Uniden BEARCAT 980 40- Channel SSB CB Radio with Sideband NOAA WeatherBand,7- Color Digital Display PA/CB Switch and Noise Cancelling Mic, Wireless Mic Compatible

This new Uniden CB is amazing, the reception is so much better than the old ones from the 80s I got from Goodwill and the sound so much clearer I can hardly believe it. It will pickup stations on almost every channel and the sound is clear so I can actually understand what some of the folks on there are saying now. Besides SSB and weather band it has lots of extra features like a built in SWR meter and a voltmeter to display the power supply/ battery voltage. Even though it receives good, when I pressed the transmit key on the mic and talked into it nothing happened! The meter showed that it was transmitting full power but I didnt hear anything. Even though most CB mics have a 4 pin plug this one uses an odd ball 6 pin plug but they included an adapter so you can use another mic. I tired a different mic and it worked so I took the mic apart and the wiring seemed to be OK but I found a piece of white plastic stuck over the hole in the front that was keeping sound out. When I peeled that off it worked just fine. There is a black fiber piece stuck over the hole and the white plastic piece. Take off the white plastic piece, throw it away and put the mic back together and it will work much better. Also, when using the WX receiver it would only play one strong channel and the others were quiet even though I know there are more channels. The problem turned out to be the Squelch control for WX on the PC board being turned up too far. If you remove the bottom cover and look at the PC board there is a square metal box near the center with a lot of solder on it. Just to the right of it is a tiny trim pot called RT500 labeled Wx Sq. There is a special tool thats used to adjust it but a tiny Philips screwdriver will work too. If you look closely there is a center point on it that will be set point down at about the 5:00 position. It needs to be turned clockwise to the 6:00 position or about 20 degrees to turn down the Squelch in order to get weaker stations. Its not critical and if you turn it too far it wont hurt anything, you will just get noise on the channels that dont have a station. BTW, dont buy the used ones. While it looks like a good deal to get an open box item at a lower price they are bad ones that were broken by the first buyer then returned which is what you will get since Amazon doesnt test them.

EXCELLENT receive audio. I have mine plugged into a hifi speaker that came off the side of a plasma TV, sounds great. Ive gotten great audio reports on the TX quality. Im even pretty happy with the stock mic. The display looks great. The changeable display colors are a lot of fun! Will be great when the radio eventually goes in the truck. You can match the color to the rest of your instruments, or go nuts with some of the wilder colors. ;) The brightness and contrast controls are really slick for setting it up so as not to cause fatigue or distraction. Now, heres a few concerns and criticisms, but for me, it does not sour me on this radio in the least: Mine out of the box does 3W dk. Have not gone inside and turned it up yet, though I plan to. Were allowed 4 Watts, so that’s what I want! All that Ive read indicates the adjustment will work out fine. I did, however, do the beep mod, in which you unsolder one SMD resistor to get rid of the ABSOLUTELY USELESS, ANNOYING, and LOUD BEEP every time you twist a knob or push a button. This radio is annoying as heck, esp. with an external speaker, until this is done. Google for it, the instructions are out there, youtube. This radio does indeed have the Mitsubishi RD16HHF1 Mosfet final, Ive confirmed it in mine. I had some concern in reading in forums that these radios blow finals, but once I learned what the part was, I was ok with it as I already have a couple of these parts in my bin. Replacements are a whole $4.75 from RF parts, or 2 for 10 from this guy, without RFparts minimum order: www.kitsandparts.com/transistors.php I have some ideas in my mind of adding an external heat sink to the back of the radio, Im not really convinced the final has adequate heat-sinking, just the thin piece of aluminium that makes up the rear panel of the radio. This is a great radio for the tinkering hobbyist, and its the most inexpensive new SSB CB out there.

The built in SWR meter is accurate and easy to use. I verified the reading with an external SWR meter. Power output is at specification when using a tuned antenna. The supplied microphone is adequate for mobile use but a good power mic does improve sound quality and reduce distortion. Good radio.

Just installed so I cant say yea or ney yet. Disappointed how dim it lights up in the daytime, even with full brightness. Hard to see in daytime light. Will evaluate after I get familiar with the 980 SSB. I took off 2 stars for dim lighting.

Really like product

Uniden pulled out of the am/ssb market a long time ago leaving a large vacant hole. Evidently they have decided to return to the market with the Uniden Bearcat 980SSB mobile. Initial impressions (just looking at the pictures) are that it looks like the typical cheap looking chinese stuff Ive seen pushed on us for decades. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer a analog s/rf meter vs. the digital ones. Like many CBs sold today, you can play around with color schemes to find one that suits you. It doesnt have any great mods and reminds me of Radio Shack CBs which were pretty darn hard to modify, if at all, keeping their nose clean with the Feds. It does come with weather bands (Ooooooh). Personally, Id rather have a smaller meter and a frequency readout rather than channel numbers, but thats just me. From reading about half the reviews and doing some digging around I came to three conclusions: 1. The BEEP is annoying, but apparently there is a fix for that out on the internet 2. Most of these seems to arrive dead-on frequency which youd really (REALLY) want if you couldnt mod the clarifier for SSB transmissions, otherwise youd get a bunch of sidebanders kinda angry at ya. 3. Unless someone comes up with anything else, the Beep mod is it. Okay, Review Part 1 is over. Expect updates to occur from time-to-time as I find things I like or dont care for, not to mention performance. Ill also keep updates fresh on my Blog. Nuff Said, Woody UPDATE: 031813 Were on PART II of this review, and I expect it to have many parts [ed. - many = more than 3]. In my haste to get Part 1 off, I should have proof read it AND used my reading glasses because I never saw the tiny frequency readout under the large channel number, so I sit corrected. Ive yet to dive into any reading material, so I may have to correct myself another time - well have to see about that, or what time I will have to read. The radio has a channel 9/19 push button switch, which has been around forever (or maybe it just seems that way), and except for traffic from Mexico or further South, Ive never heard anything useful on channel 9 for decades. Some radios Ive run across let you set another channel for channel 9, like the local hangout channel, and I do like being able to jump to 19 for a quick update on traffic from time-to-time. With this rig, being computer controlled, it would have been nice if you were (for example) on ch.38 LSB and switched to channel 19 that it would be smart enough/or programmed to change the mode from sideband to AM for you automatically and then back again when you return to 38 LSB. Much like a Blogger, or anyone who writes regularly, they should have proof-read the box the radio comes in. For instance it has three modes: AM, USB, and LNB. I know Ive been away from buying new rigs for awhile so maybe there is an LNB mode, but I doubt it. As far as the color schemes go, to be specific, you have 7 options, and I like the fact that it has a 9 cord on the hand microphone. While were on things I like, I may as well mention the adjustable Backlit control. As for the physical outlay it is just okay. Depending on how and where you mount it depends on whether or not it is more-or-less okay with you. The ON/OFF, squelch/volume control is located on the top left side of the front panel with the microphone jack being just below which is convenient but I would have arranged the placement of the push buttons differently. Along the bottom of the panel you have push buttons for: S/RF/SWR Calibration CB/PA Mem/Scan 9/19/Normal ANL/NB, and AM/USB/LSB Above the AM/USB/LSB button youll find buttons for: Weather Mic Gain RF Gain, and Talkback These are farthest away from your reach, in a typical under the dash mount so I would have preferred the bottom row to be (in this order): AM/USB/LSB ANL/NB Mic Gain RF Gain, and 9/19/Normal With the remaining buttons along the right side, farthest from your reach, but not necessarily often used, and Im torn between leaving the on-off/squelch/volume to being on-off/clarifier/volume, and yeah, Im being a bit picky now. On the box it mentions that the radio is wireless microphone compatible and directs you to learn more about it on their website. I learned that theres no picture of it, that its not available yet, and costs $99.99. A very nice surprise is the warranty - 2 years. Its not very often youll see that, so I suspect they dont expect to get many sent back within that period, and I was also surprised to see that they furnished you with a 6-pin to 4-pin microphone adapter as well. There is some slight confusion regarding the clarifier. On the box it states that its 1.0khz clarifier (+/-), but in the manual it says its 1.5khz (+/-). As far as the scan feature goes (usually not any farther than I could throw it), you do get the option to select certain channels for it to scan, thus making the feature worthwhile. Adjacent channel rejection as stated in the manual is 60dB which is better than many CBs made in the last 20 years or so. And that my friends, ends Part 2 of the review. Ill have to make some room in the truck and figure out where to mount this before proceeding. UPDATE: 032413 [Part 3 & 4] One of the first things you notice when taking the radio out of the box is its size (smaller than a Grant), in fact, it reminded me of another radio Ive owned and reviewed in the past - Midlands 79-290 AM/SSB mobile rig. I didnt have the actual size of the Midland to compare with, but I think these two are fairly close in their respective footprint. While the 980 does not have a removable front panel, the layout is strikingly close as well. Both radios have the Volume/Squelch control at the top-left of the front panel and the microphone plug below it. A set of horizontal buttons run across the bottom where, in the bottom right corner, youll find the coarse/fine clarifier control and above it the channel selector knob. I guess if youve never held the Midland the similarities in physical size and control layout wouldnt be so obvious. Im not inferring that these are the same radios on the inside - The 79-290 came out in the early/mid 1990s, had dual finals, and a removable faceplate; features completely different than the 980, as well as being fairly easy to modify for expanded frequencies, FM, and a open clarifier. Nonetheless its something to wonder about.....Did the company that won the bid to make the 79-290 also win the bid to make the Uniden Bearcat 980? As others have commented before, this is a good looking radio - right out of the box, but doesnt have that rugged feel to it. Give it six months in your vehicle and it wont look like the girl you took to the dance, the black plastic will show dust, dirt, and scratches easily. Used at home with a power supply, unless you own a cat that always finds an itch to scratch, it should maintain the newness factor longer than if it were in your car or truck. Ive read about low SSB output straight out of the box on some models, and how to adjust it internally, as well as that infernal beep - which Im pretty certain is fixable now. I dont mind that its a straight 40 channel rig because I usually run a 40ch AM/SSB mobile in the truck along with my HAM gear - I just hope its on frequency when I get it powered up [perhaps Sunday Ill have a chance to clear off some bench space and do some initial testing]. As far as microphones go, I may use the factory mike and call it a day, or use one of my dependable, yet older, microphones - but Ill have to test the factory mike first. Back in the 90s I owned a Uniden PC-122 am-ssb mobile. It was a little tiny thing compared to anything else available, and I did a audio test with a friend of mind using an Astatic D-104m, a Turner +3 hand mike, and of course the stock microphone which came with the PC-122. The winner? The stock microphone on the PC-122. My friend said he had never heard me sound so natural on sideband in all of our years to communications and that Id better not replace the stock mike. I took his advice and during the period I owned it, I received many questions like What kinda mike are you using cause its one of the best sounding microphones Ive ever heard, and other similar comments. No one believed me when I told them it was just a stock mike on a Uniden PC-122, so heres to crossing my fingers that Ill get the same results with this one. [....And now - finally to the end] In our last exciting episode I believe I was comparing this to Midlands 79-290, somewhat feature-wise, but mostly the footprint (the space that it takes up in your vehicle) and comparing it to my daily companion: a Cobra 138 GTL 40ch. mobile. First, the weight difference. Neither radio had mounting brackets or microphone attached, so I was weighing the radio only. The 980 was (to my surprise) 2lbs. 6oz while the 138GTL came in at 5lbs. 8oz. I can only speculate that the added plastic and SMDs in the 980 was the reason it was so light weight. Once again, its weight was similar to the Midland. I spent a week with the 980 in the truck and came up with these non-scientific results using Wilsons lil Wil mag mount on the roof of my SUV: Either the receiver was too Hot, or the Adjacent Channel rejection NOT, but I experienced/noticed an unusual amount of bleed over from channel 19 as compared to the 35 year old Cobra. YES - that damn beep was driving me freaking crazy. Why they couldnt have put an on/off control, and/or volume setting to the beep is beyond me. For instance, with Cobras re-designed 29 mobile you can easily disable the beep via the menu system in the radio. I never found a perfect visual setting for being able to see everything on the front panel, during mid-afternoon driving time (I have the same problem with my GPS). Receive audio was done with Icoms SP10 external speaker, which Ive always used when mobile so it was the only fair choice I had to compare it with the Cobras, as it too used the SP10. Except for the extra bleed over, I couldnt really tell a difference, although I missed the receive tone control on the front panel of the Cobra. Transmitting audio seemed about the same. Those that replied to my A/B test were split down the middle - about 50% preferring the Cobra, and 50% the 980, both using a non-amplified noise-blanking hand microphone. Noise Blanking. When it came to this category Id have to call it even (which is good, because many transceivers have lousy noise blankers in them). The weather function worked very well, in fact, much better than any other CB Ive had with a weather reception feature. The purchase price was very reasonable compared to some online price gouging Ive seen. And.....Thats about it. The only really BIG question is: How long will this last? My Cobra is about 35 years old and still working fine. I dont expect the 980 to do the same, but it would be nice to buy a new rig and have it last longer than a year or two before its junked. When it really warms up (down in Texas you dont have to wait too long), Ill put the 980 back in the truck and see how it holds up under the heat. [I once owned a rig that was truck celing mount and I had to park in an outside parking lot. When I got out of work, Id start the truck up, crank up the A/C and turn the rig on. Reception was a garbled mess, as was the front panel - I couldnt read anything, until the cab temp. cooled down. Once it dropped about 5 degrees Id turn the rig back on and it acted normal again. So Im curious on how well the Uniden handles the Texas heat. Look for an update then.] SUMMARY - In some respects the Uniden Bearcat 980 surprised me, because if youre a regular reader of this Blog, or my Amazon reviews, you know that Im not a big fan of anything made in China. The fact that its not as deep as a full-sized rig may help those with limited mounting positions/space, but theyll have to take the daylight driving vs. seeing the screen into consideration as well when choosing a mounting location. Perusing the Internet via Google I found a mod to kill the beep, but no one replied that they tried it too and it worked, so Im still dubious about that one, and really, thats about the only Mod I found for this transceiver. If I were in the market for a new AM/SSB rig I would definitely consider this one (and probably buy it), but Im not, so the 138 is back in its usual spot in the truck. Nuff Said, Woody

Radio functions OK. The radio needed a power microphone for use on SSB as modulation level is low. The stock mic would only drive the SSB transmitter up to a few watts. Things not seen in the instructions... To use the channel scanner, You must first turn the squelch up. The scanner will not start if there is any noise coming from the speaker. The RF gain is adjustable if the RF gain button is held down and the channel knob is turned. Numbers appear on the face as the knob is turned indicating the RF gain level. After 9 months had trouble with the radio not turning on. Switch would have to be clicked on and off repeatedly for the radio to come on. Took the bottom cover off and sprayed DeOxit into a small crevice on the closed up rectangular volume control. Found a small metal tab on the side of the volume control that was touching a rectangular pad on the daughterboard for the face but not soldered to it. Soldered it on. After having an external speaker plugged in for 9 months found the internal speaker no longer works. Think the speaker plug contacts are not springing back properly. Left that as it was and plugged the internal speaker back in. Radio turns on OK now, still using it.

What I don’t like is the display. I have it set at its brightest level (15) and have trouble seeing the channel number and swr and s/rf levels. I drive a dump truck and when you swith between pits/jobs and certain drivers are on certain channels, you struggle to see it at times during the day, which is very distracting. Shouldn’t have to struggle seeing the display during the day time. Please fix that area!!!! Other than that, it works great!

DO NOT TRUST the built in SWR meter! More than one person has reported the SWR meter reads 1.00 on all channels which just isnt right. Three will always be at least a small variance between 1 and 40 and it certainly wont read 1.0 across all channels. Buy yourself an inexpensive SWR meter or have a competent shop check it for you before you transmit out. Other than that this is a decent CB. The stock mic worked well enough on a mic gain of four. I got good reports with it. The sound was a bit tinny I thought. I now have a D104-M6B. I set the mic gain to one and turned the mic up to about three and it modulates very well. This is my first CB and I am enjoying it. Ive had this for about 9 months and no problems to report other than the SWR meter.

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