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

Giant quality and features in a small package. This is the 1st radio that I have ever purchased and installed from the box to the vehicle without any tune ups, etc.except for tuning the SWR. Its been a fantastic radio so far. I am using an Astatic 302-636LB 1 noise cancelling mic & a Wilson 1000 roof mounted antenna. I live in a very rural area so I can usually pick up 1 weather channel in each of the local counties I travel. Ive had very good response from others on the channels as far as good quality of sound as well as decent distance. Im sure that if I peaked & tuned it, it may be even better however, for out of the box, you cant beat it. One of the best features is the size. It allows for many options when mounting since it is so small. So far... very happy.

I was pleased with the overall quality and operation of the radio. I have not experienced the weather alerts nor used the SSB operation. The one problem I had was the screws provided to hold the microphone to the side of the radio did not match the holes in the radio. They were too small or too large depending on which set was chosen. I close to tap the holes in the radio and use machine screws from my shop. This will not matter if you plan to mount the microphone holder on some other surface. Just drill holes to match one of the two screw sizes provides and you will be fine.

UPDATED REVIEW: I picked mine in September 2014. My initial review gave 5 stars, but my Bearcat 980 stopped transmitting after 6 1/2 months. Ive used CB radios for close to 40 years, so Im pretty familiar with whats out there. I take good care of mine. My closet has a small warehouse of about 30 different CB radios accumulated over time and put to use in various applications - mostly camping and boating. An additional CB radio was not needed, but I got too good a deal to pass this one up...or so I thought. The Uniden Bearcat 980 SSB mobile has an amazing number of features. The built in SWR meter and mic gain alone will save you $100.00 in additional components that you otherwise would have to buy. The best part is that they really work! I tweaked the mic gain adjustment and regularly got compliments on the audio quality of my transmission using just the stock microphone. Theres no need for an amplified mic. Other features include talk back, SWR warning, PA, RF gain, scan, weather channels, bright/dim control, color selection for your read outs, noise limiter/noise blanker, diagnostics (voltage in and RF out), etc. It has so many features, Im was reluctant to use it in the car. Id be so busy playing with all of the features that I could easily take my eyes off the road. Its short life span was spent exclusively as a base. On the down side, the radio only put out 3 watts instead of the legal limit of 4 watts on AM. Similarly, it put out about 10.6 watts instead of the allowable 12 in SSB mode. The below-specs output seems to be a common problem with new radios. On the other hand, the tolerances on this unit were great. It was consistently right on frequency. Other high profile manufacturers have problems with their radios drifting off frequency. Not Uniden. In the big picture, I was willing to live with the 3 watt output and enjoy everything else this unit did right. Unfortunately, my Bearcat 980 died an early death. It stopped transmitting after 6 1/2 months. Uniden requires that warranty repair be initiated by the seller. My seller ignored my requests and simply did not respond. Amazon stepped up to the plate and refunded me my money with no non-sense. Amazon is now selling these for $105.00. That would be a steal for a single side band radio, but I have seen too many reports on various radio websites about Uniden Bearcat 980 failures. Considering the reliability issues that are coming to light, Im going to pass on replacing this one - even at the bargain price Amazon is now offering them at. I now using a 23 year old Cobra 148GTL in the spot where I previously had the Uniden Bearcat 980. The 148 GTL sits next to a 34 year old Realistic Navaho TRC 490 SSB base. My Uniden Bearcat 980 experience confirms for me that they dont make CB radios like they used to.

every good ham shack should have a CB, because in an emergency situation, its a bad idea to limit your communications to just amateur radio operators. This a decent SHTF tool. No complaints from me.

I started out getting a cheap CB with no extras to see if I liked it. After playing around for a few days I decided I wanted the extra goodies. This radio is fantastic; I chose it over the comparable cobra. The Bearcat 980 is the same thing, except with SSB. Ive read that most people dont use SSB, but if you are planning on using this with an exclusive group this option may suit your needs. I put this on my 2000 Chevy Astro and am using it with a 4 Firestik. Here are a few notes: 1) Forget the cigarette lighter plug, buy some 14 gauge wire from the auto store and run it directly to your battery. This will GREATLY reduce the electrical interference from your engine. I first used the cig lighter and the interference was terrible. 2) This unit has a built in SWR meter, antenna checker, ANL AND NB (further reduces interference from outside sources), weather alert, all channel scan, and RF gain control. I use all these features regularly. These are the major goodies youre paying the extra money for and they make it 100x more enjoyable. 3) Make sure to tune your antennas SWR to prevent damage to the radio. 4) The aesthetics and build quality are great - being able to change the colors is way cool.

Ive had the exact same model of this CB for many years without any issues. The display on the old one started becoming dim when it got warm and I was unable to read it (a known issue with this model), so I opted to purchase a new one just like it. What a mistake. First, the display is very dim on its highest setting. Hard to read in bright light. (that never happens outside!) Second, I was unable to get an SWR below 2.3. Three different antennas--same thing. Power output was ~2 watts, half of what it should be. On a different radio, SWR about 1.1 on each antenna with ~4 watt output. I was really hoping this would be a good radio like the old one I have. I love its features and the fact it is SSB. With a couple mods and better QC, this would be the radio to have! Returned it for a refund as I dont know what I want to get now. My 15 yr old Cobra SSB still works great!

Radio has a lot of features but does not come calibrated. Took quite a while to calibrate the channels where they need to be

for the price, the radio really seems to receive pretty well. a lot of the configuration is menu driven. i am using this as base station, so i dont have to worry about trying to make changes while driving. i like the radio overall now that i have discovered its two primary flaws: the display has issues and goes out over time (mine has not yet), and the stock mic that comes with it is pretty much bad. i replaced it with a powered mic (Astatic Road Devil; $40 approximately on Amazon), and that eliminated any problems transmitting. time will tell if the display has issues for me, but, for now, this is a four star radio for the money. i also have several AnyTone AT6666s, and those are worth their weight in gold. the Bearcat 980 is a great radio for beginners so long as you get a power mic to go along with it. photo shows both the radio with the Road Devil power mic.

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.

I operate this unit barefoot as a base station connected to a Tram 1499 antenna mounted about 25 feet above ground. This radio is priced cheap but has excellent performance. Without getting technical there are a lot of factors that contribute to reception and transmission distance but I can say that from my location I am able to consistently speak with people as far away as 15 to 20 air miles while operating on standard CB AM mode. But this radio also functions in (SSB) single sideband mode so dont be surprised when you realize that youre talking with people in other states and other countries, so enough said about that. I could go on and on about how good this radio is and how much sweeter it is because of the low price but I wont. If youre into CB, curious about CB or just want a radio around for a possible emergency then you shouldnt hesitate to order this one. This is a great unit and I without a doubt recommend it and would purchase it again. *I did hold back a star only because the knobs feel a little flimsy but its not something to stress over. Purchase this radio and youll be as happy as I am with its performance. This is a great CB radio.