Uniden Bearcat 880 - First Impressions

[cbradiomagazine.com]

Radio arrived today - nice styling, fairly compact size, newer styling on the microphone (6 pin). Comes with a 6 pin to 4 pin adapter if you want to use a 4 pin microphone with this radio.

Features are cool, memory, scan, memory scan, SWR/CAL, ANL/NB, variable talkback, variable microphone gain (4 levels), weather channels (7) w scan option and weather alert.

Change colors (7 options) you can change the colors for the day and night and can adjust brightness/contrast for both settings so you can have a red radio display at night, blue during the day, or green/blue, dim/bright, bright/bright, etc.

Also has the diagnostic features like Cobra LX LE, volt (gives reading), RF (pass/fail), Ant (pass/fail).

RF output out of the box was right at 4 watts (higher than most stock cb radios, they might be gambling with the FCC on that one if the factory starts setting them too high). Max swing around 9-10 watts, avg around 5-7. Modulation was okay, a little tame.

SMT inside, no pot for modulation as far as I can tell. So most people will probably add a power mike for more audio.

Nice radio for beginners, people looking for the newer styling. Mid-level and up will probably skip it because it isn't easily modded.

Here are the pics. Just finished the video showing all functions and menus - should have it on You Tube by tomorrow evening.

 

[Robb]

Comes with a noise-cancelling mic too?

Niiiice . . .

 

[Mudfoot]

Care to elaborate on modification procedure?

 

[cbradiomagazine.com]

Care to elaborate on modification procedure?

In my original post I was explaining that because it's SMT most of the people that liked being able to mod the Uniden 68/78's etc probably won't be wanting one of these. No variable pots inside except for meter adj's, sq, wx adj's.

 

[TonyV225]

They gotta make a SSB model and Ide consider buying a CB radiio it looks very nice.

 

[cbradiomagazine.com]

Videos are posted -

Part 1 Uniden Bearcat 880 CB Radio Part 1 - YouTube

Part 2 Uniden Bearcat 880 CB Radio - PART 2 - YouTube

 

[fnkycoldmedina]

They gotta make a SSB model and Ide consider buying a CB radiio it looks very nice.

they do make a ssb version of this

 

[AudioShockwav]

If that radio works as good as it looks i think they got something...we will see.
I want to play with one when it hits the stores.

73
Jeff

 

[BammBamm]

Any Idea when that 980 will be out?

 

[Railham]

I know what i am getting to get the cobra 29 out of the truck and make the set up in the truck look professional instead of having the cb stuck between the seats .

 

[fnkycoldmedina]

hope its a power mic

 

[RatsoW8]

I'd buy one of these for my truck. Nice to see some smt in new cb radios.

What are the legions of "golden screwdriver trained techs" out there going to do now? No more clipping, snipping or running VR (whatever) wide open.

 

[Robb]

hope its a power mic

Hope they do it right.
Can't say that I've ever thought very much of the 'Cobra' power mics either. Prolly the worst power mic out there in the past - IMO. Perhaps Uniden can get on the ball with their power mics and do it justice. Otherwise, just a waste of plastic.

These 880 radios come with a noise-cancelling mic. That alone deserves its own review - IMO . . .

 

[WR0220]

I'd buy one of these for my truck. Nice to see some smt in new cb radios.

What are the legions of "golden screwdriver trained techs" out there going to do now? No more clipping, snipping or running VR (whatever) wide open.

They're gonna have to learn how to write code and program so they can change the tables in the software.

 

[RatsoW8]

They're gonna have to learn how to write code and program so they can change the tables in the software.

The "golden keyboard" is born.