SDS100/SDS200: Here We Go Again: Another SDS100 repair

[trentbob]

Trying to make a point here, whether it's the hum or the csj or any other issues we have not been given serial numbers or even close to answers other than it's felt they've been repaired because it was requested to be repaired.

It's been made clear that no one at Uniden will do it but has anyone taken a peek at an SDS 200 that's recent, in 2022 to see if the modifications have been made in the factory to eliminate the hum or wine.. has anyone in Uniden taken apart a new SDS 100 to make sure there isn't shoddy soldering done.??

We are definitely going in circles here as we have been for years. As so many companies are being stupid and losing money because they don't handle public relations well, let's get somebody in there that's going to answer these questions definitively with pictures and a thorough explanation of the corrections and you might find an increase in your sales..

It's worth the reduction in the cost of one SDS 100 and one sds200 that can be used by the repair department to replace units that are unrepairable or are return repeatedly for the same problem. Why doesn't Uniden spend a couple thousand bucks to make thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars more by reassuring people that these problems have been rectified. ??

 

[trentbob]

Sorry folks, not trying to make a rant here but I just remembered a few years ago the year-long, over 1,000 posts thread from Uniden, it turned out to be a train wreck and a waste of time

Kind of making a fool of myself with a flash of lucidity. Nothing was done then, kind of wasting my time here😉

 

[GTR8000]

what do I give a s**t, I'll never buy another Uniden

Judging by how many back to back posts you've made in this thread (and others like it, I'm sure), sounds like you do give a s**t. How else to explain you acting so invested in something you purport not to care about? I am curious, though...have you had any of these issues with the SDS100/200 you own?

 

[Chris0516]

I almost plunked down $ for an SDS100, this past Christmas. Glad I got a 436HP, instead.

 

[G7RUX]

This isn’t a problem specific to the SDS100, nor indeed to scanners in general but lead-free solder can be quite brittle, depending on the alloy used. Where a bulk joint is subjected to stress, vibration or, in bigger applications, heat and significant current than failures can and do occur. This is much less of an issue where the joint is very close/tight (not much solder filling) and the board is stiff or the component is small but bigger joints are where the issues can occur.

 

[tones54]

You didn't have an opportunity to return it for a full refund for some period of time after you bought it?

There was no option for that when this started acting up. Like many, this was an out of warranty problem from the get-go.

 

[tones54]

.
Uniden has indeed released serial numbers of units having production issues... This was during the 536HP headphone noise issue:

Mine is well within that range (ends with 00250).

 

[tones54]

Plain and simple, the only alternative is the sds200.

Also, IF the trouble is the CSJ issue and it was fixed, it's then next to impossible for the CSJ issue to return. Once the solder is reflowed into a solid solder joint, they don't inflow. Other things can happen, iffy ribbon cable connections, broken circuit boards, etc. I have no idea how you use or handle your sds100 so can't guess what may have changed with it.

Put it this way: Usage hours on it post repair: 30 hours give or take--in other words, not much at all.
I would replace it, but honestly, I don't trust the model because I have seen nothing that says Uniden has fixed the issues on new ones so why buy the same problem again for $700.00. I'll get it repaired one more time. If it fails again, it goes in my electronics box for parts and Uniden and I part ways after 30 years.

 

[fxdscon]

I have seen nothing that says Uniden has fixed the issues on new ones so why buy the same problem again for $700.00.

The post by Joebearcat in the thread linked below seems to indicate that the issue was taken care of at the production level quite a while back.

SDS100/SDS200: - Like a Brick

Ok new issues with SDS 100 today, Has been working fine up until this morning. 1) can't adjust volume, switches between 4 and 5, If I really push on the volume switch it will work correctly for a short while (minutes) then goes back to switching between two levels, say 4 and 5 or 8 and 9 etc...

forums.radioreference.com

 

[Nasby]

The post by Joebearcat in the thread linked below seems to indicate that the issue was taken care of at the production level quite a while back.

SDS100/SDS200: - Like a Brick

Ok new issues with SDS 100 today, Has been working fine up until this morning. 1) can't adjust volume, switches between 4 and 5, If I really push on the volume switch it will work correctly for a short while (minutes) then goes back to switching between two levels, say 4 and 5 or 8 and 9 etc...

forums.radioreference.com

Unfortunately, Joe Bearcat turned out to be a total fraud. Zero credibility.

 

[buddrousa]

Joe is not a fraud he just does not have the stroke upman had. Show us your facts. My facts came from management here at RR

 

[KevinC]

I figured it out. People are trying to listen to encrypted transmissions and since you can’t even listen to the raw undecrypted audio the SDS100 is going into shutdown mode to stop you from hearing anything.

Sorry, couldn’t resist. 😁

 

[Swipesy]

Buddrousa, "facts" come from direct sources not secondary sources. Secondary sources and beyond are hearsay.

 

[GTR8000]

Unfortunately, Joe Bearcat turned out to be a total fraud. Zero credibility.

Buddrousa, "facts" come from direct sources not secondary sources. Secondary sources and beyond are hearsay.

When Lindsay Blanton reaches out to Uniden America to verify Joe's status as Paul's replacement, and Uniden confirms it...that's not a fraud nor is it hearsay. It's a fact. That's also why RadioReference affixed the Uniden Representative badge to his profile.

Now if you want to argue that Joe has been utterly ineffective, and has probably done more to degrade Uniden's reputation around here than he has helped, that's a perfectly fair position to take.

 

[trentbob]

Judging by how many back to back posts you've made in this thread (and others like it, I'm sure), sounds like you do give a s**t. How else to explain you acting so invested in something you purport not to care about? I am curious, though...have you had any of these issues with the SDS100/200 you own?

Sure I have, I've purchased a number of 200's, unfortunately all had the hum, it was for a news service after I retired from my newspaper. I'm down now to one sds200 which I did the SD repair on, I am getting the line at the bottom of the screen intermittently. I am down to 1 100 that the battery clip disintegrated in my hands and I repaired it myself, I've had swollen batteries, and the rotary knob malfunctions and it's just something I live with as it is long after warranty.

I have had a lot of passion with these radios and I'm very familiar with them and in the past have shared my information and assisted many members.

Unfortunately, I have come to a point where for me, the writing is on the wall, all the wish lists, the potential still within these radios appears to be more fleeting every year that goes by and I no longer feel that passionate anymore.

People's feelings and attitude change as too much time goes by. I'm getting older now, totally retired, everything is encrypted around me, I simply don't give a s*** anymore. I'm not expecting anything else from Uniden with regard to the SDS series. It's not unusual for people's feelings to change or passion to flicker out.

I have noticed that you have brought this up a few times, regarding the long thousand post thread and what has come of it, or not come of it, you have posted about what firmware have we really had and what did we get from it. You have pointed out shortcomings at Uniden 😉.

We are all entitled to our opinion.

To those who still have the passion and excitement and anticipation of all the great things that are going to suddenly come from Uniden after such a long time, in the form of firmware updates, bug fixes, new features or even new radios, I encourage you and I'm happy for your passion, unfortunately I've lost mine.

 

[nd5y]

To be honest, I can't imagine any electronics company saying something like units before serial XYZ may have production issues. They'd be cutting their own throat.

Manufacturers that make products that aren't consumer grade junk do that all the time.
They issue ECOs to address production issues or defects. ECOs could only apply to the production line for new units, they could be automatically applied to all units returned for repair, they could be field modififications by authorized dealers/repair stations, or in extreme cases a product recall.

 

[GTR8000]

I have noticed that you have brought this up a few times, regarding the long thousand post thread and what has come of it, or not come of it, you have posted about what firmware have we really had and what did we get from it. You have pointed out shortcomings at Uniden 😉.

100% accurate. I have called it as I've seen it, as a fellow Uniden owner/operator. I won't beat that poor dead horse too much, but suffice to say that it wouldn't be wrong to characterize Uniden's behavior over the past few years following Paul's death as stagnant at best, neglectful at worst.

 

[a417]

Believe me, I'm looking. Sadly, there is not a lot out there.

...still want to know if the OP is considering selling it, I love buying defective hardware at a discount.

 

[Nasby]

When Lindsay Blanton reaches out to Uniden America to verify Joe's status as Paul's replacement, and Uniden confirms it...that's not a fraud nor is it hearsay. It's a fact. That's also why RadioReference affixed the Uniden Representative badge to his profile.

Now if you want to argue that Joe has been utterly ineffective, and has probably done more to degrade Uniden's reputation around here than he has helped, that's a perfectly fair position to take.

Your last paragraph sums things up perfectly!

 

[donc13]

Manufacturers that make products that aren't consumer grade junk do that all the time.
They issue ECOs to address production issues or defects. ECOs could only apply to the production line for new units, they could be automatically applied to all units returned for repair, they could be field modififications by authorized dealers/repair stations, or in extreme cases a product recall.

The key phrase is, "not consumer grade". Yes, commercial equipment manufacturers do it all the time.