UHF (CB) radio rant/question.

I could just as easily put this in the 'What made you angry' thread. Grrrrr.

About 5 years ago I bought a Uniden CB for the Patrol, along with an extension speaker. It is a 'compact' UH7740NB 80 channel unit. It is also a POS which I have never been really happy with partly because of it's hard to use design - Squelch knob & Volume knob on the same shaft is a crap idea. Adjusting the squelch inevitably changes the volume for anyone with normal sized fingers.

Heading off with a friend camping over the weekend, so thought It may get a bit of use & a chance to check it out for our forthcoming desert trek. Perhaps the 4th or 5th time it'd have been used since buying it. Turned it on to re-familiarise myself with it , screen lights up, makes the usual noises, but the screen remains blank. Nothing to see except the coloured backlight. Bollocks. Not what you need when expecting to be headed into outback areas where a CB will be required in the not too distant future.

We have a couple of 1w GME handhelds (TX610), but I guess their lower power may well be inadequate our in the deserts so it looks like I'm gonna be up for a new in dash CB. Grrr.

It needs to fit in the same space on the dash as the current one, another 'compact' probably, but it may be possible to fit a standard single DIN size.

Looking at a few recent models online it seems that most dont have a squelch which needs adjusting 'on the fly' like older models, but instead have an on/off button for squelch - switching it on turns on a pre-set but user adjustable squelch level.

Can anyone who has this type of squelch control tell me if it is effective? If it is that's fine, but if you still need to adjust the squelch like on the previous CB's I've had, pressing a button, then having to turn a knob seems a bit cumbersome .......... but maybe in practice it's not an issue?

If anyone has any recommendation for an easy to use, reliable & long lasting CB at reasonable cost I'm all ears. I don't need a heap of bells & whistles just the ability to hear where other vehicles are & let them know where I am on the track.

Attachment 74932

Ps. I have an extension speaker fitted near the seat belt mechanism (near my ear) if that makes a difference to my choices

IMHO buy a remote head type so you have nothing in/on the dash but the handpiece

Prestige Communications are the best vendor in Oz IMHO... post anywhere superquick
https://www.prestigecom.net.au/uhf-cb-radios

Pick the one you want (in-dash or remote) outa the linky thingy...
I would go the Icom 450 for a remote head


I rate in order of quality;
Vertex and Icom then GME
GME usually offer the best value for a casual reccy user

Squelch... just go for the preset "on/off" IMHO
You can adjust it via a menu if you get an abnormal situation but preset will work 99% of teh time

Do the world a favour and give your Uniden to a Prado Owner

Quote:

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Originally Posted by the evil twin

IMHO buy a remote head type so you have nothing in/on the dash but the handpiece

Prestige Communications are the best vendor in Oz IMHO... post anywhere superquick
https://www.prestigecom.net.au/uhf-cb-radios

Pick the one you want (in-dash or remote) outa the linky thingy...
I would go the Icom 450 for a remote head


I rate in order of quality;
Vertex and Icom then GME
GME usually offer the best value for a casual reccy user

Squelch... just go for the preset "on/off" IMHO
You can adjust it via a menu if you get an abnormal situation but preset will work 99% of teh time

Do the world a favour and give your Uniden to a Prado Owner

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Are uniden really that bad? I've had one in my car for 5 years, it was in it when I bought it. It's an old in dash unit but also has the remote head which I love because it has a speaker in it and I can hold it near my ear. Seems to have worked fine so far but I still don't know what the squelch knob does!

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Nah, not really that bad I spose but I wouldn't buy one as, IMHO, there are better brands for similar bucks.

I was more getting at the fun to be had giving it away with the busted display

Before investing in another unit, have you tried a factory reset?
Older Uniden radios had a good reputation. Might be worth a try to get a bit more use out of it.

Yep, try a reset, look here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l56bp7wT65I

Thanks for the reset suggestion, I didn't know you could do that.
Unfortunately it didn't help. The unit's backlight changed colour & it was obviously cycling through the screen as in the video, but only tiny fragments of the screens info displayed. Below is most info which showed up. The LCD screen appears to be cactus.

Attachment 74935

Bugger :frown:

I had an Icom IC 400 pro in the dash where you have your Uniden until I put in navigator and then chucked it in a roof console, they are excellent radios except for the cheap handset. The menu on it is a bit cumbersome but they all seem to be nowadays so it won't matter what you choose if you cant fix the Uniden. Maybe look at a 5w handheld with the option for an external speaker, that way you can take it with you when you need to get out of the vehicle.
Cheers
Andrew

Have mail ordered an Icom IC-450. The 5 year warranty was the deciding factor.

Like Ive said a few times which may suit your needs I use a Icom 400 or something like that with a remote handpiece,
I ordered a RJ55 patch cord so I could fit the mike nearer the passenger side, By doing this it gives the passenger some imput
instead of just sitting there, allowing you to do what you do best and thats drive, we did this back in 83 going to the Cape have found it the best idea ever.
You could even fit you console patch lead in the A pillar on the Left hand side, worlds your oyster where you want it fitted console patch cords allow a very neat fit. come in heaps of sizes [lengths]
Mine is mounted left of the centre console and moke hangs on 2nd glove box door, just a thought lol