SDS100 Spectrum Display Waterfall -- what am I missing?

Status
Not open for further replies.

rbn_rr

Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2015
Messages
41
I received my SDS100 from ZipScanners this afternoon, and I've started playing with it a bit.

I stumbled across an sdr waterfall mode while blindly probing the USB serial interface for valid commands (see picture, attached.) The command to enter this mode is 'sdr'.

I was unable to find a path to this mode via the keypad -- what am I missing?

Thanks in advance for your help with this. :)

-rbn
 

Attachments

  • SDS-100 SDR.jpg
    SDS-100 SDR.jpg
    34.9 KB · Views: 1,677

SteveSimpkin

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Apr 13, 2009
Messages
987
Location
Lancaster, CA
Brilliant! It appears to show +/- 3 MHz from the center frequency. 6 MHz bandwidth is not bad, for a scanner:)
Excellent work rbn!
 

jonwienke

More Info Coming Soon!
Joined
Jul 18, 2014
Messages
13,416
Location
VA
I received my SDS100 from ZipScanners this afternoon, and I've started playing with it a bit.

I stumbled across an sdr waterfall mode while blindly probing the USB serial interface for valid commands (see picture, attached.) The command to enter this mode is 'sdr'.

I was unable to find a path to this mode via the keypad -- what am I missing?

The only thing you're missing is that that feature hasn't been announced yet. So there isn't any menu or documented keypad sequence to enter that mode, or to use any of the unit's SDR capabilities.

But I think it's pretty safe to say that SDR support is in development, and will be announced in due time. Patience, grasshopper.
 

rbn_rr

Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2015
Messages
41
The only thing you're missing is that that feature hasn't been announced yet. So there isn't any menu or documented keypad sequence to enter that mode, or to use any of the unit's SDR capabilities.

But I think it's pretty safe to say that SDR support is in development, and will be announced in due time. Patience, grasshopper.

Okay, now I know why I wasn't able to find it in the menus...I feel better. Thanks! :)

I'll be patient, but I'll also keep poking and prodding. If someone wants to point me to a command specification doc (the SDS100 equivalent of the command reference for the x36), I promise to put it to good use!

-rbn
 

jeffhochberg

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Apr 27, 2011
Messages
109
Location
Atlanta, GA
That’s awesome! Great finding!!!

I’d love to know more about how to send this command.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

jonwienke

More Info Coming Soon!
Joined
Jul 18, 2014
Messages
13,416
Location
VA
There appears to be a typo in the center softkey label--"Centet" instead of "Center". But good find!
 

jonwienke

More Info Coming Soon!
Joined
Jul 18, 2014
Messages
13,416
Location
VA
In their defense, English is probably not their first language. As long as they speak firmware fluently I'll give them a pass. :D
 

RF23

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
Messages
893
When one of the future seller of the SDS100 leaked info on it prematurely here is a picture that was part of that leaked info:
 

Attachments

  • 1-Uniden SDS-100 SDR grab.jpg
    1-Uniden SDS-100 SDR grab.jpg
    160.4 KB · Views: 1,499

jonwienke

More Info Coming Soon!
Joined
Jul 18, 2014
Messages
13,416
Location
VA
The right-hand panel appears to be a SDR# window. It would be cool if SDR# supported the SDS100.
 

srpawski

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Nov 23, 2016
Messages
209
That there is Purdy. It matches my Icom 7300's waterfall display.
 

Jake68111

Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2010
Messages
408
Location
Morris, IL. (Grundy County)
Time to show my naivety......
Should this feature come to fruition, what can one do with the information it provides?
What's it for?
Is there a "Spectrum Display 101" you might be able to point me to?

I have a feeling this "traditional" scanner may or may not get me interested in other things, one of which hasn't been SDR's, at all.
 

jonwienke

More Info Coming Soon!
Joined
Jul 18, 2014
Messages
13,416
Location
VA
Read through the Software Defined Radio forum and most of your questions will be answered. Those that aren't would probably be more appropriately posted there.
 

rbn_rr

Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2015
Messages
41
Sending SDR command to SDS100

That’s awesome! Great finding!!!

I’d love to know more about how to send this command.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

There's an old RadioReference thread on serial control of the BCD-x36HP that will provide a little background (dated, old command reference is cited):

https://forums.radioreference.com/u...5-bcd436hp-bcd536hp-serial-commands-list.html

To send the 'SDR' command to your SDS100, you can use a terminal program to communicate with the radio. I use Serial Tools on the Mac and Serial Debug Assistant on the PC -- but mostly I use my own Python or Java code on Linux.

I've attached a screenshot of Serial Debug Assistant -- I sent the 'GSI' command (which pulls an XML-like block of status information from the SCS100) and then I sent the 'SDR' command.

Note: The spectrum & waterfall look like they may be emulated, not actually displaying live signal characteristics.

Have fun, and share what you learn!

-rbn
 

Attachments

  • 2018-06-21.jpg
    2018-06-21.jpg
    50.9 KB · Views: 1,086

jonwienke

More Info Coming Soon!
Joined
Jul 18, 2014
Messages
13,416
Location
VA
So you could use the "Test and Extras" tab in ProScan to send the command when it is connected.
 

EricCottrell

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Nov 8, 2002
Messages
2,413
Location
Boston, Ma
Hello,

It might just be a demo or test command to see how the display would look. Disconnecting the antenna did not seem to change anything. I tried adding a frequency value to the command and could not change the center frequency. The soft keys do not work, but other remote commands do.

73 Eric
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top