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Who can I trust?

Once Bitten

Once Bitten

Member
Aug 13, 2011
88
11
18
Western Arizona
Who can I trust to repair my Cobra 148GTL-DX radio with added frequencies. It has not been in service for over 20 years. That was when I sent it out to a supposed COBRA AUTHORIZED repair shop (can't remember exactly but somewhere in the San Fernando Valley). It went out with a blown final and came back non-operational. I since then shelved it but now I miss it and want to use it again. The rig will power up, does not seem to receive and transmitting with any RF gain will cause squealing in the speaker. :cry:
 

Once Bitten said:
Who can I trust to repair my Cobra 148GTL-DX radio with added frequencies. It has not been in service for over 20 years. That was when I sent it out to a supposed COBRA AUTHORIZED repair shop (can't remember exactly but somewhere in the San Fernando Valley). It went out with a blown final and came back non-operational. I since then shelved it but now I miss it and want to use it again. The rig will power up, does not seem to receive and transmitting with any RF gain will cause squealing in the speaker. :cry:
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wow, if it has been sitting for 20 years there may be more than just a botched repair job to worry about. it will need the electrolitic caps replaced in it as well as they tend to only have about a 11 year shelf life. im not sure how much $$$ you want to invest, but im sure it can be repaired.
 
bandit35 said:
wow, if it has been sitting for 20 years there may be more than just a botched repair job to worry about. it will need the electrolytic caps replaced in it as well as they tend to only have about a 11 year shelf life. im not sure how much $$$ you want to invest, but im sure it can be repaired.
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I am expecting the caps do need to be replaced. I need to have it diagnosed first. As long as the cost doesn't outweigh the benefit, I'm in. I loved this radio. Used it with a Messenger 3.

9C1Driver said:
Two places with fast turnaround and great work are DTB Radio or Doug at Custom CB Radio's.
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Thanks, I'll check these!
 
If you're in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, Mike at Kilgore's Electronics does great work, and keeps ALL parts for the old Cobras in stock. Prices are reasonable, too.

73,
RT307
 
Repair Work

I have used GI Joes out of Berea, KY. I have gotten a few units from them with required mods (as neeed). They seem for the most part a no BS group.
 
bandit35 said:
wow, if it has been sitting for 20 years there may be more than just a botched repair job to worry about. it will need the electrolitic caps replaced in it as well as they tend to only have about a 11 year shelf life. im not sure how much $$$ you want to invest, but im sure it can be repaired.
Click to expand...


Caps are a hit or miss. I have electronic gear, both communications gear and test equipment, that is well over 20 years old, in fact some is well over 30 years old and a couple pieces are over 40 years old and I have never had to replace an electrolytic capacitor in any of it. Some of the gear is in almost daily use while others had sat for a decade or more before being fired back up. IMHO there is a possibility that some caps my need to be replaced but the notion that they will HAVE to be is quite an over statement.
 
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Captain Kilowatt said:
Caps are a hit or miss. I have electronic gear, both communications gear and test equipment, that is well over 20 years old, in fact some is well over 30 years old and a couple pieces are over 40 years old and I have never had to replace an electrolytic capacitor in any of it. Some of the gear is in almost daily use while others had sat for a decade or more before being fired back up. IMHO there is a possibility that some caps my need to be replaced but the notion that they will HAVE to be is quite an over statement.
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I agree with you about hit and miss. This is my concern on finding someone I can trust to give me an honest diagnosis and quote for repair. Judging from the cost of some of the new imports, repairing this one seems like it is worth trying.
I've got a message in to DTB. And keeping optimistic.
 
Steve up at Q5 Communications in DeForest, WI (800) 841-6333 is really good with vintage gear. He rebuilt my Cobra 135 to better-than-new specs and did it very quickly and at a fair price.
 
bandit35 said:
wow, if it has been sitting for 20 years there may be more than just a botched repair job to worry about. it will need the electrolitic caps replaced in it as well as they tend to only have about a 11 year shelf life. im not sure how much $$$ you want to invest, but im sure it can be repaired.
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+1 on getting those caps looked at.
 
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Captain Kilowatt said:
Caps are a hit or miss. I have electronic gear, both communications gear and test equipment, that is well over 20 years old, in fact some is well over 30 years old and a couple pieces are over 40 years old and I have never had to replace an electrolytic capacitor in any of it. Some of the gear is in almost daily use while others had sat for a decade or more before being fired back up. IMHO there is a possibility that some caps my need to be replaced but the notion that they will HAVE to be is quite an over statement.
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i've also used many 20+ year old radios (many boxed for years on end) and never had to replace an electrolytic capacitor either.

i find the, if it ain't broke , don't fix it method to be very reliable, nearly as reliable as not abusing my equipment with the so called "peformance mods" in the first place.

component failure is far more common due to abuse than it ever has been due to age, although the occasional thing may blow over time whilst operating under sensible conditions, many manufacturers used borderline components that easily pop when you try to screw every last ounce of power from the final/s, not necessarily in the rf amp circuit itself.
 
Captain Kilowatt said:
Caps are a hit or miss. I have electronic gear, both communications gear and test equipment, that is well over 20 years old, in fact some is well over 30 years old and a couple pieces are over 40 years old and I have never had to replace an electrolytic capacitor in any of it. Some of the gear is in almost daily use while others had sat for a decade or more before being fired back up. IMHO there is a possibility that some caps my need to be replaced but the notion that they will HAVE to be is quite an over statement.
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i would like to correct the mistake in my wording.....some may MAY have to be replaced. that won't be known untill the radio is gone over. there is a big difference between cb and amature gear, funny as i see no one has mentioned the "ten volt blues":glare: i have seen just as many caps fail from age as from abuse. the bottom line is to take the radio to a repuitable shop to have it propperly diagnosed, repaired and then tuned.
 

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