SDS100/SDS200: I'm trying to convince my manager to buy 2 SDS200 scanners.

[RJBTVTech]

Hi, it's been a year since I've posted. I'm a staff engineer at an upstate NY television station. I'm trying to convince my management to purchase 2 new SDS200 scanners because we need the ability to hear Project 25 Phase II with Simulcast. We want to split the police to one scanner, and fire and EMS to the other one. I have some questions, but first, here's the Uniden scanners that we're currently using:

• BCD996XT (for Law Enforcement)
• BCD996T (for Fire/EMS)
• BC895XLT (for what I don't know, I don't think the frequencies it's looking at are even active)
• BC-760XLT (I think it's looking at legacy frequencies).

Now for the questions:

1. Is this still the best scanner for Project 25 Phase II with Simulcast, right?
2. Do we need any more accessories than what comes with the units?
3. We have an antenna on the roof of our building, and I can reuse the powered speakers that are on the BCD996XT and the BCD996T. Is there anything I'm forgetting?

Thank you for any advice you can give me!

 

[RJBTVTech]

Okay thanks. A lot to put out there for only 2 scanners. How were the 996's doing? I know you mention trunking and perhaps simulcast. Obviously the SDS series scanners are the scanners.

Good luck, let us know how it all goes.

The current scanner setup was probably working fine until Albany/Schenectady County went Phase II and Troy encrypted their comms. The scanners are located at our assignment desk, which didn't have consistent staffing until about 3 years ago, so they may not have even realized they weren't hearing anything as the scanner was rotating through the Phase II systems. We are located at 715 North Pearl Street, Menands, NY 12204. We can hear some calls as far away as Warren county, which is about 45 miles to the north. That repeater must be at a descent elevation for us to be receiving it from that far away, I'm guessing. The terrain in this area isn't that flat but the Hudson River valley is north to south, so that probably helps.

As for what we actually are listening for, they just want to hear when and where the Local PDs, County Sheriffs, State Police, Fire Departments, and EMS are rolling to calls. If they hear something that makes a call stand out, or a lot more activity than normal like a really big incent, they'll send a reporter and camera op to the location.

 

[tvengr]

It looks like Warren and Washington Counties are all conventional frequencies. I would use the BCD996T and BCD996XT for those. Rensselaer County is phase 1. Do you have a problem receiving the trunked system with the 996T and 996XT at your location? I have no issues programming with Sentinel and it is free.

 

[K9KLC]

@dave3825 and @K9KLC I don't think we can do the SDR route because of the software. If it's only available as open source freeware, our corporate IT won't allow it. They only trust software that is purchasable. They're really strict about that.

Ya I wasn't necessarily recommending the SDR route however I am curious as to off 2 scanners will cut it. If it's not stupid busy up there perhaps you'll get lucky.

As is mentioned my @ProScan you're going to have to use at least one piece of free software. Odds are you'll need to update the scanner (s) right out of the box. Sentinel is free not paid and it's the only thing that will update the scanners.

As far as programming software I'll go ahead and say I recommend as do multiple others the ProScan software. That is paid so that should meet your requirements for the IT department. However again, sentinel is not paid and your will definitely want to keep the scanner firmware up to date.

 

[K9KLC]

It looks like Warren and Washington Counties are all conventional frequencies. I would use the BCD996T and BCD996XT for those

I would do exactly this and let the SDS's handle the simulcast or phase 2 stuff. ( not sure what you have in your area but let the 996's do the conventional stuff).

 

[dave3825]

@dave3825 and @K9KLC I don't think we can do the SDR route because of the software. If it's only available as open source freeware, our corporate IT won't allow it. They only trust software that is purchasable. They're really strict about that.

The current scanner setup was probably working fine until Albany/Schenectady County went Phase II and Troy encrypted their comms.

Sorry to hear that. If they went the sdr route, and other agencies encrypt leaving you in the dark, they would only be out like 100 bucks vs a few scanners @750 each.

 

[Hit_Factor]

I would get one Unication G4/G5 for each county in an amplified base and yagi antenna.

 

[K9KLC]

I have no issues programming with Sentinel and it is free.

His problem "IS" the free software according to what he's saying

 

[Hit_Factor]

His problem "IS" the free software according to what he's saying

I worked in cyber for awhile, free wasn't the problem by itself. It's more complicated than that. Very likely sentinel is OK with cyber.

 

[K9KLC]

I worked in cyber for awhile, free wasn't the problem by itself. It's more complicated than that. Very likely sentinel is OK with cyber.

Ok, I don't know what is and what isn't ok with his organization. I took it at face value which I had happen a few years back with a thing I was trying to do with a different group. I had never seen such an attitude in my life but they wanted paid so ot coat them.

You'd think a piece of OEM software for a device they purchased would be ok. I agree.

 

[tvengr]

His problem "IS" the free software according to what he's saying

If the scanners were programmed with FreeSCAN, why should Sentinel be a problem?

 

[dmfalk]

If it isn't obvious, while Sentinel is free, it's not open source, issued by the radio manufacturer, and only works with certain scanners. This is why Sentinel should be okay with corporate tech departments.

 

[K9KLC]

If it isn't obvious, while Sentinel is free, it's not open source, issued by the radio manufacturer, and only works with certain scanners. This is why Sentinel should be okay with corporate tech departments.

I do understand what it should be.

 

[K9KLC]

They only trust software that is purchasable. They're really strict about that.

Ok so is it "open source" that's the problem or is it something that is "free" that is the problem.

 

[dmfalk]

That's like saying about buying a Windows/Mac/Android device, but not trusting the accompanying OS because it came "free"......

 

[dave3825]

His problem "IS" the free software according to what he's saying

Ok so is it "open source" that's the problem or is it something that is "free" that is the problem.

Sentinel is proprietary freeware. It is not open source.

Sounds like boss man has issue with free.

 

[K9KLC]

Sentinel is proprietary freeware. It is not open source.

Sounds like boss man has issue with free.

Ya he's stated more than once something to the effect...

Our corporate IT doesn't trust any software that we don't pay for

That's all I'm going by. Maybe his IT guys may change their mind after he talks to them but that statement above was clear to me.

 

[tvengr]

As for what we actually are listening for, they just want to hear when and where the Local PDs, County Sheriffs, State Police, Fire Departments, and EMS are rolling to calls. If they hear something that makes a call stand out, or a lot more activity than normal like a really big incent, they'll send a reporter and camera op to the location.

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[kb8q]

Hi, it's been a year since I've posted. I'm a staff engineer at an upstate NY television station. I'm trying to convince my management to purchase 2 new SDS200 scanners because we need the ability to hear Project 25 Phase II with Simulcast. We want to split the police to one scanner, and fire and EMS to the other one. I have some questions, but first, here's the Uniden scanners that we're currently using:

• BCD996XT (for Law Enforcement)
• BCD996T (for Fire/EMS)
• BC895XLT (for what I don't know, I don't think the frequencies it's looking at are even active)
• BC-760XLT (I think it's looking at legacy frequencies).

Now for the questions:

1. Is this still the best scanner for Project 25 Phase II with Simulcast, right?
2. Do we need any more accessories than what comes with the units?
3. We have an antenna on the roof of our building, and I can reuse the powered speakers that are on the BCD996XT and the BCD996T. Is there anything I'm forgetting?

Thank you for any advice you can give me!

Have you looked at the distance from your station to the nearest towers for the simulcast systems? Whether you need an outdoor antenna might be answered by the distance to some extent. I’ve found the SDS100 to be good up to about 8 miles and the Unication G4/G5‘s are good up to 15-20 miles (indoors). YMMV. I’m close to the intersection of 4 simulcast sites on the same system. I use the SDS100 as a way to catch what’s going on and a Unication unit for continuous monitoring of an single incident. There are maps here on radio reference that show the actual tower sites.

 

[RJBTVTech]

Sorry for the delayed response. I've been busy with several projects that take priority over this.

I misspoke earlier and should have said "free software" instead of "freeware" The problem that our corporate IT has with "free software" and in particular the ones that are "open source" is that it's to verify their legitimacy. I can't change these rules that they've set, and I can't even install software on the computers that I use. Only our resident IT manager can install software. If the software isn't on an approved list the answer is usually a hard "No." If the software is needed for hardware it should get approval though. The only way we got around this rule with FreeScan was to install it on a laptop that isn't logged into our corporate domain network. It only connects to the internet on a "client" WiFi that we used for business clients, and it isn't on our corporate domain network.

I hope that clarifies the software situation.

We are getting 2 new SDS200s so that part is being taken care of.

 

[ofd8001]

The good news is that you can program the SD cards remotely, as in removing them from the scanner, program, then put them back in the scanners.