Bought a Uniden SDS 200 last week and the following is some initial observations coming from someone who started using a public safety radio system in the 70's and stopped in 97 and who's last scanner was a crystal controlled 8 channel RCA.
- Sure glad I didn't have to program those P25 systems in.
- Durham Fire and EMS is calm and quiet comparied to 90's dispatching techniques. No tones and I'm assuming that call information being sent digitally to a MDT sure cuts out a lot of chatter. But sure I do miss hearing the tones go out.
- I was listening to DFD crews do a primary search at a structure fire today. Clear as a bell. A good advertisement for digital radio. Also for the improvements in the speaking diaphram in SCBAs since the 90s.
- To that point, the overall audio quality is very good, compared to the analog VHF radios that I was using in the 90's.
- I have a lot to learn about how best use all the features of the scanner.
- Alexia and Siri have nothing on the bossy computer voice on Durham Fire and EMS dispatch. She must be related to the lady in my GPS that gets huffy when I miss a turn.
