SDS 100/200 Scan rate/speed

[Ubbe]

Each time the scanner had to switch bands there was a delay.

I've done some tests with the latest firmware and only time there was a measurable delay where when the scanner had to go to or from the low VHF band. I couldn't see any delay when switching between other bands.

/Ubbe

 

[JoeBearcat]

My fully lit SDS100 takes 750mAH and a totally black screen makes it go down to 725mAH. A 4% difference. Instead of 7 hours of use you get 7 hours an 20 minutes with the display totally blacked out.

/Ubbe

I was going to comment that the backlight takes little power overall. Thanks for the details.

 

[fredva]

My fully lit SDS100 takes 750mAH and a totally black screen makes it go down to 725mAH. A 4% difference. Instead of 7 hours of use you get 7 hours an 20 minutes with the display totally blacked out.

/Ubbe

Thanks for that info. I should probably not bother to dim my screen then.

 

[JoeBearcat]

Personally, I never do. (dim the screen)

But of course that is personal preference.

 

[jonwienke]

In addition to the above regarding hold/delay times and reducing the number of sites within a system, I've found the following helps:

(1) Only program control channels and alternates on P25 systems - delete voice channels on these systems

Wrong. The active control channel is cached, so except for the very first time the site is scanned, the number of programmed site frequencies has zero impact on site scan speed. The only significant factor is the length of the repeating P25 control data loop broadcast by the control channel.

 

[JoeBearcat]

Wrong. The active control channel is cached, so except for the very first time the site is scanned, the number of programmed site frequencies has zero impact on site scan speed.

...provided it is in range. Otherwise all channels are evaluated.

 

[TexTAC]

Wrong. The active control channel is cached, so except for the very first time the site is scanned, the number of programmed site frequencies has zero impact on site scan speed. The only significant factor is the length of the repeating P25 control data loop broadcast by the control channel.

You are assuming that the site is in range and an active control channel can be located each scan. I literally saved seconds (seconds, not milliseconds) on each scan deleting voice channels particularly from the Fort Worth System for which I am usually just on the fringe of several sites. Two of the sites are hit or miss whether I get a control channel on each scan. Four sites I only get a control channel when I am mobile. Made a huge a difference in my case.

 

[slayer816]

You are assuming that the site is in range and an active control channel can be located each scan. I literally saved seconds (seconds, not milliseconds) on each scan deleting voice channels particularly from the Fort Worth System for which I am usually just on the fringe of several sites. Two of the sites are hit or miss whether I get a control channel on each scan. Four sites I only get a control channel when I am mobile. Made a huge a difference in my case.

Same results here, however I program locked out duplicate sites with all frequencies in case I need it mobile. I also found that using a combination of site hold, quick keys, and lock outs make a HUGE difference on getting the radio configured to how you want it in a rapid manner. The same radio can be fast or slow depending on programming...

Overall: If you even think about monitoring a simulcast digital trunked system, SDS### is the way to go. If you have more conventional things in mind, digital or not, BCD#36HP is a good idea but the prices are close enough that I would have to think about it. Nothing beats this ancient BCT15 in pure analog conventional though. It's like anything else, with choices come with some give and take. Go with what's best for what you are listening to "most" of the time.

 

[Ubbe]

I should probably not bother to dim my screen then.

When the display are lit it creates a lot of birdies, internal weak signal carriers, mostly in the 700-900Mhz band, that might disturb the scanning function and slow it down if the birdie are exactly on a frequency that you scan, or even stop on it if the channel are analog without a subtone. Handheld scanners are always a compromise and there's a reason to why mobile/base scanners are so large so that they can separate the different modules from each other to prevent them from interacting.

SDS100 receiver test

/Ubbe

 

[jonwienke]

You are assuming that the site is in range and an active control channel can be located each scan. I literally saved seconds (seconds, not milliseconds) on each scan deleting voice channels particularly from the Fort Worth System for which I am usually just on the fringe of several sites. Two of the sites are hit or miss whether I get a control channel on each scan. Four sites I only get a control channel when I am mobile. Made a huge a difference in my case.

That's what location control is for, to turn off out-of-range sites. There's no reason to be scanning sites you can't actually hear. That's a waste of time, regardless of how many frequencies you've programmed. If a site is out of range the correct solution is to not scan it, not deleting frequencies.

I use GPS and keep the global range setting to 5 miles or less, and that pretty much eliminates that issue.