SDS-100 monitoring FRCC (Video)

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abqscan

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Here is a video of the SDS-100 monitoring the FRCC North Metro Simulcast site. Also staring in the video is the BCD436HP and Unication G4. All radios have only the single site programmed in and all have the same talk groups in their scan list.



I made the recording at DIA and it is extremely difficult to receive systems on scanners due to the numerous cell sites and other DASs. The 436 clearly shows the struggles of simulcast decoding!





https://youtu.be/x4ByQXkDmms
 

rckydenver

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Nice video Erik, I guess the BCD436HP wasn't working up to par on the FRCC. After seeing your video's I maybe getting one. I'm in need of a phase 2 scanner I only have phase one scanners.
 

ScannerSK

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It would be interesting to know whether the 436 has the same difficulty with a non-simulcast site at that location? The 436 appears to be receiving the control channel as DAT is flashing in the screen however it does not appear to be attempting to tune in the voice frequencies.

From my tests on the Weld simulcast and SW Weld simulcast control channels, the 436 and SDS100 are nearly identical when it comes to decoding simulcast transmissions in non-RF overload prone environments. I would have to conclude from my experiments and this video that the main problem with the 436 is that it suffers tremendously from RF overload compared to the other two radios.

Shawn
 

jonwienke

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From my tests on the Weld simulcast and SW Weld simulcast control channels, the 436 and SDS100 are nearly identical when it comes to decoding simulcast transmissions in non-RF overload prone environments. I would have to conclude from my experiments and this video that the main problem with the 436 is that it suffers tremendously from RF overload compared to the other two radios.

I highly doubt your problem is actually overload. I live in the shadow of a cell/pager tower, and have a ST-2 30 feet up with a clear line of sight to the tower, and no filters in my coax. And no troubles with overload. The 436 will pick up simulcast OK if one tower has a stronger signal than the others, but when there are multiple signals of more or less equal strength, it will struggle.
 

ScannerSK

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SDS-100 vs BCD436HP in the same spot monitoring DTRS Lookout site.
https://youtu.be/1omfbIwFWgY

Thank you for the videos. The above video certainly appears to confirm my suspicions. The BCD436HP at times does terrible processing even non-simulcast sites while in RF rich overload prone environments. This was the main problem I experienced during my tests with the 436 as well. The 436 would lose the control channel in RF prone environments and then act as if it was deaf to the control channel while the SDS100 did not experience the same problem. The SDS100 if it did lose the control channel at any time would quickly regain it once again unlike the 436.

Thank you once again! My plans are to keep the SDS100 and find a new home for the 436.

Shawn
 
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