SDS100/SDS200: Like a Brick

[blong]

Ok new issues with SDS 100 today, Has been working fine up until this morning.
1) can't adjust volume, switches between 4 and 5, If I really push on the volume switch it will work correctly for a short while (minutes) then goes back to switching between two levels, say 4 and 5 or 8 and 9 etc.

2) Stopped receiving, mostly listen to Simulcast in Monroe County NY, But silence, tried different antenna, reloaded, tried conventional channels, nothing.

Has been in for repair once already like last February.

Thoughts? Options, Help?

 

[trentbob]

Send it in for the cold solder joint repair. A very familiar problem that Uniden is aware of but I do not believe they have addressed on the production line even though it started with the very first units. You might want to look it up, there are many many threads.

We have never been able to find out officially from Uniden if the problem was addressed on the production line or not. If you are out of warranty you will have to pay for it, it may or may not come back fixed or the repair will not last long.

There was a radio reference member who did this repair for a reasonable fee and did it better than Uniden did but he has not been heard of since September 30th, apparently has personal business he is attending too so you will have to send it to Uniden.

Are you able to hear your local weather broadcast or anyting in your area? Is the rotary dial making the volume bounce around? Sounds like cold solder joint repair needed.

 

[nessnet]

Frankly, it sounds hardware related, but always eliminate any possibilities.

Yes, start with the SC card. See if a card reader can read it. If you have a spare, initialize it via Sentinel (ask if you don't know how) and put swap it into the radio. All good, bad SD card.

If not.... unfortunately back to Uniden, or you may want to contact Jon. Not sure if he can help, but worth checking.

 

[nessnet]

There was a radio reference member who did this repair for a reasonable fee and did it better than Uniden did but he has not been heard of since September 30th, apparently has personal business he is attending too so you will have to send it to Uniden.

What's going on w/ Jon?
He has shipped accy recently, so he is still 'around'...

Re off-line if you want....

 

[900mhz]

Apparently, he has been blowing people off who have sent in equipment for repairs, with zero communication. People have tried to contact him via e-mail and phone...crickets...Not good.

 

[fxdscon]

What's going on w/ Jon?

-
Read from this post on down:

Uniden Scanner Mods & Accessories - SDS100 Internal GPS Mod

He's has some personal stuff that needs takin' care of.

forums.radioreference.com

 

[900mhz]

I commented there as well.

 

[kruser]

-
Read from this post on down:

Uniden Scanner Mods & Accessories - SDS100 Internal GPS Mod

He's has some personal stuff that needs takin' care of.

forums.radioreference.com

Last I read from Jon was a post about a book writing venture he's gotten into.
Still no excuse for ignoring those who sent him radios for mods or repairs though.

Book thread here: More details about my absence... | RadioReference.com Forums

 

[JoeBearcat]

Send it in for the cold solder joint repair. A very familiar problem that Uniden is aware of but I do not believe they have addressed on the production line even though it started with the very first units. You might want to look it up, there are many many threads.

We have never been able to find out officially from Uniden if the problem was addressed on the production line or not. If you are out of warranty you will have to pay for it, it may or may not come back fixed or the repair will not last long.

This has been addressed many times in other threads. YES, it was addressed in production, and yes, it was addressed in production.

This was one of the first things I did.

 

[trentbob]

Thanks for the definitive confirmation, I don't suppose you would give us the serial number sequence so as to avoid buying a radio that still has the problem?

 

[JoeBearcat]

I asked that question about another issue, and was told that information is not to be given out.
(and even I did not get an answer of SN cutoff, so it's not like I am withholding it)

That said, it should not be hard to determine that by any of the technically oriented users out there.

 

[trentbob]

I have to admit I did miss any confirmation of that being addressed on the production line and that would be my fault as I kind of stopped reading about it. It's Not unusual that the serial number would not be given out for obvious reasons of marketing especially on the used market or vendors clearing out stock.

Regarding the issue of the original poster here, he has not been back and I regret just assuming it was csj, as I think about it, nessnet is correct and I should have thought about a data card issue first.

As far as to malfunctioning rotary dial, is that a cold solder joint problem as some have suggested? I had the issue from almost the beginning and just dealt with it but I've never had any problems with the receiver from my early June 2018 unit. Receiver works fine across the board. I also had the rotary dial problem with a 536 from 2014.

 

[JoeBearcat]

I believe most, if not all, cases of rotary knob erratic operation have been due to dirty encoders. I can't say that 100% however.

There have been posts about how to clean those.

 

[trentbob]

Yeah I had seen those threads, can't just spray the knob secondary to the water resistant design in the first place.