Audio Hum Problem From Sr. Citizen Question. Fixed Now ? (SDS200)

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BOBRR

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Boston, MA
Hello,

Sr. Citizen now, very, and am seriously thinking about getting
back into the hobby. Had a 996 and a 436 in the past.

I would like to purchase the SDS200, but-

The unit is quite expensive. Re the Audio hum problem I've read about-

At my age now, the last thing I want to do, particularly at this price level, is
to immediately have to send what I purchase back to Uniden for repair, or open the case and do some kind
of repair, irrespective of how "easy" it is, and then again when a new part that i would have to request finally shows up.

Just want it to work, as one would expect, right from the box. Particularly at $700+

So, may I please ask:

Are the new units being shipped totally fixed regarding this audio hum problem ?

Any idea what >S/N I should make sure of getting ?

Any other "problems" with these units I should know about ?

Thoughts on would be most appreciated.

Much thanks,
appreciate the help,
Bob
 

RadioSc

Doesn't play well with others
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Bob hopefully someone on here who Has a SDS 200 can help you. Myself i have a SDS 100 that i currently bought back in late june.(it's currently in the shop). It was a newer model. due to battery being small and not holding charge long. But on Bearcat Warehouse they have mpdels that are described as new versions. Look for new models when you shop.

Look for serial number that starts with a 9 after the letter Z i think. If not 9 then 8. The number after Z is the year of manufacture
 

trentbob

W3BUX- Bucks County, PA
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There is an active thread right now in the Uniden Tavern you should check out and participate in. (y)
 

TailGator911

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Very few units have the hum, most do not. I have purchased three SDS200s now (one a gift) and have two myself and none of them have the hum. Those with the hum voice their concerns here so it seems like a lot but the defective scanners are in the minority here. Have to admit, when purchasing mine I held my breath when I turned them on for the first time but no hum here, both using the Uniden BC20 external speaker and without. I know several people back home that have purchased the SDS200 (two on my recommendation) and neither had the hum. One guy I recommended on a weekly net and his had the hum, returned it and got one without the hum. I talked to a Uniden technician about this when I tried to order a battery clip for my SDS100 and he concurred that a small minority of purchased scanners were returned for a hum issue. He could not or would not give me details or numbers but assured me they were definitely in the minority and the majority of SDS200 scanners were hum free without complaints. You can go to the active thread where several people are posting that they have the hum, but they are few and I did not allow their postings to deter me and I am happy that I did not. It is a great scanner and I hope you decide to buy it.

JD
kf4anc
 

trentbob

W3BUX- Bucks County, PA
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Very few units have the hum, most do not. I have purchased three SDS200s now (one a gift) and have two myself and none of them have the hum. Those with the hum voice their concerns here so it seems like a lot but the defective scanners are in the minority here. Have to admit, when purchasing mine I held my breath when I turned them on for the first time but no hum here, both using the Uniden BC20 external speaker and without. I know several people back home that have purchased the SDS200 (two on my recommendation) and neither had the hum. One guy I recommended on a weekly net and his had the hum, returned it and got one without the hum. I talked to a Uniden technician about this when I tried to order a battery clip for my SDS100 and he concurred that a small minority of purchased scanners were returned for a hum issue. He could not or would not give me details or numbers but assured me they were definitely in the minority and the majority of SDS200 scanners were hum free without complaints. You can go to the active thread where several people are posting that they have the hum, but they are few and I did not allow their postings to deter me and I am happy that I did not. It is a great scanner and I hope you decide to buy it.

JD
kf4anc
That is Sage advice, of course if you do make the purchase make sure that there is a return policy with no questions asked so you can just return the radio if you're not satisfied.

There are still two different camps here and we really don't know the exact numbers other than what vendors or support staff say.

I use and maintain 4 200s, all four have the hum, two are used in a busy, noisy Newsroom and I did redo the mitigation procedure properly on all four with reinforcements of the copper tape and making sure the inner cover is properly tightened. There is also an adjustment on the radio that will quiet the hum until a transmission is made then you hear it.

Again I don't think anyone knows the true odds or statistics but there is again, two separate camps.

The latest thread on the tavern addresses the hum being fixed but then returning.

Here's a question for you? What do you listen to? Is it a lot of P2 simulcast Transmissions? If so, the SDS series keeps right up with LSM affected simulcast as well as the pagers and dedicated radios.

You say that you had a 996 and x 36. If you don't need to hear P2 simulcast Transmissions you might want to go with one of them again. Maybe you would consider an SDS 100 at less money and no roll of the dice.

Whatever you do make sure to get it from a reputable company that has a return policy.
 

Joe_Blough

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Even with the part installed and the hum reduced or mitigated, the hum is coming back after a week or a month. At this point there has not been a real fix.
 

BOBRR

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Hello,

Just a quick thanks.
Appreciate the help.
Please do keep me advised if anything changes.

How can a supposedly reputable outfit like Uniden sell "any" of them knowing
about the problem before it is Fully fixed ?

Hard to understand.

Bob
 

werinshades

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Hello,

Just a quick thanks.
Appreciate the help.
Please do keep me advised if anything changes.

How can a supposedly reputable outfit like Uniden sell "any" of them knowing
about the problem before it is Fully fixed ?

Hard to understand.

Bob

Hi Bob...happy OWNER of an SDS 200 and SDS 100 and alot of other Unidens. The "hum" you asked about is an actual "processor noise" and does not make the scanner unusable by any stretch. If you're researching this and you have P25 simulcast issues, you'll be very happy with the performance. Many firmware updates have been available for download to improve analog transmissions. Most scanners are now shipping with the mitigation part installed so you won't have to open up the scanner. In one of the updates, a feature was provided in the Settings called "Set Audio Off Time" which resolves any additional noise you might encounter. If you do decide to purchase this scanner, utilize all the tools provided. As it was mentioned, purchase from a dealer with a return policy in case you're not satisfied. Be careful when you seek out opinions...as the saying goes "an opinion is like an a**hole, everyone has one".
 

Joe_Blough

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So the hum doesn't really exist, it's just an opinion? Why not be honest and tell him most ship with the mitigation part installed but the hum comes back in a week or a month so he will have to get in and bend the part.
 

iMONITOR

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Bought mine here in San Diego at Ham Radio Outlet. Got three SDS200 and no hum...Lucky I am!

Yes you are! I bought one and had to return it. I'd buy it again if I could be certain it had no issues. Mine had both the noise problem as well as the dim back-light on the keypad. In addition to that I started reading about the flickering screens. :unsure:
 

belvdr

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I got burned on my last four Uniden purchases and was looking forward to the SDS releases, but with all their problems I passed. The Unication G4 is working for me. Good luck which ever way you go.
If the Unication had a headphone jack, I would have gone that direction too. However, I have not had any issue with my 100. The latest firmware really fixed VHF/UHF in my area. I'm just glad we have options to choose from.
 

werinshades

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So the hum doesn't really exist, it's just an opinion? Why not be honest and tell him most ship with the mitigation part installed but the hum comes back in a week or a month so he will have to get in and bend the part.

I think this sentence sums it up pretty well..."As it was mentioned, purchase from a dealer with a return policy in case you're not satisfied.".
 

W8RMH

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If the Unication had a headphone jack, I would have gone that direction too. However, I have not had any issue with my 100. The latest firmware really fixed VHF/UHF in my area. I'm just glad we have options to choose from.
Glad it's working out for you. I'd like to have one but due to recent medical problems the money is not there.
 

BOBRR

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Boston, MA
Hello,

Regarding the Firmware "fix," for the SDS200:
"Set Audio Off Time" which resolves any additional noise you might encounter.

Shutting the audio amp off between msgs sounds like a good idea. Is it ?

But what happens when a transmission is actually being received; is the audio simply over
the hum, and you are hearing both ?

Or in a practical sense, the audio generally "wipes out" the hum when listening ?

Bob
 

trentbob

W3BUX- Bucks County, PA
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On the four 200s that I operate, depending on the volume and the ambient environment you can hear the hum during a transmission.

Some people have reported clipped Transmissions, I have not experienced that. You will also want to turn off the key beeps as there are delays in the sound.

One thing to keep in mind it seems like each radio has a different level of the noise I guess secondary to the success of the mitigation device?

One of the radios I redid the mitigation device on had a 90% reduction in the hum, for a while.

If you are in a quiet environment the firmware fix keeps the radio quiet. Whether you hear the hum during a transmission depends on the characteristics of the transmission.

Just my two cents. I'll skedaddle now before the attacks begin hahaha.
 

belvdr

No longer interested in living
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Glad it's working out for you. I'd like to have one but due to recent medical problems the money is not there.
It's crazy how the unit is very sensitive to the environment it is operated in. I hope your medical issues get worked out quickly.
 
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