Uniden Bearcat 980 Dimm display

[wd5fdl]

i have 3 ssb980's the display is super dimm at the max brightness
and proper adustment of the contrast units are in daylight mode
and even in a dark room the display is super dimm ...does uniden have a fix for this
the units came new out of the box DIMM and no menu setting fixes it...

 

[arudlang]

What angle are you looking at them from? I've noticed (after mounting mine for base station use) that the display is somewhat directionally oriented somehow, it is best viewed from the left of the radio like you are in a driver's seat and have it mounted center of dash. From the right-side of the radio the screen is almost completely invisible. Other angles are mixed bags.

Probably not what you are seeing, but thought I would throw it out there. Are you able to capture the issue on camera?

 

[wd5fdl]

angle does not mater i tried all angles...

 

[rcarl]

angle does not mater i tried all angles...

That makes that radio a deal breaker...

 

[arudlang]

Mine is fine viewed from the left, I don't know how you could have three duds though. Again, picture?

 

[KANE4109]

I do not have any "proof" or any "numbers".... but I have been hearing for years that the displays were bad in earlier units.... and I never heard whether or not "newer ones" had been fixed....

But I have heard of this for a LONG time!!! That....after a while... the displays go dim and the only thing that will fix it is to have the display replaced. You might do some searching on that on the web and see what turns up.

 

[KD8DVR]

I do not have any "proof" or any "numbers".... but I have been hearing for years that the displays were bad in earlier units.... and I never heard whether or not "newer ones" had been fixed....

But I have heard of this for a LONG time!!! That....after a while... the displays go dim and the only thing that will fix it is to have the display replaced. You might do some searching on that on the web and see what turns up.

It's a design flaw that appears in the new ones too. The hot sun aggravates the problem.

 

[KANE4109]

I wonder about the cost or "level of difficulty" in replacing it?

This is one reason I myself... don't care for big LCD displays in mobile radios. It flat gets hot inside vehicles and those things aren't built for that! I'd rather just have knobs and a meter. But.... I guess the "world advances" ... no matter what.

It's a design flaw that appears in the new ones too. The hot sun aggravates the problem.

 

[rcarl]

I would call uniden and raise hell.

 

[Trucker700]

I would call uniden and raise hell.

Waste of time. I have a 980 and an 885. Both have the same issue. When mounted in a vehicle the display is so dim, no matter the color, contrast or brightness settings used, that it's nearly impossible to see the display. According to Uniden, it is because of the type of display used. It's an LED display and there's no way to improve the brightness. I thought at one time the front panel over the LED display was the problem. I thought it might not be a clear area over the display. I took my 885 apart and found it was clear plastic and had no tint at all.
Good radios, crippled for mobile use.
James
AKA: Trucker

 

[slowmover]

Mine are bright enough. Dim them at night.

Put a shield around display

 

[jhooten]

It's a design flaw that appears in the new ones too. The hot sun aggravates the problem.

Which is why the Cobra 148 is back in the truck and the 980 is the base station. I bought the 980 so I could have scan in the truck. Oh well.

 

[Trucker700]

Mine are bright enough. Dim them at night.

Put a shield around display

I've had all kinds of radios in the trucks I have driven over the last 50 years. None of them required a shield around them to see them, except for the Uniden 980 and 885. To me it means someone cut corners and didn't take into consideration the environment they would be used in. Having to fabricate a shield to help increase visibility of a display is a bandaid not a cure.
The radios work well. The display is the only downside to the 880, 885 and 980 Uniden mobile radios.
The washed out display is the reason I switched to my old Cobra 29 and a Uniden SDS100 scanner in my last rig. ( 2004 Peterbilt ) I had no issues with that setup.
James
AKA: Trucker

 

[KANE4109]

Like Scotty said in the Star Trek movie....."the more they overthink the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain".

Computerization and modernization sometimes drive changes that don't fit. You are in a car.... with a mobile radio.
I need a volume, a squelch, and RF gain, mic gain is good... if it is SSB I need a mode switch and clarifier. Of course...a channel switch is nice.
Having to do things with a magic screen and "touch buttons".... while some may like it..... adds a level of complexity that most people may not even use. But the important thing... it brings in "that screen". Troubles are bound to happpen.

 

[cmjonesinc]

The only reason I passed on the ssb980 was the bad reviews on the screen. If anyone is looking for something close to it but with a working screen the president mckinley hasn't disappointed me.

 

[jack103]

Another UNIDEN “ Flagship” Problem!

 

[arudlang]

My 980 still works 100% fine and I can read the screen from almost 20 feet away so I still don't understand the issue, but there is enough people complaining that I know there's got to be some kind of issue somewhere... sure wish someone could catch it on camera..

 

[slowmover]

I've had all kinds of radios in the trucks I have driven over the last 50 years. None of them required a shield around them to see them, except for the Uniden 980 and 885. To me it means someone cut corners and didn't take into consideration the environment they would be used in. Having to fabricate a shield to help increase visibility of a display is a bandaid not a cure.
The radios work well. The display is the only downside to the 880, 885 and 980 Uniden mobile radios.
The washed out display is the reason I switched to my old Cobra 29 and a Uniden SDS100 scanner in my last rig. ( 2004 Peterbilt ) I had no issues with that setup.
James
AKA: Trucker

I wasn’t making light of the problem. Suggesting a work-around.
Besides, how much does one NEED to view the screen?

I’m glad mine have been okay, but a shield is the FIRST thing I’d do.

 

[Trucker700]

I wasn’t making light of the problem. Suggesting a work-around.
Besides, how much does one NEED to view the screen?

I’m glad mine have been okay, but a shield is the FIRST thing I’d do.

I understand. With the 885 and it's scanner, I liked looking at the display while sitting in a long line of trucks going into a quarry. It's interesting to know what type of agency the scanner was stopped on.
I kept the CB on channel 19 most of the time. Different quarries required drivers to check in with the scale house on one channel. And the loader(s) would be on another channel. Trying to see the channel number on the 980 or 885 on a bright sunny day, ( radio mounted just below the overhead console ) was a real challenge. Most of the time I just counted the selector clicks up or down to get to the right channel.
Some pits didn't post what channels they used. That's where the 980 worked well. With it, you can scan the CB channels and find them pretty quick.
All fun!
James
AKA: Trucker

 

[slowmover]

I understand. With the 885 and it's scanner, I liked looking at the display while sitting in a long line of trucks going into a quarry. It's interesting to know what type of agency the scanner was stopped on.
I kept the CB on channel 19 most of the time. Different quarries required drivers to check in with the scale house on one channel. And the loader(s) would be on another channel. Trying to see the channel number on the 980 or 885 on a bright sunny day, ( radio mounted just below the overhead console ) was a real challenge. Most of the time I just counted the selector clicks up or down to get to the right channel.
Some pits didn't post what channels they used. That's where the 980 worked well. With it, you can scan the CB channels and find them pretty quick.
All fun!
James
AKA: Trucker

Agreed. And you nicely illustrated the desire for full functionality.

A dim display is not reason to trash the radio. Put it on 19 and set functions then leave it alone. Still a decent backup if the display goes south.