SDS100/SDS200: SDS and Unication technology

[mharris]

One thing I think we often forget: scanners are a niche market, unlike cellphones, cordless phones, radar detectors, etc. I'm glad we have manufacturers who are willing to sink R&D money into the limited number of customers who are willing to buy their products.

And I'm happy that a $650 scanner can approach the performance level of a $2,000 commercial radio. I count my blessings when I think about what was available 5 or 10 years ago. So many improvements, and more to come!

Yes. I've had a real fear that due to the market being so small, modern systems being tough to monitor, and the increase in encryption, Uniden and Whistler will get out of the scanner business. I guess between all of us here on the board we are keeping the business alive.

 

[kikito]

I believe the SDS100 is a dud, and will go down in the history books as such. Just too many bad points to ignore. Honest reports from bigger city areas say it's overloaded beyond any use. One can only imagine how many images it's plagued with. If I had one, I'd tell you how many images issues it has, as I would test that. I'm sure some test results will eventually surface. I'm not wasting all that money on a dog like the SDS100. Just my opinion, it's not worth it.
Phil

To this day many people are still complaining about the GRE/Whistler radios being easily overloaded and “not good for big RF dense cities, etc.” and yet they still outperform all my other radios in reception in MY AREA. So as usual this is another case of YMMV with the SDS-100. It’s working great for a lot of people and not for others. But as usual on the Internet, the negative ones are the most vocal...

 

[kikito]

Exactly, I sold mine just a couple days ago. Too many images in the VHF/UHF bands which I feel is more of a hardware issue because is was present throughout every firmware. Couple other deciding factors were the SMA connector and the amount of heat generated by this scanner.

The 436HP is still Uniden's flagship scanner and for good reason, it works !

What’s funny in my case is that the BCD436 has a lot of the same images and open squelch frequencies as the SDS-100 and then they each have they’re own unique images(in MY area). When you have both programmed exactly the same (along with a TRX-1) it becomes clear the limitations and idiosyncrasies of each scanner except the newest one is going to get beat up the most since everybody has their microscope on it while they have learned to live with the shortcomings of the older ones...

 

[K9JLR]

I've been in the Phoenix area almost two weeks. I'm not experiencing any distortion or dropped/garbled transmission issues with the SDS 100. Granted, I do not own nor possess a Unication to compare the units side by side. I've been traveling around the valley and monitoring P25, and the system has sounded great everywhere I have gone. In fact, since the last firmware update Friday (06/28), I am finding that VHF and UHF analog frequencies that are emanating from more distant transmitters from the house here in Cave Creek sound better with less noise (e.g., Phoenix FD A1 and A5 and Metro Phoenix DPS). I rode with my stepbrother (DPS District 12 trooper out of Prescott), and the Yavapai County and US Forest Service analogy VHF traffic also sounded better, with less noise, on the analog frequencies around Camp Verde to Mormon Lake.

Having come out here, this was the first time I had experienced the battery not charging for a short while if the cabin of the vehicle was too hot. It's a minor inconvenience, but resolves itself fairly quickly when the internal cabin temperature cools back down (I don't leave it in direct sunlight).

I thought Phoenix system was mostly enc which system is everyone referring to?

Most LE traffic that I have monitored is in the clear. Phoenix does have the C Deck TGs and some others that are encrypted, though you can still monitor dispatch and routine traffic. Scottsdale PD has largely been in the clear, and there was an officer involved shooting last night, where they moved traffic over to one of the emergency TGs that was encrypted, but that was well after the situation on their end had deescalated. MCSO is still pretty active on the SmartZone system.

 

[werinshades]

I've been in the Phoenix area almost two weeks. I'm not experiencing any distortion or dropped/garbled transmission issues with the SDS 100. Granted, I do not own nor possess a Unication to compare the units side by side. I've been traveling around the valley and monitoring P25, and the system has sounded great everywhere I have gone. In fact, since the last firmware update Friday (06/28), I am finding that VHF and UHF analog frequencies that are emanating from more distant transmitters from the house here in Cave Creek sound better with less noise (e.g., Phoenix FD A1 and A5 and Metro Phoenix DPS). I rode with my stepbrother (DPS District 12 trooper out of Prescott), and the Yavapai County and US Forest Service analogy VHF traffic also sounded better, with less noise, on the analog frequencies around Camp Verde to Mormon Lake.

Having come out here, this was the first time I had experienced the battery not charging for a short while if the cabin of the vehicle was too hot. It's a minor inconvenience, but resolves itself fairly quickly when the internal cabin temperature cools back down (I don't leave it in direct sunlight).



Most LE traffic that I have monitored is in the clear. Phoenix does have the C Deck TGs and some others that are encrypted, though you can still monitor dispatch and routine traffic. Scottsdale PD has largely been in the clear, and there was an officer involved shooting last night, where they moved traffic over to one of the emergency TGs that was encrypted, but that was well after the situation on their end had deescalated. MCSO is still pretty active on the SmartZone system.

I think you might be getting a steak dinner! If you were able to demonstrate the SDS100 performing in Phoenix I believe someone here promised a steak dinner. Bring your appetite!

 

[Citywide74]

2 things I meant to add earlier, while the scanner is multi-band, it's main purpose is higher band trunking sytems. If you put the 700/800 antenna on it like I did. 154.415 won't come in as well. The other thing is, I remember paying $300 for a bc250d in 2003, and another $325 for the digital card. So what's really changed. LOL

 

[WX4JCW]

I Sold my G4 prior to Purchasing the SDS100, I am much Happier, the Unication was never designed to be a scanner, it is good at what it does, but lets be honest I had dropouts on the G4 in Phoenix (Downtown)

the SDS100 is definitely not a dud, whats funny is the same people who bash it always bash Uniden,

 

[marksmith]

My SDS100 works great and fixed my my simulcast reception problems...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Same here. Exactly what the doctor ordered.

Mark
SDS100/536/436/ws1095/996p2/996xt/325p2/396xt/psr800/396t/HP-1/HP-2 & others

 

[marksmith]

I believe the SDS100 is a dud, and will go down in the history books as such. Just too many bad points to ignore. Honest reports from bigger city areas say it's overloaded beyond any use. One can only imagine how many images it's plagued with. If I had one, I'd tell you how many images issues it has, as I would test that. I'm sure some test results will eventually surface. I'm not wasting all that money on a dog like the SDS100. Just my opinion, it's not worth it.

People will defend it (and their latest new toy 'bragging rights') until a new model with much better technology replaces it...then years later they will finally tell the truth about what it really is. (I've seen that many times here)

Unication set the bar high, and that is what Uniden needed to aim for, especially for that kind of money. Not a current hog that eats Li Ion batteries and generates enough heat to use as a space heater in winter time, all the while generating more NOISE as it gets hot...even enough radiated noise to set off radar detectors! It's a pig. Face it! But I thank those who tried it and were honest about it's faults. Corporate defenders? Not so much.

What's nice about it? The display options. That's about it. Maybe some simulcast performance, but I still do not see Unication like results. That's what I expect, and won't buy-in until they make a model that achieves that level of performance. Sadly, we might have to wait may years for the model that gets it right. Whistler still has a shot at it, but should seriously get their trunking protocols working for all trunking modes. That will be part of their test. Uniden wasted it's effort on this dog, and no 'firmware update' is gonna fix a bad hardware design. Period!

Would a SDSxxx base/mobile model be any better? Nope. I bet not. Same $#!+. They could dissipate heat better with a hefty heat sink, and that might reduce noise, but the potential city overload issues would probably still exist. And how much more would a base/mobile cost? Maybe $1,000 with digital mode add-ons??? Please don't tell me they they are trying to make that an "SDS Home Patrol III" with a tiny (crappy) Home Patrol speaker.

Pass on this line of Uniden scanners. I hope the next line gets it right...and sooner than later.

Phil

A long diatribe review from someone who does not have one.

Being someone monitoring large city, thus "I don't have one but will review it anyway" review is total bull****. Sorry for the language but I wanted to be precise.

Mark
SDS100/536/436/ws1095/996p2/996xt/325p2/396xt/psr800/396t/HP-1/HP-2 & others

 

[Citywide173]

A few observations on this

By that logic, your vehicle is dangerous whenever you park it in the sun.

Yes, have you not seen the public safety announcements about pets and children left in cars? I still have vivid memories of a call where a child was left in a van type school bus (he was on the wrong bus so accountability checked out) in Boston in September of 2011. He was found dead after school let out. Hot cars are dangerous. Even the owner's manuals for cars state to open the windows with the AC running to better vent the heat to avoid unhealthy conditions.

I could care less about how the SDS100 won't charge after it's been sitting in a hot car.

If you're talking about the thread referring to Red Flag, the poster was in the car with the air conditioning on and deep tinted windows. Not exactly the image of "sitting in a hot car" that your statement suggests. If there was mention of another case, I apologize and agree that if it is outside of its specified operating temperature range there should be no expectation of proper operation.

-----------------------------------------

I really want to give the SDS100 a shot, but I'm still gunshy after the x36 issues. Right now, I'm getting what I need with my 996XT, an Icom F2821D UHF and G5 in the car and the G5 and WS-1080 out of the car. I have a BCT15 and GRE-600 in the house and I thought I was all set until I had the 600 and G5 going together in my basement office and realized I was only getting about 85% of the RISCON system on the 600 when compared to the G5.

The answer is dependent on too many factors such as what are you listening to, what bands are in use in your area, why are you using the radio and where are you located? I don't think there will ever be a single radio solution to these questions simply because the answers to the question are too varied, and what works for one person may not work for another. The feedback provided here is invaluable when digested properly, but the needs of one do not dictate the needs of all and people taking potshots at those who are posting negative comments because someone's needs weren't met may not be taking the above factors into account. There are people that expect a $600+ investment to just work out of the box and I really can't blame them-conversely, Uniden is trying to make this radio work as best as it can for everyone based upon feedback from owners and they should be applauded for that. John Lydgate and later Abraham Lincoln said it best: “You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.” Without truly and fully understanding the needs of a poster, it is unfair to criticize their decision, which may have been the right one for them, but not someone else.

As far as it being a niche market, consider the number of police departments, fire departments, news gathering agencies and towing companies buying multiple scanners for their fleets-people that probably don't post here. I think the market is larger than you think.

 

[jonwienke]

The number of people injured by hot SDS100 scanners is still zero.

 

[Citywide173]

The number of people injured by hot SDS100 scanners is still zero.

.....point completely missed, I was referring to your logic counterpoint, not the fact that the radio gets hot.

As far as the number being zero, give it time. In this litigious society it is probably only a matter of time. Look at Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants.

 

[jonwienke]

180 degree coffee != 110 degree antenna connector. The scanner is not a burn hazard, or in any way dangerous. Suggesting otherwise is scaremongering.

 

[Citywide173]

180 degree coffee != 110 degree antenna connector. The scanner is not a burn hazard, or in any way dangerous. Suggesting otherwise is scaremongering.

Maybe, maybe not. Is the 110 degree point the absolute extent, or would it have gotten hotter if it had not been handled for a longer timeframe? It was an identified problem and I hope Uniden isn't dismissing it as easily as you are

 

[jonwienke]

That was after leaving the scanner running in a hot vehicle for over an hour. Hot, yes, but not hot enough to cause a burn. The steering wheel (which was in direct sun) was hotter.

 

[maus92]

I believe the SDS100 is a dud, and will go down in the history books as such. Just too many bad points to ignore. Honest reports from bigger city areas say it's overloaded beyond any use. One can only imagine how many images it's plagued with. If I had one, I'd tell you how many images issues it has, as I would test that. I'm sure some test results will eventually surface. I'm not wasting all that money on a dog like the SDS100. Just my opinion, it's not worth it.

People will defend it (and their latest new toy 'bragging rights') until a new model with much better technology replaces it...then years later they will finally tell the truth about what it really is. (I've seen that many times here)

Unication set the bar high, and that is what Uniden needed to aim for, especially for that kind of money. Not a current hog that eats Li Ion batteries and generates enough heat to use as a space heater in winter time, all the while generating more NOISE as it gets hot...even enough radiated noise to set off radar detectors! It's a pig. Face it! But I thank those who tried it and were honest about it's faults. Corporate defenders? Not so much.

What's nice about it? The display options. That's about it. Maybe some simulcast performance, but I still do not see Unication like results. That's what I expect, and won't buy-in until they make a model that achieves that level of performance. Sadly, we might have to wait may years for the model that gets it right. Whistler still has a shot at it, but should seriously get their trunking protocols working for all trunking modes. That will be part of their test. Uniden wasted it's effort on this dog, and no 'firmware update' is gonna fix a bad hardware design. Period!

Would a SDSxxx base/mobile model be any better? Nope. I bet not. Same $#!+. They could dissipate heat better with a hefty heat sink, and that might reduce noise, but the potential city overload issues would probably still exist. And how much more would a base/mobile cost? Maybe $1,000 with digital mode add-ons??? Please don't tell me they they are trying to make that an "SDS Home Patrol III" with a tiny (crappy) Home Patrol speaker.

Pass on this line of Uniden scanners. I hope the next line gets it right...and sooner than later.

Phil

That's funny. I live in a metro area of about 5 million people, and my SDS100 receives like a champ.

 

[Pezking]

180 degree coffee != 110 degree antenna connector. The scanner is not a burn hazard, or in any way dangerous. Suggesting otherwise is scaremongering.

A temperature of 111 °F over time can cause burns.

An object 93 million miles away can cause burns.

Don't say an antenna connector 40° above ambient temperature isn't a potential hazard because I can think of several scenarios where it could cause burns; such as a disabled person with limited feeling in their extremities not knowing they are causing burns or a small child getting ahold of it and burning themselves.

I think the CPSC needs to get involved, personally.

 

[maus92]

I Sold my G4 prior to Purchasing the SDS100, I am much Happier, the Unication was never designed to be a scanner, it is good at what it does, but lets be honest I had dropouts on the G4 in Phoenix (Downtown)

the SDS100 is definitely not a dud, whats funny is the same people who bash it always bash Uniden,

You noticed that too?

 

[Citywide173]

That was after leaving the scanner running in a hot vehicle for over an hour. Hot, yes, but not hot enough to cause a burn. The steering wheel (which was in direct sun) was hotter.

I recently gave a burn lecture to our recruits. Here is an excerpt from reference material I used:

1. Studies have shown that surface temperatures of 44° C (111° F) do not produce burns unless exposure time exceeds 6 hours
a. At temperatures between 44° and 51° C (111° and 124° F) the rate of epidermal necrosis approximately doubles with each degree of temperature increase
b. At 70° C (185° F) or greater, the exposure time required to cause transepidermal necrosis is less than 1 second

Full text: http://wa-piercecounty.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/3352

Using the above formula, if the heating had continued, at 124F, contact time to burn presentation would be somewhere in the 2.8 minute range.

Without an absolute maximum known, the simple reporting of the event should be enough for Uniden to at least get the customer's radio back and determine if it was user error, a faulty single unit or a product wide flaw.

 

[maus92]

180 degree coffee != 110 degree antenna connector. The scanner is not a burn hazard, or in any way dangerous. Suggesting otherwise is scaremongering.

I think you can get a thermal burn starting at 114° - if you remain in contact with the object for 6 hours.

Edit: Oopps, that was from memory - and we posted at the same time so disregard.