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Uniden Bearcat 980 SSB NPC or swing mod help

mattsowders1989

mattsowders1989

Active Member
Jan 18, 2017
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Central KY
I got my hands on this radio, untouched. My main concern right now is doing an NPC mod or swing mod (witch ever this radio takes). The fact that this radio is SMT based parts is not an issue, I do have the proper equipment to do what I need to do with SMD. The only thing I could find on getting this radio swinging with a low dead key was one video on YouTube. Variable power would be nice but I'd be happy with a lower dead key and swinging to max power. Any help would be very very helpful. Thank you!
 

From what I have seen and heard on that radio is it's best to give it a conservative tune and leave it alone. By this I'm talking 12-14 watts PEP on SSB and then AM something like 2 swinging 8 or 3 swinging 12 and once again leave it. Many of these were being over-tuned and the finals were blowing. Also so far there is no channel mod that will work.
 
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Yep, the radio will do best with just a mild tune. The final is VERY touchy in this radio and will blow up rather easily if you try to do any power mods. Turn up the AMC and the ALC a little and let it be.


~Cheers~
 
I put an amp on mine. An RM KL-203 pairs nicely with it. That's what I've got, and I've since found it to be a popular combination.

Also, there appears to be a mod that opens the clarifier on it. (Not sure what the point of that is; that seems like a more useful thing for "drifty" radios. But, I may misunderstand the purpose )

And, some guy on YouTube has figured out a mod that allows you to scroll through the channels with buttons added to the mic. Interestingly enough, the mod was 100% in mic wiring; he didn't have to crack open the radio to do it. It's an interesting modification, though I don't know how useful I would find it, in practice. Still, though, it might make a fun little project, in the future.

Other than that, there's not much else that you can do with that radio. Unless, of course, you're as tacky as I am; I put some chrome knobs with jeweled ends on mine.

Link to clarifier mod:

http://jiggaman.net/uniden-bearcat-980-beep-clarifier-mod-alignment-and-rm-italy-kl203-amp/

And Mic mod (the video is a demonstration; how he did it, is in the video description.) :

 
if you do a search here LooseCannon left a write up on how to install some diodes to make the radio swing more. never tried it since I do not have a 980. at least LC likes it.
 
I've done 9 of the new unidens swing mod. 880, 680, 505xl and a 68xl. All surface mount and most with a 520 mosfet. They all mostly did 6-7 watts RMS . Dk whatever value resistor you wanted. Mod limiter is at different locations in different radios. Hifi cap mods don't do well in these. Solid radios though. Also all were variable deadkey. Was easier that way
 
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ive done tons of research and im still having trouble finding the right intructions on getting an npc mod or swing kit in this radio. it seems that older models of this radio have different board layouts than the new one i have. i did not find a write up from loosecannon either on here. even the names on the pots are different than some of the older ones of this model. all i need is help with what and where i need to put this modification. thanks guys for all the help.
 
mattsowders1989 said:
ive done tons of research and im still having trouble finding the right intructions on getting an npc mod or swing kit in this radio. it seems that older models of this radio have different board layouts than the new one i have. i did not find a write up from loosecannon either on here. even the names on the pots are different than some of the older ones of this model. all i need is help with what and where i need to put this modification. thanks guys for all the help.
Click to expand...

Here is a link that has a write up by LC on a similar radio (SMD), and the general idea behind the variable mod is discussed, due to many possible internal pcb revisions of the same radio model, you may have to examine the board and see where the driver/final are locate, to look where to apply the mod. The locations is {generally} the same, electronically regardless of the part labels (designations) and silk screening.

Many of the newer radios do not have a schematic available, so I couldn't tell you an exact location without looking inside your particular radio.

I hope this helps a little!
Best Regards
-LeapFrog
 
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LeapFrog said:
Here is a link that has a write up by LC on a similar radio (SMD), and the general idea behind the variable mod is discussed, due to many possible internal pcb revisions of the same radio model, you may have to examine the board and see where the driver/final are locate, to look where to apply the mod. The locations is {generally} the same, electronically regardless of the part labels (designations) and silk screening.

Many of the newer radios do not have a schematic available, so I couldn't tell you an exact location without looking inside your particular radio.

I hope this helps a little!
Best Regards
-LeapFrog
Click to expand...
That helps a lot! Thank you!
 
I forgot to say, you can add a string of diodes if you don't need a variable, or make a dial a watt switch, for selecting how many diodes you want inline, the more diodes the lower the dead key.

For the diode method, you want to find the modulation transformer (this method is commonly used on AM only radios) anti-spiking diode, and add more diodes inline / inseries, the more diodes the lower the key, you can install a by-pass cap from one end of the diodes to the other, that would make a "loud" signal I think.

And maybe you can do cap/resistor swing kit at the "super-talk" variable install location like a 29, I never tried it though because I don't have a 980.

Disclaimer: your radio may not be clean after this
 
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