SDS100 quick performance review

[jonwienke]

There are a lot of P25 Phase II systems that are not simulcast. And even analog systems can be simulcast. Simulcast is must commonly used with P25-II systems, but as a technology, it is is separate and independent from whether the system is digital or analog.

No manufacturer caveated their scanners regarding simulcast reception, and prior to the SDS100, every model from every manufacturer has had difficulties with it. So I'm not sure how you justify hating on Uniden specifically, when every other scanner manufacturer had even worse issues, and also said nothing about simulcast.

 

[Phelanhome]

DMR Installed this morning. I will let you know how it does against my 536.

 

[W2SJW]

I was testing it last night against my 7550e and both hotspots. It receives DMR simplex perfectly (both the signal from the HT & the hotspots - they actually sound different in the raw).

The Spectrum Communications system comes in perfect as well. No NXDN near here to test, but I can turn it on with the MMDVM hotspot if I really want to give it a go...

 

[APX8000]

Don’t hate Uniden, have owned plenty. Also aware of current technology. You’re missing my point. Every manufacturer produced products claiming to monitor everything from Smartzone to P25, to NXDN to DMR. All of them have been unable to back up those claims and each suffered in its own way and hence the birth of the SDS-100. But that’s not what they advertised and that is why so many people are hesitant to make the commitment. I am reading great reports on here about the SDS-100 and if/when a base/mobile is released I’ll be a fan boy too. Great reports on systems I monitor.

Denville is NXDN if you can hear them FYI.


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[jonwienke]

Don’t hate Uniden, have owned plenty. Also aware of current technology. You’re missing my point. Every manufacturer produced products claiming to monitor everything from Smartzone to P25, to NXDN to DMR. All of them have been unable to back up those claims and each suffered in its own way and hence the birth of the SDS-100. But that’s not what they advertised and that is why so many people are hesitant to make the commitment.

Again, the advertising claims are correct, for non-simulcast systems. You can validly criticize the manufaturers for not pointing out that simulcast on a system (whether P25 Phase II, any other digital format, or analog) frequently FUBARs reception on all models prior to the SDS100, but even the HP-2 receives non-simulcast P25-II just fine.

 

[Phelanhome]

I was unable to get Wayne Township NJ (P25) right on my 536, 436 and 996P2 because of simulcast. Wayne has four transmitters and I live in between two of them in Pequannock Township. My new SDS-100 picks it up perfect in my house. In the past ( and now) I had to set up a scanner in my in-laws home in Wayne and use Proscan to broadcast it out so I could listen to Wayne.

The SDS-100 works if you have simulcast issues!!!!

 

[Markscan]

I tried the Morris County system this morning. I was in Essex Fells. The SDS100 and 436 were side by side both using the stock antennas. The 436 was showing 2 bars and the SDS100 was showing 5 bars.

The SDS100 received the system perfectly. No distortion at all. The 436 never received anything, despite showing 2 bars.

If I have time later this weekend, I will make a video comparing the 436, SDS100, and the Unication G5, on NJICS, Morris County, and Wayne.


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[awg9tech]

We all know you are a Uniden fan, but enough is enough. Do I really have to post pictures of the box, advertisements, excerpts from the owners manual, etc. where it says it monitors P25 trunked systems, both Phase I and II. Because that is what it was designed to do...but didn’t live up to the claims. I didn’t see any “unless the system uses LSM.” No manufacturer marketed it as a solution and I haven’t seen Uniden specifically say that the SDS-100 will “completely solve your LSM issues.” Am I wrong UpMan or is the claim more of YMMV?

Yep.

 

[awg9tech]

You need to keep reading to see the issue was resolved.

Shall I hold my breath for the update?

 

[awg9tech]

The SDS100 received the system perfectly. No distortion at all. The 436 never received anything, despite showing 2 bars.

Impossible.

I am assured by uniden and members of this board, that there are no issues with the 436.

 

[jonwienke]

I'm assured by the content of your posts you're a troll.

 

[APX8000]

What’s interesting is how certain mods allow all the negative Whistler posts all over the Whistler threads by obvious Uniden fans but as soon as one little negative comment is made about Uniden it’s quickly deleted.

I also find it amusing that I’m called a troll yet I’ve been a member for over a decade and was a mod here for many years. All because I’m pointing out the obvious regarding manufacturers. Why don’t you do some research and you will also see that I’ve pointed out shortcomings with Whistler and Unication. I call it like it is.



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[KevinC]

What’s interesting is how certain mods allow all the negative Whistler posts all over the Whistler threads by obvious Uniden fans but as soon as one little negative comment is made about Uniden it’s quickly deleted.

I also find it amusing that I’m called a troll yet I’ve been a member for over a decade and was a mod here for many years. All because I’m pointing out the obvious regarding manufacturers. Why don’t you do some research and you will also see that I’ve pointed out shortcomings with Whistler and Unication. I call it like it is.



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Care to share which "mods" you are referring to?

I seem to notice a lot of negative posts about the new SDS100, such as...

https://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-tech-support/371643-sds100-images-not-pictures-rf.html

https://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-tech-support/371568-sds100-backlight-issues.html

https://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-tech-support/371558-sds100-minor-bug.html

https://forums.radioreference.com/u...ers/371579-sds100-initial-review-phoenix.html

 

[jonwienke]

I also find it amusing that I’m called a troll

Nobody called you a troll.

 

[qman62]

Shall I hold my breath for the update?

The issue you quoted and harped on was resolved. No need to hold your breath unless it's something that makes you happy.

 

[policefreak]

I got to lay hands on a SDS100 today as i programmed it for someone. Functionally it is very similar to a BCD436HP so programming was complete within 5 minutes using sentinel. The display is very nice. I programmed both Camden and Burlington County on the SDS100. Sitting about a mile into Burlington County from Camden County the first thing I noticed was the stunning clarity of the VHF dispatch channels for both counties using the stock antenna. Camden County P25 came in flawlessly- right on par with my Unication G5 sitting right there. But I expected as much since even my BCD436HP used to perform just as well on Camden County in the same spot. Burlington County operates on a Motorola Type 2 Smartzone system with all digital talkgroups. I tested the SDS100 performance against my trusty old Uniden BCD396T. I noticed right away that quite frequently the 396 would open squelch about 1 or 2 seconds before the SDS100 would come in late, with no other traffic active. I increased the System Hold Time to 2 seconds and decreased the P25 wait Time to 200ms and that seems to alleviate the problem some. I did not have enough time to truly test those results though but it reminded me of the behavior of the BCD436HP when it first came out- it always came in late. I did try to manually lock onto control channels of distant systems 10+ miles away and was unable to receive any. But it did have the stock antenna on so not really a fair fight. Overall so far I think I like what I see but I'm going to need a little more convincing before I drop $649 on one for myself.

 

[APX8000]

Nobody called you a troll.

My bad, other posts didn’t display on this stupid Tapatalk.


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[rr60]

I have missed CC scanning on my x36's. Anyone in Jersey w SDS 100 decoding just CC's with SYS ID and Site displayed and passing audio?Below are the many sites I receive.

769.343 000Ah 1010 2 GSP & Main St Sayerville
769.3437 000Ah 1010 4-5 Middlesex Boro Middlesex County
771.7437 000Ah 1010 5 Sayerville
769.4437 039Ah 123 1 Telegraph Hill New Jersey
770.7187 039Ah 128 5 Martinsville New Jersey
772.4562 039Ah 1010 3-4 West Orange New Jersey
773.3187 039Ah 134 2 Wall New Jersey
773.4562 039Ah 107 5 Mountainside New Jersey
773.8062 039Ah 131 5 Cranbury New Jersey
773.8312 039Ah 102 2 Hunterdon New Jersey
774.2812 039Ah 116 0-1 Neptune New Jersey
774.2937 039Ah 114 2 Freehold New Jersey
774.7937 039Ah 129 2 Rutgers New Jersey
774.3437 03A8h 60 3 DoItt NYC
774.1937 03B4h 101 2-3 Camden Camden County
774.4062 0457h 104 5 Watchung Somerset County
774.2187 04A0h 102 2 North Simulcast Monmouth

860.5375 01C7 102 1 Bucks County PECO, PA
851.6625 0691h 101 0 Oldbridge Oldbridge Township
856.5687 0865h 106 nil Morestown NJ Turnpike
856.5937 0865h 104 1 Cranbury NJ Turnpike
857.1187 0865h 103 nil Woodbridge NJ Turnpike
860.9625 B11Dh 11 5 Troop B North New Jersey
860.7125 B11Eh 12 1 Troop C Central New Jersey

 

[jonwienke]

I have missed CC scanning on my x36's. Anyone in Jersey w SDS 100 decoding just CC's with SYS ID and Site displayed and passing audio?Below are the many sites I receive.

Control Channel is the only kind of scanning x36 scanners do, at least for digital systems that have control channels. The only reason you program all the channels for a site is in case the site changes the control channel to a different frequency. If you don't program all the frequencies, you will lose reception for the site if that happens.

The SDS100 will display system and site IDs when it is receiving a control channel.

 

[W2SJW]

I did this test with my old 436 back in 2014 just to satisfy my curiosity.

I imported the NJSP and the NJICS to a FL & deleted all sites except the one I live in, and all control channels except the active one. The unit still operated perfectly.