SDS200 vs BCD536HP - P25 Reception

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mjs438

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Posting this question. Is the SDS200 reception of P25 better than the BCD536HP. I am considering purchasing a SDS200. Any input would be helpful.
 

mule1075

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Posting this question. Is the SDS200 reception of P25 better than the BCD536HP. I am considering purchasing a SDS200. Any input would be helpful.
Entirely up to you. If you are having trouble with LSM then yes you might want the SDS. If the 536 is working for you on the system or systems you listen to that is awesome. Again it is entirely up to you.
 

KR7CQ

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Do you have simulcast systems with "choppy" sound? If so, then an SDS200 may be in order.
 

marksmith

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The SDS can receive systems that are out of range for both my 536 and 436.

It does a much better job on simulcast systems. The 436 and 536 are poor with those, and the SDS does not miss a beat.

Now, if you are not in a location with lots of phase 1 and 2 or other (Motorola etc) digital trunking systems, and some simulcast problems, the SDS is overkill.

Mark
SDS100&200/536/436/WS1095/996p2/996xt/325p2/396xt/psr800/396t/HP-1/HP-2 & others
 

slayer816

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I do not have a 200 or a 536HP, I do however have an SDS100 and a 436HP so the following should be the same just pretend it's base/mobile instead of portable.

SDS100 is better in all aspects. I primarily monitor a fairly weak P25 system and the SDS is superior at pulling in the signal. I see a big difference in the digital tracking and am no longer restricted to only having the unit on one corner of the desk with the exact same antenna. When I'm mobile I can monitor more sites (LTR/DMR included) at a noticeable distance whereas with the 436 I am usually stuck with one site till I run out of range and have to select another. I have not monitored a simulcast system yet, but they say that is a big upgrade as well. Not to mention the customizable display and settings and everything else the many many other threads say about this new radio pair. The SDS is a digital boss and I am very impressed with it. I still love the 436HP for what it can do; but for my area, the SDS series wins.

I would expect nothing less from the SDS200/BCD536HP comparison.
 
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darkness975

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Using the Remtronix antenna with the SDS100 seems to help quite a bit with P25 systems.

Unfortunately I have not been able to pick up Citizen's Band or other lower frequencies since using this antenna but I do still get it now and then on my HPII.

Since the SDS series has been really developed for simulcast and digital environments, I predominantly have mine set to monitor these types of systems and my BCD325P2, HPII, etc. work for CB and others.

ATC does come in fairly well on the SDS100 despite the antenna, so not everything is set in stone ...
 

TailGator911

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I concur, the SDS100 is one hot ticket. The SDS series scanners are the best to ever grace my desk. They have quickly become my favorite scanner radios and both of them together are an awesome team of workhorses in my array of competent scanners. Definitely makes me feel like I have the best there is when it comes to monitoring my homestead area and keeping informed. Keep up the good work!

JD
kf4anc
 

wrath

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I concur, the SDS100 is one hot ticket. The SDS series scanners are the best to ever grace my desk. They have quickly become my favorite scanner radios and both of them together are an awesome team of workhorses in my array of competent scanners. Definitely makes me feel like I have the best there is when it comes to monitoring my homestead area and keeping informed. Keep up the good work!

JD
kf4anc
Doesn't SDS stand for Simulcast Distortion Solution ?

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marksmith

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I do not have a 200 or a 536HP, I do however have an SDS100 and a 436HP so the following should be the same just pretend it's base/mobile instead of portable.

SDS100 is better in all aspects. I primarily monitor a fairly weak P25 system and the SDS is superior at pulling in the signal. I see a big difference in the digital tracking and am no longer restricted to only having the unit on one corner of the desk with the exact same antenna. When I'm mobile I can monitor more sites (LTR/DMR included) at a noticeable distance whereas with the 436 I am usually stuck with one site till I run out of range and have to select another. I have not monitored a simulcast system yet, but they say that is a big upgrade as well. Not to mention the customizable display and settings and everything else the many many other threads say about this new radio pair. The SDS is a digital boss and I am very impressed with it. I still love the 436HP for what it can do; but for my area, the SDS series wins.

I would expect nothing less from the SDS200/BCD536HP comparison.
I have both combinations and your comments also apply to the 536 vs SDS200

Mark
SDS100&200/536/436/WS1095/996p2/996xt/325p2/396xt/psr800/396t/HP-1/HP-2 & others
 

jjbond

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Using the Remtronix antenna with the SDS100 seems to help quite a bit with P25 systems.
What helps even more is taking an actual 800mhz Motorola portable antenna and using that (keeping in mind its still not perfect on a 700mhz system), but it's like night and day difference. I also own the Remtronix (the Radio Shack one actually and it was better but only marginally on my 100 and 200. This is just experimenting and is being tested on my 200 due to the instability in the adapter but it sure works great.

I agree and wish it was a better VHF scanner as well but have just resigned myself to the fact that it only does one thing great, and thats simulcast stuff.... life's a long easier once you give up hope... LOL

Jen
 

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jjbond

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Great video Jason..... still learning mine, am using Sentinal and Proscan.... is your XTS a FPP unit? I also hav XTS's... one in V one in U and an ASIII in V.

Jen
 

blackbelter

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My new SDS 200 Rocks on local P25 and on both phases. SDS 200 is even better on our Simulcast system.
Not monitoring anything on VHF/UHF however DMR audio is fantastic.
This is by far the best Scanner I have had, and my experience goes back to BC300 in college.
 
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WX4JCW

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Great video Jason..... still learning mine, am using Sentinal and Proscan.... is your XTS a FPP unit? I also hav XTS's... one in V one in U and an ASIII in V.

Jen

It is not


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KR7CQ

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Whether at home or working remotely, I actually prefer to run both together these days. The BCD536HP for (mostly) analog, and the SDS200 for (mostly) digital. For remote control and listening I usually use RSOIP and multiple instances of ProScan on the server side and client side...same setup on my phone with Chrome (only I do it there with web server and tabs). This way I have the best in digital and the best in analog at home, at work, or when traveling. Yes, there are analog scanners that might beat the 536 out here and there throughout the bands, but they can't do everything the 536 can do. I can also turn on the new MCSO phase 2 system with the 536 and hear it perfectly, whereas that particular system is one of the few digital systems that the SDS200 stumbles badly on regardless of settings (likely interference). These two scanners are the perfect compliments. Why not own both?


ScreenHunter_003.jpg
 
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jjbond

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Whether at home or working remotely, I actually prefer to run both together these days. The BCD536HP for (mostly) analog, and the SDS200 for (mostly) digital. For remote control and listening I usually use RSOIP and multiple instances of ProScan on the server side and client side...same setup on my phone with Chrome (only I do it there with web server and tabs). This way I have the best in digital and the best in analog at home, at work, or when traveling. Yes, there are analog scanners that might beat the 536 out here and there throughout the bands, but they can't do everything the 536 can do. I can also turn on the new MCSO phase 2 system with the 536 and hear it perfectly, whereas that particular system is one of the few digital systems that the SDS200 stumbles badly on regardless of settings (likely interference). These two scanners are the perfect compliments. Why not own both?


View attachment 72086

Droooool, looks good, I'm still undecided on how I'm going to layout my systems etc... I tend to monitor sim A mostly and B a bit and it seems there's no point having so many channels in the 200, it scans so bloody slow that it never seem to leave RWC. Do we have an place where we share code plugs/favorite lists, are yours located there?

Here's a blond question.... embarrasing to ask with all the scanners I've owned... if you just do a search of the range covering sim a on RWC, and it lands on the contol channel, you can see it show the link or data on the screen, you've verified it's the right system/site is there no way for it to automatically start decoding traffic and show ID's and give audio? With no programmed talk groups I'd at least hope it would pop into ID search but no.. it' just sits there...

Do you physically have to program in the frequencies / site etc before being able to actually do above re decoding? Is there no "search for new control channel then start decoding" feature?

Thanks all
 
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