Uniden 980 quick pros/cons please?

[Riverman]

Have given thought to trying one of these as a base radio. Would drilling some holes in the top cover near the final extend its life without the use of a fan?

 

[n8fgb]

The FCC should relax the 4 watt rule !!! Look at 10 meters,you can run just about anything

If you want to run what is used on ten meter, get a license. Just keep in mind that most so call ten meter radios are not suitable for ten meter use.
Rich

 

[222DBFL]

Possibly. But drilling the holes will help some. I removed the internal speaker and turned down power on SSB to about 8-10w pep max. Just lowering the power a couple watts will help a lot!! Adding a small fan like Grogan, I beleive it was, did would be best, but there are other options. A heat sink would work as well. My 980 stays pretty cool at the final with the internal speaker removed and the power turned back on SSB to about 8-10w pep. AM is set at stock 4w Carrier. But other than that you shouldn't have an issue with the final blowing unless you are using for long periods such as dxing or even local ragchew, but the options above help ensure that the radio will last.
I've also heard that the bias is set at too high a voltage and this may be causing the blown final issue as well. This may have been posted here already. Just reposting if needed to cover all the bases. These radios again for the money are hard to beat. You get a radio that is on freq out of the box which is about the most important thing, and also a well built radio minus the final used. They just aren't rated for much power. But it keeps the FCC off uniden's butt I would say. Conforming to big brother man!! That is all it is. I'm sure if they wanted to they could have stuck a better final in and a few better components, and sold the radio for more money, but dangit for $100 or so shipped to your door, you can't really beat it for what you get. They are clean inside and very neatly built. Not a bunch to them. But they work well and don't need an alignment out of the box. Leave the clarifier locked IMO, and use the radio. They are good radios to drive small amps with as well. Just saying. Anyway. Again, my take on this radio. Best CB/SSB for the money on the market right now that is FCC approved. Add a good mic and be done!!

 

[543_Dallas]

Low power isn't necessarily a bad thing. 8 to 10 watts into a 2 pill makes a clean, cool 100 watts that will drive a pair of 3-500z's or a ceramic triode nicely. If the LDMOS amps become the norm a low power radio like these will be desirable.

A lot of the golden screwdriver hacks won't touch a radio with surface mount parts in it, so that's a plus. I don't know anything about these rigs other than the ones I've heard sounded good. Not loud, crunchy super trucker audio but nice clean sounding AM.

 

[loosecannon]

im wondering if there might be an issue with how the radio is assembled which is causing the premature failure of the final.

like if the part gets soldered to the PC board before it gets screwed to the chassis, there could be a small gap behind it causing it to heat up.

has anyone looked at unsoldering and remounting the final as a cure?
LC

 

[222DBFL]

To my knowledge the final is only rated for 16w. This may be why we are seeing blown finals. Not enough headroom?? The final is the weak point it seems. All one can do is either back off the power or add some form of cooling. That or replace the final with one that is a bit more robust. But for what it's worth, backing down the power does truly help with the heat issues. And like I said and also 543 as well stated, it is hard to overdrive an amp with this radio!!

 

[BBB]

I don't think any one mentioned it but the reason I bought the 980 was to use it with the optional Uniden BC906W CB Wireless Microphone.

The wireless mic has got some pretty good range to listen to and talk on the radio remotely. Like a hundred yards It's not Bluetooth but utilizes a different digital technology for better range and less interference.

Check a fine review of it here:

 

[CyberWarrior]

Is there a substitute for the RD16HHF ?

BTW I found this:

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5336136228&icep_item=380746391340

 

[Tallman]

RD16HHF1 is mosfet. That's why the pin outs are different from the 1969 bipolar transistor. If you substitute an IRF510, 520 or a 530 fet that should work.
The RD16HHF1 is a mosfet and is static electricity sensitive. If the factory is not taking proper precautions the fet will fail with just a little stress. I know the processes around ESD protection and you can't skimp any where along the line.

 

[CyberWarrior]

RD16HHF1 is mosfet. That's why the pin outs are different from the 1969 bipolar transistor. If you substitute an IRF510, 520 or a 530 fet that should work.
The RD16HHF1 is a mosfet and is static electricity sensitive. If the factory is not taking proper precautions the fet will fail with just a little stress. I know the processes around ESD protection and you can't skimp any where along the line.

Does this mean,I can use a IRF-520 in its place?

 

[CyberWarrior]

I don't think any one mentioned it but the reason I bought the 980 was to use it with the optional Uniden BC906W CB Wireless Microphone.

The wireless mic has got some pretty good range to listen to and talk on the radio remotely. Like a hundred yards It's not Bluetooth but utilizes a different digital technology for better range and less interference.

Check a fine review of it here:

From what I see,is a stock mike with remote control

 

[Tallman]

Does this mean,I can use a IRF-520 in its place?

It is possible. The original part only cost around $6.00. The IRF510, 520, and 530 cost less than $3.00 for the 530. I would try at least one and they are as common as popcorn in the movies.

 

[Tallman]

From what I see,is a stock mike with remote control

Yep but you forgot the 100 yard cord!

 

[CyberWarrior]

Yep but you forgot the 100 yard cord!

I would say,an amplified mike would have been a nice touch.

 

[222DBFL]

There is a simple mod if you even want to call it that, that seemed to help with the audio on the Bluetooth/wireless mic I have. Use a 3/16"-1/4" drill bit to start and work your way up to 3/8", leaving a bit of taper and not making the hole all of the 3/8". Opening the hole without taking the entire mic apart you need to really be careful when doing this. Slowly, just by hand and a good drill bit, you can open the mic hole up and this does help a bunch with not having to place your mouth so close to the mic and still retain the noise cancelling so as to not pickup noise in the mobile. They work great for both base or mobile use, but I really enjoy mine while mobile. No cords from radio to you is a big plus and keeps a mic cord from hanging about grabbing everything it can LOL. Here is what mine came out like after a bit of messing about. It's no work or art, but you get the idea. No mic element damage "if" you take your time. Don't use a drill, just the force of you pressing down while turning is enough to ream the hole out with a good drill bit. Like I said. It isn't really a mod per say, but opening up the hole really seemed to help with the audio out of mine anyway. Like I said, I don't have to stick my mouth right against the hole now LOL!! I'm so used to speaking into the center of the mic and not into a pin hole LOL!! At any rate hope this might help someone that has one or is tnink off of getting one. Great mic for the money these days!! They can be bought for about $40-$45 shipped to your door. Not bad for a mic with a range of 100ft. And it will go that 100ft. Been inside a house over 50ft away from the radio and could still rx and tx just fine. Blew my friend away when I keyed up and talked to him while walking through his door and to his radio in the house and the mobile is sitting outside about 50ft away at least LOL!! It gets from me as well as the radio just for the sheer fact that there isn't another CB/SSB radio that can be compared to it that is a newer style radio with mostly SMT components!!
Wish some other mic companies would do something similar with a good Condensor mic!! No cords hanging around is just so dang nice. I can sit and spin 360's all day and not get tangled in any cables!!.