SDS100 - The RadioReference Wiki (2024)

The Uniden SDS100 is a handheld scanner manufactured by Uniden America released in Q2 of 2018 with an introductory MSRP of $699It is the first scanner to incorporate I/Q technology and SDR (Software Defined Radio) in a handheld scanner. This provides superior performance scanning LSM (Linear Simulcast Modulation) systems. It uses the Uniden HomePatrol database and Uniden Sentinel Software for ease of programming. Its front panel interface and menus are functionally identical to the BCD436HP. Its most important new features include water resistance and customizable color LCD.

SDS100 in the rain

Specifications

Easy navigation to Favorite List, 1st on Menu w visual On/Off for FQK listing
Easy navigation to System List 1st on Menu w visual On/Off for SQK listing.
Easy Scan Control using the System, Department and Channel SOFTKEY Hold buttons.

Programming and Interface

Most menus and buttons are identical to the BCD436HP.

ZIP Services Mode: Enter your ZIP code, service type, and range. The scanner will aggregate a list of nearby radio channels to listen to.
GPS Mode: Purchase the additional GPS module and cable to have the scanner automatically update its location to pull in nearby radio channels without having to enter a ZIP code (Location Based Scanning)
Manual Entry: Create Favorite lists by manually entering the channel/system information, or import it from the RR DB preloaded on the SD Card (Complete Front Keypad Programming ability)
Sentinel: Use a PC with Uniden Sentinel Software to update scanner firmware, update RR Database, and create your own Favorite Lists, Systems, Sites, Channels, TalkGroups and RadioIDs in addition to control scanner settings and customize the LCD Screen.

Physical

Backlight-on-Squelch option allows the backlight to remain on during an entire transmission.
240x320 pixel, plastic, color LCD screen (147 user-selectable colors for text and background)
Receive Signal Strength Indicator displayed.
Select/Volume/Squelch multi-control top rotary encoder knob.
Side-actuated Function and Menu controls.
64 character text tagging for each system, site, department, channel, talkgroup, search range, Tone-Out, and SAME group.
Visual Independent Alert LED w/ 7 colors and 3 patterns.
Weatherproof Backlit Display and Keypad.
Water resistant up to IPX4 (JIS4)
8GB microSD card holds the entire US and Canada database of radio systems, plus leaves room for hundreds of hours of audio recording.

Included on the microSD CARD

A copy of the RadioReference Database (HPDB)
Uniden's Sentinel Software. The link for Sentinel can be found here
Pre-Formatted with FAT 32 Filing System
- Main Folder named "TBA"
- Below TBA folder contains:
- (7)Sub-Folders: activity_log, alert, audio, discovery, favorite_list, firmware, HPDB
- (4)Loose Files:
- Configuration files: app_data.cfg, discovery.cfg^{1, profile.cfg}
- Set-Up file: scanner.inf

Keys

100 Favorites Lists QKs
100 Systems QKs
100 Departments QKs
3 front SOFTKEY buttons (functions change depending on scanner status).
3 Quick-Access Search Keys

Technical

Frequency Coverage

25-512 MHz
758-824 MHz
849-869 MHz
894-960 MHz
1240-1300 MHz

Modulation & Steps

AM, NFM, FM, WFM, or FMB.
5, 6.25, 7.5, 8.33, 10, 12.5, 15, 20, 25, 50, or 100 kHz

Power

Built-in Battery Charger - charge the batteries in the scanner w a USB power cable
Charge/Battery Low Independent Alert LED
Removable 3.7v 5400mAh 19.98Wh Extended Capacity Lithium-Ion Battery (Model BT-954) included with new models

Connectivity

USB PC Connectivity/charge port (USB Mini-B)
Simultaneous charge while using
USB PC Connectivity (USB Micro) - Purpose was previously unknown, but developer Steve Holloway created a functional bandscope program that uses this port, suggesting it is a dedicated serial port.

Features

Adjustable Band defaults Modulation and Steps
Adjustable Priority check interval and quantity.
Analysis Mode - includes Trunked System Analysis of Signal, Quality and Activity, and EDACS/LTR LCN Finder
Audible Independent Alert Tone Volume – lets you set the volume level of the following tones: Key Beep, Emergency Alerts, Channel Alerts, Tone-Out hits, and Close Call Alert.
Avoids
Battery Saver
Broadcast Screen while searching (TV and radio station frequencies, pagers, etc) with 10 custom bands.
Channel delay adjustable to increments of 0-2,5,10,30,
Channel Volume Offset individually per channel.
Close Call, with Close Call Do Not Disturb, Close Call Priority (or Primary), and Close Call Temporary Store.
Control Channel Only
Conventional Channel Priority with Priority DND
Custom Search - lets you program up to 10 search ranges.
Discovery Mode - helps you find new channels on trunked systems and frequency ranges.
Fire Tone Out alert with two-tone paging with up to 32 tone slots.
- Fire Tone Out Search - built-in frequency counter displays the received tones.
Individual Site P25 decode Threshold, Settings: Auto, Manual, Default
Intermediate Frequency Exchange - changes the IF used for a selected frequency to help avoid image and other mixer-product interference on a frequency.
Keypad Lock
Location Based Scanning
Multi-Site Trunking - Lets you program the scanner to share a Trunked System's TGIDs across multiple Sites without having to duplicate TGIDs.
Negative Channel dropout delay (forced resume) adjustable to -2, -5, -10 seconds.
Number Tagging - Number tags allow you to quickly navigate to a specific Favorites List, System, and/or Channel.
Priority Scan
P25 One-Frequency Trunking - The scanner can follow individual talk groups on P25 single-frequency systems that use both NAC and TGID’s for squelch control and user identification.
Quick Search
Recording of Audio - Captures & Stores individual transmissions until squelch closes for later playback with time stamping and some metadata via Scanner or PC.
- Date/Time indication on display with time stamping for recordings.
- Instant Replay - Plays back up to 240 seconds of the most recent unsquelched transmissions without the added quiet time between those transmissions.
Repeater Reverse
Search with Scan for Custom Searches.
Startup Configuration
Weather Operations

Features missing from SDS100 previously in BCD436HP

Voice AGC

RR System Compatibility

Analog Conventional Frequencies

System Types

Motorola Type I
Motorola Type II
- Motorola Type IIi Hybrid
- Motorola Type II Smartnet
- Motorola Type II SmartZone
- Motorola Type II SmartZone OmniLink
EDACS
- EDACS Standard (Wide)
- EDACS Standard Networked
- EDACS Narrowband (Narrow)
- EDACS Narrowband Networked
- EDACS SCAT
- EDACS ESK
- ProVoice ¹
LTR Standard
APCO Project 25 Standard
- Phase I FDMA
- Motorola X2-TDMA
- Phase II TDMA
- LSM systems
DMR¹
- Hytera XPT
- MotoTRBO Capacity + and Connect +
- DMR Tier III
NXDN ¹
- NXDN 4800 + 9600

System Voices

Analog
EDACS
- Analog
- ProVoice ¹
APCO-25 Common Air Interface Common Air Interface
- Phase I FDMA
- Phase II TDMA
DMR ¹
NXDN ¹

Notes

Requires, optional, Paid Upgrade w/ Registration via my.uniden.com.
Firmware updates via MicroSD card or through USB port.

Included in the Box

SDS100 Scanner Radio
SMA Semi-Rigid Antenna - Uniden # BATG0590001
SMA-BNC Antenna Adapter
411.com Registration card
USB to USB Mini-B programming / charge cable
USB Wall brick 5V 2A (Model: AD-1278)
Extended Capacity Lithium-Ion Battery 3.7v 5400mAh 19.98Wh (Model BT-954)
Extended battery door
Rotating Belt Clip
- Belt clip Plastic Attachment with 1 screw installed
Owner’s manual printed copy w online pdf format available
microSD Card (8GB) installed
Packaging
- External Box
- Formed Cardboard packaging - molded pulp
Various plastic bags for listed components

Videos

USB Pinout

Pin 2 (ID) is used for GPS Serial Data
Pin 3 and 4 are for Serial Data

System Performance Reports spreadsheet on Google Docs
Scanner School First Look at the SDS100

Frequently Asked Questions

SDS100 and SDS200 FAQ Page

Groups and Message Boards

RadioReference Uniden Forum

Facebook

Groups.io

Twitter

SDS100 on Twitter

Supporting Software

Owner's Manual

Reviews

The Uniden SDS100-The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Return to Uniden Scanners