Uniden 980 crystal swap for lowers

[Harley3315]

Can anyone tell me what crystal is the mixer they aren't marked and what crystal I would need to swap in to get it to drop in to the 40 lower channels only looking to be able to go down to 26.815 for the most part our standby channel we use her locally. Maybe point me in the direction to were to buy the right crystal to do this.

 

[AmericanEagle575]

Can anyone tell me what crystal is the mixer they aren't marked and what crystal I would need to swap in to get it to drop in to the 40 lower channels only looking to be able to go down to 26.815 for the most part our standby channel we use her locally. Maybe point me in the direction to were to buy the right crystal to do this.

Hey Harley 3315, if I remember correctly,the Uniden 980 can't be modified for Xtra Channels without extensive modifications to the radio itself, would almost be cheaper in the long run to pick up a used export Radio if that's what you want to do,jmo. Hope it helps...............

Steve
AE 575

 

[Harley3315]

Hey Harley 3315, if I remember correctly,the Uniden 980 can't be modified for Xtra Channels without extensive modifications to the radio itself, would almost be cheaper in the long run to pick up a used export Radio if that's what you want to do,jmo. Hope it helps...............

Steve
AE 575

Na there is a video floating around where someone did it using something like a expo kit and it worked but the front display doesn't jive with the crystal switching cause it's only a frequency display not a counter

 

[AmericanEagle575]

Na there is a video floating around where someone did it using something like a expo kit and it worked but the front display doesn't jive with the crystal switching cause it's only a frequency display not a counter

I remember seeing that video that you mentioned just now.........

 

[SuperLid]

Can anyone tell me what crystal is the mixer they aren't marked and what crystal I would need to swap in to get it to drop in to the 40 lower channels only looking to be able to go down to 26.815 for the most part our standby channel we use her locally. Maybe point me in the direction to were to buy the right crystal to do this.

Crystal swap will not work, I tried it myself. Yes the freq moves, but does not move in 10 KHz increments, due to the PLL coding. If you are only concerned with one OOB freq, then it can be done. However, custom crystals are only available from one vendor now and expensive, which makes this uneconomical.

 

[SuperLid]

If you feel like you have to do this, the xtal you want to swap is the reference oscillator (10.2417 MHz). If my memory is correct (these days i'm not so confident) it is to the left front of the PCB, if the knobs are facing you component side up.

 

[Harley3315]

If you feel like you have to do this, the xtal you want to swap is the reference oscillator (10.2417 MHz). If my memory is correct (these days i'm not so confident) it is to the left front of the PCB, if the knobs are facing you component side up.

That will get me to the lower band below the normal 40?

 

[SuperLid]

That will get me to the lower band below the normal 40?

Yes, but bear in mind, the only vendor of custom radio crystals that is left is Bomar. They get something around $70 for a single rock. At the end of the day, you can calculate the crystal freq for what you want, but you won't get the 10 KHz channel steps because of the way the PLL works. I have a few 980SSB's myself and tried this with some crystals I had on hand. I wanted to see what the results would be. Needless to say, it didn't work out and I am not going to bother with it. I just thought it would be cool to have some freeband channels. I have enough stuff to use that does what I want it to, that I just accept the limitations of the 980SSB toy.

 

[Harley3315]

Yes, but bear in mind, the only vendor of custom radio crystals that is left is Bomar. They get something around $70 for a single rock. At the end of the day, you can calculate the crystal freq for what you want, but you won't get the 10 KHz channel steps because of the way the PLL works. I have a few 980SSB's myself and tried this with some crystals I had on hand. I wanted to see what the results would be. Needless to say, it didn't work out and I am not going to bother with it. I just thought it would be cool to have some freeband channels. I have enough stuff to use that does what I want it to, that I just accept the limitations of the 980SSB toy.

Or maybe add the dds vfo?

 

[SuperLid]

Or maybe add the dds vfo?

You will still encounter the same issue you would by using a crystal, because of the way the PLL is designed. The only way to work around this is to replace the PLL and code it the way you want to. It was done by a guy that was on here some time ago. He called it the Channel King board.

 

[TM86]

You will still encounter the same issue you would by using a crystal, because of the way the PLL is designed. The only way to work around this is to replace the PLL and code it the way you want to. It was done by a guy that was on here some time ago. He called it the Channel King board.

You're thinking of Mark19960. Don't know if he was ever a member here, but he's the guy doing the mod boards for the 980's. He engineered and programmed a replacement for the CPU board.

You can see some of his videos here: https://www.youtube.com/user/Mark19960/videos

No idea how to actually get in contact with the guy to get a mod board, or if he's even selling them. IIRC, he only did it because he was told it couldn't be done.

 

[Harley3315]

You're thinking of Mark19960. Don't know if he was ever a member here, but he's the guy doing the mod boards for the 980's. He engineered and programmed a replacement for the CPU board.

You can see some of his videos here: https://www.youtube.com/user/Mark19960/videos

No idea how to actually get in contact with the guy to get a mod board, or if he's even selling them. IIRC, he only did it because he was told it couldn't be done.

Yeah I knew about the channel king boards was just hoping to do it the cheap way. What about a clarifier mod for it ?

 

[TM86]

Yeah I knew about the channel king boards was just hoping to do it the cheap way. What about a clarifier mod for it ?

Mike's Radio Repair did a video on that:

Or you could smash it with a hammer and get an export.

 

[nomadradio]

Mark proved it isn't channel-proof. Just channel resistant.

The primitive PLL chips used in older radios have static input pins, one for each binary bit. Called "parallel input". The channel selector holds each pin to a steady state, either high or low. Like most models intro'd since Y2K, the 980 doesn't have a channel selector that puts out those steady binary bits. Has a rotary encoder that feeds pulses to a computer chip. The computer keeps track of the direction you turned it, and how many clicks.

Every PLL found in new radio models for decades is built for some kind of serial input. The 980 is one of those.

Serial, as in feeding those bits one at a time down a single wire, or a pair of them. Naturally if it takes a computer to feed the legal 40 channels into the factory PLL, you'll have to use a computer of some sort to modify what it does.

That's more or less what Mark did with the channel king. That, and he replaces the radio's original PLL to boot. Said it's easier to program.

If you wanted to advance the spark timing on your '67 Plymouth Valiant, you loosened a clamp and rotated the distributor a bit. Only needed a wrench. And a timing light.

But to do this to your 2020 daily driver, you'll need a laptop and the right software.

Cars have come a long way. And so have radios.

73

 

[9C1Driver]

Sadly there is no quick, simple, cheap, marketable channel mod for the Uniden 980. The channel king board mod looked like a real winner, I doubt you can even find one now.