Uniden Introduces 3 new CB Radios -- Radical new designs

[UPMan]

The PRO505XL introduces a low-cost CB incorporating a PA function.

The PRO505XL is small, easy to install, and has a big LCD with great viewability.

The Bearcat 680 introduces a radical new design to the core CB lineup. Incorporating all the great features familiar to users of the PC68XL, it includes a large display that clearly shows the operating channel, S/RF levels, and the status of all options.

The Bearcat 680 incorporates PA, Mic Gain, LO/DX RF Level, Automatic Noise Limiter and Noise Blanker, and rapid channel 9/19 hot key. It will also be compatible with a Wireless Microphone (available Summer 2012).

The biggest change to CBs since 1985, the Bearcat 880 takes a radical new approach to a mature product category.

The Bearcat 880 incorporates a 7-color backlit display, integrated SWR meter, frequency display, talkback, adjustable Mic Gain and RF Gain, Automatic Noise Limiter, Noise Blanker, PA function, Weather with Alert, Day/Night backlight settings so you can instantly switch to your desired backlight color and brightness, radio diagnostics, memory channels with memory channel scan, and compatibility with a wireless microphone (expected to be available Summer 2012). It includes a noise-canceling microphone.

PRO505XL and Bearcat 680 are shipping now. Bearcat 880 will begin shipping in the next few months.

 

[Happy_Hamer]

Maybe we can get Uniden to donate one of each radio to the forum and we can do a review then do a giveaway?????

Feel free to contact any of the administrators here

 

[Wrench]

The new radios look like the AM/FM/DVD players in cars.
If you build it, they will buy.

 

[Black_Bart]

Not mentioned is the Uniden Bearcat 980 with SSB with the same design scheme, yup those are some nice looking radios, I may buy the 980 and see how it does on an A99, with all those tricked out export radios running high power on 38 LSB I probably wont have much of a chance to make many contacts with a barefoot 12 watts of SSB unless i catch a quiet moment where most are just not talking

looking forward to see whats under the hood on those new radios

ah, i see the other thread mentioning the 980 with SSB

 

[pro151]

Any radio without ANL/NB is junk in my book. When they wise up and start incorporating variable power as a standard feature, then they will be on the right track.

(You know, so you can turn the power down when talking to a nerarby station to keep from overloading his front end)

 

[mackmobile43]

Any radio without ANL/NB is junk in my book. When they wise up and start incorporating variable power as a standard feature, then they will be on the right track.

(You know, so you can turn the power down when talking to a nerarby station to keep from overloading his front end)

Here, here, a very good natured post.

 

[psycho]

(You know, so you can turn the power down when talking to a nerarby station to keep from overloading his front end) [/QUOTE]


I remember reading on CBRT, a trucker "special ordered" a Radioactive radios General Lee with the superwackpack on a switch so he could cut it off to keep from overdriving nearby trucker radios! :laugh:

 

[dxing.bruce]

re: New Uniden cb models.

I wrote Uniden several letters & emails with regards to new am/ssb cb radios.
I said that with the advent of surface mount circuits as seen in many new 10 meter & other amateur rigs, there in no reason Uniden could not produce a compact am/ssb cb with lots of features in a small size like their Pro-520xl.
You only have to look at the Cherokee AH100 handheld tranceiver & other new clone models which cover 10, 11 & 12 meters with am/fm/ssb and put out half decent power to know that Uniden is way behind in radio design.
They just keep comming out with more am only junk radios, when there is clearly a market for high quality am/ssb cb's.
I suggested to Uniden that they make one new basic am only mobile model, one basic am/ssb mobile model, then one deluxe am mobile model & one deluxe am/ssb mobile model. You could cover eveyones needs with 4 models.
Even if you wanted to use the Pro-520xl case size for a basic am/ssb cb you could fit all the required features with the existing knobs using dual ganged rotary potentiometers. As well as get rid of the cb/pa fuction switch and replace it with the am/lsb/usb fuction.
Also how about incorporating triple or quadruple conversion in new models to improve receiver sensitivity and selectivity. God forbid a manufacturer would want to spend a few more cents per radio in order to improve on the single and double conversion radios Uniden is still making, which by the way are old designs from the 1960's.
Hopefully Uniden gets with the program real soon before nobody is buying their cb's due to lack of enginering and marketability.

Bruce.

Toronto. Canada.

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

if the am only 880 is gonna cost 150 then the ssb model would seem to cost close to 200 bucks . i think very few informed users would choose a $200 cb over a magnum 257HP for about the same price . then start adding better components and front ends and more features then it becomes a 250-300 buck CB radio ..... and (assuming its is stable on ssb) then it's in the same price range as the 2950dx .

i'm interested in seeing if the new unidens get galaxy and ranger to improve and update their CB radios .

 

[9C1Driver]

Yea, I think they are going to have to have it in the Galaxy 979 price range to sell. The new Connex SSB cb does not seem to be doing much at 200 bucks.

 

[dxing.bruce]

re: new Uniden cb's

Just a quick note.
I hope these AM & the 980 SSB model are modifiable.
There is no point spending $150 - $200.00 on a cb that can't be modded
for export use.
Hopefully someone posts a mod on these new units.

Bruce.

 

[jazzsinger]

Just a quick note.
I hope these AM & the 980 SSB model are modifiable.
There is no point spending $150 - $200.00 on a cb that can't be modded
for export use.
Hopefully someone posts a mod on these new units.

Bruce.

if its any consolation, uniden whilst building radios for president france haven't released an unmodifiable radio in the past decade, its unlikely they'll start now.even the basic am/fm european spec radios can be modified for 120 or 240 ch's very easily.

 

[unit_399]

Whatever the perceived shortcomings, it's good to see some really NEW cb designs enter the market. Almost all of the export radios out there are just clones of the Uniden PB010AB (Cobra 148GTL-Dx), a 20+ year old design. Hopefully sales will be strong enough to inspire Uniden to bring out a modern successor to the PB010. Then the export guys (Connex, Galaxy, Magnum, etc.) will have something new to copy since they can't come up with a new design on their own. I'm really hoping Uniden comes out with a new high-end (and expandable) CB base.
As far as the price goes ... you get what you pay for. Uniden radios have always been stable and drift-free from the get-go, while the clone-makers junk is only stable (maybe) after a 1/2 hour warmup.

 

[RatsoW8]

Whatever the perceived shortcomings, it's good to see some really NEW cb designs enter the market. Almost all of the export radios out there are just clones of the Uniden PB010AB (Cobra 148GTL-Dx), a 20+ year old design. Hopefully sales will be strong enough to inspire Uniden to bring out a modern successor to the PB010. Then the export guys (Connex, Galaxy, Magnum, etc.) will have something new to copy since they can't come up with a new design on their own. I'm really hoping Uniden comes out with a new high-end (and expandable) CB base.
As far as the price goes ... you get what you pay for. Uniden radios have always been stable and drift-free from the get-go, while the clone-makers junk is only stable (maybe) after a 1/2 hour warmup.

I think it's impossible for a manufacturer to have a CB type accepted now if it's modifiable or at least user modifiable.

Hence the big underground market for export radios ( that really isn't so underground at all).

 

[unit_399]

I think it's impossible for a manufacturer to have a CB type accepted now if it's modifiable or at least user modifiable.
Hence the big underground market for export radios ( that really isn't so underground at all).

You're probably right about getting a modifiable radio type-accepted. But an updated PB010 or a new 10 meter export from Uniden would be nice to see.