Best is Speculative at Best
I see many here really go for the Uniden BEARCAT 980. I have been kicking myself all over the mountain for not picking on up from Love's last December when they had them for $99.99. Add $40 and you'll see the lowest they've been since. I wanted one because I saw an 880 at the Tucson Truck Terminal CB shop with the heater on the back; was the 75 kit for 50 bucks. That means a radio with the power of a "big radio" for $150 total. He claimed they didn't make one for the 980. I think he meant they didnt have the instructions out and he didnt want to figure it out. I meant to get a 980 before the sale was over, but other end of the year bills put up a big wall.
Since then I've had my old Super Star 3900 brought up to snuff. It had 1969's in it. Now has mosfets (the bigguns) and a scary swing to match. it's in the neighborhood of 20-->100. But yeah, this is an export basis.
My 2 fav CB's that are real FCC I.D. CB's are (1st) the Galaxy DX 979 with it's smaller chassis, it fits into the radio rack of my Nissan Frontier quite nicely. Same width as any ol' AM/FM/CD player. It has so many bells and whistles there is no room for a freq counter. The jack for that is on the back. I have a 60 kit on that and it handles the Los Angeles Basin very nicely.
(2nd) is when my shop was working on my SS3900, he lent me a Texas Ranger TR996 (?) with the grey face plate. It took me exactly 1/2 a day to realize the quality of this radio. It had ears to all get out and everyone complemented it even when I didn't ask for a radio check. One fella out of the blue said "I don't know what kinda radio you got, but it sure is swinging!" There was no visible signs of anything not stock. My friend later assured me it was a stock parts radio that had only been bench tuned (and cranked lol). I think that's what happens when you get a company like Ranger Communications to build a real CB.
He offered to traid straight across, the Texas Ranger for my Cobra 148GTL I told him I was wanting to let go of. I had to pass, very reluctantly, due to the stupidest thing. I couldnt stand the dull grey face plate and the knobs! I like round knobs and these were flat sided for you to grab with your thumb and first finger. I hated them!
I did a trade that day. I spied a President that he had up for $150. Since the 148's and the TR's go for around $90 in his shop, he pondered a price and told me "Hand me $40 and get the tell outta here lol". So for my 29 year old 148 and $40, I had me a President... Jackson; WOOT!
I am determined to get a Texas Ranger soon. Jason is keeping an eye out for one with a nice face arraignment haha