SDS100 Hints, Tips and FAQ’s

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Rich Carlson

Here are a Baker’s Dozen of hints and tips to make life with your new SDS100 scanner happier. If your question is not answered let us know and maybe we can add it to Part 2!

1) What is the deal with the battery?

Uniden designed the radio with a new Lithium Polymer battery pack, getting away from using common AA cells. While a lot of people preferred the AA cells since they can be easily obtained and swapped out, they just could not provide enough current to run the radio for a decent amount of time. The Lithium Polymer pack that comes with the radio was supposed to be sufficient but Uniden was not happy with the results so they designed a larger pack to be used. Unfortunately the radio was already on the assembly line by the time it was discovered that the battery life was not up to snuff.

Uniden decided to allow the radio to be sold and distributed as it was but included a notice in the box to advise purchasers to sign up for a FREE larger battery pack once they are available, likely in August 2018. Sign up at Uniden’s website and they will send you the new larger battery as well as a replacement battery door at no cost.

Once these batteries are available there should also be available for sale extra batteries. Eventually some sort of external charging device will also be available so you can charge one battery while using another.

2) Can I charge the battery and run the radio at the same time?

Actually, on the SDS100 you can! While other Uniden scanners do not support this, as long as your charger has sufficient current capability you can charge the battery with the radio on as long as you have that option turned on in the Settings>Battery Options>Set Charge While On menu.

Why would you not want this option turned on? The only reason I see is that the red or green charge light will be on all the time when the radio is plugged in. It might take a while longer to charge the battery when the radio is on but it should not be a big issue.

3) What else can I use to charge the battery?

The SDS100 comes with a USB charger. Alternately any USB charger will power and/or charge the SDS100 battery. If you have a smartphone or other USB device charger you can use it if you don’t want to use the charger that came with the radio.

In the car you can use any USB port to power/charge the radio. Most cars these days will have a USB port to charge your phones and other devices, these work well with USB powered scanners like the SDS100.

4) What is the deal with the raised ridge by the antenna connector?

That ridge is part of the water proofing of the radio. When used with the supplied rubber duck antenna this helps provide a seal to block water from getting into the radio. The supplied SDS10 antenna has a rubber gasket that fits this ridge.

This does however block use of many third-party antennas and adapters. The SDS100 comes with an SMA-BNC adapter so you can use your BNC antennas but with this adapter you will not have the water resistance provided with the supplied antenna.

5) What is that little hole on the back of the radio? Am I missing a screw?

That hole below the belt clip knob is there to provide a case breather to prevent pressure issues. The radio is still water resistant due to other parts inside the case. On some radios there have been issues with elevation changes causing the case to pressurize and damaging components. This pressure relief helps to prevent these issues.

6) It is hard to see the color screen in sunlight, what can I do?

The SDS100 color screen is a thing of beauty but can be difficult to read in direct sun. If you go into display settings you can select white on black or black on white instead.

7) What are the “Detail” and “Simple” screen modes?

The SDS100 has a fully customizable display. You can set it up to display just the basic information (Simple) or all kinds of special information (Detail) when receiving. Almost every item can be positioned where YOU want to put it. You can even select the colors each item is displayed in.

Simple Mode shows just basic information in an uncluttered way. Detail Mode allows you to show many different details about what you are listening to, such as trunking ID’s, PL tones etc. so you can analyze systems you are listening to. You can switch between these at will and change the way they look on the radio via the keypad or Sentinel.

8) What are the software options?

The SDS100 uses the free Sentinel software to do the database and firmware updates. This is the same version as used on the BCD436HP and BCD536HP scanners and you can share files back and forth among all 3 radios. There is a separate version of Sentinel used for the HomePatrol models. The HomePatrol modes Sentinel has a brown icon, the 436/536/SDS version uses a green icon. Sentinel can also be used for programming Favorites lists as well.

ARC536 by Butel can be used to also program Favorites Lists, it provides the familiar Butel interface so if you have used other ARC products you will feel right at home. The Pro version also supports Virtual Control as well as other features.

9) Will there be a base/mobile version of the SDS100?

Yes! The SDS200 is identical in operation and programming to the SDS200, but in a mobile package with a larger display.

10) How does the GPS unit connect to the SDS100?

The Uniden BC-GPSK GPS receiver works on many different Uniden scanners and comes with several cables to adapt it to these scanners. With the SDS100 (as well as the BCD325P2) however you need a different cable. This special adapter cable, available at scannermaster.com, replaces everything but the GPS disk and attached cable. Plug the round plug from the GPS into this cable, the USB plug into a USB power source and the small plug into the Charge/USB jack on the radio. The radio will be powered/charged from the GPS cable as will the GPS itself.

11) Sharing Favorites Lists with other scanners

The SDS100 can share the same Favorites Lists as the BCD436HP and BCG536HP, and since they all use the same version of Sentinel, it is really easy to share. You can create different Profiles for each scanner if you want or just program them all the same.

To share files from other radios you would need third party software and import/export those files with that software.

12) If I have many Talkgroups or Sites in my trunked system will it slow down the scanner?

If you have many TALKGROUPS then no, it will not slow the scanner down. The SDS100 (and other Uniden scanners) does not actually scan talkgroups, it scans SITES and if it sees an active Talkgroup it looks to see if it is in an active Favorites list and Department. If it is it displays the name and listens to the talkgroup. If not it ignores it and moves on. All this is done in fractions of a millisecond.

If you have that trunked system’s Favorites List set to Trunked Search the scanner will look for the talkgroup and see if it is listed. If it is in the radio it will show the name etc. and hear the traffic. If it is not already programmed into the radio it will display it as “Unknown” with the Talkgroup number. If you can identify the user you can add it to your Favorites List.

What can slow down your scanner is if you have a lot of SITES programmed into the radio that you have no chance of hearing. If your area uses a large regional or statewide system then either turn off or delete the sites you would not be able to hear. (The radio’s manual describes how to do this…). The fewer sites the radio has to go thru the faster it will get to them.

13) Do I need ProVoice, DMR or NXDN?

Well, maybe, maybe not… Check the RadioReference database and see if anything in that area use these modes. If they use them in the areas you want to listen to then you might want to get the upgrades. ProVoice is used mostly by public safety agencies in specific areas including Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Denver and Albuquerque.

DMR and NXDN are mostly used by business operations and campus installations but are occasionally used by smaller police and fire departments as it is less expensive than P25 digital systems.

14) Where can I go for more information?

https://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/SDS100_and_SDS200_FAQ_Page has a ton of info on the SDS100 and SDS200

The SDS-100 and why it is so revolutionary

Posted on July 2, 2018 by Rich Carlson

If you haven’t heard already, the new Uniden SDS-100 handheld digital scanner has taken the prize as the most desired scanner available. Introduced in the spring of 2018 and finally available in June, we sold every one we had and were promised and just now are able to keep them in stock for regular purchases.

What makes the SDS-100 so special? Why does it work so well? Why is it worth all the extra money it costs? Glad you asked!

The biggest advantage to the SDS-100 has over other scanners is it’s ability to monitor Linear Simulcast Modulation (LSM, also known as P25 Simulcast) systems. Traditional scanners do not work very well often with LSM systems but the SDS-100 handles them much better, almost as well as a regular system radio like the police use. Other scanners tend to break up, miss words or phrases or just not hear it al all.

Why, you might ask, does this happen? Simply put, a simulcast system transmits the same traffic on the same frequencies at the same time from 2 or more locations. A simulcast system would transmit from multiple sites to provide better coverage within its intended operational area. These signals then tend to arrive at your scanner with slightly different time delays. Even though these time differences are almost indescribably small, the fact that they are digital1’s and 0’s makes them interfere with each other. The 1’s from one tower tend to block the 0’s from another tower. This causes interference and sometimes the interference is so bad as to block the entire conversation.

The SDS-100 uses a totally different internal architecture than other scanners, basically using a Software Defined Radio (SDR) with True-IQ processing to more properly decode LSM transmissions. This means that the SDS-100 will receive these simulcast systems with little to no distortion or interference.

There are other advantages to the SDS-100 SDR-based architecture. It allows other features and capabilities to be added down the road. While Uniden has not announced any of these features yet the possibilities are endless.

The SDS-100 works much like the BCD436/536 series scanners, the interface is very similar and they use an updated version of the Sentinel software so you can share your Favorites Lists between them.

The other big feature with the SDS-100 is the color display. This display can be used in either a “Simple” or “Detail” mode. The Detail mode is entirely customizable. You can place any of dozens of different fields almost anywhere on the screen and assign any color to just about any item. You can switch back to Simple mode and just have the basics, still in color or even switch to a simpler black and white scheme that works better in bright sunlight.

The SDS-100 is an amazing radio. If you have simulcast systems in your area then it works much better than other scanners. While it is more expensive than other scanners it is well worth it!

Uniden Bearcat SDS100 Update | April 2018

Posted on April 27, 2018 by Scanner Master

Here are a couple of answers to the most common questions:

When will the SDS100 be available?
We are expecting to have it available sometime this summer so stay tuned!

Will we be able to see it soon?
Yes! We will be at the Dayton Hamvention in late May in Building 3, Booth 3303 and will have an SDS100 to demonstrate.
[Dayton Hamvention: Friday, May 18 – Sunday, May 20, 2018.
Greene County Fairgrounds 120 Fairground Rd, Xenia, OH 45385]

What will the price be?
The MSRP is listed at $699.95, so the actual selling price will likely be somewhat lower. We won’t know until it has been approved and we get our prices from the distributors.

Are you taking orders or presales for the SDS100?
Not at this time, when we do we will let you know by email. | Sign up here!

Please note: this item has not yet received FCC approvals and may not be offered for sale.

WiFi on BCD536HP. How does it work? What you can and can’t do with it.

Posted on August 2, 2017 by Rich Carlson

The Uniden Bearcat BCD536HP is the only scanner that has the capability of being directly controlled by WiFi. By using the included WiFi dongle one can connect a smart phone or tablet to the scanner and listen to and control the scanner with the device. There are some other uses for the WiFi dongle as well.

Uniden has provided free “Siren” software (available for free via the Apple iTunes store or Google Play Store) to allow you to use your smart device as a scanner controller. You can even use this as a remote head for the scanner if mounted in a vehicle or to listen to your scanner from the patio or another room of the house for a scanner installed in the home. Some third party software allows you to use the WiFi feature to connect the canner to the computer without the need to plug in a cable.

There are a few things that the WiFi dongle will not work for, this includes database and firmware updates and other programming.

The Wifi dongle is designed specifically to work with your home or office WiFi network. While we have read of people using it for remote access this requires such networking tools as VPN, if you know how that works you probably can figure it out. Sorry, we cannot help with notworking issues like this!

To use the WiFi feature you need to understand the two modes involved; Infrastructure and Access Point.

Infrastructure Mode allows your scanner to connect to your home or office WiFi. This then allows you to connect to the scanner via third-party software like ProScan or RadioFeed or to the Siren application.

To get to Infrastructure Mode use the following steps:

Press Menu then select WiFi Setup>Select WiFI Mode>Infrastructure Mode

The radio will look for local access points and list them. When it displays the list select your router’s SSID name.

Then enter your password for the WiFi access point. This is the same password you would use for setting up any other WiFi device on your network. To enter the password you scroll thru the letters and use the 4 and 6 buttons to move the curser.

Access Point Mode allows you to connect you scanner to a smart phone or tablet (iOS or Android) using the free Siren software. You would use this when you are not in range of your WiFi system, such as when the radio is mounted in a vehicle. This allows you to use a phone or tablet as sort of a remote control head for the scanner.

In Access Point Mode the 536 acts as an Access Point and provides an SSID which you can change or leave at the default. You then connect your phone or tablet to that WiFi SSID and enter in the IP address in the Settings of the device. The IP address can be found in the WiFi settings on the scanner.

Siren is the free app available at the Apple iTunes Store for iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch’s. It is also available for Android devices at the Google Play Store.

Siren is a neat way to use your 536 scanner but there are limits to it. It will only work with the 536, and it has limited abilities for control. It can set the range, select Quick Keys, set the squelch and start and reply the recording features but that is pretty much all she wrote. There is also a 2-3 second delay in hearing the audio compared to the radio itself.

The WiFi feature on the 546 is unique and useful as long as you know its limits.

The BearTracker 885: Is it a scanner or not?

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Rich Carlson

Uniden recently released its new BearTracker 885 CB-Scanner combination. Here are a few things to know about it:

1) It has a LIMITED FUNCTION scanner.

The 885 has a specially designed scanner built in that will receive local police, fire, EMS and Highway Department channels based on your location. The radio will tell you whether the channel is Police, Fire etc. but it does not indicate the agency or channel name. You can hear the traffic, the display will tell you that it is police or whatever, but it won’t tell you whether it is Mayberry or the Highway Patrol.

2) You can UPDATE but not program the scanner part.

The 885 has a free software program that simply updates the database the radio uses to hear local traffic. You cannot add/delete or modify channels. To update the radio is fairly simple, take out the full-size SD card, insert it into an SD-Card reader attached to your computer and run the updater program. (The radio does not come with an SD-Card reader, if your computer doesn’t have one you can get them for a few dollars.) The updater software pulls the latest data from the RadioReference database and loads it onto the SD-Card. The database is updated weekly but you only need to bother updating the database once or twice a year.

3) How does the 885 know where I am?

The 885 comes with a GPS receiver. The small receiver is connected to the GPS by an included cable, just put the little box in view of the sky (on the dashboard etc.) and plug it in. If this won’t work for you then you can manually enter in the location from the front panel controls of the radio. When using the GPS the radio’s location is updated regularly and the scanner part will reload itself with the local channels.

4) What about the CB?

The 885 is a basic 40 channel CB. It does not do SSB but it has the typical CB features needed to communicate or listen to other vehicles so equipped. It can also be used as a PA (PA Speaker not included) or as a weather receiver.

5) Is it legal?

We are not lawyers and do not offer legal advice. That said, CB’s are legal for use in the USA and Canada without a license. As far as the scanner goes check with your state and local authorities about whether a scanner is allowed in a vehicle. Laws may vary for commercial vehicles. Since this device has no radar detector it is not prohibited from commercial vehicles for that reason.

If you are interested in scanning specific agencies or want a scanner that allows you more choice then perhaps the 885 is not the radio for you. If you are looking for a CB and like the idea of hearing local emergency scanner traffic then this radio could be ideal.

Download Uniden BearTracker 885 Flyer

When the best scanner isn’t a scanner (Unication Receivers)

Posted on June 21, 2017 by Rich Carlson

If you live in an area covered by a Simulcast P-25 radio system you likely have suffered from Simulcast Distortion. This is the interference and missed calls caused by simulcast sites of these radio systems interfering with each other. All scanners have this issue and there are various things one can do to remedy the situation. This includes relocating or reducing the antenna, use of a directional antenna or turning on the attenuator.

Sometimes even this doesn’t help. If you really get in a bind there are other ways to get better reception. For some this means getting a specially programmed two-way radio set up on the system and using it as a monitor. While sometimes these can be programmed for receive only there are problems with this approach. First off is legality. Unless authorized by the system owner it may be illegal to have such a radio set up on the system due to the use of a “System Key”. Some states even This is considered to be intellectual property and restricted to authorized personnel. Even if you got past this hurdle two-way radios for these systems are expensive, sometimes over $5000. Add into that programming software ($300) and cables ($200) and pretty soon you are talking about real money.

The Unication receivers provide a possible solution that is much more reasonably priced, does not require permission or special codes or keys for the system but with reception rivaling that of the expensive radios at a fraction of the cost. The downside is that the Unication is not as flexible as a scanner and does not allow for field programming.

The Unication provides professional quality reception at a hobbyist price. While more expensive than scanners, it receives P25 Simulcast systems as well as the expensive two-way radios do at a much lower price.

ScannerMaster can program the Unication radio for you, be sure to select this option at the time of purchase if you want it. You can also do the programming yourself with a Windows computer, the software is free from Unication. Of course if there are any questions our knowledgeable staff is here to help!

The Unication G4 works in the 700 and 800 MHz. bands. The G5 works in these bands plus another, such as VHF or 2 different UHF bands. Currently they work on Phase 1 systems only but a Phase 2 upgrade will be available soon. This will be a paid update but pricing has not yet been announced.

Scanner Master to Demo the BearTracker 885 at Dayton!

Posted on May 18, 2017 by Rich Carlson

If you are attending the Dayton Hamvention this year please be sure to visit the Scanner Master booth (Booth 3003 in Building #3) to see the new Uniden BearTracker 885. This is the revolutionary new CB radio with a digital police scanner built-in. Or is it a digital scanner with a built-in CB? Whichever way you look at it, it is a neat radio!

Join Scanner Master’s Rich Barnett and BuTel’s Gommert Buijsen as they demonstrate current radios, accessories and software as well as the new BearTracker 885.

While the BearTracker 885 is not yet available for sale pending FCC approvals, you can see it in person exclusively at the Scanner Master booth!

Hamvention is held Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 19-21 2017 at the Greene County Fairgrounds in Xenia OH, just north of Dayton.

Join the waiting list for the Uniden BearTracker 885.