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Uniden SDS150: will it hear your police?
The SDS150 is Uniden's newest True I/Q digital handheld, which Uniden calls its most advanced digital scanner yet. 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. In 1,319 counties the main licenses list P25 Phase II, which it decodes too.
From FCC licenses[5], which don't show encryption. No scanner plays encrypted channels.
Will the SDS150 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 SDS150 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 paid upgrades: DMR Tier III, Hytera XPT and single-channel DMR, NXDN 4800 and 9600, and EDACS ProVoice.[1]
- Encrypted channels. No scanner plays them, the SDS150 included.
- DMR, NXDN and ProVoice without the paid upgrades.[1]
Key specs
| Type | Digital handheld scanner[1] |
|---|---|
| Receiver | True I/Q. Uniden says it gives exceptional digital performance in simulcast areas.[1],[2] |
| Frequency coverage | 25–512 MHz, 758–824 MHz, 849–869 MHz, 894–960 MHz, 1240–1300 MHz[1] |
| GPS | Built-in GPS receiver and antenna. It picks local channels as you travel.[1],[2] |
| Phone app | Uniden's U/AWARE app over Bluetooth Low Energy: control the scanner and listen to its audio on your phone[1],[2] |
| Display | IPS color display with customizable colors. Waterfall display included.[1],[2] |
| Setup | HomePatrol database of US and Canada radio systems, updated weekly by Uniden. Location-based scanning by ZIP code or GPS.[2] |
| Water resistance | JIS4 / IPX4, with all jack covers in place[1],[2] |
| Power | Lithium-ion battery pack. USB-C charging, and a charging cradle with a slot for a second battery (sold separately).[1],[2] |
| Recording | Audio recording, and instant replay of the last 30 seconds to 4 minutes[2] |
| In the box | Scanner, charging cradle, AC adapter, USB cable, lithium-ion battery pack, SMA antenna, SMA-to-BNC adapter, belt clip, hand strap, microSD card[2] |
Specs from Uniden's product pages, owner's manuals and upgrade pages, checked 29 Oct 2026. We list only what Uniden states.
Where to buy
Uniden SDS150 (handheld)
Digital P25 Phase I and II handheld with built-in GPS. Check your city first: if your police are encrypted, no scanner hears them.
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Where the SDS150 works: 3,198 counties, 9,191 cities
| What the SDS150 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. Each channel is also checked against the scanner's frequency coverage in Uniden's manual, and trunked channels against the trunking it follows. 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.
SDS150 or SDS100?
The SDS100 is Uniden's earlier True I/Q handheld[3]. Both list the same frequency coverage and the same TrunkTracker X decoding, with DMR, NXDN and ProVoice as paid upgrades[1],[2],[4]. The SDS150 adds a built-in GPS receiver, the U/AWARE phone app over Bluetooth Low Energy, a charging cradle, USB-C and the waterfall display[1]. The SDS100 takes an external GPS receiver, not included[4]. On what it decodes, our coverage numbers are the same for both.
Earlier model
Uniden SDS100 (handheld)
Same decoding as the SDS150. GPS receiver not included.
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Who the SDS150 is for
- Most of the US. In 3,020 of 3,198 counties the licenses are not all analog, so an analog-only scanner would miss part of it. The SDS150 hears analog and P25 alike.
- Big digital systems. Uniden built its True I/Q receiver for digital performance in simulcast areas, which licenses don't show.
- Listening on the move. The built-in GPS picks local channels as you travel, so you don't reprogram it from town to town.
- People who'd rather not program by hand. It sets itself up from your ZIP code or GPS position using Uniden's radio database.
Who should skip it
- Your county is analog. In 177 counties the main channels are licensed as analog. An 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 SDS150 needs Uniden's paid upgrades for those.
- You want it on a desk or in a car. Uniden's base/mobile Uniden SDS200 (Check price on Amazon for the Uniden SDS200 (opens store)) has the same decoding.
Questions
What's the difference between the Uniden SDS100 and SDS150?
Both are Uniden True I/Q handhelds with the same listed frequency coverage, P25 Phase I and II decoding, and the same paid DMR, NXDN and ProVoice upgrades. Uniden lists a built-in GPS receiver, the U/AWARE phone app over Bluetooth Low Energy, a charging cradle, USB-C and a waterfall display for the SDS150. The SDS100 takes an external GPS receiver.
Is the SDS150 worth it?
That depends on your area's radio more than on the scanner. Where the main channels are analog, an analog scanner hears them too. Where they're digital P25, the SDS150 decodes them, and Uniden builds it for simulcast areas. Where police are encrypted, no scanner hears them. Look up your city above.
Will the SDS150 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.
Does the SDS150 do P25 Phase II?
Yes. Uniden lists APCO P25 Phase I and II trunking, plus conventional P25 channels.
Does the SDS150 have GPS?
Yes. It has a built-in GPS receiver and antenna, and selects nearby channels from its database as you travel.
Can the SDS150 hear DMR or NXDN?
Only with Uniden's paid upgrades. Uniden lists DMR Tier III, Hytera XPT, single-channel DMR, NXDN 4800 and 9600, and EDACS ProVoice as paid upgrades.
How do you program the SDS150?
Mostly you don't. Enter your ZIP code, or let the built-in GPS set your location, and it picks nearby channels from Uniden's US and Canada database. Uniden's Sentinel software on a PC manages Favorites Lists, database and firmware updates.
Is the SDS150 waterproof?
Water-resistant, not waterproof. Uniden rates it JIS4 / IPX4: resistant to splashing water from any direction, with all jack covers in place.
Can the SDS150 hear encrypted police radio?
No. No scanner can play encrypted channels. Check whether your police are encrypted before you buy.