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!

 

[Enforcer52]

Answers
1. Yes
2. No
3. No

Renssalear County Trunking System is Simulcast P25 Phase 1
Capital Digitronics is EDACS standard networking

The SDS200 should work great.

 

[RJBTVTech]

Thank you for the quick answer! I thought we were hearing all of Renssalear County Trunking on P25 Phase 1. I didn't realize that it was Simulcast.

If I remember correctly from when I was looking at the trunk info, to hear Albany/Schenectady County we need to be able to decode Simulcast P25 Phase 2 too. That's why I was looking at the SDS200 units instead of the BCD996P2 units.

 

[dave3825]

You ask about needing antenna on the building, which could suggest the scanners would be set up inside and not in a vehicle.

If that’s that case, you could get set up with a few sdr dongles and SDRTrunk, DSDPlus or OP25 for a lot less of the cost of one sds200.

 

[Enforcer52]

Yes Albany/Schenectady is p25 phase 2.

Troy PD is moving to their own system, but PD is encrypted, only Fire is clear.

 

[tvengr]

I can reuse the powered speakers that are on the BCD996XT and the BCD996T.

Which powered speakers are you using? They must have stereo plugs and cannot short the sleeve connection to ground. The SDS200 has a floating balanced output. If your speaker has a mono plug, it will short out half of the amp.

If I remember correctly from when I was looking at the trunk info, to hear Albany/Schenectady County we need to be able to decode Simulcast P25 Phase 2 too. That's why I was looking at the SDS200 units instead of the BCD996P2 units.

If it's simulcast, you need an SDS scanner. It doesn't matter if it's Phase 1 or Phase 2.

 

[Enforcer52]

As @dave3825 said, I would go with the SDRs. That way you would not miss any transmissions on any of the 3 systems. You would need at least 6 RTL-SDR sdr's at $38 a piece, splitter connections for the antenna, a good powered 11 port usb hub $25-35, a quad core or better computer with at least 8GB, 16GB would be better, and a SSD hard drive. SDRTrunk software is free. There are some sdr's (AirSpy) that could cover the entire range, but are more expensive than the RTL-SDR dongles. You would also be able to record all transmissions with this setup.

You would also need a computer proficient tech to set it all up, but definitely a lot cheaper than two SDS200 at $720 each that can miss transmissions when locked onto a currently talking channel.

 

[ofd8001]

Knowing and loving our local TV assignment desk folks as I do, I'd think they would prefer to have physical scanners than SDR dongles.

The SDR dongles are spectacular for seasoned folks, but news desk folks might want to keep things as simple as possible.

I programed a couple of scanners for one of our stations a while back. Simplicity was an important thing. If there is something major going on, their hands are rather full.

One thing to consider is a way of lowering volume in a temporary way. Another is to prevent "tinkering" with programming.

The last thought: if you are using one outside antenna to feed all your scanners, you might be losing RF power. A multicoupler may be worth considering, especially if you are trying to pull in distant signals. Local stuff might work fine with just the supplied antenna.

 

[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!

You’re on the right track. At a minimum I’d use one receiver scanning for breaking news and a second receiver to lock onto a channel related to a specific event. If you think It’s important to have one for police and another for fire/EMS, then I’d get 3 receivers. The SDS100/200 are good for detecting something happening on a simulcast system. I use Unication receivers for targeted listening once I’m aware of something. That way the scanning can continue on one receiver while you’re monitoring the incident on a separate radio. Some of this is very dependent on how much continuous transmission occurs by police and fire dispatch.

 

[jgorman21]

There is also the Unication G5. Which is a commercial grade radio that doesn't miss anything. It's a pager so some folks don't like its " limitations." But it is a fine receiver.

 

[popnokick]

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!

You didn't mention that money was an issue, but if it is...
You might be able to sweeten the deal a bit for management by offering to contribute to the cost. But not out of your own pocket: Consider listing your existing scanners on eBay. When they sell, apply the profits to the purchase of the new SDS200's.

 

[tvengr]

Knowing and loving our local TV assignment desk folks as I do, I'd think they would prefer to have physical scanners than SDR dongles.

I wish the scanners were password protected to prevent errant fingers from getting into the menus. I spent an awful lot of time straightening out scanners on our news desk.

 

[K9KLC]

There is also the Unication G5. Which is a commercial grade radio that doesn't miss anything. It's a pager so some folks don't like its " limitations." But it is a fine receiver.

For what he's proposing and the information given, I agree, this is exactly the route I'd take.

 

[kb8q]

I wish the scanners were password protected to prevent errant fingers from getting into the menus. I spent an awful lot of time straightening out scanners on our news desk.

You can use the free Sentinel software as a backup and if the errant fingers cause a problem you can simply reload the programming into the radio and it will be exactly as it was before.

 

[eaf1956]

You ask about needing antenna on the building, which could suggest the scanners would be set up inside and not in a vehicle.

If that’s that case, you could get set up with a few sdr dongles and SDRTrunk, DSDPlus or OP25 for a lot less of the cost of one sds200.

He said he could reuse the antenna on the building, not that he needed one.

 

[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!

What’s the distance between you and the P25 site(s). That may have a bearing on whether you need an outdoor antenna. I get 8-10 miles on the SDS100 and 20+ miles on the Unication G4/G5

 

[ofd8001]

You can use the free Sentinel software as a backup and if the errant fingers cause a problem you can simply reload the programming into the radio and it will be exactly as it was before.

I'd also program several extra SD cards and give them to the assignment manager/editors for safe keeping. That way when the weekend crew messes up a scanner, they can just pop in a new card. Save the engineer from having to go to the station to deal with an issue.

 

[Ubbe]

As suggested maybe dongles would work and scanners could be retired to monitor things like CB 27MHz where truckers can be the ones that first report of any major things happening on the roads. Program each dongle with a unique serial number so that Windows can keep track of them. Have one dongle for each conventional frequency and one single TG. Then use a streaming software like the one ProScan have and each person can use an application on their PC that can monitor several streams at one time and adjust listening levels and single out a transmission if needed.

The streaming PC could have a remote desktop kind of program so that a technical person can even log in from home and manage the system if needed.

/Ubbe

 

[Ronaldski]

BC895XLT BC-760XLT are analog only scanners. Look at this link, then you can click the neighboring counties in the map to see what they use for analog. Under MODE if it's FM/FMN it would work, if its P25, NXDN or DMR it wont.
Also, click the license in each one of interest and see if they are expired, aka likely no longer used or occasionally they are using a new license.
In each county look in the upper right and click on the County Trunked Radio Systems.

Rensselaer County, New York (NY) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference for Rensselaer County, New York (NY)

www.radioreference.com

What radios you have, 996XT, 996T are Phase I only, the current unidens, minus the home patrol II can get Phase II which this system uses. Note the T under MODE for Phase II, a D is Phase I, anything with a TE/DE are encrypted. Albany/Schenectady Counties Trunking System, Regional, New York

In simulcast, less antenna is more, although trying to get counties in the surrounding areas as well and I assume so, an antenna is prudent.
For the county you're in, most likely would'nt need an outside antenna and simulcast issues will be less. Depending on where your at and tower locations I would try for your county would be to unhook the outside antenna and use the rod antenna.
Then as you know more signal would be going to your other scanners on the outside one.
As noted the SDS' would be ok then on an outside antenna since it works in simulcast areas.

If you do get The SDS100/SDS200 or any zip code scanners, it's an absolute must to update their databases as they come with several years old, generally 2017 info along with much outdated firmware.
Use a windows computer and the free uniden Sentinel software to update those. You can also play with the colors on the display to not using the well, drab looking default.
Start out with using your zipcode to program, then the Full Database option initially, you can play with favorite lists later if needed. Note that updating the database does NOT update favorite lists. Additionally set the RANGE to around oh 10 miles and that will bring in yours and all surrounding counties.
On my SDS200 I use the rod antenna and can get four surrounding counties out six, the two I cant are farther north and I'm in the south part of the county. I can get those two with my diamond discone on the 996P2.
Nice feature is the Replay button that you can replay audio heard from user setting of 30 secs and up to four minutes.
On the SDS100 portable and updated firmware adds to keep out tinkerers - Press FUNC key then press POWER key to activate.

Notable videos:

Simple simulcast explained

Police Scanner Simulcast Reception without an Uniden SDS100 & SDS200

SDS200 Beginners Guide - YouTube

Sentinel Software Database update and SDS100 Scanner -Note under the Update tab, the Update firmware
- YouTube

Since your an engineer this is a good one - YouTube

 

[dmfalk]

Just a minor correction: The Home Patrol II does handle P25 Phase 2. It is the Home Patrol I that does not.