SDS100/SDS200: SDS100 close call seems deaf

[WM7C]

I just got an SDS100. Yesterday I thought I would try to find my local Target store traffic. I could not hear anything outside at all. I could barely hear traffic once while inside the store with the scanner in my pocket. It looked and it was as I suspected, probably GMRS at 467.something. I did not recognize the frequency though.

Today I took the scanner and sat outside a Starbucks and did not get hits at all. I finally adjusted the filter and got one hit on 144.390 APRS. I get lots of hits on my BC125AT. I guess I'll watch a bunch of videos.

I think I should have stuck this in a different sub forum. It can be moved.

 

[Jon1984]

Make sure they are not DMR cause you have to pay for the upgrade...

 

[WM7C]

Make sure they are not DMR cause you have to pay for the upgrade...

I bought DMR and NXDN. I would still get a hit of data noise I would think.

 

[iMONITOR]

Close Call by design is low sensitivity. Otherwise it would be overwhelmed by all kinds of signals from just about everything. You need to get very close to the signal source you're trying to pick up.

You might try doing a frequency range search instead. If you have an idea what band/frequency it might be, search that in segments, ie; 155.00~156.00MHz, etc.

 

[werinshades]

I see 4 frequencies in the database for a Target in your county.

 

[WM7C]

I see 4 frequencies in the database for a Target in your county.

Yeah, I think that is the distribution center 20 miles away.

 

[WM7C]

I found Starbucks likely frequencies and I'll try a range scan next time.

https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/licenseFreqSum.jsp?licKey=1732897

452-469

 

[werinshades]

From the FCC Database, California Targets:

License Search

Only licensed for 2 Watts, so very limited range.

 

[WM7C]

Alright, I did see a video that says the distance is a couple hundred yards, but from my experience, it is less than that by a significant amount. It's sort a bummer, but scanning a range works just fine. I'll give it a try.

This thread can be closed if needed.

 

[kudzu_kid]

I just got an SDS100. Yesterday I thought I would try to find my local Target store traffic. I could not hear anything outside at all. I could barely hear traffic once while inside the store with the scanner in my pocket. It looked and it was as I suspected, probably GMRS at 467.something. I did not recognize the frequency though.

Today I took the scanner and sat outside a Starbucks and did not get hits at all. I finally adjusted the filter and got one hit on 144.390 APRS. I get lots of hits on my BC125AT. I guess I'll watch a bunch of videos.

I think I should have stuck this in a different sub forum. It can be moved.

Disclaimer: I only have a SDS200. I understand they are very similar. I hope something here helps!

I'm not sure if "Close Call" mitigates squelch operation or not... but in any case, I would keep it low - typically on "2". I would expect that people on low power (~5W or less) HT's should've been heard in the parking lot - Unless:
1) You (or scanner) were searching the wrong band / freqs at the right time.
2) They have some sort of baffling / construction in place to suppress stray RF (some places do - by design - to suppress their WiFi from eavesdroppers, freeloaders, etc.).
3) Were you scanning / listening in correct mode on the SDS100? (FM? NFM? etc.)?
4) And truly, with all utmost due respect: What does "sat outside a Starbucks" mean - how close were you to the drive thru (presuming you were trying to listen to the cashier at the window)? Don't mean to be a jerk about it, but, technically, I'm "outside a Starbucks" now - the nearest one is about 15 miles away! . I believe those little headsets and hip/butt packs they use are typically very low power. Like 1W or less. Their intended range is probably much less than the distance from their headset to your scanner (when outside the Starbucks/Target).
4A) Be careful at Target -- from what I understand from former employees (Reddit group) they frown on any sort of surveillance electronics (other than their own!!) in their stores. Your "rights" and their private property may not agree here. Customer privacy, yadda yadda.
5) See if: ULS License - Industrial/Business Pool, Conventional License - WQBD987 - STARBUCKS COFFEE COMPANY - Frequencies Summary

helps. Google, FCC database and RadioReference are your friends.

Just my 2¢ - you get what you pay for! ;-)

Keep us posted & Best Wishes

 

[WM7C]

Disclaimer: I only have a SDS200. I understand they are very similar. I hope something here helps!

I'm not sure if "Close Call" mitigates squelch operation or not... but in any case, I would keep it low - typically on "2". I would expect that people on low power (~5W or less) HT's should've been heard in the parking lot - Unless:
1) You (or scanner) were searching the wrong band / freqs at the right time.
2) They have some sort of baffling / construction in place to suppress stray RF (some places do - by design - to suppress their WiFi from eavesdroppers, freeloaders, etc.).
3) Were you scanning / listening in correct mode on the SDS100? (FM? NFM? etc.)?
4) And truly, with all utmost due respect: What does "sat outside a Starbucks" mean - how close were you to the drive thru (presuming you were trying to listen to the cashier at the window)? Don't mean to be a jerk about it, but, technically, I'm "outside a Starbucks" now - the nearest one is about 15 miles away! . I believe those little headsets and hip/butt packs they use are typically very low power. Like 1W or less. Their intended range is probably much less than the distance from their headset to your scanner (when outside the Starbucks/Target).
4A) Be careful at Target -- from what I understand from former employees (Reddit group) they frown on any sort of surveillance electronics (other than their own!!) in their stores. Your "rights" and their private property may not agree here. Customer privacy, yadda yadda.
5) See if: ULS License - Industrial/Business Pool, Conventional License - WQBD987 - STARBUCKS COFFEE COMPANY - Frequencies Summary

helps. Google, FCC database and RadioReference are your friends.

Just my 2¢ - you get what you pay for! ;-)

Keep us posted & Best Wishes

Wow!
1) CC all bands
2) two car widths from a wall of glass (store front). They all wear headsets and talk to each other (wirelessly) and use the same headsets to talk to customers.
3) auto
4) combined into 2.

I hear my ClearNode Allstar node several blocks away and it in the milliwatts, certainly under a watt.

Anyway, we typed at the same time it appears. I understand that CC on the SDS100 is nothing like CC on the BC125AT. No big deal. Not a deal breaker at all. Range scanning is fine. I owe you 2 cents. I'm good for it.

 

[JoeBearcat]

Only licensed for 2 Watts, so very limited range.

At 2W UHF you can expect a Close Call range of maybe 25 feet - assuming there are no other in-band signals within 20 dB of the target.

 

[kudzu_kid]

Wow!
1) CC all bands
2) two car widths from a wall of glass (store front). They all wear headsets and talk to each other (wirelessly) and use the same headsets to talk to customers.
3) auto
4) combined into 2.

I hear my ClearNode Allstar node several blocks away and it in the milliwatts, certainly under a watt.

Anyway, we typed at the same time it appears. I understand that CC on the SDS100 is nothing like CC on the BC125AT. No big deal. Not a deal breaker at all. Range scanning is fine. I owe you 2 cents. I'm good for it.

Not to nitpick, but I'd wager you're not really on CC when you catch your ClearNode Allstar several blocks away?! In any case, 73 de N5KBD