Uniden parts sucks!! NO MORE Unidens

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dkf435

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I can no longer recomend the purchase of Uniden products.

Been dealing with a broken GPS jack for 4 months or soon bought radio year ago December. Keep on hearing about super slow repair times and sub par work anyway. So go to check on getting replacement jack because it is a simple replacement and they say;

"The internal parts would not be a item that we stock as sellable. If you would like to send this in for a warranty repair you can send the unit along with a copy of the sales slip and the issue with the unit to:"

It looks like a 4 conductor mini USB jack used on many digital cameras and other products. How is it that they will sell speakers, volume pots and power jacks and other internal componets but not the GPS jack. I

thnk it is time to rethink sourcing Uniden products for my uses, though they have some good features having a parts embargo like Radio Shack has on the PRO96 will not fly. Maybe will find a broken camera at Goodwill for parts.

Think I have found the supplier in China but they do have a large minimum order but samples may be requested. May be time to reengineer the HP-1 with a 4 pin 1/8 jack or a DB9 and fix what Uniden engineers could not do.

David Kb7uns
 

gewecke

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Have not yet found a source in the US for this part yet.

Uniden parts sucks

David Kb7uns

Nothing uniden uses in their products is secret or special. Call either of the two links I provided and they WILL help you...or continue screwing around with uniden. If you can fax them a digital photo of the part it will help even more. ;)

73,
n9zas
 

dkf435

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After doing alot of digging on the China camera cable sites, found a cable with multiple adapters and the one that looks like the connector was call a "Hirose" connector, well knowing Hirose from ham and land mobile radio, went to their site and started looking. By checking all the pictures found that MQ172 series is the one.

Data Sheet http://www.hirose.co.jp/cataloge_hp/e20609504.pdf

The 4 pos shielded part number is MQ172X-4PA(66) for tape reel and MQ172X-4PA(55) for tray. The plug is MQ172X-4SA-CV(50). Mouser electronics has both in the catalog and some versions in stock. Also found eBay auction for 3 jacks for $5 plus shipping, cheaper then the $3.50 a piece Mouser wants.

Search for " MQ172X-4PA(66)" on eBay for the jacks.

David Kb7uns
 
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W9NES

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Sir, If you have a Uniden product that is new it is under warranty.Any Uniden Repair has a 90 day warranty.I have NEVER had any problems with Uniden.If you have a problem please send me a pm and I will get you in touch with a souce at Uniden and they will take good care of you.Thank You.
 

trido

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I know this wont help now, but did you try your dealer you bought it from?

I assure you I would have exchanged that bad scanner(if in current production and i have in stock) for a new one.
 

dkf435

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Parts such as jacks, and controls should be available, for sale I will not send equipment away for a month just for a simple jack replacement when I can do the repair in 5 minutes.. Fully capable been doing this stuff for 20 years not rocket science. Setting up a new mobile system install right now and was going to get another 996xt to use with the RH96 but will be going with PSR900 when it get released.

David Kb7uns
 

Tramagod

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Uniden bashing, plain and simple. Sounds like someone frustrated with a problem that he can't get fixed quick enough and can't get the parts to do it himself. I've rarely had problem with Uniden products, and when I have, they've taken care me fairly quickly.
 

GrumpyAeroGuy

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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

ditto. I have two Uniden scanners, the YOUNGEST of which is 15 years old. Both work and look "out of the box" to this day.
 

N0WEF

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Uniden bashing, plain and simple. Sounds like someone frustrated with a problem that he can't get fixed quick enough and can't get the parts to do it himself. I've rarely had problem with Uniden products, and when I have, they've taken care me fairly quickly.

I'd have to agree in most cases, but after being a Uniden customer for 24 years, and being on BB's like this one for well over a decade, something seems to be happening lately.

I've never seen the number of complaints as have happened recently. I'll freely admit, I still have no complaints about products I've purchased, but ever since the 396t was released it seems their radios are having more and more problems.

Maybe it's smaller beta tests, or maybe a larger number of users frequent forums like this.

BUT something is different.
 

Kursch1672

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What to do?

I'm purchasing a digital scanner next week. I was planning on buying the 396xt, but after reading this, I'm having 2nd thoughts. Advice?
 

davedaver1

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Why have 2nd thoughts? For every big complaint, there are thousands, if not tens of thousands of happy owners. I've had Unidens since they acquired Bearcat and I have yet to have a problem. Have a 396XT and 996XT and love them both and would easily do it again.
 

N0WEF

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Like I said, I've never had a problem. I'm more than happy with my XT, but I've noticed GRE customers are much happier lately. In fact that caused me to, after 24yrs of only buying only Uniden products, purchase 2 GRE's which I haven't had a complaint about yet.

I will say most problems occur in the first year after a radio is released, so the XT is still probably a good choice.
 

GrumpyAeroGuy

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I'm purchasing a digital scanner next week. I was planning on buying the 396xt, but after reading this, I'm having 2nd thoughts. Advice?

I dunno if I would let a purchase decision change on ONE post.....just sayin'....

Not saying the OP doesn't have a legit issue, he may indeed.

Say you were NOW looking at a (fill in brand HERE) scanner. I'll bet you could find one post somewhere that says (filled in brand) sux, etc., etc..

I mean, it would take more than one post for me from various sources and many many complaints that were consistent to make me change my mind after having done some research.

I'm sure there has been a Rolls Royce that had an issue where parts were hard to come by. It happens.

If you like the Uniden, and you think you;ll enjoy it, buy it. You'll have a warranty. Get it from a source that you trust. Many retailers offer replacement on a warranty issue... ask 'em.

Otherwise, fork out a few extra $$s for an extended warranty if you are REALLLLY tentative.

I have always found uniden products (even other than scanners) pretty solid. Not to say that couldn't change over the years, but Uniden isn't exactly a "bottom feeder" brand.

My $0.05
 

Highpockets

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If your still unsure, read some more of the threads in the Uniden, GRE and Radio Shack Forums and see if it will help. Reading one thread only gives you small piece of the pie. All three companies have thier pros and cons.
 

dkf435

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Have had many Uniden radios over the years. Got my first Uniden in 1984 BC50XLT over the years have had several 200xlt, 760xlt, RS2036 RS26 RS2026, BC3000 BC895 BC9000xlt MR8100 SportCat120 and many other ones.
I have never been told that I cannot have a part to fix a radio until now. Like I said I would expect consumable items like jacks ,pots,speakers and case componets to be available. To be told to send it in for 1 month turnaround time period I will not do. We are not in Japan where we cannot work on our own car, this is the US and we have the right to parts availability. If parts are not available then products are no longer considered for purchase. I can call ICOM Kenwood and Yaesu and get any part for my ham radios.

In the last year have purchased a HP-1, BCD996XT and BCD396XT and a second HP-1Extreme. Also have purchased several PSR800 GRE radios. Doing install in mobile and was just about to get another 996xt but will now be waiting on the PSR900 because of this issue. I do not like taking Uniden off the list because of some of their features but no parts availability is a no go.

Have several PRO106 and PRO197 radios and after taliking to the GRE guys about parts for the PRO96 and how they are always getting calls for the parts but cannot sell because you have to go through Radio Shack. I got the radios cheap when the had the friends and family discount but do not like how Radio Shack wipes out support for a product once discountinued, will probably get the GRE versions from now on because they are good to work with. Look how the Radio Shack version of the PSR800 is handicaped and you will be at Radio Shacks mercy if there is ever a firmware or Phase II upgrade.


David Kb7uns
 

Ensnared

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I Concur

I can no longer recomend the purchase of Uniden products.

Been dealing with a broken GPS jack for 4 months or soon bought radio year ago December. Keep on hearing about super slow repair times and sub par work anyway. So go to check on getting replacement jack because it is a simple replacement and they say;

"The internal parts would not be a item that we stock as sellable. If you would like to send this in for a warranty repair you can send the unit along with a copy of the sales slip and the issue with the unit to:"

It looks like a 4 conductor mini USB jack used on many digital cameras and other products. How is it that they will sell speakers, volume pots and power jacks and other internal componets but not the GPS jack. I

thnk it is time to rethink sourcing Uniden products for my uses, though they have some good features having a parts embargo like Radio Shack has on the PRO96 will not fly. Maybe will find a broken camera at Goodwill for parts.

Think I have found the supplier in China but they do have a large minimum order but samples may be requested. May be time to reengineer the HP-1 with a 4 pin 1/8 jack or a DB9 and fix what Uniden engineers could not do.

David Kb7uns

I agree, both Uniden and Uniden-made RS products don't always have parts, particularly if the radio is an older model.
 
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