Uniden SDS 100 or Unication G5

[TailGator911]

<<I use it to monitor most of the State of Rhode Island. About 75% of the communities are on the RISCON sytem and it allows me to plug in the TG's for all of those fire departments and scan them. I am part of the beta testing, so I have the TG hold option-which should soon be available to everyone. Definitely not what you describe. It is a pager, just not the simple one that you describe. >>

Most users describe the Unication as a pager with no where near the versatility of the SDS-series scanners, hence my description. I do not own one and have no desire to, but I am glad to hear they are stepping up with more features. Nice to be a beta tester, I am sure.


To the OP - Everybody's situation is different and only you can figure it out for yourself. I can put my SDS100 anywhere in the house and it will receive the same just using a Remtronix duckie. Loud and clear on all channels.

 

[TailGator911]

And for some of us, it isn't "fun" that we're looking for out of our monitoring equipment.

Lighten up man and have fun with it! Life is toooo short. Some of us have fun with our radios

 

[mitbr]

If you want a professional radio with its attributes buy the Unication, if you want a consumer radio with its diversity buy the sds. To the OP I would buy the sds from a retailer that has a good return policy and see if you like it! That is my opinion and I am sticking to it.
Tim

 

[jonwienke]

For me I want to know when I put my radio down anywhere in my home it will receive my local p25 systems clearly
With a Unication it does, will it do the same with a Uniden? that's my question

If you're within the system's intended coverage area, the SDS100 will work fine. The difference is when trying to monitor a system from outside its intended coverage area. The Unication has an advantage for that application, but in every other respect, the SDS is a better tool for the job.

 

[Citywide173]

If you're within the system's intended coverage area, the SDS100 will work fine. The difference is when trying to monitor a system from outside its intended coverage area. The Unication has an advantage for that application, but in every other respect, the SDS is a better tool for the job.

You're a confident man, with his history with non-LSM systems and scanners I wouldn't be willing to say it will work fine. I think the best advice would be to borrow one or get one from a place with a good return policy and try it out. Without knowing his exact location and potential RF problems that exist that are causing the non-LSM issue on the scanners I wouldn't use the term fine.

 

[jonwienke]

You're a confident man, with his history with non-LSM systems and scanners I wouldn't be willing to say it will work fine.

"On P25 trunking systems mainly LSM" and the complaint about extreme sensitivity to positioning seemed pretty clear to me. I've been through the same drill with simulcast, and spent a few months doing mobile testing back when the SDS100 first came out.

So yes. There's never an absolute 100% guarantee when it comes to radio stuff, but the odds are definitely in the OP's favor.

 

[maus92]

For me I want to know when I put my radio down anywhere in my home it will receive my local p25 systems clearly
With a Unication it does, will it do the same with a Uniden? that's my question

I owned an SDS100 and currently own 2 SDS200s and a G5. There was no difference in reception between the G5 and the SDS100 (or 200) when monitoring our statewide 700 MHz P25P2 simulcast system from anywhere within its intended service area. Both radios performed flawlessly.