Uniden PRO520XL Pro Series 40-Channel CB Radio. Compact Design. ANL Switch and PA/CB Switch. 7 Watts of Audio Output and Instant Emergency Channel 9. - Black

I've owned about 5 of these things and I always leave them in the truck I'm selling. So, I've had my current truck awhile but I'm installing these PRO520XL in it this coming weekend. Only complaint is, for it's compact size, which allows all kinds of places to install it in, I know there's room inside the unit itself to add Weather Channels (NOAA) I'm sticking with this radio because of the price #1...#2 it's always performed as advertised with no problems at all. Transmitting distance, with a CB Radio, ANY CB Radio depends on a multitude of things like, mountains, windy roads, elevation ("skip" is fun when you're on the top of an especially big/tall mountain, especially when it's the flat desert for hundred's+ of miles on the other side...Talked to MANY MANY folks from all over the SE, East, NE and I especially like "conversing" the Louisiana/Georgia area States. Man, those guys have accents that just won't quit and especially unique stories to tell...Like a different world over there and I want to visit it before I'm dead and gone and you just gotta love it! Thanks Uniden for keeping me posted while driving, and at home too! And, almost around the world. I started CB'n back in my late teens (16 once I got a license to drive...) and because I've used my CB in many occasons o an emergency, for usually less than $100, you can fire a CB up in your vehicle, talk to the truckers on your trip and just have peace of mind. You might think you're OK with just your cell phone...Uhmmmmm, ever been driving in areas where there is no cell signal, basically a NO CELL ZONE??? I rescued a family of 5 in a NO CELL ZONE in the mountains at 11pm. Car just stopped and it was about 40 degrees outside. Parents had 3 kids ranging from 7-12. Couldn't use my Verizon Cell so I fired up my Uniden PRO520XL and after a few minutes, I finally picked up a guy who lived in Georgia. The State of GEORGIA! I was just outside of Bend, OR, just a couple THOUSAND miles away rom the guy who answered my "May Day" Call...GEORGIA!!! Had a good clear signal so he took my info of where we were, approx. how many miles we were up on a specific mountain road and gave him my cell number too. What he did was call the local Bend, OR sheriffs' office, about 30 miles away from where "The Family" and we were. The police then relayed the message to a AAA towing company located in Bend, and within a little over an hour, up the road a AAA Towing Truck finally came! Family Saved!...We were there for about 2+ hours total, but it was great to be able to help this family. Literally, the "Dad" told me he was going to go buy a CB for his SUV and one for his motor home too as soon as he gets back home to Portland. Not only are CB's great in emergency's like this (Cheap insurance against a possible tragedy...) they're fun too. I also use mine when caravanning with a few of my friends who have CB's while driving together on our way to a camping or fishing destination. Easily coordinate Pee breaks! And, they're just plain fun, convenient too and you get quality at an affordable cost. PLUS, they're very very easy to install! Ken J. Nehalem, OR.

I installed it today and it works great. SWR on channel 20 is 1.2, very nice. I don't know how far I am pulling in but my power meter shows 4 watts going out, very satisfied. The ANR works very nicely, although I wired it directly so I shouldn't be pulling any "dirty" power through it. Not sure how mic is because I haven't used it yet. Very compact but quite hefty, very pleased that it doesn't feel like a plastic "toy". I bought the Uniden Bearcat external speaker and it is loud and clear. I don't know about the internal speaker because I installed it in my dash. Items used in conjunction with this cb is as follows: Uniden Bearcat External Speaker, Astatic SWR/Power/Field Strength Meter, 18' Firestik Cable, 5' Firestik II Antenna (black). *EDIT February 4th 2013* I had a request to add some pictures today, so after I added them I figured I would go ahead and post an update since I have had this almost a year. I am still very satisfied with this CB. I have had no issues with it at all, and still pick up people loud and clear. I will say that if someone is serious about using it all the time I would invest in a better MIC though, this one is a bit lacking, and it feels "chincy", but for me it works well enough. I bought this mostly for when I travel 8 hours to visit my parents. Listening to truckers yammer on the highway is more entertaining at times than any radio station. There is no static from the knobs while turning between stations, nor any "pops", it is very quiet. It picks up quick enough to where you can "roll through" the channels and it will still send out the audio when someone is on the channel. All in all, if I could do it over I would still pick this unit, I like the size, the lack of chrome, and the simplicity.

This is a great little (and inexpensive) radio. I have a much older pro 500 model that still works. That radio has been in an old jeep, mounted on a 4 wheeler, laying on the floor of a truck (temp install), and sitting on a shelf in an outside storage room (humid climate) for years. It's at least 20 years old... and it's still working. I made the mistake of letting someone open it up to "peak" it probably 15 years ago. It still works, but I think it did more harm than good. I recently hooked it up again. Receive was GREAT, but transmit wasn't so great (I'm blaming the "peak" job for that). It did transmit, but it wasn't very clear. I bet if it had never been hacked, it would be working perfectly. That's the main reason I decided to buy a similar model. I was originally shopping for a bigger, fancier radio, but decided the price of this was a no-brainer. And it's really all I need. I spend about an hour a day on the road and mainly listen in for traffic reports and "bear" sightings. I connected it to a Wilson "Little Wil" and had a good SWR reading right away. Just like the old radio, the receive is great (and the speaker is nice and loud). I tested the stock mic, an old RK56, and a new Astatic Road Devil. The stock mic actually sounded the best. The RK56 was much quieter and sounded muffled (although it always worked great on a Cobra 29). The Road Devil was a bit louder, but lacked the clarity of the Uniden mic (but only slightly/not enough to matter). I personally don't like the small size of the stock mic, so I'm using the Road Devil for now. I hooked up the old radio (pro 500) to an AC adapter inside my garage and connected an old magnetic antenna to it. I let my kids talk to me on that radio as I drove a couple miles away. Even with that much less than ideal setup, the old radio was receiving my new 520xl loud and clear at 2 miles. Hopefully, this one will last as long as the old one.

Good ..not the right one ??

Muy buen producto

There are many more expensive CBs, and there are those chinese knockoff "import CBs" which come in at a few dollars more, but this seems to be a solid rig. I get better performance from this than the stock Uniden bearcat 980SSB I tried a while back (which if 4 to 5 times the price). It's small enough, and the rotary buttons do not feel cheap. The RF Gain is useful. The Noise cancellation takes care of some noise but not all. The most important part is to have a GOOD antenna. Use an external tuner, for $30 it's worth it. The lack of channel scanning is a minor inconvenient. Wish it had Weather band, but these are more advanced features. The mic seems/feel cheap but apparently works ok. I use it when I travel on the road and for emergencies. For something you would use daily in/out of city would recommend something with more features. Cheap enough to store with $50 antenna and $30 tuner in trunk for emergencies. Make sure you understand how to use it, and make sure you understand what SWR is and antenna tuner, otherwise you WILL wreck your radio, and your RF will NOT get out.

Buena calidad de radio para aficionados.

Modèle compact, belle apparence, facile d'utilisation et pas dispendieux. Parfait pour une utilisateur occasionnel comme moi. Uniden PRO520XL 40-Channel CB Radio