SDS200 Scanner?

[Pumper_50]

Some observations if I may.

The lead up to the release of a new scanner can and does generate a considerable amount of excitement which in turn manifests itself often creating hyperbole.

Accordingly some consumers believe the rhetoric and the scanner takes on magic or mystical properties. Simply they expect more than the device can deliver. Just have to remember that it is wide band unprotected receiver and should be treated as such.

Enjoy it and remember that it cannot perform miracles.

R

So it won't make me a cup of tea?

Bugger!

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

[railscan]

[/quote]So it won't make me a cup of tea? Bugger![/quote]

Its American, coffee only.

R

[Pendulum]

sorry to rebump this thread, A/V and Data Tas are selling the SDS200E for $1299. email radios@avdatatas.com I am the owner of the business. we make next to nothing on them after postage, import taxes and then adding an AU power supply. but I know there are some that want to have them and I did all the hard yards to offer them to you all

[VK3RX]

Recall a few posts back I mentioned that my recently purchased SDS200 from the U.S. has the hum/digital noise.

A PM exchange with another member prompted me to pull the covers off and see if the NMP200 part had been installed by the factory, and it had been.

Posts on RR mentioned that the part may or may not make good contact between the chassis and an internal cover. One mod is to install some copper tape on the top of the part and the internal cover to improve contact.

Below are a few pix of what I did. The copper tape I have is adhesive backed, hence folding it over on itself for continuous contact from front to back. Keeping it's backing tape on adds to the overall thickness. The tape was trimmed to width about 15mm, and the narrow folded portion is about 8mm. It's firmly wedged behind the NMP200, and isn't going anywhere.

The hum/digital noise has now almost disappeared - only audible at a very low level if I put my ear within about 100mm of the speaker. Here's hoping this fix is permanent.

[VK3RX]

Since almost a month has elapsed I thought I'd provide an update.

The copper tape fix proved to be temperature-dependent. When the unit is first powered up - cold - the noise is only apparent within a couple of inches of the speaker. However when it warms up the noise increases, not quite to the original level with just the Uniden fitted part, but audible out to a metre or so.

So I decided to do one of the permanent fixes described on RR, the one involving the removal of lacquer from the front printed circuit board at the mounting screws locations. This mod is one way to solve the grounding issue that causes the hum, which the Uniden fitted part NMP200 may or may not achieve.

I had wondered about doing nothing until the warranty ran out, but decided to investigate anyway. The mod isn't for the faint-hearted or inexperienced with electronics.

Removal of the front panel and detaching the printed circuit board wasn't as straightforward as I thought it would be from RR pix and descriptions, but I got there and completed the fix without any issues.

Suffice to say that I was relieved and pleased that after reassembly 1) the unit booted up as it should and everything worked, and 2) the hum/noise is completely gone and hasn't returned, no matter what the temperature

[AusPTT]

I have imported quite a number of SDS200E's now for resale now. Given they are an import and don't come with an Australian Power plug I swap this out and rebox them. At the same time I Firmware upgrade them and put a basic Analogue, P25, DMR codeplug in them to test every one of them is working prior to sale and shipment.

To date I haven't had a single SDS200E with any form of hum in it and all perform flawlessly. Infact Received Signal Strength is ever so slightly better than a couple of other radios I have also.

A great scanner in my view. Dare I say it and introduce the argument, if it had a remote head it would be simply brilliant. For that I have the Whistler TRX-2

[Radio_Australia]

I have imported quite a number of SDS200E's now for resale now. Given they are an import and don't come with an Australian Power plug I swap this out and rebox them. At the same time I Firmware upgrade them and put a basic Analogue, P25, DMR codeplug in them to test every one of them is working prior to sale and shipment.

To date I haven't had a single SDS200E with any form of hum in it and all perform flawlessly. Infact Received Signal Strength is ever so slightly better than a couple of other radios I have also.

A great scanner in my view. Dare I say it and introduce the argument, if it had a remote head it would be simply brilliant. For that I have the Whistler TRX-2

How do you compare the sensitivity of the whistler to the SDS ?

[AusPTT]

Without putting them both over a system analyser I reckon they're both pretty much on par. I did some comparisons on the same frequency, same antenna, same cable run and both were within 1db of each other. I don't get much of a chance to try for long range distant signals because of the basin I'm in and the size of the ranges around it, but all in all I don't feel a lot of difference between the two. Features are the two main things separating them.

[donaldm]

Update.

Unit arrived yesterday, no hiccups in transit from the U.S. - 'nuf said

It does have the "hum/digital buzz", noticeable using an external speaker if you are within 300-400mm or so but otherwise not, so its not intrusive. My 536-PT was the same. Noise still there with the internal speaker, but as Rusty said even less noticeable because that speaker points downwards.

Loaded with all my data and working well. Like the SDS100, it seems to lock onto trunking signals quicker and has less dropped transmissions than the 536-PT I had.

Now dipping my toes into the water of customizing the display and other fun stuff

SO jealous

[donaldm]

im saving now for SDS200E

[AusPTT]

Nice. Let me know when you have the cash. I distribute out of Australia so will be able to get it to you cheaper than you getting a one off out of Europe. I have sold a couple into NZ already. Only issue is postage will be more expensive as it will need to go by courier. If you are able to get it onto a courier account (so your employers or something like that) it will cut the price down considerably.

[dazz1975]

Looking to buy a SDS200E. I know this is an old thread now so assume the couple of people here no longer sell the unit. Any ideas where to buy a new unit from in Australia? I'm based in Brisbane.

Cheers
Darren

[AusPTT]

Hi Darren,

Sent you a quick message. I still stock and sell the SDS200e Scanner here in Australia.
At this stage there is nothing newer to replace it and no word on a replacement for the unit.

The Waterfall feature (Available in the USA now) will be available for the SDS200e Shortly.
With Software like Proscan on the scanner you can have the scanner remotely located on a mountain, program it via a network cable and stream it over the internet (though that's another can of worms to be opened).

Regards,

Brian.