Scanners › Uniden SDS100
Uniden SDS100: will it hear your police?
The SDS100 is Uniden's digital handheld scanner with a True I/Q receiver. This isn't a hands-on review. We checked what it decodes, from Uniden's own product page and manual, against the FCC licenses of every US county we cover.
The short answer
It decodes analog and P25 Phase I and II[1],[2]. In 638 of 3,198 US counties (20%), every voice mode on the main public safety licenses is one it decodes out of the box. In 720 (23%) it hears the analog and P25 channels, and the licenses also list DMR or NXDN, which need Uniden's paid upgrade. In 1,838 (57%) it hears the main analog and P25 channels, and some licenses list digital codes we can't identify, which could occasionally be DMR or NXDN. It can't hear any of it in 1.
From FCC licenses[4], which don't show encryption. No scanner plays encrypted channels.
Will the SDS100 hear your city?
Type your city, county or ZIP code. The answer comes from the FCC licenses of your county's main public safety agencies.
What the SDS100 decodes
- Conventional analog channels and conventional P25 digital channels.[2]
- Trunked systems: APCO P25 Phase 1 and Phase 2, X2-TDMA, Motorola, EDACS and LTR (Uniden calls this TrunkTracker X).[1],[2]
- With Uniden's optional paid upgrades: several types of NXDN and DMR trunking, and EDACS ProVoice.[2]
- Encrypted channels. No scanner plays them, the SDS100 included.
- DMR, NXDN and ProVoice without the paid upgrades.[2]
Key specs
| Type | Digital handheld scanner[1] |
|---|---|
| Receiver | True I/Q. Uniden says it improves digital performance in simulcast and weak-signal areas.[1],[2] |
| Frequency coverage | 25–512 MHz, 758–824 MHz, 849–869 MHz, 894–960 MHz, 1240–1300 MHz[2] |
| Setup | HomePatrol database of US and Canada radio systems, updated weekly by Uniden. Location-based scanning by ZIP code or GPS (GPS receiver not included).[2] |
| Water resistance | JIS4 / IPX4, with all jack covers in place[2] |
| Power | Lithium-ion battery pack, charged in the scanner over USB[2] |
| Recording | Audio recording, and instant replay of the last 30 seconds to 4 minutes[2] |
| In the box | Scanner, belt clip, USB cable, SMA antenna, AC power adapter, SMA-to-BNC adapter, microSD card[1] |
Specs from Uniden's product pages, owner's manuals and upgrade pages, checked 28 Oct 2026. We list only what Uniden states.
Where to buy
Uniden SDS100 (handheld)
Digital P25 Phase I and II handheld. Check your city first: if your police are encrypted, no scanner hears them.
We earn a commission if you buy through these links. It doesn't change what you pay.
Where the SDS100 works: 3,198 counties, 9,191 cities
| What the SDS100 hears | Counties | City pages |
|---|---|---|
| Fully: every licensed voice mode is one it decodesAnalog and P25 only on the main licenses. | 638 (20%) | 1,206 (13%) |
| Partly: analog and P25, plus DMR or NXDNIt hears the analog and P25 channels. DMR and NXDN need Uniden's paid upgrade. | 720 (23%) | 1,554 (17%) |
| Hears the main analog and P25 channels. Some licenses list digital codes we can't identifyThe analog and P25 channels on the main licenses are ones it decodes. Some licenses also list digital emission codes that don't name a mode; those could occasionally be DMR or NXDN, which need Uniden's paid upgrade. | 1,838 (57%) | 6,430 (70%) |
| Can't hear: no analog or P25 licensedThe main licenses list only other digital modes. | 1 (0%) | 1 (0%) |
| No voice channels on file | 1 (0%) | 0 (0%) |
How we counted. For each county we take the same main licensees the county and city pages use for their analog-or-digital answer, and read the emission designators on their FCC licenses: analog FM, P25 Phase I or II, DMR, NXDN, or another digital code that doesn't name a mode. A city counts with its county. Licenses show what a channel may use, not whether it's encrypted or which channels are busy. Source: FCC ULS license file of 18 Oct 2026, as of 27 Oct 2026.
Big cities where every licensed mode is one it decodes
Knoxville, TN · Brownsville, TX · Warwick, RI · Lynchburg, VA · Bowling Green, KY · Kalamazoo, MI · Eau Claire, WI · Harlingen, TX
Big cities with DMR or NXDN on the licenses (paid upgrade)
Omaha, NE · Durham, NC · Winston-Salem, NC · Sioux Falls, SD · Birmingham, AL · Warren, MI · Fargo, ND · Sterling Heights, MI
Biggest cities where it hears the main analog and P25 channels, with some digital codes we can't identify
New York City, NY · Los Angeles, CA · Chicago, IL · Houston, TX · Phoenix, AZ · Philadelphia, PA · San Antonio, TX · San Diego, CA
The rest of the digital codes on these licenses don't name a mode. They could occasionally be DMR or NXDN, which need Uniden's paid upgrade.
SDS100 or SDS150?
The SDS150 is Uniden's newer True I/Q handheld. Uniden calls it its most advanced digital scanner yet[3]. It lists the same frequency coverage and the same paid DMR, NXDN and ProVoice upgrades[2],[3], and adds a built-in GPS receiver, a phone app over Bluetooth Low Energy, a charge cradle, USB-C and a waterfall display[3]. On 28 Oct 2026 Uniden still had an SDS100 product page and didn't mark it discontinued[1]. On what it decodes, our coverage numbers are the same for both.
Newer model
Uniden SDS150 (handheld)
Same decoding as the SDS100, plus built-in GPS and Uniden's phone app.
We earn a commission if you buy through these links. It doesn't change what you pay.
Who the SDS100 is for
- Most of the US. In 2,998 of 3,198 counties the licenses are not all analog, so an analog-only scanner would miss part of it. The SDS100 hears analog and P25 alike.
- Big digital systems. Uniden built it for simulcast and weak-signal areas, which licenses don't show. Our city pages pick it for digital and mixed counties for that reason.
- People who'd rather not program by hand. It sets itself up from your ZIP code using Uniden's radio database.
Who should skip it
- Your county is analog. In 199 counties the main channels are licensed as analog. A cheaper analog scanner like the Uniden BC125AT (Check price on Amazon for the Uniden BC125AT (opens store)) hears those.
- Your police are encrypted. No scanner plays encrypted traffic. Check your city or county first.
- You mainly need DMR or NXDN. The SDS100 needs Uniden's paid upgrades for those.
- You want built-in GPS or a phone app. Uniden's newer Uniden SDS150 (Check price on Amazon for the Uniden SDS150 (opens store)) has both. The SDS100 takes an external GPS receiver.
Questions
Is the Uniden SDS100 a digital scanner?
Yes. Uniden sells it as a digital handheld scanner. It decodes analog and P25 Phase I and II, conventional and trunked.
Does the SDS100 do P25 Phase II?
Yes. Uniden lists APCO P25 Phase 1 and Phase 2 trunking, plus conventional P25 channels.
Will the SDS100 work in my area?
Look up your city above. Across 3,198 US counties: in 638 every voice mode on the main licenses is analog or P25, which it decodes. In 720 the licenses also list DMR or NXDN, which need Uniden's paid upgrade. In 1,838 it hears the main analog and P25 channels, and some licenses list digital codes we can't identify, which could occasionally be DMR or NXDN. Licenses don't show encryption.
Can the SDS100 hear DMR or NXDN?
Only with Uniden's optional paid upgrades, which add NXDN and DMR trunking, and EDACS ProVoice.
Can the SDS100 hear encrypted police radio?
No. No scanner can play encrypted channels. Check whether your police are encrypted before you buy.
What's the difference between the SDS100 and the SDS150?
Both are Uniden True I/Q handhelds with the same listed frequency coverage and the same paid DMR, NXDN and ProVoice upgrades. Uniden lists a built-in GPS receiver, a phone app over Bluetooth Low Energy, a charge cradle, USB-C and a waterfall display for the SDS150. The SDS100 takes an external GPS receiver.
Is the SDS100 discontinued?
On 28 Oct 2026 Uniden still had an SDS100 product page and didn't mark it discontinued. Uniden calls the SDS150 its most advanced digital scanner yet.
What's the best police scanner to buy for my home?
The one that matches your area's radio. Look up your city: if the channels are analog, a cheaper analog scanner is enough. If they're digital, you need a P25 scanner. If your police are encrypted, no scanner hears them.