Uniden 510/520 (1 Viewer)

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Brentbba

Former Golfer
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Just an FYI for those of you in the market. I 've been reading alot of the great info on these little things.

Uniden on their site sells refurbs (my experience is that most electronics sold as refurbs are NTF - no trouble found, but by law can only be resold as refurbs). The 510 is $29 and the 520 is $39. Haven't made a purchase yet, but pretty darn good price.

I've seen these in the ashtray (Christo's write-up), amongst other places.

Post up your location and why. For those of you that put it in the ashtray, someone post up the install pic w/o Christo's mod. I'd love to see the 1 1/2 inch protrusion mentioned in Christo's write-up.

Turbocruiser - timely thread re the 538. Just sent an email to Uniden about it's dimensions. You answered my question on that! Couldn't find an owner's manual on their site to get them. Sounds to big for what I want.

TIA
 
My 520 is bolted to the front of the center console in my BJ70. Why? It was really easy!
It's about to give way to a big Uniden SSB model, but no complaints with the 520.
 
Brentbba said:
Just an FYI for those of you in the market. I 've been reading alot of the great info on these little things.

Uniden on their site sells refurbs (my experience is that most electronics sold as refurbs are NTF - no trouble found, but by law can only be resold as refurbs). The 510 is $29 and the 520 is $39. Haven't made a purchase yet, but pretty darn good price.

I've seen these in the ashtray (Christo's write-up), amongst other places.

Post up your location and why. For those of you that put it in the ashtray, someone post up the install pic w/o Christo's mod. I'd love to see the 1 1/2 inch protrusion mentioned in Christo's write-up.

Turbocruiser - timely thread re the 538. Just sent an email to Uniden about it's dimensions. You answered my question on that! Couldn't find an owner's manual on their site to get them. Sounds to big for what I want.

TIA


Yes, the 538 is a big ass radio compared to the 520.

The only place i can think that it would fit is in the upper half of the place where the regular stereo sits. IOW instead of the stock stereo system on my rig I have an Alpine 1 din unit (half of factory system size) in the top half of the hole where the factory unit was. In the bottom half of the hole I have a recessed plastic tray storage spot about as large as three cds. My 520 is going to go there however not with that tray - I will need to find or to fabricate a tray with a larger cavity to fit the 520. The tray that is in there now has about 1/4 inch perimeter ring all around it which effectively makes the cavity too tight to fit the 520.

The ash tray location is super slick assuming you are not using your ashtray for something else which I am, not for smokes, but for the turbo timer assembly which is another super slick Slee modification AFAIK. The problem with putting the CB in this location, and its a REALLY serious problem to consider is ... you can't put the turbo timer there when you get yer turbo!!! :flipoff2: :D :flipoff2:

Another note of interest, I got my 520 from Clay's Radio in Somewhereortheother, Texas. They will totally test the radio and super tune it in various ways for like 20 dollars which for me without alotta local connections for citizen's band tuning was a good way to go. It is a super slick little radio.

One thing important to know is if you still run the stock stereo system and more importantly if you like it enough to keep running it??? If you are already at an aftermarket unit, think about putting the 520 right below it. If you are eventually going to go to the aftermarket unit, this might be the time to do it; you will kill multiple birds with one stone in terms of wiring, install and re-install of trim pieces etc. Its not hard either way but like I wrote if you are going to eventually do all that work in repeated cycles, it might just be better to spring and do it all in one nice and neat install. HTH. :cheers:
 
Turbo - thx. No plans to replace the stock head unit - still works great after 11 years. Watch....after typing this it will crash this weekend. hehehe Father-in-law has every tool and electronic toy imaginable, including, I assume at this point a SWR meter, so not to worried about tuning the antenna if necessary.

I already have a Prodigy brake controller under the dash almost right behind the transmission shift lever. Not alot of room to the right of it, so ashtray location sounds ideal for me. No plans for a turbocharger.
 
I velcroed it to the side of the console and only put it in for the trail. Tap the seat wiring and used a deans plug connector for power. The antenna is a mag mount from Walmart $9.99 works great. Have to remember it's there when going under trees, that's what the sunroof is for, reach up pop it off drive under the tree then slap it back on.

cb.jpg
 
Thx Tools - remember seeing your mounting location while searching. Any problems w/emergency brake with the unit in that location? Looks like you've got the 520. Only difference I see between the two is the PA funciton on the 520 and the RF gain adj knob.

Obviously you don't have to have an external speaker either!

Would the ashtray location require an external speaker?? I'd certainly think so. Not expensive and can mount right on the back of the center console out of the way.
 
It just clears the e-brake, plenty loud. Don't know how it would sound in the dash, was going to go that route, but like the option of removing it.
 
The more I read the more options there are. Right behind my tire carrier on the Kaymar bumper there's a square mounting hole Kaymar has a telescoping light for. Figured it would be a great place to mount a 4' antenna so I could just unscrew the antenna when not used. I've seen alot of great write-up's on the Wilson 1000 mag mount as well.

Has anyone mounted to a rear tire carrier? A 4' would clear the roof line very nicely.
 
I installed my 510 in the lower half of the 2-DIN stereo hole in my FJ62 dash. I took a DIN cage from an old broken car stereo head unit and bolted that to the 510, then just bolted the cage in with the factory bracket and bolts. I trimmed around it to fill up the space with a piece of black plastic garden edging. The install is clean and it's loud enough even though the speaker is closed up in the dash. If I was doing this truck over again I would probably get a front firing speaker CB that is approx DIN size like the Cobra 18WXST that is in my Pig. In fact, I'm thinking of switching them right now, putting the 510 in the Pig in the dash stereo location, and installing a Pigstereo in my new Tuffy center console...



I don't have a pic handy. If anyone wants one let me know.
 
I've got a cheap Wally world Maxon 510 rip off in the dash of the 60 at the change holder location. Need an external speaker for this app. but it fits realatively clean. Will have to rethink everything when I get my Galaxy 959 though. Prolly gonna end up with a custom center console anyway since I'm doing the V8 700r4 combo. Hoping to add the GPS carputer with touch screen, CB and 2 meter all in the console with the shifter.
 
Brent,

The pics on Christo's web site show both a modified 510xl and an unmodified 510xl. You will want to use a 90 degree adapter if you don't want to build the pigtail.

You can hear the stock speaker without an external speaker.

-B-
 
Thx B.
 
so is the 520xl extra features (RF gain, whatever that is -please explain-, etc) worth the extra money over the 510xl?

(am I right in assuming that it's worth having the built-in SWR meter?)
 
Well, it didn't even come close to fitting in the ash tray location of a '94. Maybe later years have a bigger opening? I just used the mounting bracket and stuck it under the dash right under the ash tray. See my CO2 thread for a pic.

I think that's the only difference E. Not much extra money in my mind for the RF gain.
 
Brentbba said:
Well, it didn't even come close to fitting in the ash tray location of a '94. Maybe later years have a bigger opening? I just used the mounting bracket and stuck it under the dash right under the ash tray. See my CO2 thread for a pic.

I think that's the only difference E. Not much extra money in my mind for the RF gain.


what does that RF gain thing do?
 
RF gain can be used to diminish the incoming signal at the front end of the receiver.

It is useful to prevent the transmsissions from knuckleheads using transmitter amplifiers from overloading your receiver. Also useful when your buddies are transmitting from a short distance away.

Good to have.
 
uniden 510/520 have a way to conect an external speaker so you can tell people to get out of your way?
 
hightide said:
uniden 510/520 have a way to conect an external speaker so you can tell people to get out of your way?

I know the 520 does have a jack for an external speaker. A little research on Uniden's site will answer the question on the 510, but I think it does also.
 
520 has both ext speaker jack and PA jack and switch 510 has only ext speaker jack. 520 has rf gain 510 does not. If you plan to use a pocket radio like the 510 or 520 your best bet is the 520. IMO ofcourse.
 

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