SDS100/SDS200 Tax Day Update (1.10.00)

[buddrousa]

With 1.10 in my SDS200 and SDS100 I am using a ST2 25 foot above the ground and am hearing UHF and VHF Analog as well as my 996P2 43 air miles with a elevation drop of 50 feet per google earth pro.

 

[ansky]

My local EDACS system sounds worse than ever after this update. I'm getting large signal fluctuations and sometimes complete signal dropout.

Just to add more detail to this, I'm seeing signal fluctuations from -75dbm to -120 dbm during a single transmission.

 

[trentbob]

Regarding the poorer Analog issues some are seeing.
I tested my SDS100 with the 1.09.02 and this 1.10.00 FW versions. After upgrading to the 1.09.02 version, I was also seeing much poorer reception of analog VHF channels mostly.

Playing with the filter settings brought back reception for me. This was on mostly analog VHF channels where I now saw bad or no reception. Changing filters fixed it all and it is now as good, if not better, than it was prior to the 1.09.xx FW version.

Sorry, I can't say what filter worked best as I really think this may be unique to each users location or perhaps the different characteristics of each SDS as has been hinted at before.

I just wanted to throw this out there as the majority of the posts I read about trying the latest FW versions and seeing lower reception quality do not mention if the user ever tried changing the filter options on the signals that were worse.
Since doing this, my SDS100 is now receiving as good, if not better, than it ever did.

Example... When I test it using the seven NOAA WX frequencies, if my Icom R8600 or R9000 can hear a very weak signal way down in the mud, my SDS100 will now also hear the same signal. Before I played with the filters, I could not hear any NOAA signals other than the one local to me. I have two weaker WX signals other than the local WX channel that are normally received here but weaker of course. These two recent FW versions wiped out those two weaker WX signals to the point they could not even be detected. Since changing filters, the two weaker WX signals are back to normal. The only downfall is the tinny speaker and lower audio amp output in the SDS100 compared to the speakers hooked to my Icom's.

So, for anyone seeing poorer reception with the latest FW versions, play with the filter settings before throwing in the towel if you have not tried this.

I have been a big proponent of the filters since the day they were introduced, I also appreciated the wide filters when they were introduced and have used all of the filters extensively. All last night into the middle of the night I was testing and trying to improve things with the filters.

Unfortunately today is an extremely busy day for me workwise but I will return to the task tonight of working on this. The nxnd issues do not appear related to filters. My local simulcast police fire system needs to stay on inverted to work, it's an audio issue of that brassy tinny sound that's difficult to understand and becomes distorted any higher than a volume of 11 or 12

Before the last two updates I was very impressed with the audio of my P2 simulcast system, my NEX48 system worked flawlessly and I had very impressive Aviation reception of two nearby Regional airports.

I will get back to this later tonight as unfortunately I do have a busy day and evening. I basically want to remove these last two firmware updates and be left with the last update where my radio was working terrific and that was the update that introduced the wide filters and I believe it was the one that had the hum mitigation.

Since the introduction of the first filters I've been a supporter of the SDS 100 once my hometown P2 system worked well on inverted. I guess I should not have installed these two updates as I had no issues with what they addressed but... I did.

I'm trying to be civil about this but I need this BS like I need a hole in the head. I'm sure some of you can understand I'm pissed.

 

[CQ]

Firmware gets downloaded to directory and told to unplug USB but no update. Tried power cycling and removing downloaded firmware file. Same thing happens. First time a firmware update doesn't work for me.

Yep, quoting my own...

Also noticed when I power off I don't see any saving to card message.

 

[kruser]

Yep, quoting my own...

Also noticed when I power off I don't see any saving to card message.

Is this using Sentinel to download and install the latest FW?

If so, you could also try the manual download of 1.10.00 from the link in post 39 of this thread and place that in your SD cards firmware folder.

 

[KC1UA]

Just to add more detail to this, I'm seeing signal fluctuations from -75dbm to -120 dbm during a single transmission.

Are you trying to monitor an 800 MHz system and seeing these fluctuations? We have a lot of wind in the northeast US right now, and signal fluctuations at that frequency in the wind are "normal", at least in my case, and always have been. Just curious.

 

[KC1UA]

With this firmware update I do not see any "out of the gate" improvement on analog reception. Nor does it seem any worse. I have not tried rolling back prior to 1.09.02 (yet) so I don't know if my situation would improve, but I do know that fiddling with the filters and IFX continues to have overall positive results for me in certain situations. I think having an Airspy or two around to scope out strong adjacent signals helps the cause a little bit too, and I've got some pretty powerful CC's for Mot, NXDN, and DMR systems that are croaking me on all bands. Fun stuff! Just part of the growing pains of these radios; I anticipate that ultimately it'll all be worth the current roller coaster ride.

 

[kruser]

Are you trying to monitor an 800 MHz system and seeing these fluctuations? We have a lot of wind in the northeast US right now, and signal fluctuations at that frequency in the wind are "normal", at least in my case, and always have been. Just curious.

Yep, this is very true. Things like the wind will blow large trees around for example. Trees attenuate frequencies, especially now that they are starting to green up for the spring.
I have some very distant 700 MHz and higher systems that I cannot monitor until the fall and the leaves fall from the trees.

 

[CQ]

Is this using Sentinel to download and install the latest FW?

If so, you could also try the manual download of 1.10.00 from the link in post 39 of this thread and place that in your SD cards firmware folder.

I've done both methods and doesn't work. Tried using an older firmware as well.

 

[kruser]

I've done both methods and doesn't work. Tried using an older firmware as well.

That's an odd one!
The only other thing I can think of is to setup a new SD card using Sentinel but don't load your Profile or any Favorites to the new card. Then try and do the FW update only. If it works, you can probably write your profile and any favorites to this card and then wipe the old one.

Others have reported some strange issues where an SD card format fixed things. Some of it does not seem logical but those users did report that it fixed odd problems for them.
It's worth a shot if you have a spare SD card laying around.

 

[UPMan]

Still not trunk tracking a 3.125 Khz NXDN system that I previously reported on. Both video and a debug file are provided for review by UPMan and the engineering staff with Wide-Normal and Wide-Invert demonstrated (Best filter settings I have tried...and have tried them all). RSSI & D-ERROR values indicate the signal should be strong enough for accurate trunk tracking? (536hp is trunk tracking the same system on the same antenna). Noise floor values would indicate a low noise floor and very little interference from surrounding transmitters? LCN's have been confirmed by an Illinois Database administrator via DSD Plus. You will hear some occasional transmissions, but it appears the SDS 200 is having difficulty trunk tracking this system:

https://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?siteId=32395



https://photos.app.goo.gl/rng7c7G8N1aJZbi89

https://photos.app.goo.gl/tTDWLiEqXHLansv76

This update has helped another NXDN system (OFT) system I was having trouble with, so it looks like this firmware update has helped out a great deal...thank you UPMan and engineering team.

According to the logs, it seems that control channel reception is good, but voice channels reception is not good, especially Wide Normal.

Please try to find your best setting as follows:

1. Program two voice channel (454.215625MHz and 454.590625MHz) as conventional
2. Display Noise, D-error, and RSSI
3. Scan holding for either channel
4. Find the best combination of filter, IFX, and ATT
5. Scan holding for the channel
6. Find the best combination of filter, IFX, and ATT
7. If the above results are the same for both frequencies, program them to the site options for the NXDN system.
If the results are different, pick the one with that had the greater overall effect for both (even though one won't be optimal).

 

[TailGator911]

Uniden seems to be tweaking and re-tweaking fw updates as they hear the feedback. Pretty quick to redo things per suggestions. Have patience, they will get it right. As stated before, each individual radio is as individualistic as its owner, regarding settings, antenna, and location. One firmware update may work wonders for one guy, and not so much for another. It is an ongoing process to get these radios right. Submitting a debug file works way better than derogatory posts and insults, with better results.

JD
kf4anc

 

[allend]

You have to give Uniden some time to keep tweaking with the firmware upgrades and fine tune it over a period of time. At least we are getting monthly firmware upgrades and support to the SDS line of radios and the BCD version too. Just remember where Whistler is right now. Circling the drain.

 

[Thoraldus]

With latest firmware 1.10.00 this morning -- I can now hear the air traffic controllers on SLC ZLC Francis Peak, UT - RCAG Sectors 03 & 04 @ 119.950 & 135.775Mhz - Weak but readable. Really nice being able to hear both sides of the traffic. Francis Peak transmitter site is at 9540 ft - I'm at 6000 ft to the NNE in Bear Lake Valley - there are intervening mountain ridges.

This transmitter site is 93 miles from me as the crow flies. Filter=Normal - In flight transmissions from aircraft are 100% clear with no audio artifacts ( a little razz from the pilots that chew their mics and over-modulate) - Digital modes (P25) still sound good too. Antenna is a dual band J-Pole (1/2 wave on VHF - all I have right now until the discone gets here)

And it's raining here today!!! ;-)

 

[ansky]

Are you trying to monitor an 800 MHz system and seeing these fluctuations? We have a lot of wind in the northeast US right now, and signal fluctuations at that frequency in the wind are "normal", at least in my case, and always have been. Just curious.

Yes, 800 MHz analog system. You're right, it has been very windy here the last 2 days and in the past I have seen the wind make this system scratchy, but never this bad where it completely drops out. I'm also monitoring at P25 trunked system that runs on 700/800 MHz and that is a solid 60 dbm with no fluctuations at all.

 

[mswells]

I've done both methods and doesn't work. Tried using an older firmware as well.

I had the same problem as you did, with the firmware not updating. Lo and behold, when I turned on the scanner the next day, it loaded the firmware. I eventually reformatted the sd card, and since then, the firmware updates will instantly load, instead of the following day !!

 

[WX4JCW]

Here is some VHF from mine, no problem whatsoever

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[CQ]

I had the same problem as you did, with the firmware not updating. Lo and behold, when I turned on the scanner the next day, it loaded the firmware. I eventually reformatted the sd card, and since then, the firmware updates will instantly load, instead of the following day !!

Reformatting the card was going to be my next step. Appreciate the feedback and hopefully that will do it.

Update:

Actually didn't have to go that route and clearing settings/data through menu did the trick. I knew it would work after I saw the writing settings message in the menu which was a sign something was awry during my first firmware attempt.

 

[trust_93]

Hello, my SDS100 remains version 1.07.04 despite Sentinel 2.02, maybe the European version SDS100e is not concerned ?

 

[WX4JCW]

Aircraft is really good too


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