Got the BCD536HP vice SDS200 - Here's why

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JimD56

KO9JAD/Fire Lieutenant/Paramedic
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Just picked up the BCD536HP NOT the SDS200 and here is why.
1) The cost was NOT the biggest factor surprisingly, but it did play a small part.
2) I do NOT need the simulcast sensitivity. Not an issue now and the new P25 Phase II tower in my area is close by for the hard hits that any P25 Phase II unit can handle.
3) I even thought of picking up another BCD996P2, but I love the Sentinel interface and fell in love with it when I had my BCD436HP handheld.
4) I already have an SDS100 that I never leave in the car, so if simulcast is ever an issue I'm OK.
5) I don't care about the crappy BCD536HP display because I look at on my PC through ProScan anyway. I also plan to stream it on the home network.
6) and finally, the BCD536HP fits nicely in my rack DIN hole. I'll post pics later.

Keep Calm and COVID On.
Jim D
 

maus92

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The OP
Just picked up the BCD536HP NOT the SDS200 and here is why.
1) The cost was NOT the biggest factor surprisingly, but it did play a small part.
2) I do NOT need the simulcast sensitivity. Not an issue now and the new P25 Phase II tower in my area is close by for the hard hits that any P25 Phase II unit can handle.
3) I even thought of picking up another BCD996P2, but I love the Sentinel interface and fell in love with it when I had my BCD436HP handheld.
4) I already have an SDS100 that I never leave in the car, so if simulcast is ever an issue I'm OK.
5) I don't care about the crappy BCD536HP display because I look at on my PC through ProScan anyway. I also plan to stream it on the home network.
6) and finally, the BCD536HP fits nicely in my rack DIN hole. I'll post pics later.

Keep Calm and COVID On.
Jim D
I have both the SDS200 (actually two) and the 536. I too am close to a phase 2 simulcast site, and relatively far from the the other tower sites, so the 536 does a good job on that system. My old 436 and 996P2 were a different story - the older radio designs are highly dependent on location, and did not work well at all, whereas the SDS200 doesn't seem to care that much. A new 22-site P2 system is being built in our area, and I "needed" another radio, so I decided to buy the SDS200 as a future-proofing strategy. Lol.
 
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Buckeye, AZ
I have UPGRADED to the SDS200 when I saw the national backorder and got my original purchase price for selling the SDS100. I love the display on the SDS 200 compared to the 536HP. Not going back.
I drive a truck for a living and have had the 536 in it for about a year now and I couldn't stand the glare from that crappy screen during the day anymore so I decided to order the sds200 and I couldn't be happier! The screen difference is night and day with the sds200 no matter where the sun is, I can see the screen perfectly!!
 

markn455

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Ball Ground, GA
I drive a truck for a living and have had the 536 in it for about a year now and I couldn't stand the glare from that crappy screen during the day anymore so I decided to order the sds200 and I couldn't be happier! The screen difference is night and day with the sds200 no matter where the sun is, I can see the screen perfectly!!

How is the receiver performance of the SDS200 over the 536HP? I know you are happy with the screen, I would be too. How do you like it in other ways?
 
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How is the receiver performance of the SDS200 over the 536HP? I know you are happy with the screen, I would be too. How do you like it in other ways?
It's pretty much the same receive quality, maybe a little better than the 536 on simulcast. Way nicer to connect the GPS on the 200 because it's just the one cable being used and the scanner powers it.
 

iMONITOR

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S.E. Michigan
Just picked up the BCD536HP NOT the SDS200 and here is why.
1) The cost was NOT the biggest factor surprisingly, but it did play a small part.
2) I do NOT need the simulcast sensitivity. Not an issue now and the new P25 Phase II tower in my area is close by for the hard hits that any P25 Phase II unit can handle.
3) I even thought of picking up another BCD996P2, but I love the Sentinel interface and fell in love with it when I had my BCD436HP handheld.
4) I already have an SDS100 that I never leave in the car, so if simulcast is ever an issue I'm OK.
5) I don't care about the crappy BCD536HP display because I look at on my PC through ProScan anyway. I also plan to stream it on the home network.
6) and finally, the BCD536HP fits nicely in my rack DIN hole. I'll post pics later.

Keep Calm and COVID On.
Jim D


I like the BCD536HP also Jim! I do own a SDS200 and yet I bought a used BCD536HP to go with it! I use the SDS200 for numerous purposes and I really like the big display. I use BCD536HP and park it on Michigan's State Police only, so I don't even have to look at it. Even on MPSCS P25 P1 Macomb County's simulcast system it works great (for me at my location). Your mileage may vary.
 

jonwienke

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VA
I have the 536 and SDS200. The 536 is a great scanner, except for the display and simulcast performance. If those aren't important, then nothing wrong with getting one. But if they are, the SDS200 is a better choice.
 

K2KOH

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Putnam County, NY
Honestly, my 536 never really gave me problems on simulcast systems in Central New York and the Mohawk Valley. The receiver is the hottest I have ever owned. Love my 536.
 

N7OLQ

Scanning since '77
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Utah
I never thought I would buy an SDS since I have several 536's and a 436 and they perform without issue, but I picked up a used SDS100 and was so impressed with the display and the extra info it provided, that I now have two SDS200's as well. One of the 536's has been moved from the shack to the bedroom (taking the place of a BCT15 that is going to ebay). Performance is really the same, but I find because of the better display of information, I'm now scanning a broader range of departments.
 
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