Slow Scan Speed?

[Rick6975]

Thanks for all the replies. I am new to this so here we go. I had the scanner programmed for 3 counties is Wisconsin. Walworth, Jefferson, Rock. I have turned off everything but Walworth as I live in Whitewater which is in Walworth county. I have avoided every channel except the the following....
453.67500 FMN Walworth county fire/ems dispatch
453.45000 FMN Lagrange fire
154.74750 P25 Whitewater police dispatch
156.13500 FMN Whitewater law talk
154.16000 FMN Whitewater fire dispatch
151.22000 FMN Whitewater fire talk
151.12250 P25 University of WI WhItewater law dispatch
154.085 FMN University of WI Whitewater law dispatch
Attenuator is off. It still seems to me like its scanning slow as I'm missing the begging of conversations at times. Is this normal?? I'm confused.

 

[tweiss3]

Thanks for all the replies. I am new to this so here we go. I had the scanner programmed for 3 counties is Wisconsin. Walworth, Jefferson, Rock. I have turned off everything but Walworth as I live in Whitewater which is in Walworth county. I have avoided every channel except the the following....
453.67500 FMN Walworth county fire/ems dispatch
453.45000 FMN Lagrange fire
154.74750 P25 Whitewater police dispatch
156.13500 FMN Whitewater law talk
154.16000 FMN Whitewater fire dispatch
151.22000 FMN Whitewater fire talk
151.12250 P25 University of WI WhItewater law dispatch
154.085 FMN University of WI Whitewater law dispatch
Attenuator is off. It still seems to me like its scanning slow as I'm missing the begging of conversations at times. Is this normal?? I'm confused.

What is slow? Are you going by the screen, or what you actually hear? The screen can't keep up with how quickly it actually goes to the next frequency/tg. If you are worried about what is showing on the screen, don't be.

 

[Ubbe]

It still seems to me like its scanning slow as I'm missing the begging of conversations at times. Is this normal?? I'm confused.

It sounds as if the receiver are sometimes blocked by some powerful transmitter nearby, perhaps a pager transmitter in the 150MHz band.

If you have those 8 channels departments option set to use Global Filter, then go to profile settings and the Global filter setting and if if it set to Normal then change that to Inverse and see if it helps. If not, then try other filter settings except auto.

If you notice what frequency that seems to catch conversations too late, then stop on that channel, push the Channel button, and do Fn+7 to activate IFX to it and see if that helps.

Look at the display to check that you cannot see any other channels in scan besides the 8 you where supposed to monitor, as any extra channels could slow down scanning if they are trunked or somehow interfered. Also check that no priority are engaged that could slow down scan.

/Ubbe

 

[fantasma25]

Bottom line after all this is simple: the scanner scans VERY SLOW compared to the other scanners. Let's just accept that and stop creating excuses. If you don't believe me, put a BCD436 next to a SDS100/200, adjust all the filters, setting etc that you want on the SDS100/200 and I guarantee you that the BCD436 will still be faster!! It's a shame! Did we expect more from such an expensive scanner? Of course we did! In all fairness, these two last Uniden scanners are halfway projects, Upman did not get the opportunity to finish them and Uniden did not have the structure in place to complete the projects. I don't see them coming out with any further updates. I believe that the new direction will be SDR receivers, but again, that's just my opinion.

 

[trentbob]

It sounds as if the receiver are sometimes blocked by some powerful transmitter nearby, perhaps a pager transmitter in the 150MHz band.

If you have those 8 channels departments option set to use Global Filter, then go to profile settings and the Global filter setting and if if it set to Normal then change that to Inverse and see if it helps. If not, then try other filter settings except auto.

If you notice what frequency that seems to catch conversations too late, then stop on that channel, push the Channel button, and do Fn+7 to activate IFX to it and see if that helps.

Look at the display to check that you cannot see any other channels in scan besides the 8 you where supposed to monitor, as any extra channels could slow down scanning if they are trunked or somehow interfered. Also check that no priority are engaged that could slow down scan.

/Ubbe

I agree with moving Global filter to other filter settings than normal to see if it helps and if it does rather than leave Global filter on the new filter setting which will affect every object in the radio from now on including systems wouldn't it be a good idea to apply the new found filter to department options of the department that the conventional items are located, there by only applying the new found filter to that department that holds those conventional frequencies being scanned.

Unfortunately as we know we can't apply filters directly to each Channel it has to be applied to Department options that hold those conventional items.

Then you can go back to settings and set Global filter back to normal which will affect every object in the radio presently or in the future except for the conventional frequencies that are in the department that you applied the new filter to department options. Just saying

 

[trentbob]

Bottom line after all this is simple: the scanner scans VERY SLOW compared to the other scanners. Let's just accept that and stop creating excuses. If you don't believe me, put a BCD436 next to a SDS100/200, adjust all the filters, setting etc that you want on the SDS100/200 and I guarantee you that the BCD436 will still be faster!! It's a shame! Did we expect more from such an expensive scanner? Of course we did! In all fairness, these two last Uniden scanners are halfway projects, Upman did not get the opportunity to finish them and Uniden did not have the structure in place to complete the projects. I don't see them coming out with any further updates. I believe that the new direction will be SDR receivers, but again, that's just my opinion.

I agree that it is a slow scanner but the poster is only listening to a handful of conventional items so he shouldn't be missing transmissions or feeling that the radio is not cycling back in time to pick up responses. The radio is not that slow.

I agree if you are scanning a couple of Statewide p25 systems with multiple sites were you have not avoided any of them then it's going to take forever to Circle back and you'll never hear a response to anything because it's rolling through so many sites.

It shouldn't be a big issue with just a handful of conventional frequencies. It's a good idea to make sure that there isn't some close by interference causing a problem.

And yes when you see the frequencies going very slowly on the screen so you can actually read each frequency the radio really is scanning much faster and what appears on the display gives the impression it's going too slow.

But missed transmissions or clippped transmissions when only listening to a handful of conventional items is not normal.

 

[Ubbe]

Bottom line after all this is simple: the scanner scans VERY SLOW compared to the other scanners.

A firmware upgrade a couple of years ago reduced the scan speed in SDS scanners from 90ch/s to 45ch/s. It was at the same time that the debug log function where changed from logging each millisecond to instead log each 2mS, making it log at half speed. I believe the two are related and it's probably a firmware mistake by the software coder as its still doing 90 channel steps per second when doing searches.

But scanning only 8 conventional channels it shouldn't matter, going from being able to scan those in 100mS, like the 436 does, or 200mS that a SDS does.

If there are some RF interference, and SDS scanner are very sensitive to that, then it could hesitate and stop scan for a second or two without opening the squelch. But the display should indicate that if it is stuck on a channel as the frequency and text tag would have frozen.

/Ubbe

 

[trentbob]

A firmware upgrade reduced the scan speed in SDS scanners from 90ch/s to 45ch/s. It was at the same time that the debug log function where changed from logging each millisecond to instead log each 2mS, making it log at half speed. I believe the two are related and it's probably a firmware mistake by the software coder as its still doing 90 channel steps per second when doing searches.

But scanning only 8 conventional channels it shouldn't matter, going from being able to scan those in 100mS, like the 436 does, or 200mS that a SDS does.

If there are some RF interference, and SDS scanner are very sensitive to that, then it could hesitate and stop scan for a second or two without opening the squelch. But the display should indicate that if it is stuck on a channel as the frequency and text tag would have frozen.

/Ubbe

I remember that update, made all the difference, when the SDS 100 was released there were major problems, not experienced by everybody but I certainly had problems, I have to admit I put the radio in the drawer and went back to using my non-affiliated apx 7000. I guess I should have worn a strap around my shoulder but the darn thing pulled my pants down. I was disappointed with the sds100 not picking up my P2 simulcast system.
.Paul was putting out firmware updates every week at that point and between everything he did, like slowing down system hold time and the first introduction of normal and invert filters, it was a miracle that my hometown simulcast Phase 2 system worked great.

 

[ka3jjz]

The question about slow scan speeds and notes about the filters are addressed in our FAQ;

SDS100 and SDS200 FAQ Page - The RadioReference Wiki

wiki.radioreference.com

Mike

 

[thegmaniac]

Should global auto filter be on or off? I just turned mine off.

 

[n1chu]

If you haven’t noticed any difference in reception, leave it off. There’s a lot of info relating to the filters, their options and how to determine if you might benefit from them. I personally haven’t seen any need for using the filters on anything I listen to, so I leave them alone and turn off the global filtering option(s). However, that isn’t to say you won’t benefit from using them. The problem is, using the filter settings is a location specific issue… meaning what settings that may work for you won’t necessarily work for someone else. It’s all about your location and how signal propagation works for that location.

 

[trentbob]

Global filter should be set to default which is.. normal filter. Not turned off. Every object on the radio will be on normal filter by design as that is what Paul thought was the best for most objects or systems

You can go in and use Global filters to do a quick check and sample filters on a system or object but then return it to normal because it's global, meaning it affects every single object on the radio which will compromise reception on objects that respond well to.. normal

On the radio itself you need to drill down on the menu to system options and apply a better filter to each site you listen to, using real-time results of noise level and error rate of reception indicators which you can't do on the computer, hopefully it will only be a few, if it is a conventional object you have to go to Department options and pick the filter that worked best for all of the objects in that department which usually works out well, you can't apply a filter to a single Channel.

Using this method if you find that you found Improvement it's important for you to attach to Sentinel and transfer the data in the radio to your profile first thing, before you make any other changes so as it will remember and save all of the changes you made directly on the radio. This is pretty much the way it's done. LOL.

 

[thegmaniac]

Off topic. How do you find when the radio was made?

 

[doctordialtone]

How do you find when the radio was made?

I use the SEARCH function.


SDS200: - SDS200 Serial Numbers / Manufacturing Date?

 

[Ensnared]

I own a SDS 100. I would argue that it is as slow as a snail snowed on Librium. Yes, I have reduced the areas, the systems, the sites, changed filters, etc. Yes, it locks on like a pit bull, but with only two functional legs.

 

[thegmaniac]

I wish

 

[shansmi]

I am new to all of this and have only been doing this for a little over a week. Here is my experience. Take it for what it is worth. My unit is running stock settings with exception of charging when powered externally ON and I did a screen mod to show LAT and LONG on the screens when the GPS is plugged up.

Now initially at the Plano TX HRO store where I purchased the SDS100 I put in my Murphy TX zip code after setting the time and date. The unit fired right up and of course started getting stuff from Dallas and Plano. I already knew Dallas would be chatty. When I got home I started playing with favorites lists and saved locations. I am getting best results around the house and 5 city area that I frequent by setting a saved location. This is simply called Home and is based on the LAT/LONG of my home City. The "Range" default of 10 is fine but I do get a little noise from Dallas ever so often. Instead of changing the range I just "avoid" the stuff from Dallas. If I set it to 0 all that stops. Now just doing this I was still missing half of the conversations about half the time. Things like dispatch coming on and saying a call came in but no ack from an officer... or an officer having a plate ran for a traffic stop but nothing back from dispatch with the results. Here is how I fixed it...



Setting a Saved Location:
Menu >> Set Your Location >> Edit Location >> New Location
Set the name, Use Location (used Google Maps to get the lat/long of my hometown) and for range I used 10.
** once it is set up, select Edit Location, select it and Use Location.

Settings to Reduce Transmissions Missing Info...
Menu >> Set Scan Selection >> Set Nationwide Systems - I disabled them all. This helped tremendously like 95% of the issue.
Menu >> Select Service Types >> Ensure everything is off that you do not want. I run only with all 3 for "Law" on, everything else is off.


Now for me this is working great. Complete transmissions.



If I am taking a road trip I do this to fire up the GPS:

- Plug in the GPS and make sure the LED on the puck is blinking before hooking it up to the SDS. If you mod the screens you will see just because the GPS icon is active on the SDS does NOT mean the GPS is locked on and providing a location to the SDS. Adding LAT/LONG to the screens ensures this.
- For now my OCD wants to ensure things are working as expected so I set the zip code in the SDS to something FAR away from my current location like 90210 or 59101 before hooking up the GPS.
- I wait for the databases to load.
- After they load I connect the GPS. The SDS should immediately detect the GPS and that you are at a completely different location. It will then load up the appropriate databases.
- Check the "range" under Menu >> Set Your Location >> Set Range. This should default to 10 when using the GPS. 10 works fine for me by you can play with this to your liking.
- rock on! You should be good to go to move around.
- keep in mind that if you go "far enough" away from you starting position eventually the SDS will reload the databases based on your position. This is normal.
- Once back home I just "edit / use" location for my "home" saved location and I am done.


Again I am new at this and am still playing around but this is working for me. Since the 200 is just a desktop version of the 100, I figured this might help.

 

[Ubbe]

Now for me this is working great. Complete transmissions.

Uniden use a 2 sec TG delay for the database. That's often too short to catch the reply to a call. You can reduce the amount of stuff you monitor to let the scanner go quickly around a full scan cycle of all systems and return to the same one, but it can then get stuck on another systems conversations.

On the wish list for future enhancements we have a default delay for the database, and IDSearch found TG's, that can be set by the user instead of the fixed 2 sec. For the systems I monitor a 5 or 7 sec delay for a TG seems to be the optimum to not continue scan too quick but stay and monitor long enough to catch any replies.

/Ubbe

 

[XPS720]

Sorry to be so late on this SDS problem but my 200 is slow as I did put it on Discover today. So I take it that the problem is with audio. I did put the global at Normal now what should the Set Audio Off Timer be on--I have it on infinite. What else should I set on my SDS200?

 

[AA4BK]

The SDS scanners aren't actually all that slow. Sure, they could be faster (what radio couldn't?), but if you do some basic things you can make them pretty snappy:

1. Set your location and use location scanning (if possible in your situation--I realize not everybody can depending on how they're using the radio).
2. Go through your channels and make sure you have modulation/audio types set on everything instead of auto.
3. Go through your filters and make sure you have your filters set to the appropriate setting, not auto.
4. On trunked systems, make sure you're not scanning sites you don't need to scan. Only include the sites you need for where you're at.
5. Set your squelch at an appropriate level. If you have it at 0 or 1 your radio is going to be slow. 2 is considered, for most situations, to be ideal.

There are probably some other things you can do but just the above will speed that scanner way up, if you haven't done all of these already. My SDS200 (and SDS100) units are much faster now with the above changes in place.