Uniden PRO505XL 40-Channel CB Radio. Pro-Series, Compact Design. Public Address (PA) Function. Instant Emergency Channel 9, External Speaker Jack, Large Easy to Read Display. - Black

Simply put, for the size, this is the best CB Radio your money can buy. It is very well built, the device is encased in a very thick, and durable hard plastic shell and feels very very sturdy, the mic is very ergonomical, fits in the hand really nicely, doesn't look like some funky toy that half the other mics out there look like, and is also made of a very thick and quality plastic. This device is a little softer on output power though, so make sure you buy a good antenna. The dead key is only ~2.5 watts and the swing barely reaches over ~8 watts, but for the size, I understand why they may have had to lower these. The device will get a tad bit warm on the left side if you do a lot of transmitting (SWR of 1.3) and I would make sure you keep a good eye on your SWR for this reason, as I'm sure a higher SWR would burn this unit up as it does not have a SWR danger indicator, and seeing as how it gets a little warm even using a good antenna properly tuned. But I have heard of some users running these on SWR of 2.0 and higher and having no issues at all. Very well made internal components as well. All in all, I've been able to talk to some guys 10 miles away from me, and they report very good audio quality and decent signal strength. Perfect size and fits just about anywhere, very durable, easy to use. I couldn't imagine a better CB radio for the money. I'd get one while they're still dirt cheap. Best radio I ever bought for the price. OUTPUT POWER: Dead key: ~2.5 watts MAX Swing: ~8 watts MAX RECEIVE SENSITIVITY: 0.8microVolts per 10dB audio sound increase (most radios are between 0.5-1.0 microVolts) AUDIO DISTORTION: ~10% MAX MODIFICATIONS: None, there are NO adjustable pots inside, if you do adjust something, you WILL fry this unit. DO NOT tamper with the internals of this excellent product just to get more watts. It will NEVER be worth it. This unit does NOT have the same circuit board as the 510XL which does have adjustable pots.

For how expensive other radios can be these work Great ... only used for jobsite truck to truck coms and quarry/ plant coms.

UNIDEN PRO505XL BEARCAT CB RADIO PROS: 1) Both the volume and squelch knobs work. 2) The mic is a standard mic connection. When will they go wireless on mics? 3) The signal and sound are loud and clear up to 2.5 miles with an non-tuned antenna. CONS: 1) The size is a bit larger (deeper) than what my available space will allow. 2) The power leads are terminated with bare wire instead of a plug to allow easy power connection to the cigarette lighter power port with a similarly modified cigarette power plug adapter. Some additional hardware and modification is needed to prepare the power leads to get this radio up and running if you only want to power through the cigarette lighter port. 3) The instructions indicate that a schedule must be established to measure and adjust the SWR antenna value and this seems overly complicated. I never had to gauge and adjust SWR on my cb radios decades ago and my radios were not harmed by not adjusting the SWR. 4) The reach of this radio was tested by me to be less than 3 miles in a flat stretch of highway. I drove to a truck stop and made contact with a truck driver who agreed to communicate with me as I drove away on a flat road to see how far the radio would reach. At 2 miles the signal was loud and clear. As I approached 3 miles static began to rise and at 3 miles the signal was lost. Again, this was using a non-tuned cobra antenna. SUGGESTIONS TO UNIDEN 1) Power lead: Replace the built in/hardwired power lead coming out of the back with a power port. Offer two power up options. Option 1 would bundle a power adapter that can be simply plugged into the back of the radio and then plugged into the cigarette lighter port. Option 2 would bundle a power lead that can be simply plugged into the back of the radio and then strung to the fuse box and/or battery. Buyer's choice. I would say that most people wanting a radio of this grade will want to plug into the cigarette lighter. Make it simple and quick to get this radio up and running. Replacing the hardwired lead out of the back with a plug will also make stowing the radio much more convenient. 2) Clarify the need to constantly be testing the SWR. Is this going to harm the radio if it isn't done? What type of harm will it do? As an option, offer the radio with an magnetic base-loaded antenna that can be easily adjusted to meet the SWR 1:1 requirement.

Small and cheap. Bought for cousin just got his license and pickup. Always need CB in truck! He's happy with it and works as shood. Not in way of anything as small radio. Cant beat it for the price.

Good starter radio for the price, got me into CB, pretty small and compact so great for smaller vehicles. Does need a power cord wired into it to work

Super nice item, worked. very clear sound.

I got this radio to add to my go box after weighing the price of this with the features of the PRO520XL. I've had access to both radios now for a little bit, and unfortunately regret not going for the PRO520XL. Aside from the style, the 520 is actually smaller than this lower-end model. This model forgoes an RF gain knob, which is essential for tuning down to the noise floor for distant stations. The issue is particularly compounded by poor mounting techniques such as clip or mag-mount antennas. Reading the specs for each radio before deciding revealed that the 520's receiver sensitivity was brilliant compared to this one, so in most cases distant stations hear me long after I stop hearing them. Another stark comparison of this radio with it's bigger brother is the weight. The 520's chassis is solidly constructed steel from top to bottom, where the 505 opts for cheaper plastic. After noticing an incredible drop in the noise floor when placing my magmount on top of the radio, I further realised another big "nono" in the radio's design; cracking it open revealed that there was no shielding whatsoever apart from the side mounting rails. I haven't tested for leaked RF yet, but I've already begun adding adhesive tin foil in an effort to provide some shielding and quell the noise this thing absorbs. It's a fairly simple process, but be sure to use a sheet of acetate (transparency film works) between the circuit board and the conductive metal to prevent shorts. If installing any CB radio permanently, I recommend wiring the radio directly to the battery or jump points. Be sure to install an inline fuse *at the battery*, or an electrical fire is a real danger. Since this radio has an inline 2A fuse, a 2A fuse at the battery would be ideal, but 2A blades aren't common. 5A is more common and will work fine for this wiring gage. Remember, the fuse at the radio will NOT protect you from a fire if the short is between the battery and the fuse. Using it this way instead of an accessory port adapter takes care of most alternator noise and interference issues.

I bought the Pro505XL in December 2016. It's a nice, compact unit with some decent features. It does NOT have a built-in SWR meter. Saw a couple of reviews where people said that, but it isn't true. It has a signal-strength meter, those bars on the left side of the display, but that's not a SWR meter. Some advice on this radio. First, get a real good antenna for it. I mean a LONG one, high quality. Second, get an external speaker for it and hook that up, rather than using the built-in speaker. Sound will be much better. And yeah...the good old bullhorn speaker under the hood of your vehicle up near the front grille of your vehicle is always fun. I like the silent controls on this one, too. No click-click-click stuff when changing channels. Since the radio is rated at the legal 4 watt limit, your antenna is EVERYTHING. Go for big, go bold, or don't go at all. If you decide later to upgrade to a CB with more functions or something, you won't be sorry. Besides, who wants a cheap antenna that doesn't get out very far, anyway? I mounted this one on the top of the dash in my (restored) 1987 Nissan Hardbody truck. I attached the mounting bracket and then used velcro strips on the bracket, and on the dashboard. Makes it easy to disconnect and store if you want to. Stick it IN the truck, rip it out if you wish. Doing this also keeps the bottom-mounted speaker UP off the dash, so you can hear it. But like I said, an external speaker really is better. And no matter what you do...make sure you take the time and patience to get that antenna matched properly. You want an average of 1.2 or less on your SWR meter on all channels. (That will give you 95% of your potential output. 1.0 is the ideal, and gives you 100%) There are many good videos on YouTube on how to match a CB antenna. A single millimeter difference in the proper length can be the difference between getting out long range, or only a couple of miles. And if your SWR reading goes much above 2.0, not only will your signal not reach far, but you can easily fry your radio.