A new 700MHz simulcast system is about to come on line in my area (the Marin County, CA MERA system). Can anyone with direct experience using a SDS100 or SDS200 to receive such a system comment on the performance of these scanners for this application? Thanks!
SDS100/200 Simulcast Performance?
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Blackswan73
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Mine worked fine on a 700mhz system. Not the most inexpensive option, but it worked
B.S.
B.S.
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Seriously? There are thousands of postings/threads here singing the SDS series scanners' praises on simulcast systems. Click here to unearth some of them. I've owned the SDS100 since its release in 2018 and have used it to monitor many simulcast systems. It truly is a champ
Search is your friend here....................................
May I ask you a question or two?
Do you know exactly what simulcast is - and why it causes problems with some radios?
Real good idea to start there - and also learn about radio trunking if you are not familiar.
And..... this new MERA system is P25 II.
Possibility it will be encrypted?
For new system 'exploration' I suggest a couple of RTL-SDRs and SDRTrunk to have a much better tool to help document the new/transitioned talkgroups as they come on-line.
May I ask you a question or two?
Do you know exactly what simulcast is - and why it causes problems with some radios?
Real good idea to start there - and also learn about radio trunking if you are not familiar.
And..... this new MERA system is P25 II.
Possibility it will be encrypted?
For new system 'exploration' I suggest a couple of RTL-SDRs and SDRTrunk to have a much better tool to help document the new/transitioned talkgroups as they come on-line.
Judging by the OP's posting here I'd say they're pretty well versed
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And is it known if the comms will be clear, or encrypted? I mean before you drop money on the SDS.
Sorry OM. No offence intended. This is my first venture into the RR forums so I guess I missed the search option. Nevertheless I appreciate your capsule summary of the capability of the SDS series.
Greetings. Yes, I'm pretty familiar with simulcast technology and the problems is can cause for receivers not designed for such systems. Right at the moment I'm able to copy some pre-test use of the new MERA system on my BCD996P2 with audio recovery better than expected on occasional transmissions. Thanks for the tip about SDRTrunk, I'll check that out. Thankfully the MERA NextGen system is not encrypted.
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Well for the last 5 years the only Scanner Designed to work on SIMULCAST SYSTEMS is the SDS and they work very well.
Like posted above will this new System be in the CLEAR or ENCRYPTED? Before you drop the money that is the question that needs to be answered.
Like posted above will this new System be in the CLEAR or ENCRYPTED? Before you drop the money that is the question that needs to be answered.
The new system will not be encrypted
With that said, the SDS will work great for you. I'm surrounded by 700/800 simulcast and it performs flawlessly. Night and day compared to my TRX-2 on simulcast.
First, getting your post moved over to the regional forum by asking an admin would help glean more of an audience concerning the new system because it is populated by others in your area, and with that, possibly someone who knows if encryption might be used and at what level. (I’m guessing the RR database doesn’t show if encryption will be in the mix as yet due to the system not being fully in service.) As for what simulcast is, the suggestion about using “search” as being your friend is spot-on. Look for posts to Radio Reference on the topic. You will find the most accurate posts on the subject in either or both the RR Forums and WiKi.
I have no concerns with whether an SDS100 or SDS200 will work with the MERA Next Gen system. Rather, I'm concerned whether my BCD436HP will be overwhelmed with simulcast distortion as the Civic Center, Dollar Hill, and Bayhills sites are each within roughly 1 mile from each other.
Your 436 may do it but to what degree is the question. Using only one site may also help cut down on any simulcast problems. But from what you’ve shared with us, it looks to be a waiting situation. Once the system is fully in service you can then start your discovery of how your particular location (exactly where your scanner will be used) will be affected by simulcast. Simulcast issues are subject to “Your results may vary”. Meaning what works in one location may not work a few inches or feet away. Your neighbor could be receiving a good signal and you don’t hear a thing, or vice versa. (If that happens there are things you can try, listed in the forums or WiKi.) If the 436 is mounted in a vehicle all bets are off. I live in a simulcast rich environment and most of my monitoring is done mobile, but I went over to the SDS100/200 when they came out and haven’t experienced any issues. Give your 436 a chance. Who knows, maybe you won’t have any problems.
Just a note, Civic Center is not a transmit site (microwave only). And in the context of MERA, the "Bay Hill" site usually refers to the Bodega Bay IR site on Bay Hill Road. I think you mean the San Pedro Ridge site
Agreed on your understanding of only SDS scanners from Uniden are specifically designed for simulcast comms. But there is another alternative… the Unication G5 pager. Granted, it’s a pager but when used as a scanner it does a great job with simulcast issues too. I do see the differentiation between the SDS100/200 and the G5 (and other software defined offerings) and agree, out-of-the-box receivers that do it all are limited to the SDS series from Uniden. The G5 pager was designed for just that, an alert receiver/pager, its primary use, alerting the likes of volunteer firefighters that run 700/800MHz trunked comms. It’s a versatile pager, with the ability to work on all public service bands providing alert capabilities on all, be it conventional or trunked. But I do note the differences.
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True on the G5 but it has limitations to Systems Sites and Talkgroups that New Users need to understand to see if their needs fall into what the G5 is capable of then by all means it is an option but if the user wants multiple Systems Sites and Talkgroups then the G5 does not meet the needs of the user.
Then you have the SDR's that require a working computer at all times not portable and a user with more than PLUG AND PLAY SKILLS which would be more skills than most novice computer users have.
Then you have the SDR's that require a working computer at all times not portable and a user with more than PLUG AND PLAY SKILLS which would be more skills than most novice computer users have.
Ubbe
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If monitoring from home then any $30 SDR dongle have I/Q demodulator capability that handles simulcast systems and it only takes to choose a proper program for your computer that can manage the trunk system and TG's.
/Ubbe
/Ubbe
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A skill you have that the majority of people user do not have.
As I said but it does not work well in a car on foot or even walking around in your own yard.
As I said but it does not work well in a car on foot or even walking around in your own yard.
I am referring to the San Pedro Ridge site as it is on Bayhills Drive. Also, why isn't the Skyview Terrace site in the RRDB?Just a note, Civic Center is not a transmit site (microwave only). And in the context of MERA, the "Bay Hill" site usually refers to the Bodega Bay IR site on Bay Hill Road. I think you mean the San Pedro Ridge site
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