SDS100/SDS200: Is the SDS100 deaf on the air band?

[mkirker]

I am also finding the SDS-100 deaf in the aircraft bands as well as other bands. I looked all over the web and in the Sentinel Software and cant find anything about Function 7-IXF. How do I change this setting? Also, when I set up some of my frequencies in Sentinel I noticed the range defaults to zero, does that actually affect the scanner picking up the signal? So far I am pretty disappointed in this radio

 

[vikingegfd]

I am also finding the SDS-100 deaf in the aircraft bands as well as other bands. I looked all over the web and in the Sentinel Software and cant find anything about Function 7-IXF. How do I change this setting? Also, when I set up some of my frequencies in Sentinel I noticed the range defaults to zero, does that actually affect the scanner picking up the signal? So far I am pretty disappointed in this radio

Follow m25man settings changes (jan 19th), set analog only and auto to am and your radio will start to pickup aircraft bands.

 

[trentbob]

It's not uncommon to have problems with the air band. You want to make your changes on the radio itself so you can hear real-time results. You apply function seven on the keyboard on the radio to each individual Simplex AM Aviation frequency. If it doesn't make a difference toggle It Off.

Next you want to try filters. Global filter in settings is only to sample filters. You can adjust them there to listen to the air band if you find a better filter then you return Global filter to normal as it affects every object on the radio and you don't want to compromise another object or system that works well on normal. Avoid Auto filters as a they slow scanning way down. You don't need to try normal because you're on normal by default. Just try wide normal, invert and wide invert. If you notice that things perk up put Global filter back on normal and remember what filter helped.

You can't apply a filter to an individual object or Channel you have to go through Department options and it will change the filter to what you choose for all the channels in that department so it's important that you have all of your Aviation frequencies in one Department.

Filter changes can all be done by drilling down on the menu using the keyboard so as to hear real-time results. Once you have applied the filter of your choice in Department options that you found to be most optimal from your sampling global press avoid and exit the menu.

You can always put the filter indicator on your display to help you keep track. It's imperative that you hook up to Sentinel and transfer your data card to your profile first thing so as to permanently save any changes you made directly on the radio.

People will tell you to change the filters on Sentinel not the radio but then you don't have real-time results to listen to. When you make filter changes on a system you actually go to system options and change the filter on each site. You use the reception indicators and this can only be done doing it right on the radio while listening. Makes sense.

 

[jaspence]

I have the Icom ICR30 and the BC125AT. The Icom is better, but the BC125AT is a better buy if aircraft is your main interest and you don't want the digital modes.

 

[m25man]

Follow m25man settings changes (jan 19th), set analog only and auto to am and your radio will start to pickup aircraft bands.

So glad some of my tips worked for you.
Here in the UK we don't have anything like the RR database available so everything has to be discovered manually and scanned as FL's
You guys don't know how lucky you are
Most of our public services are Tetra encrypted and PMR is mostly MotoTrbo T2/T3 we don't use P25 anywhere much other than the USAF bases.
In fact Scanning is more or less illegal in the UK you can only listen to bands you are licensed to use (Ham/CB excepted) although Air & Marine are mostly ignored - we have big turnouts at places like Lakenheath/Mildenhall for spotting.

The SDS uses a Raphael TV Tuner chip which has quite a wide band width and one of the crudest AGC circuits implemented.
The Bandwidth of the chip appears to be pegged at 1.8Mhz which seems to be more of an issue for us in the UK than it is for you.

As you can probably drop the entire UK into most individual US States, the Airband spectrum here is crowded and has many channels in close proximity to each other and as a result we get a lot of issues with close channel interference and intermod on Airband which I doubt many of the USA SDS Users would ever hear!

So I apologize for us Limeys complaining about the SDS when much of it is often unjustified!

I have an SDS100E, 200E & a 3600 (a 436 to you guys) and what I've found over the years of ownership and operation is try not to use Automatic for anything without expecting losses.
Most of the loss occurs in scan and dwell times - give your FL's everything you can, don't allow the scanner to work anything out for itself if you can.
If the mode is AM/FM/NFM set it - If you have the Colour Code program it, if you've got a TG list use it, in fact every little bit of data you can set in your FL's makes a huge difference in the way these scanners work.

It takes a lot of effort but its worth it. I now do most of what I need in the field using the SDS100 where it used to be a laptop SDR and DSD+
I absolutely love these radios

 

[mkirker]

Follow m25man settings changes (jan 19th), set analog only and auto to am and your radio will start to pickup aircraft bands.

I can't find a post from Jan 19th , is there a way to link it to this thread?

 

[mkirker]

It's not uncommon to have problems with the air band. You want to make your changes on the radio itself so you can hear real-time results. You apply function seven on the keyboard on the radio to each individual Simplex AM Aviation frequency. If it doesn't make a difference toggle It Off.

Next you want to try filters. Global filter in settings is only to sample filters. You can adjust them there to listen to the air band if you find a better filter then you return Global filter to normal as it affects every object on the radio and you don't want to compromise another object or system that works well on normal. Avoid Auto filters as a they slow scanning way down. You don't need to try normal because you're on normal by default. Just try wide normal, invert and wide invert. If you notice that things perk up put Global filter back on normal and remember what filter helped.

You can't apply a filter to an individual object or Channel you have to go through Department options and it will change the filter to what you choose for all the channels in that department so it's important that you have all of your Aviation frequencies in one Department.

Filter changes can all be done by drilling down on the menu using the keyboard so as to hear real-time results. Once you have applied the filter of your choice in Department options that you found to be most optimal from your sampling global press avoid and exit the menu.

You can always put the filter indicator on your display to help you keep track. It's imperative that you hook up to Sentinel and transfer your data card to your profile first thing so as to permanently save any changes you made directly on the radio.

People will tell you to change the filters on Sentinel not the radio but then you don't have real-time results to listen to. When you make filter changes on a system you actually go to system options and change the filter on each site. You use the reception indicators and this can only be done doing it right on the radio while listening. Makes sense.

Thank you for the help nut you are talking way over my head lol - I did figure out what Global filter meant and all my AM freqs are set to that already. I will filter through them when a freq becomes active and see what happens. What do you mean apply function 7 on the radio keyboard? I don't see any options in the menu for function 7? sorry to sound stupid but I've only had this radio and software for three days and still learning.

 

[GROL]

Thank you for the help nut you are talking way over my head lol - I did figure out what Global filter meant and all my AM freqs are set to that already. I will filter through them when a freq becomes active and see what happens. What do you mean apply function 7 on the radio keyboard? I don't see any options in the menu for function 7? sorry to sound stupid but I've only had this radio and software for three days and still learning.

The Function key is the top button on the side. When holding on an aircraft frequency you can press the Function key and then the 7 key which is also labeled IFX.

The SDS100 is definitely not deaf on the civilian or military air bands. I have no idea why this myth keeps coming up. It does not perform as well as non SDS scanners on aircraft but it does well enough. I would suggest a non SDS scanner for dedicated aircraft reception. You usually do not have to use IFX unless a frequency has noise on it without an actual voice signal. The Wide Normal filter seems to work best for AM aircraft transmissions. You can set it per Department in Systems in a Favorites list. If set for each Department containing aircraft frequencies it will apply the filter to all frequencies in that department. Be sure to set all aircraft band frequencies for AM mode and Analog only.

 

[mkirker]

The Function key is the top button on the side. When holding on an aircraft frequency you can press the Function key and then the 7 key which is also labeled IFX.

The SDS100 is definitely not deaf on the civilian or military air bands. I have no idea why this myth keeps coming up. It does not perform as well as non SDS scanners on aircraft but it does well enough. I would suggest a non SDS scanner for dedicated aircraft reception. You usually do not have to use IFX unless a frequency has noise on it without an actual voice signal. The Wide Normal filter seems to work best for AM aircraft transmissions. You can set it per Department in Systems in a Favorites list. If set for each Department containing aircraft frequencies it will apply the filter to all frequencies in that department. Be sure to set all aircraft band frequencies for AM mode and Analog only.

Thank you very much! Now I see the 7-IFX button (geez). I will set some airports in one department and try the wide normal filter. Thank you for clarifying and helping me out

 

[trentbob]

It's not uncommon to have problems with the air band. You want to make your changes on the radio itself so you can hear real-time results. You apply function seven on the keyboard on the radio to each individual Simplex AM Aviation frequency. If it doesn't make a difference toggle It Off.

Next you want to try filters. Global filter in settings is only to sample filters. You can adjust them there to listen to the air band if you find a better filter then you return Global filter to normal as it affects every object on the radio and you don't want to compromise another object or system that works well on normal. Avoid Auto filters as a they slow scanning way down. You don't need to try normal because you're on normal by default. Just try wide normal, invert and wide invert. If you notice that things perk up put Global filter back on normal and remember what filter helped.

You can't apply a filter to an individual object or Channel you have to go through Department options and it will change the filter to what you choose for all the channels in that department so it's important that you have all of your Aviation frequencies in one Department.

Filter changes can all be done by drilling down on the menu using the keyboard so as to hear real-time results. Oncge you have applied the filter of your choice in Department options that you found to be most optimal from your sampling global press avoid and exit the menu.

You can always put the filter indicator on your display to help you keep track. It's imperative that you hook up to Sentinel and transfer your data card to your profile first thing so as to permanently save any changes you made directly on the radio.

People will tell you to change the filters on Sentinel not the radio but then you don't have real-time results to listen to. When you make filter changes on a system you actually go to system options and change the filter on each site. You use the reception indicators and this can only be done doing it right on the radio while listening. Makes sense.

. Of course... You are experiencing a delay in moderators approving your posts. Not Unusual and very expected. Take my information to heart. Settle down. And try my opinion, after all of everything that you do... What I say... Will make perfect sense to you... just stay at it, you'll be an expert in no time.

 

[Ubbe]

Thank you very much! Now I see the 7-IFX button (geez). I will set some airports in one department and try the wide normal filter. Thank you for clarifying and helping me out

To test, with any type of modulation and systems and frequency bands, if you think that you have some issues with reception, do several departments and program the filter differently for each department. Using VHF air I would think you have some 20-30 channels to scan and those will be scanned in about a half second.

Then look at the display when you receive good quality reception and when it's bad and you will probably see what frequencies that works the best using a particular filter. Remember that IFX affects a frequency at every place it exists in the scanner, database, favorite, search or even when you enter a frequency manually from the keypad to monitor temporarily.

/Ubbe

 

[vikingegfd]

page 2 jan 19 2022.

 

[mkirker]

To test, with any type of modulation and systems and frequency bands, if you think that you have some issues with reception, do several departments and program the filter differently for each department. Using VHF air I would think you have some 20-30 channels to scan and those will be scanned in about a half second.

Then look at the display when you receive good quality reception and when it's bad and you will probably see what frequencies that works the best using a particular filter. Remember that IFX affects a frequency at every place it exists in the scanner, database, favorite, search or even when you enter a frequency manually from the keypad to monitor temporarily.

/Ubbe

Thank you - I am going to spend the weekend giving this a try

 

[mkirker]

page 2 jan 19 2022.

Do you have a thread title? I am not seeing any thread with that date. Am I looking in this forum The Uniden Tavern?

 

[hiegtx]

I can't find a post from Jan 19th , is there a way to link it to this thread?

See if this is the one.

 

[mkirker]

Well I figured out one of my major problems. In the Sentinel software under edit profile and service type, half of the service types weren't checked. So the SDS only picked those services up when I was locked on a specific frequency, otherwise it would scan right over it. This setting also solved my nothing to scan problem for some service types.

 

[m25man]

Well I figured out one of my major problems. In the Sentinel software under edit profile and service type, half of the service types weren't checked. So the SDS only picked those services up when I was locked on a specific frequency, otherwise it would scan right over it. This setting also solved my nothing to scan problem for some service types.

If you add your own objects it defaults to Custom1 unless changed.
If you choose Location Enabled scanning in an FL or Department this needs to match or your new frequencies will be located in Null Island! (0.00, 0.00)
Conflicting QK assignments will also cause items to be missed or scanned unexpectedly.
There are loads of ways to find yourself in Scan Mode - Nothing to Scan but rest assured it will always be something you’ve missed 😂

 

[Omega-TI]

Speaking of deaf, I've noticed my SDS100 is deaf on 155.535 when it's plugged into my computer when I'm running ProScan. If I unplug it from the computer it starts picking up the signal again. I cannot wait for summer to put up an external antenna.

 

[donc13]

Speaking of deaf, I've noticed my SDS100 is deaf on 155.535 when it's plugged into my computer when I'm running ProScan. If I unplug it from the computer it starts picking up the signal again. I cannot wait for summer to put up an external antenna.

May not be the antenna, may be spurious interference from your computer.

 

[ngel]

I’m noticing on my SDS100, some strange behavior on the air band. I have 2 local air frequencies on my bank 0 to scan. When a transmission is received on those particular frequencies, after the transmission the channel stays active with what sounds like an open carrier. Also those channels sound super quiet no matter what I do. Anyone have this problem?