NS9710
Member
Is there any way to improve reception on the Uniden SDS100 or an antenna that won't risk damaging my scanner. I have everything set with no filters, NFM modulation.
Is there any way to improve reception on the Uniden SDS100 or an antenna that won't risk damaging my scanner. I have everything set with no filters, NFM modulation.
An antenna tuned to rail frequencies will help, depending on how far you are from the tracks. A Smiley Slim duck 5/8 at 160 MHz performed better for me than the Diamond everyone recommends. An outside antenna is the gold standard, mobile or base.
Would that be a standard SMA Male, or the Motorola or Vertex version be the best fit, since the SDS100 has a unique fit?
I use my SDS100 for RR monitoring in situations where I can only tote one radio; it does a pretty respectable job monitoring railroads with the REMtronics antenna (better with a Smiley 5/8 duck RR antenna); I found that placing railroads in a separate system and increasing the hold time to around 1.5 seconds on that system made a considerable improvement in the radio being able to catch the stuff.
If I can carry more than one radio I'm more likely to use my Icom F3161 or Motorola XTS5000 for monitoring rail; for general rail and air monitoring a Uniden BC125AT works great.
What connection do you use, straight SMA Male, or one of the variants?
The Smiley "5/8" wave duck antennas may have a slight advantage when transmitting, but they don't really improve reception.