SDS100/SDS200: Is Their A Problem With My SDS100 - Poor reception?

[rkillins]

I have had the SDS100 for 2 or 3 years now. Honestly, from a receptin perspective, I'm pretty disappointed. I feel it's pretty deaf. Aircraft band is silent unless sitting 5 feet from an airport perimeter fence. It's hard to tell if it's a flaw, or their just isn't anything to listen to anymore, and if it is a monitorable signal, is it just too low powert and out of range, or do I have a crap antenna, or is my unit somehow defective. It seems pretty good on my local phase 2 P25 system in the 800MHz range, but UHF seems weak as well. VHF is hit and miss IMO. My local weather broadcast comes in, but it's noisey. Maybe I'm expecting too much, I grew up with the Radio Shack Pro base scanners from the 80s where it's telescopic antenna brought in hours of local listening, and a good outdoor antenna would treat me with CHP and outher southern state listening from the Great Lakes area.

Yes, I respect an outdoor antenna would likely contribute greatly (barring a defective SDS100). I am not relying on the stock antenna. I am using this wide-band receive scanner antenna and when mobile I connect something similar to this. Neither nets me good reception IMO. Not much to listen to around here anymore between encryption and inactive dmr systems (makes me very sad). Some VHF, but most appear out of range or ellusive to reception on the SDS100.

I've read of manufacturing defects with the SDS100. How can I know if possibly my unit suffers from any of these problems that may be contributing to poor reception?
Happy to take advice on best portable, mobile and base antenna (from Amazon) if anyone wishes to share their experience and knowledge.

 

[dmfalk]

Both antennas you pointed to are short and inefficient. This is definitely your weakness. Some here would recommend a Remtronics antenna, whereas I've got experience with a Comet W100RX, and couldn't be happier with the results! The Comet is a telescoping antenna, so it can be adjusted to match the approximate frequency range you're monitoring, plus it's double hinged, allowing it to fold in behind the SDS100 (which I also have).

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

As I and others have mentioned on numerous threads here the SDS100 is mediocre at best on VHF and UHF analog and is prone to intermod & overloading, therefore my SDS100 isn't my goto for anything non-simulcast or non-digital altogether. Disappointing for the hefty price tag? maybe, but no receiver is perfect. If air band is of interest to you you'd be better off with something analog-only along the lines of a BC125AT. My goto receiver for airband is my Icom IC-R20. Surprisingly receptive even with the stock telescopic antenna

 

[rkillins]

Thanks folks for your insights. It seems trhe concensus is better antennae. So much to choose from, and without a great understanding from a technical perspective, daunting to fiund the right one. Clearly my knowledge nets me poor results. Back in the day, my Pro2006 with a Radio Shack triband antenna atop a 40' tower with LMR coax netted awesome results. But that was during the days of analogue prominence, not digital, no trunking, no data.

I'll do some research, but apprehensive to spend a lot oif money for the potential of disappointment.

 

[K9KLC]

I'll do some research, but apprehensive to spend a lot oif money for the potential of disappointment.

If you got it mainly for aircraft, yes. Frankly if you do not monitor a simulcast system, I'd look elsewhere for your scanning needs. If you need to monitor simulcast then your choices are that for Hand held, an SDS 200 for mobile/base or for simulcast one of the Unication Pagers. I personally use the Unication pagers for simulcast, a BCD 536 for anything else digital and an OLD 30 or so year old Relm for other analog needs including when I'm in the mood to hear aircraft.

 

[n1chu]

While you may be experiencing a problem with your scanner that could need Uniden repair, I bet you’d love to place it side by side with another SDS100 that is functioning correctly. This is possible if you post on the regional forum (they are listed by state) and ask if anyone that has a functioning SDS100 might meet with you.

While there are those who are quick to jump on any post about the poor reception quality of the SDS100, such as yours, it’s premature to definitively state your scanner is “a piece of crap” as some have stated. I don’t put any stock in those posts… how many are from frustrated users that haven’t figured out the steep learning curve and haven’t had any luck setting theirs up properly? Take your time and get someone who knows the radio to check for things such as a broken antenna connection inside the case, etc. or at very least, compare its reception ability with a known good working SDS100.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

it’s premature to definitively state your scanner is “a piece of crap” as some have stated. I don’t put any stock in those posts…

Who said that? What posts?

 

[n1chu]

I wasn’t referring to this thread. Other posts on other forums. I believe I saw some dissenting opinions on a Facebook forum.

 

[wbswetnam]

As I and others have mentioned on numerous threads here the SDS100 is mediocre at best on VHF and UHF analog and is prone to intermod & overloading, therefore my SDS100 isn't my goto for anything non-simulcast or non-digital altogether. Disappointing for the hefty price tag? maybe, but no receiver is perfect. If air band is of interest to you you'd be better off with something analog-only along the lines of a BC125AT. My goto receiver for airband is my Icom IC-R20. Surprisingly receptive even with the stock telescopic antenna

For monitoring air band or most anything conventional analog, the BCT125AT gets my vote, too. For a base model, the BCT15X is great for monitoring air band and other analog.

 

[buddrousa]

I will point to the PRO SPORTS PLAYERS they go out and buy a $500,000.00 sports car and total it because they do not know how to drive a car that has that much power and speed. Take the time to learn the scanner it works I share a SDS200 SDS100 on my Stridesberg Combined Antenna System with Uniden 15's 15x's 260 996p2's and 536's when set to scan the same systems all programmed the same Analog 150-800 or Digital 150-800 my sds's miss no traffic.

 

[rkillins]

I will point to the PRO SPORTS PLAYERS they go out and buy a $500,000.00 sports car and total it because they do not know how to drive a car that has that much power and speed. Take the time to learn the scanner it works I share a SDS200 SDS100 on my Stridesberg Combined Antenna System with Uniden 15's 15x's 260 996p2's and 536's when set to scan the same systems all programmed the same Analog 150-800 or Digital 150-800 my sds's miss no traffic.

Are you implying I don't know how to use my SDS 100? Not everyone has an abundance of scanners to place side by side for comparisoin, nor do they have a huge selection of frequencies to monitor to determine perceived causes of poor reception. The SDS 100 has had issues with manufacturing, so why would I not consider that as a problem I to have inherited?

 

[dmfalk]

Who said that? What posts?

There have been a few scattered about in these Uniden forums......

 

[buddrousa]

Because if you knew what the symptoms were for the problem you would know that was the problem.
Static on a carrier squelch channel and NO RECEIVE not even Weather.
I am just stating the SDS series works and have tested them against other scanners for range and response.
Have you tested all FILTERS?
Have you tested all IFX on problem Frequencies?
Have you tested your Antenna System?
Have you compared your SDS to others on the same antenna?
Yesterday with my SDS100 436 and 160 sharing the same antenna in my car received 154Mhz Analog 55 miles from the transmitter site so I know it works.

 

[rkillins]

Thanks Buddrousa, I do appreciate the advice. I never said that the SDS 100 "didn't work". I was mearly looking for ways to improve reception (all avenues now point to antenna - I can only test with what I have and am looking for advice on recommended ones to spare wasted $$), or to determine if there are ways to determine if my unit is in anyway defective. I will play with the additional setting as suggestion, but with all due respect, my listening environment may not be as test friendly as what you feel will assist. I have very few frequencies to test with, many unverified, in a community with likely very few monitoring enthusiasts. With the lack of things to listen to, many haven't invested in new hardware, so sitting with someone to compare would be a tough sell to arrange.

Its difficult to test "problem" frequencies as I don't know what to expect. A frequency 30 miles away I could consider problematic and test to my hearts content, but it would be highly unrealistic to expect the SDS100 to pull that off (without a considerably good antenna setup). Other than the simulcast Phase 2 P25 system here (mostly encrypted) - which the SDS excels at, monitoring is dull with very few analogue or digital freqs or systems that are active. There are some freqs in the RR database that I don't even know are even in use anymore as they have been dead quiet (or have they?) for years. Possibly redundant, possibly digital and/or encrypted, out of range or ... antenna problems or faulty equipment (not "crappy equipment", but possibly with a known defect).

The only real know active frequency is the tower of the local inactive airport 5 miles away. The SDS with my crap antenna (as per advise) is silent, With my crap mobile antenna (as per advise), tower signal gets captured about 1.5 miles out. My Proscan 96 gets the tower with same crap portable antenna from home (5 miles). A local VHF frequency that used to be monitorable analogue signal, is now DMR. With the DMR addon, nothing with the SDS from 3 miles. Possibly encrypted, but not reflected as such in RRDB. Possibly being digital a weaker signal? Many factors affect why frequencies are silent, but before investiung in hundreds of dollars in antennae, I want to rule out high expectations and possible defective hardware (we cannot dismiss the fact that the SDS 100 has had some defects and that it is possible, although unlikely, mine suffers).

 

[garys]

My SDS200 was pretty pathetic on Air Band when I first got it, but seems much better now.

Where I used to live has a lot of VHF and UHF/UHFT activity in public safety. I've never noticed that neither my SDS200 or SDS100 scanners had any particular problems receiving either analog or digital signals. In my truck, I got very good coverage in all of the greater Boston area. At home I got a bit less coverage, but that was because of my location.

In central Texas there is far less UHF activity with most of the public safety being on the 700/800Mhz simulcast trunk systems with a few of the more rural counties using VHF P25 systems (not simulcast). My VHF analog listening is mostly aviation and railroad. Both are pretty much equal in the house on the 325P2 and SDS100 with inside the house antennas.

Maybe my expectations are too low, but I'm happy.

Of course I'm new to the hobby, only starting in 1973 or so.

 

[buddrousa]

The only thing to remember about the SDS scanners is that they overload the front end easy if you are close to a Cell Tower TV Station or High Power FM Radio Station.

 

[rkillins]

The only thing to remember about the SDS scanners is that they overload the front end easy if you are close to a Cell Tower TV Station or High Power FM Radio Station.

Good to know. How close is close? The nearest communication tower (cell tower) of any sort is half a mile away and a VHF P25 site about the same. I need to find a frequency I know is active and not encrypted, apply some filters (to combat the overload?) and patiently hope for the best. It could very well that there is nothing left to monitor and my expectations are too high to capture some of the remaining activity in bordering counties. Many of my neighbouring counties are on DMR trunked systems now, and although I can receive the local tower, I don't think they use it. I definately can't pick up the neighbouring towers with the SDS, and just barely with DSD+.

 

[buddrousa]

That will be close which may be part of what is causing you some problems. More Antenna is not going to help. If they are the opposite direction for what you are wanting to hear a VHF/UHF Beam may help out.
Let me guess you can receive the P25 VHF Site with no antenna.

 

[dmfalk]

Just an aside, the best test frequencies in VHF just happen to be your local/regional NOAA Weather Radio channels. The SDS100 has Weather Radio as a separate function in the main menu (scroll to "WX Operation". I personally get 3 of them, one is about 90 miles away, just banging in!

As for antenna recommendations, I can only vouch for my Comet W100RX, but others have recommended certain Remtronics models, I forget which offhand... But yeah, the big weakness usually seems to be the antenna. I amassed an arsenal of antennas after buying my HomePatrol 2 back in 2017, and definitely the original antenna was crapola! Now, with my SDS100, the scanner now outperforms the older HP-2, same Comet! 🙃

 

[n1chu]

Are you implying I don't know how to use my SDS 100? Not everyone has an abundance of scanners to place side by side for comparisoin, nor do they have a huge selection of frequencies to monitor to determine perceived causes of poor reception. The SDS 100 has had issues with manufacturing, so why would I not consider that as a problem I to have inherited?

We are talking about the scanner here. Not the people who use them. It’s not out of the realm of possibilities that you may have any one of the many causes responsible for the results you describe. A bad radio in need of repair, an improperly programmed radio, atmospherics/weather, location, adjacent interfering RF that raises the noise floor, etc. No one is implying anyone’s abilities here. Thats left up to each individual to determine on their own. Mostly, we are asked “If the shoe fits” in a rhetorical sense without implication. It’s not necessary to reply if it does or not.

As for the SDS series being sub-par on the VHF/UHF bands, it’s simply not true. Yes, when placed on the test bench and measured with precision test equipment, the numbers show a difference. But that difference is so inconsequential it takes precision instrumentation to measure. The human ear can’t tell the difference. So, why do we hear the radio described as “mediocre” on the VHF/UHF bands so many times? Maybe it’s more susceptible to one or more variables I mention. Or it could just be folks were setting themselves up for disappointment. I’ll admit, I found fault with my SDS100 when I first got it. And I already had a favorite scanner I was partial to for the VHF/UHF bands. That partiality clouded my judgment of the SDS100. Both the old trusted standby and the new give me good reception. So I chalked it up to personal preference. Nothing wrong with that. But I learned quickly that any fault lies with the guy I see in my mirror. I’m no expert but I believe Buddrousa is giving us the straight poop on the subject.

I wonder how many of those SDS100 dissenters would be proven wrong in their evaluation of the SDS series if they had the chance to compare theirs to one which was tweaked to perfection?