100 vs 200 in mobile environment

Status
Not open for further replies.

BoxAlarm187

Level 6 RR Member (Since 1998)
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Mar 19, 2003
Messages
1,710
Location
Old Dominion
Hey folks...

Looking for some first-person feedback from those who spend as much time in the car as I do and may have had a chance to use the 100 and/or 200 in a mobile application.

Background: I've been scanning since the late 1980's, and haven't owned a handheld scanner in 20+ years - I use base/mobile units in the car and in my shack. I've recently purchased a 2019 Durango, and while I could purchase a Havis console to replace the center console so I can drop in a SDS200 and a couple of XPR's, I'd like to explore the idea of using a SDS100 and saving some time and money.

What are others experiences with the SDS100 in the car - audio, GPS reliability, long-term power for hours-long trips, etc?

Thanks!
 

RBMTS

Active Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2002
Messages
1,095
Hey there! Long time no talk to. I miss Virginia.

I have both. Hopefully these comments will help.

SDS200 Positives
Larger display - easier to read when glancing during driving.
Better audio (IMHO). The audio is louder and a bit deeper due to the larger speaker. It also seems to sound better if you connect via BT device and pushing audio through you vehicle stereo.
Easier keyboard to use when mobile.
If you plan to use GPS, the GPS antenna is a small box that you can easily velcro to the case or remote.
The only negative I would say is that the speaker is bottom firing so that can be a problem depending on how you mount it or set it on a seat.

SDS100 Positives
Much smaller and easily placed in holders (like a vent mount).
Easier to put into locations that make it easier to view and operate.
Unplug and carry it with you. Especially convenient if your car is parked outside in public places and you want to hide it.
Very convenient to use if you want to move from vehicle to vehicle (which is the main reason I purchased the 100).

SDS100 Negatives
The starndard GPS setup requires a separate antenna, a cable that attaches to the radio and power (or interface box on newer Uniden packages).
The option is to send it to a could of the members on the board here that can put an internal GPS in.
Lower audio and small speaker. A bit tinny (IMHO). It isn't the best for a noisy mobile environment.

Some people may take exception to my comments. Again these are just my opinions.
 

iMONITOR

Silent Key
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Sep 20, 2006
Messages
11,156
Location
S.E. Michigan
Simulcast was never a big problem at my home base and just about any P25 scanner does very well. Although I'll admit I finally gave in and bought a SDS200. Simulcast has always been a problem for my area while driving. I haven't put the SDS200 on the road because I have no where to mount it and I don't want to damage it. How does the SDS100 perform in problematic area while driving?
 

hiegtx

Mentor
Premium Subscriber
Joined
May 8, 2004
Messages
11,172
Location
Dallas, TX
Simulcast was never a big problem at my home base and just about any P25 scanner does very well. Although I'll admit I finally gave in and bought a SDS200. Simulcast has always been a problem for my area while driving. I haven't put the SDS200 on the road because I have no where to mount it and I don't want to damage it. How does the SDS100 perform in problematic area while driving?
While I don't have simulcast issues at home (for the time being), I often do travel to and/or through areas where simulcast is an issue. The SDS100 has no problems in any of the areas I go, but if I also have my 436HP, it will have problems and miss some calls in the heavy simulcast locations. The 325P2 has more problems than the 436HP, and in my experience, the TRX-1 is worse than the 325P2. When I first received the SDS100, I made it a point to test it in areas locally where simulcast problems were most noted either down in the Texas forum, or on the local metro area scan group.
 

IndyScan

Always Connected...
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
218
Location
Fishers, IN
I've been using my SDS100 mobile quite a bit. Agree with everything thats been said thus far. The GPS setup is a little clumsy but it works. I ended up digging out one of my old GE mobile speakers I used with my Ham equipment back in the day & it makes a big difference. Using a powered speaker would probably work better & I'm going to try using either a BT Dongle or a line in cable to run it through the stereo (just for giggles).

Unfortunately my mounting options are slim so I've been using the cup-holder until I can get something 3D printed for testing. Vent Mounts don't work very well. They are vertical & at odd angles (Subaru). I have a lot of simulcasting in the area & it's never been an issue.
 

ofd8001

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Feb 6, 2004
Messages
7,891
Location
Louisville, KY
I'm not a fun of using a portable in a mobile environment, though financial considerations can be the deciding factor. The reception is degraded for remote systems, so an external antenna is needed. Then, road noise, especially at highway speeds is challenging, so an external speaker is helpful. By the time you add a charging cable and GPS cabling, that is a lot of wire spaghetti.
 

APX8000

Sarcastic Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2004
Messages
4,230
Location
AES-256 secured
Get the 200 and the Havis console for the Durango and fill it up with toys. Don’t forgot to drill holes in the roof too. A coworker just got a brand new Durango for work and has an SDS-200 and APX8500 in it. Looks damn sexy in my opinion.
 

BoxAlarm187

Level 6 RR Member (Since 1998)
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Mar 19, 2003
Messages
1,710
Location
Old Dominion
Get the 200 and the Havis console for the Durango and fill it up with toys. Don’t forgot to drill holes in the roof too.

I do some fleet management, so I've recently placed two SSV Durangos in service with full Havis consoles, the install was one of the cleanest I've done in quite some time. I just really like the OEM console, but I'm not so attached to it that I couldn't take it out.
 

jonwienke

More Info Coming Soon!
Joined
Jul 18, 2014
Messages
13,416
Location
VA
The SDS200 has a larger display and more audio volume, but the SDS100 will fit in smaller spaces and has a battery backup to keep the scanner running when you start the vehicle. If your vehicle is noisy, the SDS200 is the best option. If space is at a premium, get thte SDS100. RF performance is pretty similar.

I like the RAM finger grip mount for the SDS100.
 

ShyFlyer

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Apr 25, 2013
Messages
640
Location
Colorado
I have the SDS100 mounted in my Mazda CX5. Previously, it was the 436. There is simply no way to mount the SDS200 without a true remote head.

Having a portable, external speakers are a must. I had been using the Uniden BC23A which is an excellent speaker, but presents an issue (depending on how many 12v power ports you have) if you don't want to wire it in directly to the vehicle's power. I replaced it with a pair of USB powered computer speakers. The goal was to power both the speakers and the scanner off of the same USB 12v adapter, but there wasn't quite enough power. Audio wise, though, these little things do quite a good job. On par with Uniden's speaker but far less wiring to deal with and easier to mount due to their size.

As far as GPS goes, I haven't had any sort of issues. I had the 436 modified by jonwienke with an internal chip and it performed very well inside a vehicle. For the SDS, I'm using the BC-UTGC cable with a GlobalSat BR-355S4 puck. The puck is tucked in under the passenger seat and I've never experienced a loss of sat lock that would effect my scanning. So glad I got that before the BC-SGPS was the only option.

Still, it's a bunch of wires.
 

BoxAlarm187

Level 6 RR Member (Since 1998)
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Mar 19, 2003
Messages
1,710
Location
Old Dominion
Still, it's a bunch of wires.

Excellent, many thanks. This is some of the real-world talk that helps. The amount of wires is a concern to me, I've always been particular (to a fault) about clean mobile installs.
 

doctorbubba010

Learner
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
37
Location
NC/SC
Oh man! @buddrousa you must share pictures of your setup! What are you using to do so? A triplexer. Very curious on your rig. Sounds like a very serious set up.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top