Wanted a SDS200 but about to settle for BCD536HP. 1st Post

[LeePee43]

I'm tired of waiting for SDS200's to arrive so I'm considering lowering my sights to the BCD536 if it will work in my area. I lives in Eastern Marion Co. Tx. I want to monitor Caddo Parish(P25 Phase2), Bossier Parish(Motorola Type II Smartnet), TxDPS(P25 Phase2) and Marshall, Texas (DMR Tier3 multicast with Motorola TRBO) and Cass County, Tx.

My question arises with the last two systems. Cass Co.. shows dispatch on 155.740 both P25 AND analog. It's loud and clear on my old PRO-106 and says P25. Is multicast same as simulcast in regards to the Marshall Tx. PD?

I live 20 miles from ANYWHERE, so would simulcast (if applicable) be an issue for me as I'm on the edge of ALL these systems?

I am thinking the SDS200 is overkill for my needs but I DO need the TRBO & NXDN keys.

This is my 1st Post here though I've been lurking for months..learning things. I've loved scanning my whole life but never had any good hardware. I broke out my ancient (when scanning was simple) PRO-106 durng the ice storm last month and haven't turned it off since.

 

[KC4ASF]

Unless you have a simulcast problem which I doubt since you are 20 miles from everywhere. A 536 with the upgrades will work for you.

 

[trentbob]

Your 106 is not a phase II capable but I guess you were able to get something. I would certainly count on having a pretty good rooftop antenna set up. The 536 is a very nice radio, getting a little long in the tooth now but I have owned a few since 2014. Just retired my last one. As long as simulcast issues are not a problem with the phase II systems.

 

[TailGator911]

Many will tell you that the SDS100 is overkill for you and your area, but I always tell people to look ahead. The radio world is a dynamic and ever-changing landscape and agencies all over are upgrading and expanding and encrypting, so you never really know what is going to happen. I always say Be Prepared, have the best there is in case you suddenly need it. If you have the cash set aside for the SDS100, it would be well worth your wait. Just sayin...

 

[werinshades]

Be patient...you might regret the 536 if you discover simulcast issues do plague you once it arrives. Then you'll regret buying the DMR & NXDN keys if this is the case.

 

[shanelynn321]

I heard these guys have 1 in stock.

SDS200 - UNIDEN - Base/Mobile Scanner | Hutch and Son

SDS200 Base/Mobile Scanner by Uniden $699.99; Free shipping with orders over $50 at Hutch and Son Industrial Electronics, Evansville, IN

www.hutch-and-son.com

 

[RandyKuff]

For what it's worth...

 

[Patch42]

A quick look through the database shows Caddo Parish is massively simulcast. No way of knowing if this would be a problem in your location without trying it. If it is a problem, you might regret not having more patience.

 

[Ed6698]

I heard these guys have 1 in stock.

SDS200 - UNIDEN - Base/Mobile Scanner | Hutch and Son

SDS200 Base/Mobile Scanner by Uniden $699.99; Free shipping with orders over $50 at Hutch and Son Industrial Electronics, Evansville, IN

www.hutch-and-son.com

I live about 3 miles from this place. Their website has shown 2 in stock for months. When I was ready to buy the SDS200 I went there in January and they had none in stock even though their website says they have them in stock. Best thing is probably to call them before ordering.

 

[LeePee43]

Thank each of you for your thoughts on my situation. Each post voices the exact concerns that I have, and thus my conumdrum...Thank you

 

[hiegtx]

A quick look through the database shows Caddo Parish is massively simulcast. No way of knowing if this would be a problem in your location without trying it. If it is a problem, you might regret not having more patience.

At the OPs distance from Caddo, I doubt that simulcast would be an issue. There are two towers along the Texas/Louisiana border in the northern part of Caddo County, but they are likely to be too far away to cause an issue. The ones farther south, in Caddo parish, are almost certainly out of range.

I'm tired of waiting for SDS200's to arrive so I'm considering lowering my sights to the BCD536 if it will work in my area. I lives in Eastern Marion Co. Tx. I want to monitor Caddo Parish(P25 Phase2), Bossier Parish(Motorola Type II Smartnet), TxDPS(P25 Phase2) and Marshall, Texas (DMR Tier3 multicast with Motorola TRBO) and Cass County, Tx.

My question arises with the last two systems. Cass Co.. shows dispatch on 155.740 both P25 AND analog. It's loud and clear on my old PRO-106 and says P25. Is multicast same as simulcast in regards to the Marshall Tx. PD?[/QUOTE
What you are seeing on Cass County is not "multicast". They show the frequency 155.740 as being used as analog as well as a digital mode (P25). If you look at the license, they are transmitting from only one site, but using the same frequency for analog and digital. But they would only use one mode or the other, not both at the same time.

Marshall, technically, would be a 'simulcast' because there are two sites transmitting the same frequency. But, again, your distance may make that a moot point. The Marshall system may need some additional tweaking. Looking at the site details, I suspect that the LCNs & the color code listed may be just place-keepers, and you might want to run the LCN finder on the site to verify.

I live 20 miles from ANYWHERE, so would simulcast (if applicable) be an issue for me as I'm on the edge of ALL these systems?

Due to your distance, I would tend to think you won't have a simulcast issue.

I am thinking the SDS200 is overkill for my needs but I DO need the TRBO & NXDN keys.

This is my 1st Post here though I've been lurking for months..learning things. I've loved scanning my whole life but never had any good hardware. I broke out my ancient (when scanning was simple) PRO-106 durng the ice storm last month and haven't turned it off since.

For your location, I think the 536HP will do what you want. If you planned to take your scanner with you, when traveling due to business, pleasure, or visiting family or friends, you will almost certainly encounter simulcast at some point, doubly so if your travel takes you to, or through, a larger metro area. If that is the case (travel), then you may still want to hold off for the SDS200. But if travel is not going to be an issue, then you could order a 536HP from a source with a flexible return policy, allowing you to return it without penalty, on the odd chance that simulcast does unexpectedly affect you.

For that scenario, I would advise holding off purchasing the NXDN & DMR upgrades until you are comfortable keeping the 536HP. You don't have to purchase them at the same time as the scanner. Getting direct from Uniden is cheaper than letting your selling dealer apply them Most of the sellers charge $15 or more, per key, than it would cost buying direct, yourself, from Uniden.

While you did not mention it, it looks like you would also be able to receive the TxWARN system that Longview uses. There is a site in Upshur County, near Gilmer.

 

[LeePee43]

A HUGE thanks for the suggestion of Hutch & Sons Industrial Electronics, Evansville, IN. I called and they had one in stock and I just now pulled the trigger and bought it from them! I called first and I'm convinced that I made the right choice and purchased from the right company. Super knowledgeable salesperson who made my entire experience easy in all regards.

I'd also like to thank each and every one who took the time to research my unique geo-situation and offer some very valued opinions. I'm confident that the SDS200 will suit my scanning needs for at least a decade or two.

Many will tell you that the SDS100 is overkill for you and your area, but I always tell people to look ahead. The radio world is a dynamic and ever-changing landscape and agencies all over are upgrading and expanding and encrypting, so you never really know what is going to happen. I always say Be Prepared, have the best there is in case you suddenly need it. If you have the cash set aside for the SDS100, it would be well worth your wait. Just sayin...

Yes Sir, I can remember falling asleep in the late 1970's while listening to Arlington, Tx PD (all freqs) on an old Radio Shack multiband boombox affair...my how times have changed since I moved away in 1983...they are all "E" now including fire, i think. I choose to "Go Big" and maybe I won't get left behind when new federal $'s hit the Ark-La-Tex area for new public safety comms.

 

[Carbuff]

I saw one dealer to have stock week of March 15

 

[palmerjrusa]

A HUGE thanks for the suggestion of Hutch & Sons Industrial Electronics, Evansville, IN. I called and they had one in stock and I just now pulled the trigger and bought it from them! I called first and I'm convinced that I made the right choice and purchased from the right company. Super knowledgeable salesperson who made my entire experience easy in all regards.

I'd also like to thank each and every one who took the time to research my unique geo-situation and offer some very valued opinions. I'm confident that the SDS200 will suit my scanning needs for at least a decade or two.


Yes Sir, I can remember falling asleep in the late 1970's while listening to Arlington, Tx PD (all freqs) on an old Radio Shack multiband boombox affair...my how times have changed since I moved away in 1983...they are all "E" now including fire, i think. I choose to "Go Big" and maybe I won't get left behind when new federal $'s hit the Ark-La-Tex area for new public safety comms.

Enjoy, the SDS200 is a terrific scanner!
The free Uniden software is also pretty good and worth the time getting to know. I bought 3rd party software for my SDS200 but found myself using the Uniden software more than anything.

 

[LeePee43]

The SDS 200 arrived last night and I was up til 2am doing the usual things like learning how to make a spare micro SD Card with my newly purchased HP Stream running Windows 10. Many settings to c change and hoops to jump thru....A HUGE SHOUT-OUT to ShaneLynn321 for suggesting Hutch & Sons Electronics. My new scanner arrived timely and in perfect shape and doesn't seesm to have any issues. I am 1000% satisfied and now so begins the journey as a newly SDS 200 owner.

 

[TailGator911]

Congrats and hope you have fun with it. The learning curve can be intimidating, so if you have any questions just know that there are quite a few helpful folks here willing to help you out 😀

 

[slayer816]

You're going to be glad you went with the SDS. Last time I took the HP2 to Caddo, it did not like the new P25 system. The portable SDR capabilities are why I still have one. It's very good at some things, SDS### does better in NWLA.

 

[LeePee43]

You're going to be glad you went with the SDS. Last time I took the HP2 to Caddo, it did not like the new P25 system. The portable SDR capabilities are why I still have one. It's very good at some things, SDS### does better in NWLA.

I am so very glad that I got my SDS 200. It handles Caddo Parish simulcast nearly perfectly at my location in Smithland, Tx and when I go mobile to Marshall, Atlanta, etc. I've got all my FL's and QK's set up just exactly as I want them and the day it arrived back in March, I stopped by Faith Communications, (they are the Marshall division of Shreport Communications & maintain several agencies comms), and purchased a Motorola mag-mount antenna. The mag-mount is the same antenna used on Marshall PD & Harrison Co. S.O. cars and works PERFECTLY with the SDS 200. I can't sing enough praises about my SDS 200.

 

[LeePee43]

Congrats and hope you have fun with it. The learning curve can be intimidating, so if you have any questions just know that there are quite a few helpful folks here willing to help you out 😀

After manually programming my old PRO-106, the sentinel software and the SDS 200 was a breeze to use for the most part. The hardest part was me sitting in my Camaro SS in the McDonald's parking lot the day I got it and updated firmware and downloaded copy of the database...lol. I had a handwritten basic outline of how I wanted to set it up, so all I needed was a better understanding of how QK's work. I give all the credit to RR and all the great help everyone is on here, and all the hours I spent reading older threads to kinda see what was going on and how I wanted to lay it out. Now, I feel the need to learn about discovering and TG's that aren't in the database yet for Caddo Parish and Marshall Tx MOTOTRBO Tier 3 CAP+ system

 

[hiegtx]

After manually programming my old PRO-106, the sentinel software and the SDS 200 was a breeze to use for the most part. The hardest part was me sitting in my Camaro SS in the McDonald's parking lot the day I got it and updated firmware and downloaded copy of the database...lol. I had a handwritten basic outline of how I wanted to set it up, so all I needed was a better understanding of how QK's work. I give all the credit to RR and all the great help everyone is on here, and all the hours I spent reading older threads to kinda see what was going on and how I wanted to lay it out. Now, I feel the need to learn about discovering and TG's that aren't in the database yet for Caddo Parish and Marshall Tx MOTOTRBO Tier 3 CAP+ system

For Caddo Parish, take the decimal talkgroup ID from their old system:

Caddo Parish (Motorola) Trunking System, Shreveport, Louisiana

Caddo Parish (Motorola) Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

Divide that by 16 to get the corresponding TGID on the new system:

Caddo Parish Trunking System, Shreveport, Louisiana

Caddo Parish Trunking System Profile

www.radioreference.com

Example:
On the old system, Caddo Fire District 1 had TGID 24240

24240

5eb

A

CP FPD 1 OPS

Caddo Fire District 1

Divide that by 16 to get the TGID on the P25 Phase II system

1515

5eb

T

CP FPD 1 Ops

Fire District 1 - Dispatch

For Marshall, when scanning that system in a Favorites list, set the system to use ID Search instead of ID Scan. Any new talkgroups, that are not programmed, would be received, but you'd only see the TGID, not a text tag. (For talkgroups that are programmed, you will see the TGID as well as the text tag programmed.)