Also known as: Bearcat 980, 980SSB, BC980SSB
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The Uniden Bearcat 980SSB is the cheapest route into single sideband CB from a mainstream brand: 4 W AM plus 12 W PEP SSB, NOAA weather with alerts, SWR calibration, talkback, and Uniden’s 7-color display, typically around $150–210 — pricing on this model is unusually spread across retailers, so shop around.1 Its one famous flaw: that display is nearly unreadable in direct sunlight.
Key takeaways Cheapest mainstream ticket to SSB range. 12 W PEP sideband is the legal range king on CB — but only when both ends have SSB. Feature-dense: NOAA weather + alerts, SWR calibration, clarifier, talkback, noise-canceling mic. Weaknesses: display washes out in sunlight (the McKinley II is readable), weaker noise blanker, internal speaker near-useless. No FM. License-free (Part 95D). ~$150–210. Full rankings: best CB radios.
Overview
Everything else in the current mainstream CB lineup tops out at 4 watts of AM or FM. The 980SSB and the President McKinley II are the two rigs that unlock CB’s legal high ground — 12 W PEP on single sideband — and the 980SSB is the cheaper of the pair. When conditions cooperate, SSB roughly doubles your station-to-station range over AM. The honest caveat that belongs in every SSB pitch: it takes SSB on both ends. Channel 19 trucker traffic is AM; SSB is for hobbyists, base-to-mobile pairs, and groups who standardize on it (channels 36–40 LSB by convention).
Around the sideband core, Uniden packed the trucker feature list: NOAA weather with alerts, built-in SWR calibration, RF and mic gain, talkback, a clarifier for tuning in SSB voices, noise-canceling mic, wireless-mic compatibility, and PA. On paper it’s the most feature-dense radio in the class.
The catches are real, and they’re why it isn’t our SSB pick. The most-cited owner complaint: the display washes out in direct sunlight and off-axis — a genuine problem in the exact dash-top spot most people mount a CB. The noise blanker trails the McKinley’s, early production had QC grumbles, and the internal speaker is weak enough that an external speaker is near-mandatory. One more flag: Uniden has been thinning its CB line (the 880 went to 880FM, the PRO505XL is dealer-reported discontinued), so verify stock when you shop.
License note: none needed — CB is licensed by rule (Part 95D). 4 W AM / 12 W PEP SSB are the legal ceilings; there’s no FM here (that 2021-legalized mode never came to the 980).
Modes & features
- 40 channels, 4 W AM / 12 W PEP SSB (USB/LSB), Part 95D certified.
- NOAA weather + alerts, 7-color display, SWR calibration.
- Clarifier, RF gain + mic gain, talkback, noise-canceling mic, wireless-mic compatible, PA. Full-size chassis, 12 V DC.
GopherTrunk alternative
Being honest about our own software: GopherTrunk is the wrong tool for CB. It’s built for trunked and digital systems; CB is 27 MHz analog AM/SSB, below an RTL-SDR’s native range without direct sampling or an upconverter. If you want to hear whether anyone around you even runs SSB before spending $200 — a fair question — an HF-capable SDR with general SSB software will demodulate 27 MHz sideband, and our scanner frequencies reference lists all 40 channels. GopherTrunk won’t decode CB, and we won’t pretend otherwise.
Who it’s for
- Buy the 980SSB if you want SSB range at the lowest mainstream price and you can mount it low or shaded where the display stays readable. View on Amazon →
- Buy the President McKinley II instead if you can spend more — better receiver, better noise blanker, sunlight-readable display, and FM on top of AM/SSB.
- Skip SSB entirely if your traffic is channel 19 and trail comms — the Bearcat 880FM is the better everyday rig. Vintage-minded? The Grant XL is the classic used SSB mobile. Full rankings: best CB radios.
Sources
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Uniden Bearcat 980SSB product page — Uniden America, on AM/SSB modes, 12 W PEP sideband, NOAA weather with alerts, SWR calibration, clarifier, and talkback. ↩
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a license for the Uniden Bearcat 980SSB?
No — CB is licensed by rule under FCC Part 95D, no exam or fee. The legal limits the 980SSB is built to are 4 watts carrier on AM and 12 watts PEP on single sideband.
What does SSB get you on a CB radio?
Range. SSB concentrates the legal 12 W PEP into a narrower signal, so station-to-station distance can be double or more what 4 W AM manages. The catch: the radio on the other end must also have SSB and be on the same sideband — SSB-to-AM doesn’t work. Most trucker traffic on channel 19 remains AM.
Is the Bearcat 980SSB better than the President McKinley II?
It’s cheaper; the McKinley II is better. Owner consensus puts the McKinley’s receiver and noise blanker ahead, its display stays readable in sunlight where the 980SSB’s washes out, and it adds FM. The 980SSB counters with talkback, trucker-friendly features, and a lower typical price.
Does the Bearcat 980SSB do FM?
No — it’s AM/SSB only. Uniden never issued an FM refresh of the 980. If FM matters, the Bearcat 880FM (no SSB) or President McKinley II (AM/FM/SSB) are the current options.
What's the clarifier on the Bearcat 980SSB for?
Fine-tuning received SSB voices. Sideband has no carrier for the radio to lock to, so a station a few hertz off sounds like a duck until you trim the clarifier. It only affects receive on a stock, legal radio.