SDS200 vs. SDS200E - 869Mhz frequencies

[haimgil]

Hello,


I have an issue with an SDS200 device, brand-new, that was partially deaf in scanning P25 local police system while his european brother the SDS200E managed to scan the system just perfect without any deafness. At first, i thought there is a technical issue with the SDS200, but after digging deeply, i understand that the SDS200 does not support 869.0001Mhz and above frequencies due to FCC regulations, while the SDS200E does support these efficient 869Mhz frequencies which are so important to this specific P25 system. My question is: can it be fixed somehow? maybe by firmware updating or anything else? Can i update the european firmware on an american device? I know that Whistler is enabling to do so on her TRX-1 device (update TRX-1E firmware).

Thank You

 

[kruser]

You cannot upgrade a Whistler TRX-1 with TRX-1E firmware. Two different sets of hardware in the two models.

Same thing applies to the SDS100 and 200. The FCC makes it so they cannot be upgraded or modified to accept the non-USA firmware.

 

[haimgil]

You cannot upgrade a Whistler TRX-1 with TRX-1E firmware. Two different sets of hardware in the two models.

Same thing applies to the SDS100 and 200. The FCC makes it so they cannot be upgraded or modified to accept the non-USA firmware.

About the Whistler firmware conversion i can and i did. Believe me on that one, you may check for yourself with Whistler tech support.
On the american SDS200 device there is a sticker that says: "Warning: Modification of this device to receive cellular radiotelephone service signals is prohibited under FCC rules and federal law" and this mean that the physical prohibitation is made only by firmware, not by hardware. I hope there is a legitimate and legal option to solve this for someone who doesn`t live in the US. After all, i`m not breaking any FCC law because i am not subject to american law since i`m not an american citizen and by default i don`t live there. And if i don`t break any american law, Uniden as well doesn`t breaks the law in this case. Let`s hope that it can be possible, even for an additional fee.



Thanks

 

[GlobalNorth]

Buy a Euro 200. Problem solved and no warranty issues.

 

[haimgil]

Buy a Euro 200. Problem solved and no warranty issues.

If you did not understand, i have them both, but thanks for the advice.

 

[GlobalNorth]

You made no claim of ownership of either or both radios, so your statement was ambiguous.

Good luck.

 

[haimgil]

You made no claim of ownership of either or both radios, so your statement was ambiguous.

Good luck.

I`m crossing fingers thanks

 

[n1chu]

The question related to “Can a conversion be done?”, NOT whether you owned one of each. Who cares how many you own if it had nothing to do with your question? So when you were advised to simply buy the Euro version you were given the best, easiest method of converting a US version of the radio… which is; 1) Sell the US version. 2) Buy the Euro version. (You can thank Newt Gingrich for that piece of legislation!)

 

[haimgil]

You made no claim of ownership of either or both radios, so your statement was ambiguous.

Good luck.

It really doesn`t matter who owns the radios of

The question related to “Can a conversion be done?”, NOT whether you owned one of each. Who cares how many you own if it had nothing to do with your question? So when you were advised to simply buy the Euro version you were given the best, easiest method of converting a US version of the radio… which is; 1) Sell the US version. 2) Buy the Euro version. (You can thank Newt Gingrich for that piece of legislation!)

Hey buddy,

I’m not looking for smart consumer advices from people like you, i asked a very specific question, and you understood it well, the answer is “yes” or “no”, leave the rest of the concerns to me. Oh, and next time you are replying someone, you could be kinder, didn’t mama teach you manners??!

 

[cg]

At one point, blocking cellular modifications were not simply done in firmware but the chips had to be rendered unmodifiable. This was accomplished by a big blob of material on the chip.
Perhaps they now allow such restrictions to be done only in firmware but I don't think that to be true. However, since the advent of cheap SDRs and the software to control them, the blocked frequencies are accessible.

chrisd

 

[haimgil]

Thanks

 

[Ubbe]

About the Whistler firmware conversion i can and i did.

It's a mystery how Whistler can get away with their E software, that anyone in US can download and install in their TRX-1 or TRX-2 and unlock the cellular frequencies. There's no analog cellular systems left in US so the scanner manufacturers should lobby for the restrictions to be removed. It makes it hard to repair scanners when their front-end components, that are the first to blow in a scanner, are covered in epoxi. Then there would be the same hardware and software for all regions that would save cost for the manufacturer and make scanners cost less.

If Uniden allowed their US and EU and PT and AU software to be loaded in any scanner hardware version it would make it too easy for US users to load an unrestricted firmware and Uniden would then not obey to the FCC regulations. It's the same for others like AOR who has different firmwares for US compared to the rest of the world and they have programmed the region type in protected memory to stop people from loading the incorrect firmware.

The US laws has to be changed first before Uniden can allow scanners to be converted to different regions. The cellular bands in Uniden scanners are only blocked in firmware and not in hardware, which would be impossible to do anyhow.

/Ubbe

 

[haimgil]

It's a mystery how Whistler can get away with their E software, that anyone in US can download and install in their TRX-1 or TRX-2 and unlock the cellular frequencies. There's no analog cellular systems left in US so the scanner manufacturers should lobby for the restrictions to be removed. It makes it hard to repair scanners when their front-end components, that are the first to blow in a scanner, are covered in epoxi. Then there would be the same hardware and software for all regions that would save cost for the manufacturer and make scanners cost less.

If Uniden allowed their US and EU and PT and AU software to be loaded in any scanner hardware version it would make it too easy for US users to load an unrestricted firmware and Uniden would then not obey to the FCC regulations. It's the same for others like AOR who has different firmwares for US compared to the rest of the world and they have programmed the region type in protected memory to stop people from loading the incorrect firmware.

The US laws has to be changed first before Uniden can allow scanners to be converted to different regions. The cellular bands in Uniden scanners are only blocked in firmware and not in hardware, which would be impossible to do anyhow.

/Ubbe

Thanks for your detailed answer I`m not sure that a european firmware version would fit every american user, there are some missing frequencies there that are in common use in the US, so if you open one frequency restriction by changing the firmware, you might add a different one . What about 3rd party firmware versions who are not commited to the US laws? is there a chance?

 

[kg4icg]

Why would anyone want to listen to white noise in that spectrum anyway?

 

[haimgil]

Not everyone lives in the US, believe it or not, in some countries these frequencies are used for P25 systems.

 

[kg4icg]

Not everyone lives in the US, believe it or not, in some countries these frequencies are used for P25 systems.

Which begs the question why have the US version of the scanner when the ESN which is the key to firmware upgrades on the scanner prevents it from getting any other but the correct firmware.

 

[n1chu]

It really doesn`t matter who owns the radios of

Hey buddy,

I’m not looking for smart consumer advices from people like you, i asked a very specific question, and you understood it well, the answer is “yes” or “no”, leave the rest of the concerns to me. Oh, and next time you are replying someone, you could be kinder, didn’t mama teach you manners??!

My reply was matter-of-fact. Any offense you took with my reply is on you.

It really doesn`t matter who owns the radios of

Hey buddy,

I’m not looking for smart consumer advices from people like you, i asked a very specific question, and you understood it well, the answer is “yes” or “no”, leave the rest of the concerns to me. Oh, and next time you are replying someone, you could be kinder, didn’t mama teach you manners??!

Globalnorth questioned why “who owned the radios” mattered, and called your post “ambiguous”… and you took offense? Now, as to MY reply to you, it was matter-of-fact in nature, simply stating the quickest, cheapest and easiest method of gaining a favorable outcome. No ulterior motives were involved. But I side with Globalnorth.

 

[kruser]

About the Whistler firmware conversion i can and i did. Believe me on that one, you may check for yourself with Whistler tech support.
Thanks

Okay, a clarification, you can install the Whistler TRX-1E or TRX-2E firmware all you want on a USA model but it will NOT unlock the FCC prohibited frequencies from 869 MHz on up to 893.9875.
The only way the E version of the firmware may open up the blocked frequency ranges of 869 and above is if your TRX is NOT a USA model. If there is a non USA model that happens to have the USA firmware installed or you are running the USA version of the PC_App software for some reason, then using the E version of the firmware and PC_App may restore the blocked ranges.
Did Whistler even sell an "unblocked" version of the TRX-1 or 2?

Read the official info on the E version of the firmware at Whistler's site. Introducing the TRX-1e and TRX-2e
Pay attention to the part where it says "Note that these bandplans will not include frequencies prohibited by U.S. Law."

 

[haimgil]

You can install the Whistler TRX-1E or TRX-2E firmware all you want on a USA model but it will NOT unlock the FCC prohibited frequencies from 869 MHz on up to 893.9875.
The only way the E version of the firmware may open up the blocked frequency ranges of 869 and above is if your TRX is or was NOT a USA model. If there is a non USA model that happens to have the USA firmware installed or you are running the USA version of the PC_App software for some reason, then using the E version of the firmware and PC_App may restore the blocked ranges.
Did Whistler even sell an "unblocked" version of the TRX-1 or 2?

Read the official info on the E version of the firmware at Whistler's site. Introducing the TRX-1e and TRX-2e
Pay attention to the part where it says "Note that these bandplans will not include frequencies prohibited by U.S. Law."

Thanks 👍

 

[JoeBearcat]

I have an issue with an SDS200 device, brand-new, that was partially deaf in scanning P25 local police system while his european brother the SDS200E managed to scan the system just perfect without any deafness. At first, i thought there is a technical issue with the SDS200, but after digging deeply, i understand that the SDS200 does not support 869.0001Mhz and above frequencies due to FCC regulations, while the SDS200E does support these efficient 869Mhz frequencies which are so important to this specific P25 system. My question is: can it be fixed somehow? maybe by firmware updating or anything else? Can i update the european firmware on an american device?

Where is this mystery system?