First off this NOT a battle between radios on which is better but rather a curiosity I had to fully use the range and features between them with each having different technologies. A big event takes place each Labor Day weekend which is an Air Show here in Cleveland. Many systems are utilized across the whole scanners spectrum and are in use: AM, VHF-UHF, MIL-AIR P- 25, Vendors, police , fire, control tower ect.ect. you get the picture. I used a HP436 and a SDS100 which both had all current updates, paid upgrades, programed the same , had Remtronics antennas and a cheat sheet to remember where everything was and fully charged batteries to start with and a extra set of enloop pro AA`s for the 436 when needed and used a ear bud in each ear during the acts because it's to noisy to turn up speaker volume and also to conserve battery power and it kinda sounded in stereo at times! Both radios performed effortlessly and nearly identical for the entire show but did alternate between the two once I was satisfied they were both nearly the same. Had no issues on AM or monitoring the MIL-AIR frequencies for those planes or jets with their performances. Also heard was PD for traffic control, Vendors needing more ice, volunteers on GMRS & some kids on FRS, EMS at the first aid station, even heard a CB Trucker on the highway somewhere, Air Boss with the flybys and a lot more. Once again both radios locked on all the different frequencies or systems mostly simultaneously but many times hearing two different things. The batteries on both lasted the entire show which was about 4 1/2 hours. The SDS 100 did perform much better on the simulcast and Marcs systems with more heard. Also off and on between acts I very briefly scanned around to try and catch something else in the area and I heard the steel mills EDACS system and their railway DMR system, the maintance crews on the Cleveland Indians NXDN system plus anything else I had programmed in as those radios can hold tons of stuff. The 100`s battery finally died so got just under 5hrs use, wish I had a spare available.
The following day with fresh charged batteries and 22 miles from the show was able to hear the Blue Angles and Golden Knight parachute team only while in the Air doing their performances. The Angles radio talk during their show is quite entertaining!! I'm sure there are some You Tube vids. Plus the radios can record that stuff so you can listen in the winter when the snow is flying!
I got all my info here on Radio Reference and it took some time and effort to program it all but the payoff was I got great pleasure and was well entertained and very much satisfied with both radios for all they do..... so ......while I get YMMV the point to be made here is both are great radios, both do a LOT but not possibly everything and just program as many things as you can for your area or events or vacation spots with things that interest you or maybe stuff not so much but ultimately be PATIENT and HAPPY with your radio for what it does do but most of all have FUN and ENJOY the hobby !!! It's a lot less stressful than crabbin about it all the time !!
The following day with fresh charged batteries and 22 miles from the show was able to hear the Blue Angles and Golden Knight parachute team only while in the Air doing their performances. The Angles radio talk during their show is quite entertaining!! I'm sure there are some You Tube vids. Plus the radios can record that stuff so you can listen in the winter when the snow is flying!
I got all my info here on Radio Reference and it took some time and effort to program it all but the payoff was I got great pleasure and was well entertained and very much satisfied with both radios for all they do..... so ......while I get YMMV the point to be made here is both are great radios, both do a LOT but not possibly everything and just program as many things as you can for your area or events or vacation spots with things that interest you or maybe stuff not so much but ultimately be PATIENT and HAPPY with your radio for what it does do but most of all have FUN and ENJOY the hobby !!! It's a lot less stressful than crabbin about it all the time !!
