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Uniden 980 quick pros/cons please?
- Thread starter Bearcat
- Start date
Pros: Solid on frequency, nice clear audio.
Cons: Final blows up easy, no "real" extra channel mods, not real powerful.
~Cheers~
Cons: Final blows up easy, no "real" extra channel mods, not real powerful.
~Cheers~
Negative, it uses a very specific kind of final, and I have tried experimenting with different ones, but they didn't work. The final in the 980's is an RD16HHF1 made by Mitsubishi. It has a unique pinout that is different from most MOSFETS.
~Cheers~
~Cheers~
If you turn the power back some or add a fan or heatsink I beleive it would help the issue of blown finals. I've had my 980 for over a couple years now and it still works like a champ. I have the AM power set at 2 watt DK, 6 watt pep, and about 8 watts on SSB. The radio doesn't seem to get near as hot as it did before turning power back a bit. The finals are a weak spot for sure with this radio. With that said, you won't find another SSB CB radio for the same cost new as the 980 or similar that will be any better. JMHO. Like said, there is little to be done to them as far as mods go. Uniden shut the door on this one!! You can unlock the clarifier if you wish but if the radio is transmitting on frequency then leave it locked. JMO on that. Like said they are a good radio for the price. Not a power house or big swing radio, but audio is clean and clear with the right mic. Some like the stick mic, I went with the Bluetooth mic from uniden and drilled the mic hole out a bit and it gets good audio reports. Clean and clear. Use a small amp like an RM Italy KL203 with one and you have a near 100 watt setup that will sound good on SSB. Have heard quite a few fellas using this setup and they sound just fine. Again, the main issue with the radio is the final. Some have reported that by adding a fan that they have not blown a final since performing this mod as it keeps the final cool. Just some food for thought.
To keep it FCC approved!! Bottom line. The radio isn't bad at all and like I said for $100 or less maybe, you get a brand new CB/SSB radio. You won't find one in the some price range that is as stable on SSB as this radio. If you want more power add an external amp!! Does it really matter if you're 1 watt over legal limit or 100 watts?? You are illegal either way. As well as channel expansion. Uniden built a pretty good radio for the money if you ask me!! Yeah it's not a power house radio but it is clean and clear, adding an amp that is a true AB biased amp and you have a clean setup going out the antenna. It's hard to over drive pretty well most amps with this radio set at proper levels for dead key. I've used it with my older TNT600HD that has Toshiba 2879's and it sounds great on SSB!! In the end you really have to ask yourself how serious and how deep your pockets are as far as radios go and the hobby itself. You can find an HF radio that will sound fine on AM, the kenwood 480hx doesn't sound bad at all on AM is you set it up right. But that is like comparing apples and oranges. For the money the 980 is a good buy. Yes there are better radios out there for both AM and SSB use that could fit your bill, but it just depends on how serious and how much you'll actually be using the radio. JMHO.
Pro: good quality sounds reasonably good without modification
Con: Hard to modify, modulation is a little light.
If you want extra channels and more power look at the Ranger 10 meter export radios. I had the 2970N2 and like a dummy I sold it and I have not replaced it, yet! As soon as I find a new one from one of my local vendors I'm gonna snatch it up and make a permanent item in my collection of radios. You know the song "You never know what you got till it's gone"?
I got complements on the quality of the signal and the audio.
Con: Hard to modify, modulation is a little light.
If you want extra channels and more power look at the Ranger 10 meter export radios. I had the 2970N2 and like a dummy I sold it and I have not replaced it, yet! As soon as I find a new one from one of my local vendors I'm gonna snatch it up and make a permanent item in my collection of radios. You know the song "You never know what you got till it's gone"?
I got complements on the quality of the signal and the audio.
I had a Bearcat 980 that worked beautifully for about 6 1/2 months. Then it blew the final. I replaced the final and it blew again. The final gets hot real fast. I suspect something has failed and appears to be sending excess voltage into the final. Going to have to trace and see where the problem lies.
The Bearcat 980 worked great while it worked. With the internal mic gain at 3/4 and an Astatic 636, the audio was exceptional. The radio was spot on frequency. It has great features. There are just a few too many reports out there of failures, so I see a quality control issue.
I decided not to replace the radio.
The Bearcat 980 worked great while it worked. With the internal mic gain at 3/4 and an Astatic 636, the audio was exceptional. The radio was spot on frequency. It has great features. There are just a few too many reports out there of failures, so I see a quality control issue.
I decided not to replace the radio.
Are there any cases of finals blowing in bone stock radios or have they all been tuned?
It's obvious Uniden doesn't want people modifying these, a final with limited headroom for more power may just be another way to limit what it can do.
Yep; it is otherwise a solidly built radio with premium parts and an eye on the FCC regs.
Fine choice among current CB radios when you take everything into consideration - IMO.
Yep. Rob nailed it!! For what you get for the money it's hard to beat. Add a small heat sink or fan and I don't think the final will be and issue. Also with just lowering the DK to 2 watts and keeping limiter in place and set properly nets about 6 watts pep. SSB power is fine. No one will notice the difference in power even at 10 watts pep on SSB. For the money, they are the best CB/SSB radio that is FCC approved. Can't find a new radio for $100 with all the features that this radio has. But it's got it's downfalls as well as noted. But I beleive those can easily be resolved with a simple mod. I think Grogan added a fan to his and has stated since then the radio has been fine!! Even rag chewing.
Mine was untouched. From the factory, it put out 3 watts on AM and 9.6 to 10 watts on SSB. It never drove an amp.
My base antenna at first was an A99 and then an IMAX 2000. SWRs were never an issue. The only "modification" was use of the Astatic 636 mic instead of the stock mic.
I pulled out my 1992 Cobra 148GTL to take over where the Bearcat failed. I also have a 30+ year old Realist Navaho TRC-490 hooked up. The old-timers continue to serve faithfully where the Bearcat 980 died an early death.
My base antenna at first was an A99 and then an IMAX 2000. SWRs were never an issue. The only "modification" was use of the Astatic 636 mic instead of the stock mic.
I pulled out my 1992 Cobra 148GTL to take over where the Bearcat failed. I also have a 30+ year old Realist Navaho TRC-490 hooked up. The old-timers continue to serve faithfully where the Bearcat 980 died an early death.
If you still have the carcass of the 980 I would like to buy it. I have a experiment in mind for it.
The FCC should relax the 4 watt rule !!! Look at 10 meters,you can run just about anything