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Uniden quality control

ljh505

ljh505

Active Member
Nov 29, 2020
83
220
43
Albuquerque
Uniden used to be a pretty reliable brand. I have a bunch of gear from the early 1990s that still works pretty well.

However, their newer units seem to have a ton of issues. I have a Bearcat 880 with a fading display, a CMX760 which quit working after a few weeks (transmit locks up, have to power off unit to reset it), and a PRO401HH handheld that just died in less than 10 days the second time using it.

Any idea what's up with Uniden? I'm sticking with Midland for ruggedized AM CB stuff for the time being.
 
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ljh505 said:
Uniden used to be a pretty reliable brand. I have a bunch of gear from the early 1990s that still works pretty well.

However, their newer units seem to have a ton of issues. I have a Bearcat 880 with a fading display, a CMX760 which quit working after a few weeks (transmit locks up, have to power off unit to reset it), and a PRO401HH handheld that just died in less than 10 days the second time using it.

Any idea what's up with Uniden? I'm sticking with Midland for ruggedized AM CB stuff for the time being.
Click to expand...


Cobra (brand) is a joke I won’t own (except to give away).

I own (and rotate use)

Uniden

880
885
980

For the price I have no complaints. Performance is to a good (enough) standard.

These are excellent back-up radios. As the center of a starter pack for friend or relative. Available widely.

The step up is PRESIDENT brand.
A wide range of offerings.

There are other brands, some of long standing, where personal preference is a higher determinant of choice.

A rock-solid inexpensive radio isn’t available in America as we’ve been turned into a 3rd World nation. Don’t even make one-half of what our fathers or grandfathers did for the same work sixty-years ago.

Be glad you can get what you can.

And treat them better. Why I posted a thread on Radio Transport Cases. Why your vehicle mount may need to be more than just a rack. Etc.

Do what you can to better reliability & longevity.

Any brand
Any price
Any installation.

.
 
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ljh505 said:
Uniden used to be a pretty reliable brand. I have a bunch of gear from the early 1990s that still works pretty well.

However, their newer units seem to have a ton of issues. I have a Bearcat 880 with a fading display, a CMX760 which quit working after a few weeks (transmit locks up, have to power off unit to reset it), and a PRO401HH handheld that just died in less than 10 days the second time using it.

Any idea what's up with Uniden? I'm sticking with Midland for ruggedized AM CB stuff for the time being.
Click to expand...
Welcome! With everything made in China now days, it's hard to tell what you are going to get. I have a 980 and it works great, but I don't really use it that often. I have heard about the display problem and I am not sure if it is a problem that was just isolated to a certain production run or not. The Anytone radios seem to be good quality for being Chinese. I have a 5555, 5555n, and the Smart. Maybe one of the guys that runs a repair shop can chime in on what radios they never see.
Chris
 
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Seems I never see anything that someone else hasn't already been into!

For reliability, stick with Pre-Y2K made. Not all of it is great but better than current production.
Many models can be found via Flea-Bay, Craigslist etc. A "Smart Shopper" can pick up a decent unit for a good to great price, have it refreshed and it will outlast most current production stuff.

73
David
 
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I see this as a transitional time between what once was the default that worked for all, that became the bane of any one user associated with using it.

Lead versus Silver soldering.

By then, most, if not all manufacturing of CB radios was done overseas.

So yeah, blame the Chinese - but it really starts with us, we took away the best method to adhere parts using Pb solder because in that form used in CB's it won't hurt others, but in it's natural form - it does.

So Lead Paint and it's bane, blame and fear-mongering - caught up to Radios'

Silver has it's merits, but in the process of making it a viable working medium - it wound up in many radios as a substitute and they failed epically - because it would not stand up to the abuses, vibrations and everyday use that Pb took in stride.
 
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Handy Andy said:
I see this as a transitional time between what once was the default that worked for all, that became the bane of any one user associated with using it.

Lead versus Silver soldering.
By then, most, if not all manufacturing of CB radios was done overseas.

So yeah, blame the Chinese - but it really starts with us, we took away the best method to adhere parts using Pb solder because in that form used in CB's it won't hurt others, but in it's natural form - it does.

So Lead Paint and it's bane, blame and fear-mongering - caught up to Radios'

Silver has it's merits, but in the process of making it a viable working medium - it wound up in many radios as a substitute and they failed epically - because it would not stand up to the abuses, vibrations and everyday use that Pb took in stride.
Click to expand...


“Safety” is nothing but a damned lie.

I was trying to find some 1,1,1 trichloroethane recently (Hatcher’s Notebook, AKA “Ed’s Red”) and it was a no-go.
 
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I have a Uniden Pro401HH and it works great! I use it when I work on my McKinley’s transmit/receive adjustments. I swapped the rubber duck for a 24” antenna. Picks up skip too!!
 

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