Programming Uniden Scanners

[private-security]

Hi all,

I have recently been updating my three active uniden scanners to include the new P25 systems for both the the City and County systems. I programmed necessary sites and TGID's that I'd like to be able to hear. The signal comes in strong from the CC's for both systems where I live, which is in the Paradise Hills neighborhood of San Diego. However, the audio quality has not been so great. Talkgroup audio sometimes comes in clear, while most of the time it cut's off or is very garbled. All settings are set to default. I'd like to achieve sound quality that my APX duty radio is receiving. What would you recommend that could be done to solve this? Thanks!

View attachment 85995

-Ryan

 

[ka3aaa]

thats like trying to turn an apple into a lemon it will never happen. there is no comperason between a consumer grade scanner versa a commercial grade radio.

 

[tvengr]

The garbled audio is a classic symptom of simulcast distortion. What model scanners do you have? The Uniden SDS100 handheld and SDS200 base/mobile are the only scanners designed to receive simulcast systems such as San Diego. For the SDS100, the Remtronix REM-820S antenna will give you significant signal improvement for 700/800 MHz. The antenna has an O-ring to maintain water resistance and is only about 7 inches long. There is also a REM-830B with a right angle BNC connector for the SDS200. That one is about 8 inches long.

 

[private-security]

The garbled audio is a classic symptom of simulcast distortion. What model scanners do you have? The Uniden SDS100 handheld and SDS200 base/mobile are the only scanners designed to receive simulcast systems such as San Diego. For the SDS100, the Remtronix REM-820S antenna will give you significant signal improvement for 700/800 MHz. The antenna has an O-ring to maintain water resistance and is only about 7 inches long. There is also a REM-830B with a right angle BNC connector for the SDS200. That one is about 8 inches long.

I currently have a Uniden BCD536HP, BCD996P2, and a BCD325P2. Issue seems to be apparent on both systems. I'll have to do some research on simulcast systems and distortion. I consider my knowledge of radio systems/programming pretty basic.

 

[tvengr]

I have all of the scanners you have listed and every one has problems with my local simulcast system. The SDS100 and SDS200 work perfectly.

 

[JoeyC]

I have a 536 and 996. You can get away with decent (90%) audio quality on these radios with a stationary setup if you can setup an antenna system aimed to minimize the simulcast signals. When mobile however these radios do poorly overall with somewhat acceptable performance depending on where in the county you are (but those results will vary wildly from horrible to pretty good). For mobile and portable operation however, I cannot praise the Unication G4/G5 more highly, despite their limitations as a scanner. The SDS100 does a decent job however, despite being twice as large as the Unications.

 

[tvengr]

I cannot praise the Unication G4/G5 more highly, despite their limitations as a scanner.

I agree 100%. The Unication pagers do an excellent job, but do have limitations. It will be interesting to see the new firmware release coming up to make them more like scanners. Presently, you cannot hold on a talkgroup, there is no scan delay, and you can scan only one system at a time.