SDS100/SDS200: SDS Firmware 12/21/23 Digital Reception Improvements

[jgorman21]

Im going to wait a bit! The SDS 100 is 'iffy" enough as it is!

 

[fordcobra04]

My SDS200 has always been about 95 percent on P25 LSM rx. I updated firmware on Thursday, and I'm now at probably 99%. The limited amount of drop outs I've had are now gone. Seems like its working better FWIW.

 

[dave3825]

View attachment 153565The guy has made one post since the firmware was released, and that was to announce that it had been released

Don’t forget those at Uniden who have not logged back in after ASSuring everyone that Uniden was going to capitalize on categories they have ignored for too long. And yes, those are his spelling errors...

The last thing we want to do is exit the Scanner Category. Paul Opitz was a huge loss and irreplaceable. I've been back six weeks but know how important in my 15 years at Uniden this category is. I will be going to Japan with two new product managers we hired away from Cobra to meet with Engineering Japan on development of new scanners. Be patient and we did not buy the company to do anyhting but capitiaze on categories we ignored far too long.

 

[KevinC]

Don’t forget at Uniden who have not logged back in after ASSuring everyone that Uniden was going to capitalize on categories they have ignored for too long. And yes, those are his spelling errors...





View attachment 153567

One and done.

 

[Indianabrad]

That's how much Uniden cares about the money you've spent

My SDS200 (from 2020) has always had and by default a disgraceful lack of sound quality. But it seems now that the update may have actually made it fit for its purpose. It is like getting a new scanner for xmas, that I've had for 3 yrs. But it still doesn't have any AGC and now that you can actually understand the comms, you still have one end of some comms quiet as a mouse & the other end ear shatteringly booming. This is also an unacceptable prob that should be firmware sorted in an update.

 

[JvdK]

"Tech people" that's amusing. 😂

The only tech people at Uniden are the engineers in Japan. Any real technical knowledge stateside died with Paul, sadly. Besides, you'd be waiting until Wednesday evening for Joe to grace us with his once-a-week appearance, followed by waiting at least another week (if you're lucky) for him to respond here with whatever the engineers responded to him with regarding any bugs/concerns.

The guy has made one post since the firmware was released, and that was to announce that it had been released, and he hasn't even been logged in since that post on Thursday afternoon. That's how much Uniden cares about the money you've spent or providing any real "customer service" these days.

View attachment 153563

Are you seriously feel the need to bash @JoeBearcat on Christmas Eve? I fear you’ll be visited by JoeBearcat Past, JoeBearcat Present and JoeBearcat Future tonight…

 

[garys]

I wouldn't expect him to pop in again. He has Joe Bearcat to interact with us. I WOULD expect Joe tobe here frequently, not just to put out the occasional dumpster fire.

One and done.

 

[Indianabrad]

I WOULD expect Joe tobe here frequently

No it seems like he spends all of his time watching the Scanner Guys, he never misses a webcast.

 

[GTR8000]

Are you seriously feel the need to bash @JoeBearcat on Christmas Eve? I fear you’ll be visited by JoeBearcat Past, JoeBearcat Present and JoeBearcat Future tonight…

I believe you meant Wednesday night...anyway, bah humbug.

No it seems like he spends all of his time watching the Scanner Guys, he never misses a webcast.

Or selling Airspys to U.S. customers.

 

[Randyk4661]

After doing the upgrade this morning and with a few hours of listening I can say that I believe LAPD and San Bernardino county systems do come in better for me.
However the Los Angeles county ICI system is worse(?). I had no problem hearing the Verdugo fire system before and now it seems to struggle.
Going to play with the filters and see if that helps.

Happy Holidays everyone!
Be kind to each other.

 

[garys]

I OTOH have seen exactly one. The one about the new analog and NXDN only non trunking scanners.

No it seems like he spends all of his time watching the Scanner Guys, he never misses a webcast.

 

[APX8000]

I updated an SDS-200 for giggles. I don't use any global filters as I've seen an increase in noise on distant signals using them. For P25 P2 systems, I'm getting better decoding on strong systems and the audio "seems" a little more crisp. BUT, for very distant systems that I used to be able to get a CC lock on, I'm not getting one anymore. So, YMMV.

 

[devicelab]

I updated an SDS-200 for giggles. I don't use any global filters as I've seen an increase in noise on distant signals using them. For P25 P2 systems, I'm getting better decoding on strong systems and the audio "seems" a little more crisp. BUT, for very distant systems that I used to be able to get a CC lock on, I'm not getting one anymore. So, YMMV.

Try using the Normal filter. I was going filter-less for a while but recently I've had best results with Normal.

 

[trentbob]

Try using the Normal filter. I was going filter-less for a while but recently I've had best results with Normal.

Yep, that's why they call it normal and it is default as the global filter setting which affects every object on the radio unless you go into system options and apply a new filter to the sites of a system or you go to department options of a group of conventional frequencys and change the filter there after doing a general sampling using Global and then returning Global to normal if you find a better filter.

If we depend on global filter settings only because they make a system or a conventional frequency better then it very well might compromise many other systems and conventional frequencies in the radio that work well on normal, hence the old complaints of bad conventional reception on VHF high and UHF.

Everything has been working great on my 100 and 200 for a long time now and that is why I've chosen not to introduce this firmware to my SDS scanners, no need for water fall option, not interested.

Because the new firmware has affected reception, good or bad, I think new filter settings will probably be required.

 

[APX8000]

I agree that I don't like Global anything. Way too much of an all encompassing blanket. I gave it a whirl and my RSSI on one system that I'm staring literally at the tower (RSSI on APX is like 157) went from a -37 (None) to a -60 with Normal.

On a more distant system, my RSSI is jumping all around. Getting a lock on the CC, then it shoots up into the 100s then drops the CC and scans them until it locks again for a while, then will randomly drop. I don't know if this is filter specific bc I've always shut it off, or if the new firmware is causing a bit if a mess, but its more stable without a filter applied.

It should be noted I'm also running a PGA-103+ amplifier at the antenna after an AM trap through a multicoupler.

 

[STOMPER323]

After doing the upgrade this morning and with a few hours of listening I can say that I believe LAPD and San Bernardino county systems do come in better for me.
However the Los Angeles county ICI system is worse(?). I had no problem hearing the Verdugo fire system before and now it seems to struggle.
Going to play with the filters and see if that helps.

Happy Holidays everyone!
Be kind to each other.

Agree, seems like LAPD is coming in a bit more smooth.. I might even risk it and say I’m picking up South West a lot better than in the previous firmware, as my location is not that much of a good spot.. I’m in between 2 hills that I believe kill my range lol

 

[palmerjrusa]

I agree that I don't like Global anything. Way too much of an all encompassing blanket. I gave it a whirl and my RSSI on one system that I'm staring literally at the tower (RSSI on APX is like 157) went from a -37 (None) to a -60 with Normal.

On a more distant system, my RSSI is jumping all around. Getting a lock on the CC, then it shoots up into the 100s then drops the CC and scans them until it locks again for a while, then will randomly drop. I don't know if this is filter specific bc I've always shut it off, or if the new firmware is causing a bit if a mess, but its more stable without a filter applied.

It should be noted I'm also running a PGA-103+ amplifier at the antenna after an AM trap through a multicoupler.

Experiencing exactly the same thing here re the RSSI, not using an amplifier or multicoupler though.

Also seeing RSSI values that are markedly different than the pre-update values.

Also for one P25 system the NAC is absent when there's traffic, it just isn't there anymore.

 

[KevinC]

Also for one P25 system the NAC is absent when there's traffic, it just isn't there anymore.

I’m glad you posted this. I thought it was just me. Maybe that was done on purpose since it didn’t decode properly on a P2 VC.

 

[werinshades]

Also for one P25 system the NAC is absent when there's traffic, it just isn't there anymore.

I’m glad you posted this. I thought it was just me. Maybe that was done on purpose since it didn’t decode properly on a P2 VC.

Are your sites set to search for NAC or do you have a NAC programmed and NAC Operation is set to Ignore in the Settings menu and seeing a different NAC flash during transmissions?

 

[kd2pm]

So far I have left the global filter on auto and it seems to be doing fine. I am picking up a simulcast cell I never used to pick up before. Albeit I get around -99, its still coming in with zero D-Errors and I can hear most if not all conversations. I know I will miss some since we have so many cells/subsites and by the time it comes around, I may miss something unless I lock it onto one site. But..more testing is needed.