SDS100/SDS200: SDS 100 won’t receive but 436 hear the same channels next to it

[tvengr]

Here is an abbreviated hpe favorites list file for Newcastle County Fire and Police for you to check if your scanner works OK. Save the attached zipped file to your computer and extract. Go to the File tab in Sentinel and Import from hpe file (Favorites List). Click on New Favorites List and name it New Castle Co DE Click on OK. In the Downloads folder, highlight and Open the extracted file (New Castle Co DE.hpe. It will appear as a favorites list in Sentinel. Go to the Edit tab, Edit Profile, and the Service Types tab. Make sure that Custom 1 is checked. Go to the Scan Selection tab. Turn on both Download and Monitor for the New Castle Co DE favorites list. Write to Scanner.

 

[Fred1]

No, but thanks for the repl.

 

[Fred1]

Here is an abbreviated hpe favorites list file for Newcastle County Fire and Police for you to check if your scanner works OK. Save the attached zipped file to your computer and extract. Go to the File tab in Sentinel and Import from hpe file (Favorites List). Click on New Favorites List and name it New Castle Co DE Click on OK. In the Downloads folder, highlight and Open the extracted file (New Castle Co DE.hpe. It will appear as a favorites list in Sentinel. Go to the Edit tab, Edit Profile, and the Service Types tab. Make sure that Custom 1 is checked. Go to the Scan Selection tab. Turn on both Download and Monitor for the New Castle Co DE favorites list. Write to Scanner.

Thanks so much!

 

[Fidgety9996]

Allright i believe my sds100e has reception issues especially next to bcd436hp. While it was still on warranty took it to the local seller and he rejected the claim claiming it is normal the reception is much worse than bcd436hp especially vhf and 460MHz. Any ideas what to do? Only paid options and uniden are last hope?

 

[Ubbe]

All SDS scanners have reception issues regardless of frequency bands. I don't know why some sales person thought that selling scanners specifically deigned to handle simulcast issues would be a great idea for regions that do not have any simulcast systems.
It's like selling snow mobiles to a guy living in the desert. You can still drive it in the sand but will work really poor as it was designed for snow use.

Explain your problem and it might actually be something wrong with your SDS100E. Ask avera.eu if they can repair SDS scanners as I think that Uniden doesn't do that if you ship it yourself to them in US.

/Ubbe

 

[Omega-TI]

When I was growing up I was always told, "You only get what you pay for." In that respect, I'm a little disappointed with the reception of the SDS100. Sure, I live out in the toolies where almost everything is still analog, but the State Patrol is on a P25 trunk system, (which I find has very little traffic) but I bit the bullet and got what I thought was the best, actually even more radio than I really "needed". But you know, there is also a phrase which goes, "They don't build them like they used to." Sitting side-by-side, my SDS100 picks up many frequencies with 10-30 percent static, while my old BC 800XLT is full quieting.... and it's only using the stock antenna. If I knew then, what I know now, I would have gone with a different scanner. It's enough to make me wonder if some of the used SDS models for sale are due to others being underwhelmed with its performance.

 

[R0am3r]

All SDS scanners have reception issues regardless of frequency bands.
/Ubbe

Bunk. I have used the SDS scanners from across the VHF Airband, VHF High, UHF-AM band, UHF Standard Band, and the 700/800MHz bands and both radios (SDS100 and SDS200) work great. I have compared my SDS scanners with both traditional analog trunk tracker scanners and SDRs with outstanding results. I have found cases where my SDS200 outperformed my analog scanner. I know these things because I own both the SDS100 and the SDS200.

I just returned from a RF rich environment in Cleveland OH and used my SDS100 without issues to monitor everything from the simulcast 700 MHz (Ohio MARCS-IP) to DMR and NXDN signals. I also monitored the simulcast Greater Cleveland Radio Communications Network (GCRCN) system on the 800 MHz band. While watching the snowstorm on Thursday, I also monitored the shuttle buses using the Cleveland Clinic LTR standard. All of this with my SDS100 and a Remtronix REM-842S antenna. Is there another scanner that does this?

Feel free to show us a commercial off-the-shelf scanner radio solution that does APCO Project 25 (P1 FDMA, P2 TDMA, and LSM systems), DMR (Hytera XPT, MotoTRBO, and DMR Tier III), Motorola Type I/II, EDACS ProVoice, LTR Standard, NXDN (4800 and 9600), and Analog in one box. Or maybe we should go back to scanner radios with a traditional mixer that fails at handling LSM systems. I believe the majority of people who hate on the SDS scanners either don't own them or don't know how to use them. Many expect miracles from the factory antennas and don't understand how RF works. Many real world issues with the SDS scanners can be solved with better antennas or learning to use the available filters. But many prefer to complain and not fix the problem.

The Uniden SDS scanners aren't perfect, but they fill a niche where no other commercial scanner radio will work. And like it or not, software defined radios are the future of radio. Why invest in expensive hardware that limits your functionality when you can build radios using a common platform architecture that allows new products to be quickly introduced to the market. SDRs can offer new features and capabilities to be added to an existing platform architecture without expensive hardware changes. Now I hope that Uniden comes back to the table and offers bug fixes and upgrades to their existing SDS scanners. Their silence is deafening and annoying.

 

[trentbob]

I have to say that the SDS radios are great receivers and perform very well over all ranges and this is something that has been observed over and over again... just like the claim they are bad receivers have been claimed over and over again.

I think it has to do with the way they're efficiently set up, proper pairing of antennas and the correct use of filters.

Interesting phenomena.

 

[900mhz]

I have to say that the SDS radios are great receivers and perform very well over all ranges and this is something that has been observed over and over again... just like the claim they are bad receivers have been claimed over and over again.

I think it has to do with the way they're efficiently set up, proper pairing of antennas and the correct use of filters.

Interesting phenomena.

and in some circumstances, the use of external filters. In my case I live less than a mile from 2 high powered FM transmitters and a high power DTV transmitter in the VHF band. Once I filtered them out, my SDS sprung to life.

 

[trentbob]

and in some circumstances, the use of external filters. In my case I live less than a mile from 2 high powered FM transmitters and a high power DTV transmitter in the VHF band. Once I filtered them out, my SDS sprung to life.

Yes in the case of external interference the SDS radios can be compromised and further measures are taken with external filters.

Also the proper use of the filters that come with the radio and the key word is "proper" use not just use of filters works. Proper user knowledge is very important to have successful results with the SDS radios.

 

[werinshades]

When I was growing up I was always told, "You only get what you pay for." In that respect, I'm a little disappointed with the reception of the SDS100. Sure, I live out in the toolies where almost everything is still analog, but the State Patrol is on a P25 trunk system, (which I find has very little traffic) but I bit the bullet and got what I thought was the best, actually even more radio than I really "needed". But you know, there is also a phrase which goes, "They don't build them like they used to." Sitting side-by-side, my SDS100 picks up many frequencies with 10-30 percent static, while my old BC 800XLT is full quieting.... and it's only using the stock antenna. If I knew then, what I know now, I would have gone with a different scanner. It's enough to make me wonder if some of the used SDS models for sale are due to others being underwhelmed with its performance.

So now you have buyers remorse? With all the threads you created, with all the questions you posted, with all the accessories you purchased, I would have thought you made the right choice?

Have you experimented with Modulation changes on Analog, adjusted Volume offset to accommodate the lower volumes if you change from Auto/NFM to FM, IFX suggestions, Filter adjustments (Not global, but individual sites/departments). If not, then you can't make that observation that doesn't apply to all.

I think in one of your posts, you mentioned the issue with the state patrol? Did you ever inquire in the local forums to find out if someone close is monitoring the same site with the same issues? Did you try to program it yourself and only put in the site(s) that are within your range? Or...are you one of those depending on the weekly database downloads to cure all the reception issues?

As it's been mentioned, the technology is not the same as the older scanners. Yes, we can't wave a magic wand and go back to the old scanners, but fortunately the technology has kept up with the radio systems. I've been at this 40 years and don't use age as some handicap to learning technology including computers and programming methods.

If you're that disappointed, you can always sell it. I have two 996T's sitting in a box in my closet if you want to swap? I'm sure I can find someone to buy it, let me know

 

[ka3jjz]

I knew this subject had come up before - from our SDS FAQ

BCD436HP vs. SDS100 Missing Transmissions

I’ve programed my BCD436 and my recently purchased SDS100 with the same Sentinel software profile so that the programing should be identical. I am monitoring Illinois State Police District Chicago on only one site, Cook North / NWCD Simulcast Site on both radios. The SDS100 misses many of the...

forums.radioreference.com

Mike

 

[StoliRaz]

All SDS scanners have reception issues regardless of frequency bands. I don't know why some sales person thought that selling scanners specifically deigned to handle simulcast issues would be a great idea for regions that do not have any simulcast systems.
It's like selling snow mobiles to a guy living in the desert. You can still drive it in the sand but will work really poor as it was designed for snow use.

Explain your problem and it might actually be something wrong with your SDS100E. Ask avera.eu if they can repair SDS scanners as I think that Uniden doesn't do that if you ship it yourself to them in US.

/Ubbe

I don't know about the SDS series but when I compare my 436hp to my old 346xt on analog, the 346 smokes the 436 as far as pulling in distant analog systems when using the same antenna. In my experience the 346 and 15x are Uniden's best receivers if you're looking at analog only. I'm really curious how a 996p2 would do against a 15x in analog reception.

 

[R0am3r]

I figured by now that someone would call me out and politely inform me that a SDR using Quadrature Sampling can use a front-end superheterodyne receiver that produces an IF via a mixer. Yes, my wording should have been clearer and some SDRs still include a mixer. I was simply trying to compare old-school receiver designs to new SDRs where the IF is sampled and sent to the Quadrature Sampling ADC. I hope this doesn't keep you up at night.

 

[Ubbe]

... the 346 smokes the 436 as far as pulling in distant analog systems...I'm really curious how a 996p2 would do against a 15x in analog reception.

I believe the 15 and 996 use the exact same receiver design. And I also though that 436 and 346 shared the same receiver. I haven't done extensive comparisons tests but to me they seem to be pretty much equal in RF performance. I have to put them thru some real RF challenges to be able to say something differently.

/Ubbe

 

[Ubbe]

...both radios (SDS100 and SDS200) work great.

SDS100 Test 1
SDS100 Test 2

/Ubbe

 

[StoliRaz]

I believe the 15 and 996 use the exact same receiver design. And I also though that 436 and 346 shared the same receiver. I haven't done extensive comparisons tests but to me they seem to be pretty much equal in RF performance. I have to put them thru some real RF challenges to be able to say something differently.

/Ubbe

My experience says otherwise but maybe there's something going on with my programming, I haven't looked that deeply into it yet tbh🤷‍♂️ I like the 15x so much that I just bought another one for $75, and sold an old BCT7 for $50. Not a bad day.

 

[Fidgety9996]

So basing on those replies i should assume my particular scanner is damaged and the seller wrongly rejected my service claims stating that it is normal?

 

[Ubbe]

You have to explain your reception issues to be able to make a good assumption. If you read my tests you'll see what a terrible RF performance the SDS100 have, not what you would expect for $650 if you didn't know how the receiver are designed.

/Ubbe

 

[Omega-TI]

So now you have buyers remorse? With all the threads you created, with all the questions you posted, with all the accessories you purchased, I would have thought you made the right choice?

.... all the other blah, blah, blah deleted...

How come is it whenever you reply to me, it always seems to be in a negative tone? I never said I have buyers remorse, I said I was disappointed in its reception compared to my older 800XLT that does a better job (on the analog signals). I will continue to speak my mind, be honest in my appraisals, but since I've grown not to like you, I'm going to see if this site has a way to block you, because you have a negative effect on my enjoyment of the scanning hobby.