SDS100/SDS200: Uniden SDS100, increase volume?

[threeofnine]

I use my Uniden SDS100 a lot while driving. I often cannot hear clearly over the engine/road noise, even at max 15 volume. Is there any way to increase the volume, if not is there an external speaker that I might could use to up the volume?

 

[K9ZV]

I use my Uniden SDS100 a lot while driving. I often cannot hear clearly over the engine/road noise, even at max 15 volume. Is there any way to increase the volume, if not is there an external speaker that I might could use to up the volume?

Yes, there are a few options for external speakers available. A simple Google search will yield a plethora of results. Then you can decide which option will work best for your solution.

 

[Ubbe]

The internal speaker are an incredible small speaker. Using any external speaker will help. The lower the impedance the louder it gets. I use a 2 ohm speaker. The speaker amplifier in the scanner are protected from shortcircuit and from a too high temperature. There are some issues that the left channel and the right channel in the earphone jack are not identical and have some phase differences, but connecting left and right channels together to drive one speaker will increase the power capability even further as it then are two amplifiers working in parallel.

You can also use an amplified external speaker but are much more expensive and requires a separate power source.

/Ubbe

 

[Redleg13B]

Assuming your vehicle has the means to do so, another option is to connect to your vehicle's stereo system with either a 3.5mm "Aux" cable or inexpensive, rechargeable Bluetooth transmitter. I've had success with both.

 

[dave3825]

If the stereo in the car has a Line in, get a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable and try that out. If no Line In, most stereo today have Bluetooth. Get a BT transmitter and attach to scanner.

 

[Ensnared]

I use my Uniden SDS100 a lot while driving. I often cannot hear clearly over the engine/road noise, even at max 15 volume. Is there any way to increase the volume, if not is there an external speaker that I might could use to up the volume?

You can wake the dead with a proper BT speaker. This is a very loud BT speaker for the price. Mine has been abused and it still kicks ass!

Amazon.com

You will need a BT adapter as well.

 

[Randyk4661]

In the company van I drive, I connect to the van radio using a 3.5mm cable to the aux jack in the radio
In my personal car, I don't have a aux jack. I use a FM radio transmitter to send the audio to the car radio.

 

[blackbelter]

You can also use the volume offset feature to assign +3 for each talk group.

 

[Ubbe]

You can also use the volume offset feature to assign +3 for each talk group.

It will only add 3 to the current volume setting but 15 will still be the max volume. It doesn't help when the internal speaker starts to sound bad at a volume of 10. External speaker are needed, either using a BT one with adapter or the aux audio jack in a vehicle or directly cable connected to a better quality speaker that also allows you to still listen to your car stereo.

/Ubbe

 

[RoninJoliet]

The new lapel speaker sold by Scannermaster in MA really improves my Uniden 325 P2 in the car but it does come at a price I really like it,....

 

[threeofnine]

Thanks for the responses everyone. Amazon had a Uniden BC15 amplified speaker on sale so I bought it. Unfortunately it’s even quieter than the the built in speaker so I’ll probably return it. I’d prefer a speaker I could simply plug into the aux port for simplicity. I don’t know if that’s possible though.

I think a Bluetooth speaker is probably the way to go. Could I get a recommendation for a mini speaker that is decently loud? The smaller the better. The speaker will be mounted in the cabin of a Ferrari Testarossa so I don’t have a ton of space. I do have a generic Bluetooth speaker that is definitely louder than the built-in speaker on the scanner, but it’s not quite loud enough. This is the speaker I currently have: Amazon.com