SDS100 GPS SETUP **ADVICE WELCOME**

[WRAF256]

Please be gentle as I’m new to scanners. I’ve a HAM operator (W5ECD) and GMRS (WRAF256) and have recently added the SDS100 to my arsenal. I have a few questions and welcome your feedback.

MY SETUP
I purchased the Uniden SDS100 from Bearcat Warehouse. I ordered the unit with NXDN, ProVoice and DMR upgrades. I also had them pre-program my home county (Kendall County, TX) just to help me understand the structure behind setting up favorite’s lists. I also purchased the new Remtronix REM-842S from them.

Also, I purchased the GPS USB Cable and GPS Puck from Amazon and hardwired both to a switchable fuse in my truck. Everything is working very well, and the unit shows GPS on it within seconds of plugging in the cable.

At my house, the unit is not connected to GPS and does a decent job scanning and locking onto signals even while inside. When outside, it’s far better. I have no plans on making any changes of the setup at my house unless someone can convince me otherwise.

I’ve created many favorite’s lists at the County, State and National level. My question is this – once I plug in my unit into the configuration in my truck that has the GPS puck, do I need to make any changes to the unit to start tracking based on my location? If so, what are they? If not, will the unit scan for all of the frequencies in the Full Database or just the Favorite’s list or ?

Any thoughts on how to best setup a Profile to ensure I’m getting the most out of the unit?

Thanks in advance – I’m still learning and hope you can help accelerate my learning.

73,
Eric
W5ECD

 

[ka3jjz]

Nope, not gentle (heh)

The first link (anything in blue) is an intro to location based scanning written mostly for the older Unidens, but it's going to be useful to help get you thinking in this way.

Location Based Scanning - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Easier to Read SDS100/200 Digital Scanner Manual

Note that the internal GPS mod the manual mentions is no longer available due to lack of parts....

Full database scanning with GPS?

The other day I wanted to see how my SDS200 scanned by turning off my FL and running FULL DATABASE with RANGE set for 20 miles. I was surprised how well it worked. I am using a single antenna (OMNI-X) and it receives both conventional and 800 mhz trunked just fine. However the only thing is even...

forums.radioreference.com

Uniden Universal GPS Kit

I have written a guide for the new Uniden Universal GPS Receiver (BC-SGPS) for the Uniden scanners. This is not a Uniden guide but my own creation. It explaines the various parts and how to connect to the various scanners it supports. Enjoy!

forums.radioreference.com

Mike

 

[jtwalker]

The favorites lists need to be flagged as having location control on. Then the gps will update your location as you move around.

 

[WRAF256]

Thanks Mike and jtwalker! I'll check out the links.

 

[buddrousa]

Also it was posted by UPMan that the scanner as long as it was left on would use the last known GPS location.

 

[WRAF256]

buddrousa - that's good to know. Thanks!

 

[hexagon_keyhole]

Make sure your GPS Baud Rate is set to 4800, the location set to DMS, and when you plug it in, on the bottom part of the screen it should show "GPS."

As an easy test and assuming you don't live in Beverley Hills, you can dial in "90210" for the Zipcode scanning, plug in the GPS, and wait for it to change to your area. Should take a minutes or so for the change to happen, but it's pretty seamless.

Play around with the range, I've heard a good range to use is either 10 or 20 miles.

 

[WRAF256]

Make sure your GPS Baud Rate is set to 4800, the location set to DMS, and when you plug it in, on the bottom part of the screen it should show "GPS."

As an easy test and assuming you don't live in Beverley Hills, you can dial in "90210" for the Zipcode scanning, plug in the GPS, and wait for it to change to your area. Should take a minutes or so for the change to happen, but it's pretty seamless.

Play around with the range, I've heard a good range to use is either 10 or 20 miles.

Thanks! I tried it and it seems to be working.

 

[Randyk4661]

What I have done is created separate favorite lists just for GPS (with location control) when I'm in my car and other favorite lists (without location control) for when I'm at home.
This has been mentioned before, the GPS coordinates and ranges set in the database may not be the best for what you want to listen to. This is the main reason for doing GPS FL's. I have edited those to better coordinates and ranges so I don't hear neighboring counties while I'm in my home county.
Like the radio, the GPS function has a steep learning curve.

 

[nosoup4u]

I also setup startup keys, so when I want to use my 100 with the GPS the favorite lists I need for GPS are loaded

 

[orion_jb2001]

Make sure your GPS Baud Rate is set to 4800, the location set to DMS, and when you plug it in, on the bottom part of the screen it should show "GPS."

As an easy test and assuming you don't live in Beverley Hills, you can dial in "90210" for the Zipcode scanning, plug in the GPS, and wait for it to change to your area. Should take a minutes or so for the change to happen, but it's pretty seamless.

Play around with the range, I've heard a good range to use is either 10 or 20 miles.

I am in Australia, so we do not have the automatic scanning of a database. However, I am having troubles with setting up GPS with my favourites. My reply is to your comment about using D M S, I have all my locations using decimal degrees and using that setting on the radio re locations. Is there an issue and you should use D M S??

 

[Randyk4661]

I am in Australia, so we do not have the automatic scanning of a database. However, I am having troubles with setting up GPS with my favourites. My reply is to your comment about using D M S, I have all my locations using decimal degrees and using that setting on the radio re locations. Is there an issue and you should use D M S??

I find the decimal format easier for entering. I only use 3 ot 4 decimal places, no need to enter all 8 numbers after the decimal point.
Use what is easier for you. No difference using either format that I can see.