SDS100 CT Missed transmissions (video)

[ems170]

First off, I am open to suggestions to improve the performance but let me state the following has been tried. The attached video shows the SDS missing almost 50% of the transmissions. Sometimes the TG will flash on the screen briefly with no audio and other times it will not do anything. The radio receives conventional analog fine. It is a bit slow on conventional p25, only by about 1/2 a second. I have tried multiple antennas, locations, and systems and the performance remains the same. I like most things about this radio but its trunked performance on the three systems I have tried are not acceptable. I really don't want to return it, but I do not want the return window to pass with it working this poorly. I am pretty sure it's a software issue as it is reproducible based on the type of use and receives the signal from distant stations fine.

-Non-stock antenna 7/800 specific
-both units shared the same power source
-I have cleared user data and reloaded it
-firmware is up to date
-I have tried the database and custom FL
-I have tried different locations and different sites on the systems
-problem is consistent on p25 phase I/II, SmartZone, EF Johnson Atlis P25.

Video on the CT State Police system.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0pqeRp4vLU

See attached log file with multiple failed messages.

 

[mkt853]

I think you need to hold on the site that's carrying the troop G dispatch talk group. Being in the northwest part of the state, I don't think all of those sites are going to have it. Others have complained about this as well, and I forget the explanation UPMan had for it. In that 1-2 seconds it takes to scan the other sites, reacquire and decode the control channel that has troop G dispatch means you miss the replies. Maybe setting the channel delay to 2 or 3 seconds would help? Also have you tried monitoring on the new 700 MHz system (CSERN) where troop G is also active?

 

[ems170]

mkt853,

Thank you for your advice. I have tried putting it on site hold with minimal to no improvement. You are correct that not all the sites broadcast all TGs. I have the sites set up with GPS and the only sites it was even looking for in the video was site 1 and the ERV site if it was around. I have tried it on the state p25 system as well. It may do a little better but still nowhere near an acceptable level. I also tried it on Waterbury's P25 system. It had near perfect RSSI levels and still missed many messages while the 536 and 436 was picking them all up. I had the APX sitting there in the video because I was testing the SDS on the 700 system and also to make sure the 436 wasn't missing any messages. It didnt miss any. Thanks again for your input. Hopefully, this will be resolved soon as the form factor and UI on this radio is nice, and its perfect as long as the radio receive part isn't important to you.

 

[scosgt]

FWIW years ago I drove through CT from the beginning of the Merrit Parkway all the way up to West Springfield. I had a BC296D and a 396T. The296 was chattering away and the 396 was silent! I stopped at Lentini Comm on the way back and they verified the programming on the 396 was correct.
Never did figure it out.

 

[Ubbe]

Program the frequencies of the systems as analog conventional FM in a new favorite system and open the squelch fully and listen thru the frequencies if they sound nornal without any interferencies that reduce the noise level or have artifacts in the audio. Then try and move the SDS100 away from any electronics.

/Ubbe

 

[cellphone]

Add the noise field on the display. That has been my main problem. High noise levels kill reception on the SDS100, but does not affect the 436.

 

[jfr454]

I have similar results with SD100 when compared with my 396XT & 996P2 in CT.

 

[ems170]

I checked the noise levels and they are not very high. I am generally seeing the noise levels bounce between 200-500. I have been trying as many configurations as I can and the results are consistent. I have placed it near electronics, with no electronics within 50ft of it, inside, outside, different antennas, and different electrical sources. I am still thinking it is a software issue, maybe its associated with the auto digital thresholds. The 436, 536, 396t/xt, were never great at decoding unless a manual setting was used. I am wondering if this has to do with the radio poorly self-adjusting (if with the new technology it still performs similar processes). I am willing to give it another week or so of trial and error. hopefully, in that time a software update will be released. then probably shipping it back. As I had said earlier, I would like to stick it out and wait for improvements, but I don't want to be stuck with a unit that cant perform its primary function after the return timeframe.

 

[racing1]

I checked the noise levels and they are not very high. I am generally seeing the noise levels bounce between 200-500. I have been trying as many configurations as I can and the results are consistent. I have placed it near electronics, with no electronics within 50ft of it, inside, outside, different antennas, and different electrical sources. I am still thinking it is a software issue, maybe its associated with the auto digital thresholds. The 436, 536, 396t/xt, were never great at decoding unless a manual setting was used. I am wondering if this has to do with the radio poorly self-adjusting (if with the new technology it still performs similar processes). I am willing to give it another week or so of trial and error. hopefully, in that time a software update will be released. then probably shipping it back. As I had said earlier, I would like to stick it out and wait for improvements, but I don't want to be stuck with a unit that cant perform its primary function after the return timeframe.

My noise level fluctuates between 4000 and 20000 and I don't notice any missed comms.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[KR7CQ]

I have the same problems with missed transmissions / scanner not switching from data to voice channel. From all that I've seen and heard it does seem like this scanner has issues in certain high-RF areas, where the 436 didn't have those issues. I've even met with a beta tester / other owners and saw the same issues on their SDS100's. The scanner seems to get confused when a lot of RF / interference is hitting it.

Cellphone is right, you want to watch "noise" on the display. I've seen numbers as high as 30000. Once the noise gets much over 500-1000 it seems that transmissions start getting missed at least here in the Phoenix area on our simulcasts.

 

[ems170]

KR7CQ,

Good observations, I have tried it in both RF extremes, 30 miles outside of NYC and also in rural CT. Unfortunately, I am seeing the same results when it comes to trunking. I have set up the local site as conventional and obviously it is impossible to follow a single TG, but it is interesting to see how well it decodes sometimes and then how some transmissions come over only as undecoded digital noise. I am going to post another video and log file with the site being monitored in conventional.

 

[kb8rvp]

SDS100 CT Missed transmissions

Looks like Uniden/Upman just posted a beta firmware (SDS100 Firmware 1.02.05a for Open Beta) update to try to correct the issues with missing transmissions some are having under "Uniden Tech Support" section. Good luck... Mine is coming tomorrow.

Mike

 

[ems170]

The video linked below is of one of the trunked sites being monitored in conventional mode. The voice traffic decode is improved, but still not as good as the 436. I also attached a new log file.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=um9l9bqu7co

 

[ems170]

I have loaded and tested the beta software. There may be some improvement but definitely not enough to say its close to being fixed. Hoping for another beta release soon. I am going to file a report in the beta review thread.

 

[darkness975]

I am now experiencing some similar issue here with the CT State Police being SILENT on the SDS100 while my HP2 and BCD325P2 are chattering away on the Troop L and G channels.

Is there some kind of fix to this issue? Because if not, this unit is going straight back to the seller and that will be that.

 

[ems170]

Darkness975,

I hate to say it, but I was never able to get it to work well on the CSP system. I returned the unit after trying many things to get it to work. Have you tried it on any other trunked systems to determine if its a problem with the unit? I am guessing it just doesnt do well with Motorola Smartzone systems with P25 voice.

 

[darkness975]

Darkness975,

I hate to say it, but I was never able to get it to work well on the CSP system. I returned the unit after trying many things to get it to work. Have you tried it on any other trunked systems to determine if its a problem with the unit? I am guessing it just doesnt do well with Motorola Smartzone systems with P25 voice.

So far the only thing I can't seem to hear is the CT State Police. Everything else comes in fine, in fact I'm picking up things farther away than my other scanners can.

Given my area does not have "town" police channels, here and the surrounding towns use state police troops, if I can't hear them, I will be most unhappy.

I have already submitted an Email to the vendor I purchased the SDS100 from since I threw out the shipping box. I do have the actual box and all the stuff inside of that though.

@ems170 You really did not get it to work after playing with it that much? Should I just forget it and return it tomorrow? I really don't want to waste my time playing with Sentinal and all kinds of settings if it will all be for nothing. The fact that this "flagship" unit may not be able to receive the CSP system is both mind boggling as well as frustrating.

A couple of times it stopped on the CSP channel but while the other scanners were broadcasting whatever they were saying, there was no sound coming from the SDS100 at all. I had it right up to my ear in a quiet room (away from the other scanners).

am guessing it just doesnt do well with Motorola Smartzone systems with P25 voice

Isn't this unit supposed to excel at Simulcast decoding and Digital whatnot?

**Update after a few minutes - a couple transmissions ATTEMPTED to come through, but barely legible and they dropped. The BCD325P2 broadcasted the entire transmission without pause.

 

[darkness975]

The only time anything comes in on CSP seems to be when the unit is next to my Laptop ... Don't tell me this thing is using some weird waves from the computer to bounce its signal off of ...

 

[UnidenSupport]

So far the only thing I can't seem to hear is the CT State Police. Everything else comes in fine, in fact I'm picking up things farther away than my other scanners can.

Given my area does not have "town" police channels, here and the surrounding towns use state police troops, if I can't hear them, I will be most unhappy.

I have already submitted an Email to the vendor I purchased the SDS100 from since I threw out the shipping box. I do have the actual box and all the stuff inside of that though.

@ems170 You really did not get it to work after playing with it that much? Should I just forget it and return it tomorrow? I really don't want to waste my time playing with Sentinal and all kinds of settings if it will all be for nothing. The fact that this "flagship" unit may not be able to receive the CSP system is both mind boggling as well as frustrating.

A couple of times it stopped on the CSP channel but while the other scanners were broadcasting whatever they were saying, there was no sound coming from the SDS100 at all. I had it right up to my ear in a quiet room (away from the other scanners).


Isn't this unit supposed to excel at Simulcast decoding and Digital whatnot?

**Update after a few minutes - a couple transmissions ATTEMPTED to come through, but barely legible and they dropped. The BCD325P2 broadcasted the entire transmission without pause.

Preform an update to firmware and database, make sure your law dispatch, tac and talk are on, set squelch to 2, and if need be, create a favorites list of the CSP channels to test. are you still having issues if you do this?

 

[darkness975]

Preform an update to firmware and database, make sure your law dispatch, tac and talk are on, set squelch to 2, and if need be, create a favorites list of the CSP channels to test. are you still having issues if you do this?

Hello,

Yes I had updated the firmware and database the same day I got the scanner. I locked onto the CSP system. All service types are on and squelch is on 2. I made a post with more details in the CT forum so I wouldn't keep hogging up this one.