Did I Get Bad Warranty Service on SDS200?

[Stormysea]

I have been a reader of the forums but this is my first post.

I sent my SDS200 in for warranty repair because there was an annoying loud pop noise at the beginning and end of transmissions when receiving any AM transmissions. It didn't matter what band, CB, civil aviation, or military air. Not only could you hear it through the SDS200 speaker but you could also hear it on recordings of AM transmission downloaded and played over a computer, which to me indicates the problem is happening before the audio output stage.

The problem is easily duplicated by removing the antenna (so no transmissions interfere), turning the volume up to 8 or 9 so you can easily hear it, then turning the squelch knob to open and close the squelch. When the squelch opens there is a pop noise and when the squelch closes there is a pop noise.

I just received an email saying my repair case is closed with the following comments.

Technician Inspection Comments Customer stated, when listening to air band there is a pop at the beginning and end of transmissions.
I tested the unit and yes there is a pop, but i test several SDS200 unit and they all have the same pop.

Technician Repair Comments

Comments UNIT PERFORMS TO FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS

So after spending $30+ dollars to ship and insure the scanner and waiting over 6 weeks I am told no repair was done because other SDS200's have the same problem.

Is this true? Does anybody else have this problem with their SDS200? I don't recall having the problem when I first got my SDS200 and I don't see any complaints about it here on the forum. Could it be the only SDS200 scanners the technician tested are defective ones that came in for repair?

If other SDS200's have this problem wouldn't this be another issue that needs to be addressed by Uniden like the hum problem?

Any feedback would be appreciated as this has left a bad taste in my mouth for Uniden.

 

[u2brent]

Your situation doesn't seem to be the first report of this behavior.

RadioReference.com - Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

www.radioreference.com

 

[doctordialtone]

Any feedback would be appreciated

I'm sure @JoeBearcat can help you look into this.

Note: It doesn't happen on my SDS200

 

[kirkco]

I have 2 SDS200's - no popping noise. Maybe post an audio and/or video capturing the "pop", to get more suggestions/advice.

 

[doctordialtone]

I sent my SDS200 in for warranty repair because there was an annoying loud pop noise at the beginning and end of transmissions

I just saw this thread about a similar repair:
Uniden Repair Times....couldn't find previous thread :(

 

[MStep]

The whole situation with warranty repairs and "Unit Performs To Factory Specifications" (and not with just Uniden, but with many other companies as well) is just pretty typical in many situations unfortunately. And it's an easy cop-out for companies who don't know what to do in these situations. Confirmed by what I feel is a very unprofessional and nonchalant comment, "I tested the unit and yes there is a pop, but i test several SDS200 unit and they all have the same pop."

Did it every occur to this guy that maybe they were ALL working improperly ??? It's like saying, "Well they all buzz, so that's just normal".

Hopefully Joe Bearcat can hopefully follow up with your ticket number to get a better assessment of what the issue is.

It is also because some situations are more subjective than objective. There are customers who are chronic complainers--- no matter what is done, the customer will never be happy. When I used to deal with those customers, I would tell them that we've done all we can within the parameters and what we do, and I would cheerfully offer them a refund, just to get them off my back. Some folks out there are unreasonable. And Stormysea, this is not a reflection on you in any way.

One suggestion would be to find someone in your area with an SDS200 and see if the difference is really substantial. If it is, then you can proceed from there. If the popping is similar (subjective!!!), then it might be wiser just to accept it as within the norm. I've written many posts here about minor unit to unit variations, and why they are part of life. This is about as good as it gets in this price range for this type of product.

 

[N4DJC]

@Stormysea

Mine has the identical problem but on all bands and modes. I sent mine back in December. Returned with ”ground wire” as a fix. No technician explanation like you got. Still pops just as before, evidently not every SDS200 has it. It’s annoying compared to listening to my SDS100 in a quiet room.

 

[buddrousa]

This is why an audio setting for the AUDIO AMP to be adjusted was added in the firmware settings.

 

[Ubbe]

I sent my SDS200 in for warranty repair because there was an annoying loud pop noise at the beginning and end of transmissions when receiving any AM transmissions.

As it doesn't happen in FM mode it's probably a voltage spike that affects the receiver. In FM mode it is not sensitive to amplitud changes. It is probably bad filtering of the power lines to the receiver or a grounding problem and both are fixable if Uniden would put some effort into it.

/Ubbe

 

[JoeBearcat]

The 'pop issue' is one currently being investigated. The tech may not have had any solution to provide at the time.

Anyone with this issue might want to hold off sending the unit in for now. There are at least a few on the way in that I asked the service manager to investigate more deeply.

I also asked previously and will ask again if anyone has come up with a definitive solution for this. It's not like I am asking for the customers to do the work for Uniden. I'm simply asking if there was a proven solution that was already known that I could pass on to those looking into solutions. In the case of the hum, there was a solution that was not the same as the one currently employed by the service department. I frankly liked that solution better and proposed they investigate using that one instead, and changed production based on that solution rather than the internally developed solution.

 

[techynyc]

Although I'm not a EE Tech this issue sounds very similar to "squelch tail". I'll let more technically experienced members comment further.

 

[JoeBearcat]

Squelch tails only happen at the end of transmissions, and in the case of trunked or CDCSS is usually fully muted. It is often muted on CTCSS as well but there are several muting schemes in use for CTCSS STE (Squelch Tail Elimination).

They can happen on repeaters as well when the user on the input unkeys.

But this is something completely different. I believe I know the exact cause. Now I just need the exact fix.

 

[Stormysea]

This is why an audio setting for the AUDIO AMP to be adjusted was added in the firmware settings.

I thought that was for the hum so it wouldn't be heard during scanning. I found that the longer time you set the audio amp to be off the more the beginning of transmissions were cut off while the amp "woke up". I'll try it when I get my SDS200 back.

As it doesn't happen in FM mode it's probably a voltage spike that affects the receiver. In FM mode it is not sensitive to amplitud changes. It is probably bad filtering of the power lines to the receiver or a grounding problem and both are fixable if Uniden would put some effort into it.

/Ubbe

You are correct. It doesn't happen in analog FM mode. I even sent back all the accessories including the AC power supply in case that was the issue but I guess it wasn't.

The 'pop issue' is one currently being investigated. The tech may not have had any solution to provide at the time.

Anyone with this issue might want to hold off sending the unit in for now. There are at least a few on the way in that I asked the service manager to investigate more deeply.

I also asked previously and will ask again if anyone has come up with a definitive solution for this. It's not like I am asking for the customers to do the work for Uniden. I'm simply asking if there was a proven solution that was already known that I could pass on to those looking into solutions. In the case of the hum, there was a solution that was not the same as the one currently employed by the service department. I frankly liked that solution better and proposed they investigate using that one instead, and changed production based on that solution rather than the internally developed solution.

In looking at some of the other posts one of the replies directed me to as well as one of the replies here, there seems to be several different types of popping issues. Sometimes it is in all modes and all bands and sometimes it is just AM mode.

The whole situation with warranty repairs and "Unit Performs To Factory Specifications" (and not with just Uniden, but with many other companies as well) is just pretty typical in many situations unfortunately. And it's an easy cop-out for companies who don't know what to do in these situations. Confirmed by what I feel is a very unprofessional and nonchalant comment, "I tested the unit and yes there is a pop, but i test several SDS200 unit and they all have the same pop."

Did it every occur to this guy that maybe they were ALL working improperly ??? It's like saying, "Well they all buzz, so that's just normal".

Hopefully Joe Bearcat can hopefully follow up with your ticket number to get a better assessment of what the issue is.

I agree. The fact that several people here have said their SDS200 does not have the problem tells me they don't all have the problem. As someone else pointed me to some other posts about popping issues it doesn't seem to be as prevalent as the hum issue.

Joe Bearcat replied saying they are investigating the issue although that doesn't help me as I am out $30+ in shipping with no fix. He also asked others to hold off sending their scanners in while they investigate it so I hope they extend the warranty for pop issues as the warranty may be over by the time Uniden finds a solution.

 

[Stormysea]

The 'pop issue' is one currently being investigated. The tech may not have had any solution to provide at the time.

Anyone with this issue might want to hold off sending the unit in for now. There are at least a few on the way in that I asked the service manager to investigate more deeply.

Hi Joe Bearcat.

My SRO Number is: 2016507 and if my SDS200 hasn't been shipped back yet feel free to use it to help investigate the pop issue. Keep it as long as you like. It doesn't do me any good with the pop issue and I am out $30+ in shipping for nothing if comes back without being fixed.

 

[JoeBearcat]

In looking at some of the other posts one of the replies directed me to as well as one of the replies here, there seems to be several different types of popping issues. Sometimes it is in all modes and all bands and sometimes it is just AM mode.

Joe Bearcat replied saying they are investigating the issue although that doesn't help me as I am out $30+ in shipping with no fix. He also asked others to hold off sending their scanners in while they investigate it so I hope they extend the warranty for pop issues as the warranty may be over by the time Uniden finds a solution.

Hopefully the pop stems from a single issue, and those with FM pop are just cases where it is worse.

We should have some info within weeks, so if your warranty is close to running out, go ahead and send it in. Add a note to hold off on the fix until the fix is established.

 

[JoeBearcat]

Hi Joe Bearcat.

My SRO Number is: 2016507 and if my SDS200 hasn't been shipped back yet feel free to use it to help investigate the pop issue. Keep it as long as you like. It doesn't do me any good with the pop issue and I am out $30+ in shipping for nothing if comes back without being fixed.

I have sent a note to the service dept with that SRO for evaluation. Can you describe your pop issue?

 

[Theo]

The 'pop issue' is one currently being investigated. The tech may not have had any solution to provide at the time.

Anyone with this issue might want to hold off sending the unit in for now. There are at least a few on the way in that I asked the service manager to investigate more deeply.

I also asked previously and will ask again if anyone has come up with a definitive solution for this. It's not like I am asking for the customers to do the work for Uniden. I'm simply asking if there was a proven solution that was already known that I could pass on to those looking into solutions. In the case of the hum, there was a solution that was not the same as the one currently employed by the service department. I frankly liked that solution better and proposed they investigate using that one instead, and changed production based on that solution rather than the internally developed solution.

Since you mention the HUM I have one of the very early units tried the clip still have the HUM is there a better fix? I'm not sending it in until there is and I shouldn't have to pay for it either!

 

[JoeBearcat]

There is a sticky post in this forum that describes the "better fix".

 

[crippledchicken]

Since you mention the HUM I have one of the very early units tried the clip still have the HUM is there a better fix? I'm not sending it in until there is and I shouldn't have to pay for it either!

A short jumper with alligator clips on each end for grounding the display might make for a temporary fix till Uniden gets things lined up just a thought!

 

[Ubbe]

Didn't Uniden, or actually the company that makes the service repairs for them, add a grounding wire to the units that where sent in during recent times, that where soldered to the front panel and screwed to the main chassi, as it was harder to solder to the chassi?

The only problem free solution that Uniden came up with, that could be done by the user and be applied very quickly, was that mitigation metal piece. But that sometimes doesn't do enough of a connection between chassi and front panel but Uniden can do proper solder works. I think that the ground wire solved enough of the hum problem to not be so noticable?

/Ubbe