Bearcat 980 SSB Big Disappointment :(

Interesting. I know where there's one for $100 I thought of picking up. But yeah it sounds like it's a prime radio to run on an amp. Reading another post, they said the stock mic can't give it 100% modulation, but I wonder if running my Astatic 575-M6 power mic would fix all of that?

 

The general sentiment is that the 880/980 makes a great driver for an outboard amp. All it needs is a good microphone; a noise cancelling power mike will do wonders for it.

 

Made by Uniden. Last time I checked Uniden is also one of the companies that make radios for "Rat Shack". In my opinion it would be too cool if companies like Yeasu or Icom made CBrigs for truck driver HAMS

 

Does RadioShack even sell radios anymore? Last I saw, they sold cell phones.

The problem with an Icom or Yaesu CB would be that it would cost $500, and the front end would be so well filtered that you couldn't understand those who've had their radios "tweaked and peaked". That's what I found when I tuned my FT-100 to channel 19.

 

I'm not even sure they are still in business Jamie.....last time I checked the stock was below a buck and fixing to be delisted. Shame too....it was the place to be back when we had time to build things on the bench.....

 

I've always enjoyed going in three to get a connector or a switch or something and the store people ask " may I help you?" And I'm thinking " I doubt it." But I just say "no I'm ok. Just have to get a connector."

 

Have that AM dead key output turned down to 2 watts then have the modulation turned up to around 95% and hook a Palomar Elite 250 amp to it and it will really kick some serious butt. I can talk several miles away on my CB.

 

I recently had a new 980 on my bench (gift to my brother, a pilot), I also found the performance somewhat lackluster. A.M. power was easily brought up to 4 watts. I set the a.m. modulation via a tone injected into the mic jack. SSB was also pretty low, but with the two-tone injection (instead of yelling or whistling into the mic), I had right at 16 watts p.e.p. All tests were done into the dummy load in my service monitor/spectrum analyzer. Receive, out of the box, was better than most CBs I see, and more sensitive than lots of aircraft (VHF a.m.) radios. But I couldn't coax rated power out with a stock mic; needs a power mic, in my humble opinion.
73

 

I could get an older hf rig, get it to be open tx on 11 meters. Then I could transmit at 100 watts barefoot. On the other hand I would want to relocate my ANTs to above my head to prevent the RF exposure.