Uniden SDS100/SDS200 comprehensive review: Best scanner money can buy 

Mike hello I was interested in knowing if you received your scanners yet. Did you get the SDS200 hooked up yet and if so how was it. Is your SDS200 receiving ok. What area do you live in I live in Butler, Pa. I purchased one and hooked it up, so far I am not happy. I am only interested in hearing my local police, fire, ems services. I live less than 1 1/2 miles from our 911 communication center and can see the tower out my bedroom window. I live 8 blocks away from the hospital. The only thing I have been picking up is the hospital when they transmit as far as anything else this unit is dead. I hope you have better results than I did. So far I have nothing more than a 750.00 paper weight.

Mike I have been looking for help with this SDS200 and have asked a couple of people but it seems I am on my own to figure it out. I may try to see if I can just send it back and just forget it or keep the paper weight and accept the 750.00 loss. I was thinking about getting both when I first placed my order but now I am having 2nd thoughts. Good luck with yours. If you have any advise fill free to let me know. Thanks again.

@@BoruParanormal do your research b4 buying

You get one yet?

Thanks!

ICOM R30 is a Superior SCANNER.

Mark Plott If there’s no p25 phase 2 , then its hardly better in my books

@@TheFykle - P25 Phase 2 is 2 slot TDMA using the 700 mhz Public Safety band. and p25 Phase 2 uses the AMBE+ vocoder like iDAS and NXDN uses. and is NOT backward compatable with Phase 1. Phase 2 is also 6.25 khz unlike the less efficient Phase 1 12.5 khz.

@@markplott4820 The Icom R30 can not decode DMR, P25 Phase 2 and can not trunk track. For many people the SDS100 is a better option. If Icom ever adds DMR decoding to the R30 it would become a more viable option. Still the inability to trunk track will always be a downside. Having both a SDS100 and R30 would be nice. The AOR AR-DV10 would have been a great receiver if not for the serious frequency drift issue.

I would add a good attitude as well. He was thorough and patient, too.

I guess I am kinda off topic but do anyone know a good place to stream newly released tv shows online ?

@Weston Deacon i would suggest Flixzone. You can find it by googling =)

@Judah Callum yup, I've been watching on Flixzone for years myself =)

@Judah Callum thank you, I signed up and it seems like they got a lot of movies there :) I really appreciate it !!

@Weston Deacon you are welcome :)

Good luck! Unfortunately 95% of all law enforcement, sheriff's, state police, federal, and municipal are all using encrypted digital systems now. A major major blow to the scanner industry and enthusiasts. All of media has been fighting it to no avail. Some news outlets are allowed limited access via permissions by some jurisdictions. Long gone are the days of listening in on our so-called public servants..."police safety" is their mantra excuse for zero access to their communications.

Unfortunately 95% of all law enforcement, sheriff's, state police, federal, and municipal are all using encrypted digital systems now. A major major blow to the scanner industry and enthusiasts. All of media has been fighting it to no avail. Some news outlets are allowed limited access via permissions by some jurisdictions. Long gone are the days of listening in on our so-called public servants..."police safety" is their mantra excuse for zero access to their communications.

Does yours have the hum problem?

I hear it when the room is completely quiet doesn’t bother me

@@mikefab12 There is a fix. Small easy to install part free from Uniden.....costs about $5 S and H.uniden.com/products/nmp200 . Apply the code for FREE S and H.

And this is why scanners are basically useless in the UK. Encrypted DMR and Tetra for anything interesting.

I’ll be getting the SDS200E for the home base. For portable/ in car, i’ll prob go uniden ubcd 436 PT

Just wondering what the answer is?

with EDACS or Analog Trunking , the Control channel (can be Multiple), assigns a OPEN channel to a Mobile or Handheld Radio. when the Officer keys up , that channel remains open until the Converation with Dispatch is finished. IF they do a Records Search , and key off, a Different Frequency is used from all OPEN channels. the Channels are Recycled from open channels. and all units can hear Dispactch from their own Department, (sanitation, EMS, Fire, Police , Detectives …..) when Scanning its the same , the scanner has to be Programed for the RIGHT control channel and channels. IF your Banks are NOT programed correctly , you will miss the Conversation. However, radio reference provides FREE Database for Whistler & Uniden scanners, and are Updated weekly, as many Departments are switching to DIGITAL mode. and you Cant hear a Digital Transmission on a Analog Scanner. so, my Whistler 1088 Scanner , updates my Channels for FREE. and for my area (SF bay area) we are on a COUNTY wide Digital System, with Multiple City on the same System, and they are Able to Communicate with one another. smaller County and City will still use Analog and Simplex. but, many are Upgrading.

DMR is a non brand specific , universal digital mode

It can pick up and decode unencrypted P25 Phase I and Phase II

Stay far away from the sds200.

It's pretty plug and play. Just need to make sure the service types are on like law TAC/talk, etc.

ICOM R30 is a Superior scanner, it can do P25, NXDN, iDAS, dPMR, D-Star, and DCR. ICOM comes with Built in GPS (no Hockey puck) and Bluetooth. another Great scanner is the AOR DV-10 which has C4FM, DMR, P25, TETRA, dPMR, NXDN, IDAS, DCR and GMSK.

@@markplott4820 Neither the Icom IC-R30 or AOR AR-DV10 can track trunking systems. The IC-R30 lacks the ability to decode DMR and P25 Phase 2 which are being used in many areas of the US. The AR-DV10 also can not decode P25 Phase 2 and has a very serious frequency drift issue that AOR can not fix through firmware. Many dealers have stopped selling the AR-DV10 because of that serious flaw.

Not to my knowledge. That is a specific 200 feature.

You can hook the SDS100 up to a computer using a USB cable then run an application such as Proscan which has a web server/remote IP feature that allows you to access the scanner remotely through a web browser or Proscan client application.

Unfortunately 95% of all law enforcement, sheriff's, state police, federal, and municipal are all using encrypted digital systems now. A major major blow to the scanner industry and enthusiasts. All of media has been fighting it to no avail. Some news outlets are allowed limited access via permissions by some jurisdictions. Long gone are the days of listening in on our so-called public servants..."police safety" is their mantra excuse for zero access to their communications.

Rob Abbott Jr If what you want to listen to is encrypted, it won’t decode it. There is no scanner made that can hear encrypted traffic. Also, even if through some miracle it could decode it, it’s illegal to monitor unauthorized encrypted radio traffic.

That makes sense. How can I find out if the ones local here are encrypted or not? Is there a list somewhere? Thank you again

Rob Abbott Jr You’re quite welcome. Check the database at www.radioreference.com Also, you can post a question about your local area on the Tennessee section of the forum there and hopefully someone from your home area will respond. If I can be of additional assistance, just let me know and I’ll be glad to help if I can. 👍

ROB - best way is to go to RadioReference and check your LOCAL Database to see Who is using Digital with Encryption and weither or not its worth it . at Least in my Area SF Bay, not everyone Encrypts and not everyone is Digital yet. for the most part , my area Broadcasts Digital in the CLEAR. and with a ICOM scanner you can Listen to CORDLESS Phones, Baby Monitors, Wireless Intercom, Wireless Mic and Small Unlicensed radios (toy radios).

Scanners have VERY narrow Bandwidth, and CHEAP Receivers. a Communication Receiver (scanner) can Continiously scan 100 khz to 3500 Mhz. in ANY Band and ANY mode. and offers MUCH more than a scanner. In my expierence , not Everyone will Encrypt, but many are Migrating to Digital. and smaller city/county often still use Analog Simplex and Analog Trunking.

It's best to research your area by going to the Radio Reference website at www.radioreference.com/ . That's the best place to look and ask in the area or local forum.

Just sue

No windows only

Sounds like you need to learn to read an owners manual 😂 had my firmware updated and my databases loaded from sentinels software on my PC in 10 minutes out of the box listening.

I used to have BCD536HP in my old newsroom, it's a beast of a scanner! Only real limitation is Simulcast that I can think of off the top of my head.

TheNStew ok

SDS200 has a hum problem that can only be eliminated by opening the unit up and scraping the lacqure off the display board screw holes to provide a ground.

@@NStewWX I agree .. I have the bcd536hp as well ... And of course the smaller screen on the 535 is a negative

the BCD536HP base are notorious for the rotary knob failing and skipping all thru the menu as you rotate it.

You can listen to allot of two way radio conversations including police, ambulance, fire department, security, commercial businesses, etc. You have to be careful though, as some police use encryption and you cannot listen to their conversations. Always check your local area and know what you can listen to before you buy.

@@davidbee3704. What’s a really good one?

@@nathan7265 Depends on your budget. If you are just starting out, I would recommend getting a second hand one - even if it just does analogue only. Get to learn and understand about scanning different frequencies and then progress from there. Which country are you in?

Fine for me, it's a nice fit honestly.

Use it right out of the box! Just enter zip code

I listen to transmissions that are over 35 miles away that are digital simulcast with a rubber duckie 800 mhz antenna

Yes

I just ordered the sds 200 over the phone and was told I didn't need the dmr/edacs/nydn so I'm not sure either. I guess I ll just keep my fingers crossed

@@slinginlead6647 there is one website that claimed they'd let you know what you needed in your area if anything at all. Which they told me I needed the edacs. This website installs these extras for you for a cost. All three would be like $250ish. That being said I looked and it doesn't seem to difficult to install yourself and the prices are about $15 cheaper if you do it yourself.

@@mikepowell5488 ok. Thanks for the info. I ll keep that in mind when I get mine. 👍

@@slinginlead6647 once you get it you'll have to login in and register it on the uniden site then that will lead you to the add on extras. And there are videos about how to upgrade to the most recent software and how to do all the other extra stuff on RU-vid.

@@mikepowell5488 Your starting to scare me now!! I'm not tech savvy at all!! I paid for programming and was hoping all I had to do is turn it on and listen!!!

What is better about it. Just curious. Cause I just ordered a sds100

I have. I got the g4. I sent it back and got the sds100. I love it and well worth the $$$.

Joel - Unication is NOT a Scanner, its a Public Safety pager. it can to AM - FM Broadcast radio , nor can it Receive HAM Transmissions. the ICOM R30 is Superior in every way.

A great work around is to access the SDS200 via FTP (no need for usb cable) assuming you have an ethernet connection to access.

Entirely dependent if it's encrypted where you are, and if you care about other public safety radio traffic like fire/EMS which may not be encrypted.

@@NStewWX I'm in SanBernardino County, I have a triple trunk analog scanner is that still good?