SDS100/SDS200: SDS Waterfall - Yea, Nay, or Meh?

[Enforcer52]

Since we have had a couple of months to play with the Waterfall option, was wondering what folks opinion of it is.

I'm kinda in the Meh camp, partly because not that familiar with waterfall use, but the main reason is my rural area with not much else to listen to locally but public service, and very few businesses using radio in the area. 20 to 25 miles to nearest medium size city, and 50+ miles to more metropolitan areas.

The only real active bands I have found has been CB, sporadic air traffic, and FM radio.

If I was closer to the Houston area I'm sure all that would change greatly.

Will keep playing around with it and hopefully figure it all out since not a lot of info on using waterfall was given to us unknowing folks.

 

[kg4ehv]

Me likey, I use it to jump around on the aircraft band.

 

[jtwalker]

I voted nay because I am not coughing up $25 for it. Not sure I would use it if it were free. I am not against Uniden charging for it, as a matter of fact I prefer that to including it and raising the price of all units.

 

[KT4HX]

I likewise voted nay, as I have no interest. While it seems like a cool feature, for the scanning that I do, it simply isn't something I need or have a real interest in.

 

[MStep]

The spectrum scope/waterfall functions are certainly much more useful on radios in which they were incorporated in their original design, like the Icom 8600 or (for ham radio operators) the Yaesu 991A. It seems that, while perhaps of some use, it is more of a "novelty" function in the Uniden SDS series.

 

[gary123]

I say yea. I use the waterfall to locate DMR users in industrial areas and malls. It does take a bit of getting used to but by moving the marker you can locate frequencies in use.

 

[Enforcer52]

I say yea. I use the waterfall to locate DMR users in industrial areas and malls. It does take a bit of getting used to but by moving the marker you can locate frequencies in use.

For us dummies, once you locate one how do you go about identifying it so you can program it in when it's DMR?

 

[Enforcer52]

After one day, looks like it's a dead heat!

 

[pyeman99]

I say Yea In UK Europe,anywhere outside US,Canada, we don't have the luxury of databases ready to go.We have to search for everything.
For the SDS200e sooner the better also don't have a problem paying for such a useful upgrade.

 

[gary123]

For us dummies, once you locate one how do you go about identifying it so you can program it in when it's DMR?

Once the frequency is located. I usually program it in as a conventional frequency the use analyze and discovery to get the additional information such as color code, SID, and Talk Groups.

For those with other tools such as DSD you can use them to get even more information especially if the signal is P25P1 or P2, NXDN or DMR, DT3 Con+ etc. Our European freinds can also decode dPMR information too. Advanced users can use some of these other tools to show more details about a signal such as site neighbors, Alternate control channels TG voice channels and basic encryption encryption parameters. NO nothing decrypts them all you will find is the algorithm in use etc.

 

[Enforcer52]

Once the frequency is located. I usually program it in as a conventional frequency the use analyze and discovery to get the additional information such as color code, SID, and Talk Groups.

For those with other tools such as DSD you can use them to get even more information especially if the signal is P25P1 or P2, NXDN or DMR, DT3 Con+ etc. Our European freinds can also decode dPMR information too. Advanced users can use some of these other tools to show more details about a signal such as site neighbors, Alternate control channels TG voice channels and basic encryption encryption parameters. NO nothing decrypts them all you will find is the algorithm in use etc.

Thanks for the info, that helps a lot.

 

[Enforcer52]

With all the hype and conversation before and after Waterfall released, I thought we would get more than 41 opinions on the Waterfall option.

 

[belvdr]

What's the difference between "nay" and "meh"? I think the descriptions could have been better. For example, I cannot vote, because I don't see it worth $20 to test it out on an SDS when I have an SDR sitting right here.

 

[Enforcer52]

Yes = Like it, love it
No = Absolutely useless to me
Meh = Not impressed with it

or something along those lines

 

[belvdr]

or something along those lines

That's why the descriptions need expanding; it's vague and left up to the reader to interpret.

 

[Brales60]

Not interested. Something else to learn on these things.