Came over from the dark side

Status
Not open for further replies.

fasteddy64

Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2005
Messages
713
Location
Gulfport, MS
So After spending about three months trying to love my SDS100 I decided to sell it. With the proceeds I was able to by a TRX-1 and a WS-1098 with quite a bit left over. So far for me it has been a very smart move.
I had used a Uniden 436 prior and liked it a lot, and also a Home Patrol II which I still have and like but there was just something about the SDS100 that made me not happy. My complaints were poor audio from the internal speaker, slow scan speed, I never could get the display set up to my liking and the price.

For what I spent the two new (to me, both were used) seem much better suited to my liking.
I really like the EZScan software over the Uniden Sentinel.

Thanks for reading my pointless rant, I am just happy to be here.

Ed
KG5UN
Abilene, TX
 

RaleighGuy

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 15, 2014
Messages
13,117
Location
Raleigh, NC
@fasteddy64 glad you found something you are happy with. I was a Radio Shack fan before falling in love with my TRX-1 and WS-1098 (like you) but I do not consider Uniden the darkside. This hobby is about what works for you (and your budget), and all flavors of monitoring are welcome.
 

fasteddy64

Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2005
Messages
713
Location
Gulfport, MS
@fasteddy64 glad you found something you are happy with. I was a Radio Shack fan before falling in love with my TRX-1 and WS-1098 (like you) but I do not consider Uniden the darkside. This hobby is about what works for you (and your budget), and all flavors of monitoring are welcome.
Thanks, my calling them the darkside was a little tongue in cheek I suppose. I know the SDS100 is a good scanner, a Godsend to some but for me it just wasnt worth the price. I still have a Home Partol II a 780 and a 785 in the stable so I am not a Uniden hater at all, I am just really impressed and pleased with my new Whistler acquisitions!
 

pgates

Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2007
Messages
30
Location
Bryan, TX
Welcome, KG5UN. I have used Uniden radios, Radio Shack and GRE. I still have my GRE PSR-500 and really love it. It's really worn from use! I also have two Whistler TRX-2 receivers that I really enjoy. One in the car and one at home. I hope Whistler is able to maintain their line of scanning receivers or add to it. I'm concerned that the Whistler online store shows their entire line sold out. Lack of manufacturing is what spelled the end of GRE. :eek: Hopefully, they are just re-tooling or re-negotiating.
 

RaleighGuy

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 15, 2014
Messages
13,117
Location
Raleigh, NC
I'm concerned that the Whistler online store shows their entire line sold out. Lack of manufacturing is what spelled the end of GRE. :eek: Hopefully, they are just re-tooling or re-negotiating.

Likewise, though, the SDS is in very limited supply right now as well, @ScannerMasterSupport said within days of getting the last shipment they were gone. Demand is high now tyhanks to people sitting at home amd all the craziness in the streets, and supply is limited due to the pandemic around the world. @Whistler_Support has said in another thread they intend to continue to support the scanner line.
 

Bob1955

Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2016
Messages
788
Location
Eastchester, NY
@fasteddy64 glad you found something you are happy with. I was a Radio Shack fan before falling in love with my TRX-1 and WS-1098 (like you) but I do not consider Uniden the darkside. This hobby is about what works for you (and your budget), and all flavors of monitoring are welcome.
Uniden America Corporation is NOT on the "dark" side but the SDS-100 has had "many" reported tinny speaker audio quality complains. This model suffers the "WORST" at a price tag of $649.95 and absolutely zero excuses on Uniden America's part too. I was reading so many more negative reviews online last night on the SDS-100 such as poor design with the larger battery pack and how the scanner overheats too when in use and a overall poor bulky design to carry around.
Also, on the HP-436/536 models with poor VHF/UHF sensitivity . The clear winner was the Bearcat BCD-996P2 and I will quote what the reviewer said:
"I think the Uniden BCD-996P2 digital mobile/base scanner is the best on this list. Not only is it known for being fairly easy to use, but it is packed with great features that make it a wonderful option for both beginners and more advanced users. Thanks to the larger display screen, you can easily see information about the frequency you're tuned into. It is compatible with your GPS, making it great for you taking on the road, if desired. Additionally, the 100 quick key system access ensures that you can quickly and easily fine tune into any frequency without any delays, so you get the information that you need right away".
 

fasteddy64

Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2005
Messages
713
Location
Gulfport, MS
Uniden America Corporation is NOT on the "dark" side but the SDS-100 has had "many" reported tinny speaker audio quality complains. This model suffers the "WORST" at a price tag of $649.95 and absolutely zero excuses on Uniden America's part too. I was reading so many more negative reviews online last night on the SDS-100 such as poor design with the larger battery pack and how the scanner overheats too when in use and a overall poor bulky design to carry around.
Also, on the HP-436/536 models with poor VHF/UHF sensitivity . The clear winner was the Bearcat BCD-996P2 and I will quote what the reviewer said:
"I think the Uniden BCD-996P2 digital mobile/base scanner is the best on this list. Not only is it known for being fairly easy to use, but it is packed with great features that make it a wonderful option for both beginners and more advanced users. Thanks to the larger display screen, you can easily see information about the frequency you're tuned into. It is compatible with your GPS, making it great for you taking on the road, if desired. Additionally, the 100 quick key system access ensures that you can quickly and easily fine tune into any frequency without any delays, so you get the information that you need right away".
The main reason I keep my Home Patrol II is the ease of using it on the road with the GPS, I love that feature.
 

trentbob

W3BUX- Bucks County, PA
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Feb 22, 2007
Messages
5,604
So After spending about three months trying to love my SDS100 I decided to sell it. With the proceeds I was able to by a TRX-1 and a WS-1098 with quite a bit left over. So far for me it has been a very smart move.
I had used a Uniden 436 prior and liked it a lot, and also a Home Patrol II which I still have and like but there was just something about the SDS100 that made me not happy. My complaints were poor audio from the internal speaker, slow scan speed, I never could get the display set up to my liking and the price.

For what I spent the two new (to me, both were used) seem much better suited to my liking.
I really like the EZScan software over the Uniden Sentinel.

Thanks for reading my pointless rant, I am just happy to be here.

Ed
KG5UN
Abilene, TX
And I remember your thread about trading your 100 in... If I remember correctly you said that you do not have to listen to any p2 simulcast systems in your area.

I've always liked the GRE rebranded radios. The technology is long in the tooth but the addition of a keyboard to the psr-800 which should have always had one anyway was very nice.

Unfortunately my area in the Northeast is mostly P2 simulcast tdma. Our last type II smartzone 500 megahertz system just switched over last week. If I didn't need the P2 simulcast performance then the TRX would be my go-to radio and I would definitely prefer it over anything else. I like the size and I like the display. I removed the spare tire from the radio the first day I had it and never put it back on LOL.

Unfortunately it doesn't work a lick on my simulcast systems with distortion due to LSM and I've tried all the adjustments dozens of times.

The fact that you don't need the simulcast reception is great and I'm sure your new whistlers will serve you well... If your area ever converts you can cross that bridge when you get to it.

Enjoy your radios!... Bob.
 

DJ11DLN

Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2013
Messages
2,068
Location
Mudhole, IN
It's all about what works best for your purposes and what fits best with your personal preferences. I lean towards GRE/Whistler because I like them, find them easy to use & program, like the audio quality better...and most important, have no LSM to deal with here at home.

But that takes nothing away from Uniden. As others have said many times, it's akin to a "Ford vs Chevy" or "Miller vs Bud" thing.
 

gmclam

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Sep 15, 2006
Messages
6,335
Location
Fair Oaks, CA
As you can see from my tag line, I am a GRE guy. And when I needed a Phase II capable scanner, the only thing I could reasonably find from "GRE" was the TRX-1 (or TRX-2). Short version of long story; I went on a trip in the Pacific Northwest running the TRX side by side with my PSR-500 and the TRX was lacking a LOT. Sure it could receive Phase II that the PSR couldn't, but I ran into tons of issues.

Fast forward a year and I bought an SDS-100. I took a similar trip to the Pacific Northwest as the prior year and had a completely different experience. There were locations I was glad to be listening with the PSR-500 (or PSR-310) and places I was glad to be listening with the SDS-100.

It pointed out to me that I clearly need BOTH scanner models to get best reception of all I want to monitor. I was in rural areas where most signals are VHF conventional analog and the PSR models performed on top. But when in a metro area, especially with a trunked system, regardless of whether analog, digital, Phase I or Phase II; I enjoyed the SDS-100 more. I especially like the 24 character alpha tags on the SDS, but hate the user interface and how the LED "works". Perhaps the line should read "most scanners matter". lol
 

WB9YBM

Active Member
Joined
May 6, 2019
Messages
1,390
Poor audio's definitely something I can relate to; I've got plenty of radios with varying degrees of that problem. I blame it on those itty-bitty speakers that need to be used because radios have shrunk so much in physical size. I've looked at, and had luck with, a few different options. The cheapest approach was using an external speaker I found in my parts bin, and used an empty tissue box as a baffle. Moving upward from that, there are a few extension speakers sold for C.B.s that sound reasonably well; the best I've found is using one bookshelf-sized speaker from a stereo...Maybe there's something in there that could help in your case?
 

KMG54

Active Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Apr 24, 2011
Messages
1,255
Hehe, I went the other way, have nothing but updated Pro 18 and 668. They work great and love them. But wanted something for airband and the Unidin 125 AT stood out, found one on facebook used and was skeptical, until I saw who the seller was. Bob Grove! Hopefully will be on the way in the morning.
 

fasteddy64

Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2005
Messages
713
Location
Gulfport, MS
Hehe, I went the other way, have nothing but updated Pro 18 and 668. They work great and love them. But wanted something for airband and the Unidin 125 AT stood out, found one on facebook used and was skeptical, until I saw who the seller was. Bob Grove! Hopefully will be on the way in the morning.
Good choice! I have a BCT15X and the BCT125 both dedicated to airband, military and civilian.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top