SDS 100 Scroll Knob not functioning right

[cstetter]

Past couple of days, my SDS100 scroll knob is not functioning properly. the Knob will go crazy, one click and it jumps forward a bunch of selections and then the slightest touch of the knob will cause the highlighted setting to jump around. Is there any way to FIX this issue?

 

[doctordialtone]

Past couple of days, my SDS100 scroll knob is not functioning properly. the Knob will go crazy, one click and it jumps forward a bunch of selections and then the slightest touch of the knob will cause the highlighted setting to jump around. Is there any way to FIX this issue?

You're not alone

SDS100 scroll knob: inconsistent action

SDS100 Scroll Control Knob Misbehaving

 

[n1chu]

Time to get a RMA and send it in for repair.

 

[cstetter]

Time to get a RMA and send it in for repair.

Well, I bought my SDS100 internal GPS on eBay late last year from a seller.

 

[jonwienke]

Well, I bought my SDS100 internal GPS on eBay late last year from a seller.

They'll charge you about $80 flat rate to replace the encoder for the scroll knob.

If the scanner is one that I modded to install the internal GPS, hopefully they will just unplug the connector between the scanner motherboard and the GPS module instead of removing the GPS entirely. According to UPMAN, when they do a repair, they have to undo mods. PM me for more info.

 

[kruser]

I opened up three 536HPs and two 996XTs and worked Caig DeoxIT D5 into the controls.
It made the controls all like new after most were pretty much unusable.

But... this fix only lasted about three months before the rotary controls started behaving erratically again.
I was really hoping for a longer lasting fix but these controls are obviously not the best quality. It's a shame they could not have used true optical type controls like are used in many higher end amateur rigs and receivers. Or much better quality mechanical controls instead of what they used. Optical controls can last a lifetime but may require shaft lubrication over time. Not usually a job for the faint of heart. Higher quality mechanical controls also exist but they will usually all start failing much like the low quality controls Uniden uses. An optical control would probably add a significant price increase to the cost to manufacture a scanner with an optical encoder.

I have some old 396T and 996T models that have never had rotary control problems ever. Just like some of my older 996XT also still work like new.
Somewhere along the line, the controls Uniden uses were either built cheaper or they sourced a cheaper manufacturer that also used lower quality controls.

With the $80 dollar flat rate Uniden charges, it would have cost me a fortune to have all the bad ones repaired that I own. So I live with it.
Today I mainly use ProScan to control many of my Uniden models. ProScan works fine as you are never actually touching the physical control.
So far, my SDS models are all still working as they should. Maybe because I've taught myself to rotate the controls much slower than I did in the past. I'm not really sure.
The ProScan option is also not much of an option if using a portable model like the SDS100 as a true portable where you would not have it hooked to a computer.

For anyone that wants to try using a contact cleaner like Caig DeoxIT spray must understand that the radio must be disassembled to gain access to the control as you can't just let it work down into the shaft. The controls are well shielded from dust or moisture. Even opening up the radio still does not allow for an easy way to work the cleaner into the control. The controls are assembled tightly and trying to open up the switch contact section of the control would most likely ruin the control beyond repair. Replacement would be the only option other than software control at that point.

It is a shame a $700 dollar radio did not use a better quality control but it was probably selected to keep the cost near $700 dollars in the first place.

If anyone sees any slight issues with the rotary control on either SDS model and it's still under warranty, take advantage of that.
Who knows how many controls will fail but there does seem to be more reports of bad controls now that these models are getting older.

 

[werinshades]

According to UPMAN, when they do a repair, they have to undo mods.

Uh ohhh.....is that part of the "disclaimer"?

 

[doctordialtone]

It is a shame a $700 dollar radio did not use a better quality control but it was probably selected to keep the cost near $700 dollars in the first place.

Great post.

This is exactly why I have held off buying the SDS models.

I can afford it but I can't afford the hassles I read about here every day.

I've never had to send a scanner for repair in over 40 years!

 

[werinshades]

Great post.

This is exactly why I have held off buying the SDS models.

I can afford it but I can't afford the hassles I read about here every day.

I've never had to send a scanner for repair in over 40 years!

I splashed coffee on my 396XT's speaker many years ago...since then, I always have a case, but no issues with my SDS100 happy to report.

 

[doctordialtone]

no issues with my SDS100 happy to report

Give it time...

 

[werinshades]

Give it time...

I've had it since June 2018, how much longer?

 

[kruser]

I've never had to send a scanner for repair in over 40 years!

You have me beat.
One of my 436HPs suffered from the RTC failure and was an early model so it was missing the C1 filter cap and solder pads for the cap.
That one went back under the repair campaign free of any charges.

My very first 536HP bought from a CB shop in Iowa was exchanged by them because the 536 just kept booted into an endless boot loop.
I tried all to fix it before returning it but no luck including trying a simple SD card replacement. I purchased that one with overnight shipping and the cb shop sent my replacement with the same shipping at zero charge to me. They even shipped the replacement before I ever boxed up the defective radio and they did not put a new hold on my CC in case I never sent the defective radio back. I forget the name of that dealer but I still see them mentioned now and then. They were a good dealer to deal with.

So... one was repaired and one was replaced. Both Uniden's also. I guess that's still not bad in over 40 years.
I can't recall sending any non Uniden models in for exchange or repair including the old Electra models before Uniden took them over.
Like many things, "they don't make them like that any more"!

The ones with flaky rotary controls I just live with as is. I'd never pay to have them repaired. Maybe if one was my only radio but when you have several, no way I'd spend that much for a problem that will probably just come back after any new part warranty expires.

 

[kruser]

I've had it since June 2018, how much longer?

Maybe another week or two

My SDS100 was one that up and stopped receiving out of the blue one day.
It was an early model but it never failed until reports of cold solder joint repairs were starting to appear here and there.
I feared the worst but a simple power cycle restored reception and it has never failed again. It spends much of its time logging hits to ProScan so it runs near 24x7.
It's been bumped around (not really any hard bumps or abuse) since that one failure but keeps on a ticking to this date.
It's possible it has had minimal problems because ProScan is usually controlling it but I do take it out on the road occasionally.

 

[kruser]

For the newer models like say the x36HP and SDS series, I do wonder what the repeat failure rate is for the rotary control for those that had them replaced.
I'm sure we will never know that statistic. I don't recall reading any posts about repeat rotary control failures with the SDS series so maybe they have sourced a better quality control.
I think the main repeat problem we see with the SDS series revolves around Uniden's use of the Cold Solder Joint as the problem.
One would hope there are not a lot of SDS models with rotary controls or CSJs just waiting to fail out there in use.
I guess a little more time will tell.

There is a fairly common problem seen in several models from multiple manufacturers.
It's those darn ribbon cable connectors.

Most can be easily fixed by any handy end user but why do they fail so often. The sockets they use must be a poor choice for the very low currents that flow through most of those ribbon cables. Maybe the current is so low that the contact surfaces oxidize?
I have an old PRO-96 that needs the displays ribbon cable to be reseated almost every time I power the thing on after not using it for a week or more! In the Pro-96 case, the LCD displays ribbon cable does not carry any current so that should not cause the problem. The thing powers up with an orange screen but is lacking all contrast.
I was always tempted to take some DeoxIT on a Q-Tip and wipe the cables contact surface and see how long that last but that cable is thin and fragile so I keep chemicals away from it.

 

[N4DJC]

I have been thinking about buying a SDS100 since last year, suppose I'll keep balancing on that fence.

 

[RoninJoliet]

The RControl on my 996XT skips and misses all over the place so this problem has been around a long time ....

 

[kruser]

The RControl on my 996XT skips and misses all over the place so this problem has been around a long time ....

That's my experience as well. My oldest 996XTs seem to have held up well (just like the older T models). I'd have probably purchased my first XTs shortly after they hit the market.
I never really looked at the serial numbers but I'd be willing to bet the older models may have used a better quality control before a supplier change took place and Uniden purchased less costly controls. Who knows if the specs were equal with the older controls and Uniden did not have a clue that the cheaper controls would fail sooner or if a new suppliers specs were not quite as good as the older controls.
Another one of those things we shall never know.
The part manufacturers could have also cheapened down with how well the controls were built compared to the older ones still working. Maybe cheaper internal components were used in the controls. Something Uniden would probably not see.

I can't recall how long the XT series was on the market before users started reporting rotary control failures.

 

[Ubbe]

But... this fix only lasted about three months before the rotary controls started behaving erratically again.

It's hard to get any information what Craig use as a lubricant in their D5. Maybe it's too little, you have to use more in the controller, or it's the wrong type. The contact cleaner I used have lasted for two years, and I use the rotary a lot every day. My controller in the 536 started acting up after just a year or so and got worse each day until I was forced to use a remote control software. My 536 gets a lot of use and the avoid button is just a white button now and the channel button has only the CH letters left on it.

The contact cleaner I used contains sorbitan oleate for the cleaning function and mineral oil for lubrication.
Scroll Knob on BCD536HP

/Ubbe

 

[trentbob]

So you will see posts from me in those other threads regarding the sds100 rotary knob and the standard symptoms I've been having that everyone is referring to. Gradually worsening to the point where it was becoming unusable but I resisted sending it in. Got it in June of 18.

Well here's an unusual post for you guys. Just locking out some objects one day and it was working good. I know that the problem worsened at different locations of rotation so I started running it through the paces.

Because of the water resistance I never tried spraying a lubricant into the dial as I assumed it wouldn't reach its goal and I didn't feel like taking it apart so there has been no intervention.

The bottom line is the problem has disappeared and I had it bad it was almost unusable.

The problem is completely gone and I have no difficulties with the rotary knob when at one time I had all of the standard symptoms experienced.

That's something huh.

 

[kruser]

It's hard to get any information what Craig use as a lubricant in their D5.

The contact cleaner I used contains sorbitan oleate for the cleaning function and mineral oil for lubrication.
Scroll Knob on BCD536HP
/Ubbe

Yep, I feel that the lubricant used by Caig in their D5 product is too light of lube and that's why it did not last long.
I had some other control cleaner once that gelled up into a consistency more like a dielectric grease after it setup for a few minutes. I forget who made it but it would have probably been a longer lasting choice if it was not so thick that prevented it from getting into the control. That's the challenge, getting a cleaner/lube into the control where it will do its job. These rotary controls are held together pretty tight by tiny rivets which make it almost impossible to get any type of cleaner and lube into the contacts. Actually the cleaner will often get into the control but the thicker lubricant is what's needed to make it last. That's the hard part.

I wonder what the viscosity is for the Mineral oil and Sorbitan Oleate mix in that cleaner you used. It's a shame the controls wafers can't be spread apart just a fraction of a hairs thickness so you can get the thicker lube into the control.