Dayton/Xenia, Ohio Area, is a Uniden SDS 100/200 worth it, vs 996p2

[dwayne0564]

Hello,

Live in Greene County, have a 996p2 to monitor, just wondering if anyone in the area, can tell me, would it be a difference ( worth the price) to do the upgrade,
I have a 436hp and a 996p2 now, listening to Dayton/Montgomery County's is a lost cause, but wondering if it would make a difference. with the P25 in Greene
County. and have about given up on my Whistler's 1080 and 1088 for monitoring, my pro 197 does a better job, or even my 396T

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

Being that everything in Greene County is P25 Phase-I I doubt you'd notice any difference with an SDS100 versus the other models you mentioned. Where the SDS's really shine is with Phase-II TDMA systems, particularly where the system is simulcast on every cell. Have a read about simulcast distortion

 

[mikewazowski]

Pretty sure Greene County is simulcast so the SDS series would be the better choice.

Phase I or Phase II has no bearing on whether a system is simulcast or not.

I'm going to move your thread to the Ohio forum so a local can chime in.

 

[Nasby]

Greene County is very tricky without using an SDS scanner. I've tried many times with all sorts of models.

Best bet is to sell the lot of scanners you have (since they don't work work anyway) and get an SDS.

Otherwise, you've got a nice collection of scanners that are nice to look at it but not much good for anything else.

 

[dwayne0564]

Pretty sure Greene County is simulcast so the SDS series would be the better choice.

Phase I or Phase II has no bearing on whether a system is simulcast or not.

I'm going to move your thread to the Ohio forum so a local can chime in.

Thank you

 

[dwayne0564]

Greene County is very tricky without using an SDS scanner. I've tried many times with all sorts of models.

Best bet is to sell the lot of scanners you have (since they don't work work anyway) and get an SDS.

Otherwise, you've got a nice collection of scanners that are nice to look at it but not much good for anything else.

Are you in the Montgomery County area, I'm sure a SDS200 wouldn't help me there either,
Thanks for the input.

 

[x9TOM27]

For solid performance on Ohio MARCS and in a very small package, check out the Unication G4.

 

[baj76]

For solid performance on Ohio MARCS and in a very small package, check out the Unication G4.

i agree with this post

 

[Nasby]

Are you in the Montgomery County area, I'm sure a SDS200 wouldn't help me there either,
Thanks for the input.

An SDS 100/200 does indeed work quite well in Montgomery Co.

As the other poster mentioned, a Unication will do the job too. Although I don't own one, I've seen their excellent performance.

The Unication does have certain limits though, as does an SDS scanner.

Good luck!

 

[dwayne0564]

Understand, Thanks for the Input, just now to decide which one I want first, sds100 or 200,

 

[wa8pyr]

Pretty sure Greene County is simulcast so the SDS series would be the better choice.

Phase I or Phase II has no bearing on whether a system is simulcast or not.

What he said. Greene County and Montgomery County both are simulcast sites, so an SDS100/200 is almost a necessity. The 996P2 or older models would be troublesome for one or the other (or both) depending on your location.

 

[fordcobra04]

Spend the extra cash an get a Unication G4/G5. Zero issues decoding simulcast systems.

 

[wa8pyr]

Spend the extra cash an get a Unication G4/G5. Zero issues decoding simulcast systems.

That's a decent option if all the OP wants to do is listen to 700/800 MHz stuff, but it won't help for scanning much else. You get more bang for your buck with an SDS100.

 

[dwayne0564]

So I made the Plunge, and ordered a SDS 100, and got it in today and all I have to say is WoW, it is killing my 436 in reception, even with just a stock antenna, I have Agencies coming in now like they did before, that I havnen't had in years, so Now I think I'm going have to sell a few of my base stations and get a sds 200.

 

[TailGator911]

Can't go wrong with an SDS-series scanner in Greene county. Definitely simulcast, and the only scanner able to decode simulcast properly is the SDS100 & SDS200. Mine operate flawlessly on the Ohio MARCS Phase 1 P25 digital simulcast system. You made the right choice. The Unication G-series pagers are good for monitoring yet very limited in optional advanced scanner functions. Scanners are more versatile, no comparison.

 

[SevnFour]

Hello,

Live in Greene County, have a 996p2 to monitor, just wondering if anyone in the area, can tell me, would it be a difference ( worth the price) to do the upgrade,
I have a 436hp and a 996p2 now, listening to Dayton/Montgomery County's is a lost cause, but wondering if it would make a difference. with the P25 in Greene
County. and have about given up on my Whistler's 1080 and 1088 for monitoring, my pro 197 does a better job, or even my 396T

Hello, I'm in Bellbrook, SE corner of the Dayton area. My SDS100 runs rings around my 996P2 for simulcast reception. While the 996 is still a capable receiver, I find it extremely finicky on antenna positioning - just a couple inches one way or another on my desktop can result is a great signal, or missing one completely.

I also have a G4; but it's use is limited as it will only monitor one system at a time - although the reception is flawless on it.

 

[dwayne0564]

Thanks, I did make the plunge and get a SDS 100 , and it did such a great job, I got a SDS 200 now, just working about putting up my tram antenna, up 20 feet, thinking of about adding 10 feet more to my mast, picking up Dayton, now so much more better than the 436 and my 996p2, still using my 996p2 for Greene County, I'm in Xenia, so the 996p2 and 436 works good here still. my whistler 1088 works great sometimes and then nothing for three days, and I have all the channels in that I have in the Uniden's .