200 can be ‘turned into’ a SDS200E. Maybe by a f/w upgrade or changing the CPU inside the radio. I know of a few people from Down Under who have visited Japan and purchased 2m/70cm’s radio gear only to find after they got home that the Japanese band plan on 2 and 70 are completely different to the rest of the world. It’s very narrow. So they had to purchase a Australian spec CPU and it rectified the problem. Just to clarify, these radios were not SDR’s hence the CPU change.

 

[RidingDownUnder]

Yes, that's true. The E models have full coverage from 758MHz up to 960Mhz but the US model has two holes between 824-849 and 869-894. But there's only digital cellular in those ranges in EU and digital telemetri and some wireless headphones audio, so are of no interest to monitor.

/Ubbe

And the SDS200E’s come with DMR, NXDN and Provoice already installed, so you don’t have to pay for the upgrades. But maybe Uniden EU has put the upgrades price in the MRRP. You don’t get nothing for free these days.