SDS100 Questions

[jonwienke]

-45dBm is a very strong signal reading. Try turning on the attenuator to see if anything changes.

 

[Dexter2]

Right now its -45dBm, then randomly it blinks. When I have squelch on 1 - NOISE is 100's-400's, I just raised squelch to 3 and NOISE is now 1000-5000's, same RSSI -45. I'm picking up one talkgroup but it keeps blinking as if its not fully picking up.

Now its -40, 3000's and still says ID Searching. I haven't touched Squelch.

 

[Dexter2]

-45dBm is a very strong signal reading. Try turning on the attenuator to see if anything changes.

Attenuator:

DATA and signal bars disappears, NOISE goes to 22,000's and RSSI goes blank. Squelch is still on 3.

 

[jonwienke]

OK that means that the -45dBm RSSI reading is wrong, and your scanner is not working right. If the signal was truly -45dBm, attenuating it by ~20dB would take it down to -65dBm, but it wouldn't disappear completely, since a good unit can decode signal down below -100dBm. I hate to say it, but it's probably time to send it to Uniden before the warranty expires.

 

[Dexter2]

I purchased it through an ebay store. Sent them an email and still no response. Well, thank you so much for your help. I do notice when I do receive clear transmissions it goes to -108/-116 range.

 

[jonwienke]

That RSSI is at the lower end of receivable signal strength. That weak of a signal should never show -45dBm. Your other option is to contact Uniden repair. How long have you had the scanner?

 

[Dexter2]

What should RSSI be showing then and I haven't had it a month yet. I see I need to register the unit though.

 

[jonwienke]

If the signal is weak and on the low edge of what the scanner can receive, somewhere between -100 to -120dBm.

-45dBm is super-strong. The scanner RSSI indicator is not lab-accurate, but it shouldn't ever be 60dB wrong.

 

[Dexter2]

If the signal is weak and on the low edge of what the scanner can receive, somewhere between -100 to -120dBm.

-45dBm is super-strong. The scanner RSSI indicator is not lab-accurate, but it shouldn't ever be 60dB wrong.

This is all new to me, what am I putting in the reasons for fixing? Other systems, come in perfect no problem. Do I take the SD Card out before shipping? I left the antenna gasket in the small baggy, do I return that as well?

 

[tvengr]

I don't know what to ship if you return it to ebay. When you return a scanner to Uniden, they usually request that you ship just the basic scanner. Remove the battery, SD card, and antenna. Leave a note inside the box with a detailed report of your problem, the model# and serial# of your radio, and your name, address, and phone#.

 

[Dexter2]

When you ship a scanner to Uniden, they usually request that you ship just the basic scanner. Remove the battery, SD card, and antenna. Leave a note inside the box with a detailed report of your problem, the model# and serial# of your radio, and your name, address, and phone#.

Thank you. If I wasn't on this forum. I wouldn't have known to register it.

 

[jonwienke]

Before you send the scanner in, I want to make sure I understand exactly what is happening. Please verify that all of the following are correct:

1. You hold on a site on a trunked system, and get a RSSI reading of -45dBm.
2. With squelch set to 1, noise in low, 200 or so, and you receive traffic.
3. With squelch > 1, noise increases to > 2000, and you stop hearing traffic.
4. When you hear traffic, RSSI shows below -100dBm (e.g. -108dBm).
5. Turning on the attenuator stops all reception, RSSI shows "---".

If any of these are incorrect, please point out which.

 

[tvengr]

If you return it to Uniden, contact support and get a return authorization. They will send you a mailing label to print out and put on the box.

 

[Dexter2]

Before you send the scanner in, I want to make sure I understand exactly what is happening. Please verify that all of the following are correct:

1. You hold on a site on a trunked system, and get a RSSI reading of -45dBm.
2. With squelch set to 1, noise in low, 200 or so, and you receive traffic.
3. With squelch > 1, noise increases to > 2000, and you stop hearing traffic.
4. When you hear traffic, RSSI shows below -100dBm (e.g. -108dBm).
5. Turning on the attenuator stops all reception, RSSI shows "---".

If any of these are incorrect, please point out which.

Before I responded, I tried one more thing.

I moved the radio into another room (room with the least electronics). When I switched systems, and only scanned my local police which is also P25, everything worked perfectly normal. I have attenuation on and squelch set at 2. Under these conditions the NOISE remained in the 200's & 300's and RSSI -45 with consistent "DATA" and full signal bars.

When I switch to the problematic system, everything happens that you mentioned above.

What I also find interesting is that my first week with this radio, the problematic system did not come in period. Not until I left the house and stopped at a place near the tower that is when I began picking up talkgroups. Since I left that establishment, this system has been picking up fine at my home. I don't know if the antenna had to like "link" up with the tower or what. But still, there are times I receive 95% of all transmissions on both systems but randomly some may be broken, half distorted, or rarely but missed.

So lately, I just have filters and attenuator both set to off, squelch set to 1 so that they all work and I don't have to switch back and forth.

 

[Dexter2]

If you return it to Uniden, contact support and get a return authorization. They will send you a mailing label to print out and put on the box.

Without having to register?

 

[tvengr]

Register the scanner. You will need to do that anyway if you upgrade to DMR or NXDN. Go to my.uniden.com

 

[Dexter2]

Before I responded, I tried one more thing.

I moved the radio into another room (room with the least electronics). When I switched systems, and only scanned my local police which is also P25, everything worked perfectly normal. I have attenuation on and squelch set at 2. Under these conditions the NOISE remained in the 200's & 300's and RSSI -45 with consistent "DATA" and full signal bars.

When I switch to the problematic system, everything happens that you mentioned above.

What I also find interesting is that my first week with this radio, the problematic system did not come in period. Not until I left the house and stopped at a place near the tower that is when I began picking up talkgroups. Since I left that establishment, this system has been picking up fine at my home. I don't know if the antenna had to like "link" up with the tower or what. But still, there are times I receive 95% of all transmissions on both systems but randomly some may be broken, half distorted, or rarely but missed.

So lately, I just have filters and attenuator both set to off, squelch set to 1 so that they all work and I don't have to switch back and forth.

Before you send the scanner in, I want to make sure I understand exactly what is happening. Please verify that all of the following are correct:

1. You hold on a site on a trunked system, and get a RSSI reading of -45dBm.
2. With squelch set to 1, noise in low, 200 or so, and you receive traffic.
3. With squelch > 1, noise increases to > 2000, and you stop hearing traffic.
4. When you hear traffic, RSSI shows below -100dBm (e.g. -108dBm).
5. Turning on the attenuator stops all reception, RSSI shows "---".

If any of these are incorrect, please point out which.

Today, I decided to go to the next town over and try the system on a different tower, a tower I would be more closer to. Here are my results:

I was able to receive transmissions WITH attenuator, Squelch on 4 and Filter on Wide Invert but did work with it Off very frequently and clear at all times. Though note, the NOISE and RSSI numbers did differ, the NOISE remained in the 200-300 range most of the time but the RSSI remained in the 80 and 90's instead and went into the 100s has transmissions came through. When I switched Sites when I came home, it went back to original problem NOISE in the 20/30,000's and RSSI as --- with the above settings.

 

[jonwienke]

You generally want the attenuator off, because it weakens the signal by about 20dB. What happens if you monitor the trouble site with attenuation off and squelch on 3, but go a few miles away?

 

[Dexter2]

You generally want the attenuator off, because it weakens the signal by about 20dB. What happens if you monitor the trouble site with attenuation off and squelch on 3, but go a few miles away?

Without Filter?

 

[jonwienke]

Try with filter off. Trying to figure out if the scanner is broken, or giving weird readings because of some kind of interference in or near your house.