SDS150: Uniden's Official SDS150 Tech Discussion

[CollinsURG]

Just send a dot . to its micro usb port using ProScan or other terminal program like PuTTY and see if it answers back with R840 that are the receiver chip used in the other SDS scanners.

/Ubbe

Does the SDS150 have 2 USB ports? If not, there may not be a way to issue diagnostic commands as you do with the USB micro of the SDS100.

 

[jasonhouk]

Does the SDS150 have 2 USB ports? If not, there may not be a way to issue diagnostic commands as you do with the USB micro of the SDS100.

One USB-C connection

 

[Ubbe]

One USB-C connection

Then whatever the idea was of the micro USB on SDS100 and mini on the SDS200, those thoughts have once and for all been abandon now.

/Ubbe

 

[CollinsURG]

Then whatever the idea was of the micro USB on SDS100 and mini on the SDS200, those thoughts have once and for all been abandon now.

/Ubbe

Thats what I was wondering. There may be a way to issue a command to switch modes, scanner control or diagnostics, but that is yet to be discovered. It would be in the service manual which we will never see.

 

[whooey]

I'm sure this has been said, but it would be nice if a company would make a battery case that fits the SDS150 where we could use our own pair of 18650's inside of it. Thus, allowing us to bring spares for battery changing on the fly. Wishful thinking.

 

[RCjim]

Then whatever the idea was of the micro USB on SDS100 and mini on the SDS200, those thoughts have once and for all been abandon now.

/Ubbe

I think that all went away when Paul the UpMan the project manager at Uniden passed away, he said you will see in time when asked.

 

[hiegtx]

I think that all went away when Paul the UpMan the project manager at Uniden passed away, he said you will see in time when asked.

Unfortunately, I'm sure you are correct. Paul (UpMan) had posted that there were some other features that were 'coming', including one (I believe he said) that would really surprise you. Unfortunately, his health deteriorated too quickly for any of that to be done, and probably he was not well enough to document what he had in mind that could be done; so those ideas did not survive his passing. The long departed "Joe Bearcat" made a comment that if anyone had a list of what Paul had in mind, to send it to him. Apparently, these ideas were never put into writing so that someone could bring more of his legacy to fruition.

 

[KC1UA]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, if so apologies for the dupe.

The database in the SDS150, when it arrives in your hands, is 3/9/25, so it needs a visit to Sentinel in rapid fashion. I'm sure this is not an issue for the vast majority of people at this website, but FYI anyway.

 

[JASII]

I was never able to receive Mesa AZ, roughly 40 miles East of my location in Glendale on my 100 or 200. Receiving it now on the 150

What band(s) are you noticing this on?

 

[918Dave]

This was on the TOPAZ Regional Wireless Cooperative (TRWC) Project 25 Phase II. 774.14375c

 

[AJ1L]

I just picked up the 150 today from HRO in Salem, NH.

Unfortunately I can report that the intermod on VHF that causes the strong local 162.475 in Milton, MA to bleed all over the other channels is still present in the 150 on an outside antenna. Other channels like 162.400 from RI are a mess on all the SDS scanners while they sound fine on older scanners like the BDC996T and BCD536HP. Turning on the attenuator just brings the garbled mess down to nothing being heard at all.

 

[K9KLC]

I just picked up the 150 today from HRO in Salem, NH.

Unfortunately I can report that the intermod on VHF that causes the strong local 162.475 in Milton, MA to bleed all over the other channels is still present in the 150 on an outside antenna. Other channels like 162.400 from RI are a mess on all the SDS scanners while they sound fine on older scanners like the BDC996T and BCD536HP. Turning on the attenuator just brings the garbled mess down to nothing being heard at all.

This was all on the same antenna tested at close to the same time ?

 

[AJ1L]

This was all on the same antenna tested at close to the same time ?

Yes, same antenna on a multi coupler, so at the same time.

 

[K9KLC]

Yes, same antenna on a multi coupler, so at the same time.

Thanks for the report. Obviously some watching and waiting for the reports from folks like you will be somewhat disappointed. I for one appreciate your honest assessment.

 

[CollinsURG]

I just picked up the 150 today from HRO in Salem, NH.

Unfortunately I can report that the intermod on VHF that causes the strong local 162.475 in Milton, MA to bleed all over the other channels is still present in the 150 on an outside antenna. Other channels like 162.400 from RI are a mess on all the SDS scanners while they sound fine on older scanners like the BDC996T and BCD536HP. Turning on the attenuator just brings the garbled mess down to nothing being heard at all.

Unfortunately that makes the SDS150 a no go for me.

I have BCD325P2 which is small and excellent for everything but LSM. I keep an HP2 in the car, but it needs supplementing with an SDS scanner same as the BCD325P2. Right now they are supplemented by the SDS100. I will supplement them with a Unication G5 700/800 with UHF.

Thanks so much for that valuable report. I had decided to get an SDS150 from Amazon when available, so it could be returned if I encountered something like you have.

 

[KC9NEG]

Getting back to the topic of SDS150 tech discussions, I have used my SDS 150 for about a full day today and love all the features although after I played with the bluetooth feature, I'm not sure I'll use it a whole lot. If I leave my SDS 150 on the charger and run the U/Aware on my phone, the moment I walk out of the room my radio is in, I lose connection with the radio. My work around is to leave both on their chargers and listen through my bluetooth earphone that is connected to my phone, but that defeats the ability to control the radio from my phone. The other scenario I can see me using is when I'm in my car with the phone on the dashboard mount, I can at least see what channel I'm listening to. This is, by no means, a complaint. I'm pretty sure it's the limitations of the technology and user (me)! I am curious how others utilize the bluetooth feature.

I still think that this is a great radio and am glad I got it!!

Woo... iPad in car as remote head connected to car audio... Ya, that's in my immediate future!

 

[ratboy]

They have a keypad light, just enable it.


Multi-Level Display and Keypad light – Makes the display and keypad easy to see in dim light
with multiple backlight levels.

I guess I missed it, thanks!

 

[buddrousa]

@whooey
I am sure with all of the 3D Printers around that a Aftermarket Battery Case can be made.
I was in Dyersburg Tn 1/2 mile from the National Weather Service Tower 162.500 no intermod on my SDS150 still had intermod on my TRX-1's they were unusable for 2.5 miles my SDS150 still received all VHF traffic from 30 miles away on my outside antenna feeding my 8 port Stridsberg in my Service Van also at 1/2 Miles my SDS100's all 3 were still receiving just not as sensitive as my new SDS150.

 

[AJ1L]

Unfortunately that makes the SDS150 a no go for me.

I have BCD325P2 which is small and excellent for everything but LSM. I keep an HP2 in the car, but it needs supplementing with an SDS scanner same as the BCD325P2. Right now they are supplemented by the SDS100. I will supplement them with a Unication G5 700/800 with UHF.

Thanks so much for that valuable report. I had decided to get an SDS150 from Amazon when available, so it could be returned if I encountered something like you have.

My next test in the next couple days will be trying some in line attenuators to see if I can find a level where the overload does not happen.

 

[Nasby]

I just picked up the 150 today from HRO in Salem, NH.

Unfortunately I can report that the intermod on VHF that causes the strong local 162.475 in Milton, MA to bleed all over the other channels is still present in the 150 on an outside antenna. Other channels like 162.400 from RI are a mess on all the SDS scanners while they sound fine on older scanners like the BDC996T and BCD536HP. Turning on the attenuator just brings the garbled mess down to nothing being heard at all.

Bummer