Is SDS100 overkill?

[thesoundman]

I normally hate posts like this since everyone's situation/opinion is different but... I just sold my 396T since the county I live in is now running P25 phase 2. I'm on the fence whether the SDS100 would be a good buy, or overkill. I was never a die hard user of the 396T, even less lately but that's partially due to the compatibility issue. Before that I enjoyed seeing what could be heard nearby, and it seems like a fun side hobby that I don't want to fully give up yet.

If I'm reading the database correctly, it does look like the Prince William VA system uses simulcast - which I'm reading is a major upside of the SDS100, otherwise I'd be looking more seriously at the 436HP. Anyway, I'd appreciate hearing any input.

 

[trentbob]

So the question here is, not is the SDS 100 overkill, but is it overkill for you.

You're right everybody has their own situation and own opinion. You have to look at your situation and decide if the 100 is overkill. The 100 handling Phase ll well is not an opinion, it's a fact.

Your old radio was quite old, a nice radio in it's day but not so much in today's world of simulcast.

Is the hobby important enough to you? Are you willing to spend the big bucks? How much do you need it?

For me if I was to answer the question, I would say no it's not overkill, the 100 and 200 are designed to handle simulcast. They serve a purpose your old radio didn't.

This sounds like a personal decision that you and your wallet have to make, are the SDS radios overkill for you?

You will hear people say that analog doesn't work good on the SDS radios yet for me, perhaps the way I use filters, my antenna, my location, whatever, I find the SDS radios excellent on analog.

Personally though I would have kept your old radio, since I can't imagine you got much for it, to supplement the SDS.

That's just an opinion of course

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

There's a heavy concentration of simulcasting towers in Prince William County which you'll see here. Unless you're on the outer fringes of coverage and are only within the listening range of one single tower I'd bet on simulcast distortion being an issue. If your budget allows it pick up an SDS100, you won't regret it

 

[RichardKramer]

I have two 436's; one sits on the desk recording Fedcom/milcom, the other I carry around all day. I am putting the second one on recording business/school comms so I was thinking of getting another 436 or sds100. My County (Berks, PA) is simulcast and there are settings on the 436 to adjust for P25. I've only heard garbled comms on the simulcast systems very rarely and I've been in Montgomery Co and Philly and haven't had much trouble hearing them - not to say the sds100 doesn't do a better job as per the posts I'm sure it does. My decision to get another 436 was because I don't like the battery pack issue on the 100; I like to use rechargeables in my 436 and I carry 2 extra sets along. As far as missing calls on the 436; I have 4 conventional freqs that relay different talk groups on Berks fire in 4 different analog scanners and I haven't missed any calls that I could tell. Of course the more frequencies you listen to in total you're bound to miss some trunking comms. I'm sure that would be true of the 100 also; you can only hear one transmission at a time anyway. Just my 2 cents worth.
As far as the 396T; I had two of them and had trouble in the mobile when tx on the ham bands it would knock out a transistor. I sold them and bought two 396XT's and never had a problem with tx on the ham bands in the mobile with them.

 

[Omega-TI]

Since you are considering the SDS100 and not the SDS200, can I assume you plan to take it with you in your surrounding area? If so, and from the tower list below, it seems like the SDS100 would not be overkill.

 

[thesoundman]

So the question here is, not is the SDS 100 overkill, but is it overkill for you.

…

Personally though I would have kept your old radio, since I can't imagine you got much for it, to supplement the SDS.

You’re exactly right, I should have included “for me” in the title. And I got about $220 for it on eBay, so nearly enough for a used 436 or a bit less than half of a used SDS. I don’t think I could have justified either purchase otherwise…

Maybe it’s worth trying to find a good deal on a used 436 to see if it has enough issues with simulcast in my area to justify selling it for the SDS.

 

[thesoundman]

Since you are considering the SDS100 and not the SDS200, can I assume you plan to take it with you in your surrounding area? If so, and from the tower list below, it seems like the SDS100 would not be overkill.

View attachment 134921

I’m basically between the two westernmost towers shown there. I’d be using it at home mostly, but I like the ability to take it on the go…

 

[GlobalNorth]

If you ever travel and might care to take it with you, it is exactly what you need.

 

[IAmSixNine]

I have a 436 and 100. Started off with 436 and loved it, then found a gently used sds100 at a good price so was like ok ill get it.. The more i used it the more i liked it. Once i figured out how to use filters properly which made a big improvement in reception and got a better antenna.
about 2 years later (last month) i broke it. Sent it off to uniden and while it was there i went back to my 436. I quickly learned how much i liked the sds100. I really really do like the sds100 battery and being able to charge it properly, unlike the 436. I also really like the display. The additional details like digital error, noise, better signal meter, plus having a black bakground with white lettering made it easy to read during the day.
Lets say i was extremely happy to get my sds100 back from uniden, so much so i have decided to look for a 2nd SDS100 and when that arrives probably sell my 436. I will also say i am in an area with multiple large simulcast systems. (Dallas / Fort Worth area)

What i would keep my 436 for, Analog stuff, DMR Trunking stuff.

 

[thesoundman]

… I quickly learned how much i liked the sds100. I really really do like the sds100 battery and being able to charge it properly, unlike the 436. I also really like the display. The additional details like digital error, noise, better signal meter, plus having a black bakground with white lettering made it easy to read during the day.
…

This is helpful… I feel like the display is a big draw for me as well. When you say being able to charge it properly, do you just mean that it comes with the rechargeable pack vs. AAs for the 436?

 

[LarryVavrek]

My 2 cents would be if they are using encryption don’t waste your money.

 

[trentbob]

You’re exactly right, I should have included “for me” in the title. And I got about $220 for it on eBay, so nearly enough for a used 436 or a bit less than half of a used SDS. I don’t think I could have justified either purchase otherwise…

Maybe it’s worth trying to find a good deal on a used 436 to see if it has enough issues with simulcast in my area to justify selling it for the SDS.

So as you can imagine, there are scores and scores of posters who have said the same exact thing you are saying regarding a phase ll
simulcast system they live in. The 436 is a wonderful radio that was introduced in 2014 right as the first real wave of phase ll systems began to show up.

Mine went online in 2015 and it took about 2 hours during the testing phase to figure out that the x36s weren't going to do it. I worked in the media, I couldn't afford to miss transmissions completely or have them be broken up and yes there are adjustments that can be made but they don't work on all phase ll systems.

It was obvious that the scanner companies were going to have to make simulcast capable radios that worked and Uniden was the only one that did, they did it for a reason, if the x36s worked, they wouldn't have had to do it.

The sds100 did not come out till 2018 so we ended up having to buy Motorola radios just to be able to do our job.

Some people don't mind missed or broken transmissions, some people are just in a sweet spot in their County where it works just right and they don't have major problems so they assume nobody does.

It's all about location location location.

To get good performance and satisfaction, unfortunately, you have to spend the money. There's no getting around it but people keep trying LOL. Some Get Lucky.

 

[thesoundman]

Appreciate the insight @trentbob , especially on a topic that I’m sure has been beaten into the ground

 

[tvengr]

At my location, I do not have a choice. The SDS100/SDS200 scanners and Unication G4/G5 pagers are the only radios that will receive my local simulcast system. All others fail miserably and I have tried them all. The SDS scanners are not overkill. They are a necessity. I seriously feel you will be disappointed with anything other than the SDS100 for Prince William County.

 

[morrisr3nd]

There are actually a couple of descent priced SDS100s in the Classifieds on here:

*SOLD*Uniden SDS100 with Extras !

Uniden SDS100 in excellent condition with new extra battery and charger. Clear HD screen protector installed. See photos for items included. Free USPS Priority Mail to Lower 48 states.

forums.radioreference.com

Uniden SDS100 Remtronix DMR

I have a Uniden SDS100 It has the DMR upgrade and includes a Remtronix 7/800 MHz antenna original box and charger..There are light scratches on screen..$525 Shipped PayPal (friends and family)

forums.radioreference.com

Uniden SDS 100 with accessories located “like new”/SOLD

I am selling my gently used SDS 100 purchased new in September 2022. Included with the scanner are a nylon case, 1 Remtronix 700/800 mHz antenna and a Remtronix VHF/UHF/700-800 mHz antenna. All of the original accessories are also included with...

forums.radioreference.com

 

[captainmax1]

I have both the 436 and SDS100. In areas with simulcast, my 436 can be completely deaf while my SDS100 is receiving nonstop transmissions. As others have said, you will be greatly disappointed with anything less than a SDS model.

 

[Ensnared]

No

 

[transaline]

I normally hate posts like this since everyone's situation/opinion is different but... I just sold my 396T since the county I live in is now running P25 phase 2. I'm on the fence whether the SDS100 would be a good buy, or overkill. I was never a die hard user of the 396T, even less lately but that's partially due to the compatibility issue. Before that I enjoyed seeing what could be heard nearby, and it seems like a fun side hobby that I don't want to fully give up yet.

If I'm reading the database correctly, it does look like the Prince William VA system uses simulcast - which I'm reading is a major upside of the SDS100, otherwise I'd be looking more seriously at the 436HP. Anyway, I'd appreciate hearing any input.

Bought the 325p2 and it's a brick. The simulcast made all broadcasts impossible to decipher. Much better with the SDS100

 

[blackbelter]

In my case the 436 was almost completely deaf to our simulcast systems. I sold the 436 and invested in a Unication G5 for portability , ruggedness , extremely long battery life and professional grade feeling which provides me with 100 percent non stop coverage and reliability . As a base unit I have an SDS 200 with 90 percent positive results on the same system. I consider myself a casual listener .

 

[gmclam]

One reason I run multiple receivers is because an SDS-100 is overkill for CHP (not even a good match really) and the PSR-500 doesn't do simulcast (but works great on conventional P25) and so on. What (type of system) are you receiving? What type of receiver is best suited for that?