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
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Thomas W.
> 3 dayIm a trucck driver and really liked this radio untill the display screen started fading out. Did some research and found this is a common known problem. All functions depend on the display to operate. Shop wants 90 dollars to replace the screen. I cannot recommend this radio for the overall price you will pay.
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bobby
> 3 dayI like the sideband, but dont like that the course and fine tune you cant see what frequency it is tuned to. I like the sound quality is great and other people say i sound great. I dont like that I had to buy a external SWR meater to get a accurate SWR reeding . I give this radio a 4.
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Spectre9298
> 3 dayOverall a good radio in all honesty, especially for the price. On SSB, they do not tend to drift. Ive enjoyed two of these things. However, Ill get down to some cons... Do not, under and circumstance, clean the screen with anything other than a microfiber cloth. These screens scratch VERY easily. In a mobile truck application where things get a film of dust on them, good luck.... Next Ill point out the screen backlighting is not quite bright enough for sun contact in a mobile. Warning you on that as well. Lastly, my oldest one Ive owned has developed an issue to not turn on when I turn the power knob. All I get is a screen flicker, or a flash, then back out again. It at times takes multiple tries before I get it going. Its like a pull start motor....sometimes difficult to get the thing going but once going it has NO issues when it is going. Strange. My oldest unit is only 1yr, 5mo old.
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WVfadedglory
> 3 dayLet me start by saying that I have owned many CB Radios over the years, different brands and styles, and I always end up back to a Uniden. This Uniden Bearcat 980 is a great general use CB radio, receives and transmits very well when paired up with a good quality antenna. The only downfall I have found with this CB is the display lights on the front, very hard to see the display such as channels etc. when in direct sunlight or bright light such as during the day in your vehicle. The display cannot be adjusted bright enough to counteract the brightness of daylight so it is downright impossible to see the display at certain times of day. I gave this radio 4 stars because it is absolutely a great CB, 1 star knocked off due to the dim display light that can’t be seen well in bright light.
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Adam Kowaleski
> 3 dayI 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.
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BANGKOKBANKS
> 3 dayFor the hard core CBer I assume this would be a prize radio. As for me, I am a ham radio operator; my use for a CB to my surprise came when we bought our Motorhome. The CB is a necessary tool on long trips, cross country journeys to listen to truckers on Channel 19. CB is handy to hear traffic reports, weather and local chatter than one would not normally be privileged to. Ham Radio would not have the arcane yet gruff world of trucking yet I find incredible utility and use when traveling with my CB. That said, the Uniden Bearcat CB Radio, is a smart system of technology. The sleek design with user-choice multiple colored display looks sharp and compliments the dashboard / cockpit of my 2016 year class A motorhome. The ease of tuning the radio without the need for an external meter - was a plus feature that I was not expecting from a radio of this class, yet Uniden always impresses me with their unique equipment options with users in mind. I use Uniden scanners and handheld radios; this CB radio is no exception, its design is first class. I like the weather push button option, quick easy way to check the local weather from NOAA wherever you are. The microphone is high quality with a push button that feels like a team of designers decided to make this one last. Personally I like the look of the mic as it has this sort of space age look to it. The radio performed well on our last 4000 mile journey across the USA. The sound is that CB sound, that cuts through road noise but easy to squelch out if desired, signals boomed in from far away and my signal reports, combined with the Firestik CB antenna, were stellar.
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Anonymous1
> 3 dayWhat 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!
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Ron Lybarger
> 3 dayIt is as advertised
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Robert Sellers
> 3 dayThe volume on the radio does not work out of the box couldnt tell if the rest of it worked or not there was no volume
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Scott
> 3 dayVery good radio if paired with a good tuned antenna