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Bearcat 980 w/ AD-203

S

Spidermonkey

New Member
Apr 6, 2018
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I just ordered a bearcat 980, 102" whip, mount, coax and some Pl259 connectors along with an SWR and power meter.
I am getting back into CB and this time around want to dive into the electronics a bit more in depth. I have a decent understanding of electronics but outside of HF radios. I have repaired many stereo amplifiers and know the basics. I have decent soldering station, DMM, and mechanical electrical skills. What I don't have is radio/rf experience.
I have been trying to learn as much as I can and read everything I can that's relevant to this radio. I almost bought from SRC but already ordered by the time I saw his website. I like the idea of the AD-203 inside. I am sure I have the skill to pull off the install if I had a schematic. Also need to learn a bit more on the basics of tuning. Does anyone have any insight as to where I can find info on this? I would like to unlock the clarifier(confident I can do this NP), add the "AD stinger", and set the DK at about 2.75-3w. Can I use an oscilliscope to align frequency? Any tips on going about this or how to videos that are actual how to and not how not to?....argg...whish I knew more about RF. I'm from Winnipeg, Canada and don't know any techs up here and love doing my own projects. Any info or source for schematics would he awsome...can't seem to find for 980ssb. I am assuming mine will arrive in second version style.
 
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Welcome to WWDX! From what I hear the 980 is a good side band rig. I plan on getting one myself. As far as I know, there is no schematic available for this. I would go with an external amp if it was mine. Maybe someone who has worked on one of these will chime in.
Chris 73s
 
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as shade tree told you Uniden does not put out a schematic for their radios , you will be on your own trying to find what circuit does what. I have not worked on a 980 so far. only the 880 AM only radio is what I have worked on so far.
 
I have a Cobra 29 with a AD203 board installed. They will not do close to 100W as seen. You will have to replace the limiting resistor I believe to get the 100+ watts as you see on the videos. The KL203P will do the 100+ watts out of the box and it comes with a pre amp.
I am not a amp man so I may be wrong here.
 
Awsome. OK..I am now thinking the KL-203. Thanks for the input. My Bearcat just showed up today!!! Box looks a bit bruised....going to open it soon. Needmy other supplies to show up now....its teasing me!!!
 
I think you will be happy with the KL203 . did not notice any one telling you that with the ad203 you have to remove the speaker. so you would have to use an external speaker to hear an\y thing.
 
I would leave the Uniden as is and run an external amplifier. Those Stinger style add on's were temperamental at best, it would be a total crap shoot on a 980. Since your getting back into radio here are some tidbits about the 980.

1) very stable with clean audio.
2) Best left stock or do a very light tune or the finals will blow.
3) There is no service manual and it's a surface mount board (very very tiny)
4) To date there is no real channel mod for it so it is what it is.
 
Spidermonkey said:
I just ordered a bearcat 980, 102" whip, mount, coax and some Pl259 connectors along with an SWR and power meter.
I am getting back into CB and this time around want to dive into the electronics a bit more in depth. I have a decent understanding of electronics but outside of HF radios. I have repaired many stereo amplifiers and know the basics. I have decent soldering station, DMM, and mechanical electrical skills. What I don't have is radio/rf experience.
I have been trying to learn as much as I can and read everything I can that's relevant to this radio. I almost bought from SRC but already ordered by the time I saw his website. I like the idea of the AD-203 inside. I am sure I have the skill to pull off the install if I had a schematic. Also need to learn a bit more on the basics of tuning. Does anyone have any insight as to where I can find info on this? I would like to unlock the clarifier(confident I can do this NP), add the "AD stinger", and set the DK at about 2.75-3w. Can I use an oscilliscope to align frequency? Any tips on going about this or how to videos that are actual how to and not how not to?....argg...whish I knew more about RF. I'm from Winnipeg, Canada and don't know any techs up here and love doing my own projects. Any info or source for schematics would he awsome...can't seem to find for 980ssb. I am assuming mine will arrive in second version style.
Click to expand...
Wouldn't trust an O-scope to determine freq. Best to leave it to a decent freq counter to do the job right. Don't fret, as a decent one can be had for ~$50/used. Dunno if your O-scope is going to cut it either, since you dealt with audio range response. You will need a 50mhz/better to work on a CB. You will need a 50ohm/100w dummy load instead of an 8ohm load. You will also need to fabricate a simple RF sampler from scrap parts (easy to do). An RTL-SDR dongle will help with adjusting the 54mhz trap circuit, also easy to do. An RF power meter is also essential.

So having a PC dedicated will help immensely with schematics, service manuals, research, running the RTL-SDR dongle, and running the Comtekk SINAD program will also give you the capacity to align receivers. But that will come at an additional cost, since a lab grade freq gen will be required and run at the $200 - and above.

Klondike Mike (forum member) is a Canadian that restores/repairs radios. There are a bunch of forum members that are quite capable and knowledgeable with radio repair issues.
 
Last edited:
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Thank you so much for the responses. I don't think my scope is high enough now that you mention the frequency. Since I do audio..might be worth looking at a new oscop that goes into HF /UHF range. I'll need to look. I could see myself putting CBs in all 5 vehicles we have...like a dog on a bone when I get I to something......so might be worth investing in some equipment. New oscope and freq gen have been on my list for a while. Dummy load would be needed to. I have seen some videos where people run a power metwr with "slugs"... Is this the dummy loads? Some of that stuff you listed went over my head...but that's OK..I'll read up on it. Half the battle is getting the small bit of Info I need to run off and reaserch it.
RTL-SDR, comtekk SINAD, RF sampler....need to google those. The more I research the more I start to put the pieces together and understand it all.
Awesome info.
I think I will go the KL203p (maybe no p..I have heard it just amplifies noise...).
Don't plan to crank up the CB...if anything tune down to about 2.75-3w output on AM.
Klondike Mike sounds like a good guy to speak with....got a rough idea where in Canada he hangs his hat?
 
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Well..antenna showed up. Hooked it up, ran my RG-8U cable, put the pl259s on. Checked cable for good cenections and no shorts. Hooked up to radio and got an SWR of 9??? Checked grounds... All good.
I have the DX engineering 102" whip mounted directly to a mirror mount bracket to the frame. I'm wondering if its too short as its intended to be used with a spring?
 
Spidermonkey said:
Well..antenna showed up. Hooked it up, ran my RG-8U cable, put the pl259s on. Checked cable for good cenections and no shorts. Hooked up to radio and got an SWR of 9??? Checked grounds... All good.
I have the DX engineering 102" whip mounted directly to a mirror mount bracket to the frame. I'm wondering if it's too short as its intended to be used with a spring?
Click to expand...

First, I don't think the lack of a spring would spring up to a "9" get it?
Second if they sent you the wrong whip maybe something for another band? then it would not be the right length if it's a 102 whip then it should be 102" inches!

Make Sure you have all the insulators properly installed on the mount?
And of course, you checked the coax for both continuity and shorts or even high resistance?
 
haha..Well..im ready to spring into action to fix this...apparently I can repair audio equipment and run miles of RG6 but not so good at RF.
So I checked continuity from Tip to TIp of the RG8, no issue. Checked for shorts between tip and case..infinite resistance as it should be. Checked the radio end 259 case with chassis ground and got continuity. Checked radio tip to ground, infinite resistance.
Antenna measures 102".
So...now im scratching my head.
 

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