SDS-100 not good for analog RF?

[RabbitEarsTX]

Hello All,

Still learning and reviewing here. I am considering a SDS-100, it seemed like the perfect unit for me with its Simulcast abilities, computer programming, and GPS auto search function (for travel). However, when I contacted an online company that sells them (not sure if its okay to say company names on here) the advice I got surprised me.

I told the gentleman that I was interested in my local (DFW, Texas) area public safety, but wanted a unit for marine, air, rail CB, and analog stuff too for when I travel. He told me that the SDS-100 isn't good for analog scanning and I should consider having two different scanners, a digital and a analog.

Is that accurate? I trust you all since you aren't trying to sell me stuff. I'd like a scanner sure but I don't want to have to carry two of them around.

For that matter, is there a company you all can recommend that will let me return the scanner without a re-stock fee if I don't like it (it doesn't work as expected)?

I'm a novice here so please fell free to talk "down" to me lol.

 

[trentbob]

First of all take information that you get from a vendor selling scanners with a grain of salt. Some know what they're talking about and others don't, remember, they are salesman and even though they have good intentions, they aren't always accurate.

There are two different camps, one group says they're no good for analog reception but optimal and for use for simulcast systems only, if you want good analog reception use a different radio.

I listen to Aviation, Marine, Railroad, Forest firefighters all on VHF High, I listen to UHF repeaters and ham radio repeaters. I have found personally that analog reception is excellent on both the SDS radios, it's a steep learning curve to adjust filters appropriately, applying them directly to department options of the channels you want to listen to, you can't apply filters directly to one object.

Personally I feel one of the biggest problems is user error, for example filters can be applied globally or directly to sites of a system or department options of conventional objects.

Global filters affect every object on the radio. By default the global filter is normal, it's called normal for a reason and it works the best in most conditions. You also have the option of turning the filters off and in some areas, not usually, but that can work best. I have one group of UHF repeaters which is a TV news desk that I have applied no filter at all just to that group of UHF channels and it works better.

Global filters are there to sample filters, a quick check on the radio itself so as to use real-time reception indicators. If you find that it improves a conventional item you put it back on normal since it's affecting every object on the radio and then go in to department options and apply that optimal filter just to the group of conventional frequencies that were improved. Global filters have been put back into normal position which is applied to every object on the radio unless you went in and changed it on the site of the system or department options of a conventional group of frequencies.
A big misunderstanding is people apply Global filters to improve a system or conventional group of objects and then leave it on that global filter which affects every object on the radio and craps up the reception of other conventional objects that don't work well on that Global filter but it's applied to them anyway. That's user error.

Again you're going to have people make blanket statements that these radios don't work well on conventional objects and then you're going to get people like me, who are very impressed with the conventional reception.

Reality is reality, to me it's not worth getting into a debate about it.

Use reputable vendors who have a 30 day return policy.

 

[JethrowJohnson]

I agree with @trentbob. I don't have an SDS100 but something tells me he knows what he's talking about. 👍

 

[mikec10]

First of all take information that you get from a vendor selling scanners with a grain of salt. Some know what they're talking about and others don't, remember, they are salesman and even though they have good intentions, they aren't always accurate.

There are two different camps, one group says they're no good for analog reception but optimal and for use for simulcast systems only, if you want good analog reception use a different radio.

I listen to Aviation, Marine, Railroad, Forest firefighters all on VHF High, I listen to UHF repeaters and ham radio repeaters. I have found personally that analog reception is excellent on both the SDS radios, it's a steep learning curve to adjust filters appropriately, applying them directly to department options of the channels you want to listen to, you can't apply filters directly to one object.

Personally I feel one of the biggest problems is user error, for example filters can be applied globally or directly to sites of a system or department options of conventional objects.

Global filters affect every object on the radio. By default the global filter is normal, it's called normal for a reason and it works the best in most conditions. You also have the option of turning the filters off and in some areas, not usually, but that can work best. I have one group of UHF repeaters which is a TV news desk that I have applied no filter at all just to that group of UHF channels and it works better.

Global filters are there to sample filters, a quick check on the radio itself so as to use real-time reception indicators. If you find that it improves a conventional item you put it back on normal since it's affecting every object on the radio and then go in to department options and apply that optimal filter just to the group of conventional frequencies that were improved. Global filters have been put back into normal position which is applied to every object on the radio unless you went in and changed it on the site of the system or department options of a conventional group of frequencies.
A big misunderstanding is people apply Global filters to improve a system or conventional group of objects and then leave it on that global filter which affects every object on the radio and craps up the reception of other conventional objects that don't work well on that Global filter but it's applied to them anyway. That's user error.

Again you're going to have people make blanket statements that these radios don't work well on conventional objects and then you're going to get people like me, who are very impressed with the conventional reception.

Reality is reality, to me it's not worth getting into a debate about it.

Use reputable vendors who have a 30 day return policy.

I have a new sds200 and have a sds100 that I have used for over a year I listen to simulcast and analog for police fire and EMS. I also listen to Air and Rail. I have used scanners for the better part of 50 years. I don't feel I am an expert but I have had no issues in programing both of these units or some of the pre sds series scanners. Both SDS scanners receive excellent for analog and simulcast as far as I can see. I use a antenna in the attic of the 800 mhz remtronix on the sds100. To me to purchase a separate scanner just for analog is a waste of money. I receive transmissions from over 30 miles away with either antenna.

 

[scottymcneill8657]

My advice is that if you get the SDS100 replace the stock antenna with something else ( I personally use a Remtronix REM-820S.) I thought my scanner was deaf on the 144/440 range- my old radio was picking up my local ham repeater great (along with a couple of other things) but the SDS100 wouldn't- but replacing the antenna immediately fixed that (I also have the SDS200 and didn't have that problem.) Best thing I can tell you is you'll never know for sure how well it will work without trying it but both are excellent radios.

 

[gmclam]

Generally speaking, especially "out of the box", the SDS does not do as well on traditional analog signals. It is essentially required for simulcast trunked. But experiences vary because of what we all monitor. When I am mobile in my local area, I don't want to bring 2 radios with me so I enable CHP on my SDS. It comes in lousy. Some will say because it's VHF low band, some will say I don't have the correct antenna ... but all I need to do to get great reception is connect something like my PSR-310.

When I go on trips I bring more than one radio and leave the SDS programmed to digital stuff and other radios for the stuff I don't need the SDS to receive. At home I run multiple radios, each dedicated to a different service, which avoids the issues.

 

[rref793]

I don't own an SDS but I do have separate radios for digital and analog systems. It's not because the digital-capable radios can't receive the analog systems. It's because analog radios are cheaper and there is still a lot of analog traffic in my area. At any given time there is traffic on dozens of frequencies and I operate multiple scanners to catch as much of the interesting traffic as I can. Why spend $700 to monitor a system you could hear with an old <$100 radio.

For mobile-- yes put it all in an SDS100 and just prioritize the most interesting systems.

 

[donc13]

As you can see, some users are happy with the SDS100 on analog channels and some aren't

The truth is, modern scanners require a bit of attention right out of the box. You can get better or worse reception just by moving around in your home, especially with analog channels. Antennas and settings can make a huge difference.

After all, the reason we have digital systems is because of the irregularities of analog signals. Also, digital systems are mainly on UHF frequencies or higher while analog are mainly on VHF and lower. There are exceptions, of course.

I do not own an sds100 but do own its big brother the sds200. Where I live, in the largest metro area in western Colorado, I have zero problems with analog signals that I monitor and that's just using the metal telescopic antenna it came with.

The other thing to consider is what types of systems do you wish to listen to drive up customers at a local fast food joint vs public safety dispatch systems close to you.

 

[IAmSixNine]

I monitor DSO VHF analog and DPD/DFD UHF analog along with other surrounding agencies on P25 trunking.
I agree with the others, out of the box stock its not the best. Replace the antenna, adjust the filters and its a much much better unit.

 

[trentbob]

Don't forget to turn on all the service types LOL. I don't believe they're all enabled out of the box.

 

[Swipesy]

I agree with @trentbob. I don't have an SDS100 but something tells me he knows what he's talking about. 👍

Bob taught Guglielmo Marconi all about radio !

 

[buddrousa]

You sure Marconi didn't steal Bob's idea called radio?

 

[Swipesy]

Gosh Bud I never thought about that but you know that may well be true

 

[trentbob]

Thanks for the compliments Buddy and John, I think

 

[buddrousa]

Hey just trying to help a brother out.

 

[Ubbe]

There's absolutely no difference between analog and digital reception. It is the exact same receiver used and it's only the decoder in the DSP that handles the decoded information in different ways.

Some users say that analog reception are bad in SDS scanners but that's only because they can hear the interference and its receive problems. When you monitor a digital system the audio from the speaker comes from the decoded data telegrams and has no radio interference or noise in the audio that tells you that there are receive problems. It just doesn't decode at all if the radio signal gets interfered and you, in most cases, don't know that you are left out of some conversations.

SDS100.mp4

drive.google.com

SDS100 test

/Ubbe

 

[RabbitEarsTX]

Wow, that's a lot of replies, I'm going to have take time to understand the info you all put out here. Like what is a filter and how to adjust it. Thanks for giving me help all.

 

[EricRF]

I have some recent novice experience, in case it helps.

I had a BC125AT, which I used for some local departments that were all analog. It did a really good job. Then, my local department went all digital (the nerve!), so I wanted to get a digital scanner. While I was at it, there was a local simucast system I wanted to listen to, so I got the SDS100 (though without the benefit of these forums, which I found later). I noticed the previously clear analog systems were coming in with lots of noise. I asked about that here, and got responses fairly similar to the ones you've gotten.

Over time I've gotten used to the analog reception of the SDS100. it's not as good as the BC125AT, but definitely understandable.
Now I could, as has been suggested, use the BC125AT and SDS100 together with the BC125AT handling the analog signals, but I don't really feel I need to. In fact, I don't know how people can do that... I'd go nuts with two radios going at once! But that's just me.

Oh, and I think someone might have mentioned... the SDS100 has a bit of a learning curve. Read up in these forums and here to get a jump on things if you're going to get an SDS100.

 

[hiegtx]

Hello All,

Still learning and reviewing here. I am considering a SDS-100, it seemed like the perfect unit for me with its Simulcast abilities, computer programming, and GPS auto search function (for travel). However, when I contacted an online company that sells them (not sure if its okay to say company names on here) the advice I got surprised me.

I told the gentleman that I was interested in my local (DFW, Texas) area public safety, but wanted a unit for marine, air, rail CB, and analog stuff too for when I travel. He told me that the SDS-100 isn't good for analog scanning and I should consider having two different scanners, a digital and a analog.

Is that accurate? I trust you all since you aren't trying to sell me stuff. I'd like a scanner sure but I don't want to have to carry two of them around.

I'm a novice here so please fell free to talk "down" to me lol.

Wow, that's a lot of replies, I'm going to have take time to understand the info you all put out here. Like what is a filter and how to adjust it. Thanks for giving me help all.

I'm in the DFW area (as is IAmSixNine).

I use my SDS100 (and, for that matter, an SDS200 plus x36HP scanners, among others) to monitor a wide variety of systems in this area. Whichever dealer that 'badmouthed' the SDS100 probably did not have one in stock, and was trying to move you to a model he did have available, or maybe increase his profit margin by selling a second unit..

As already noted, reception on the SDS100 can be improved by choosing a different antenna, and tweaking the filters. Even without any of that. it is by no means deaf. Here in the DFW Metro area, the last major agencies still using analog for Public Safety, the City of Dallas and Dallas County, are in the process of shifting to a P25 Phase II simulcast trunked system, which will be part of NTIRN. The four 'Best Southwest' cities (Cedar Hill, Desoto, Duncanville, & Lancaster) will also be moving from their current Uhf NXDN systems to NTIRN. Once the changeover is complete, only two cities in Dallas County will not be on a trunked system. For almost all of these cities, including all of the larger ones, simulcast sites are in use. To deal with simulcast, your best choice is the SDS100. I currently use the Remtronix 842S antenna for better Uhf & Vhf reception than with the stock antenna, or one that is mainly for 700 & 800MHz systems. Once the changeover is complete, there will be very little public safety radio traffic in the county that is not using 700 or 800MHz on a trunked system.

Depending on how much activity you want to monitor on analog (air & rail, for example), you might decide to also get an analog scanner, such as the Uniden BC125AT. You would have very little, if any, marine activity, other than an occasional user on one of the larger lakes. That second, analog, scanner would let you catch activity that might be missed on an SDS100 as it scanned the multiple trunked systems in this area.

Of course, if you travel outside of the DFW area, you might be in less dense radio environments where a second, analog only, scanner, might not be as advantageous due to lower level of activity on trunked systems. While the SDS100, and most all of the current scanner models, can receive the CB frequencies, that frequency band is much lower than anything else that you want to hear. So, without a better antenna for CB (which would seriously degrade your reception of anything else, especially the public safety trunked systems), I would not expect to hear very much at all.

For that matter, is there a company you all can recommend that will let me return the scanner without a re-stock fee if I don't like it (it doesn't work as expected)?

Amazon's return policy does not impose a restock fee for returned items. I believe that is also the case with ScannerMaster as well, I don't know what the exact policy is for Bearcat Warehouse. Most of the other common sellers, I think, do have a restock fee. (If that is incorrect, maybe someone else can provide a clarification.)

No matter who you purchase from, I would advise against paying the seller to program the scanner for you. That service is overpriced, and is something you can do easily yourself. There are a large number of YouTube videos showing programming hints & tips, as well as Wiki pages and forum threads with extended information to ease your path.

Should you decide that you might want one of the paid upgrades, such as DMR or NXDN, do not have the dealer install that. The online dealers charge $15 (or more) for the upgrade versus the cost if you do it yourself, purchasing direct from Uniden. However, should you be interested in one of the upgrades, don't make that purchase until you are satisfied that there will not be a reason to return the scanner to the dealer. The upgrades are non-refundable.