A completely UNHACKED Cobra 2000GTL LOL

[Robb]

Thanks for the reply`s and I do have all the tools except for a scope and dont do extensive repairs on radios so a scope for me is to show the customer that the radio is clean thats it. I have been tuning am radios since I was a kid by ear and I was known for my ear when I did live sound and recording. The meter speaks for it self and the signal generator tells me it is good on the receive and the volt ohm meter tells me the voltages are correct. What matters is the final product and that the customer is happy as I am when I get done. My reputation is the most important thing for me. Most of my customers dont want a quiet radio they want the option to have it loud or quiet so I add a switch for the am only limiter and I never remove the ssb limiting In fact I allways put tr 24 back in radios. If you have seen my video`s you would know that I take the hacked up junk radio`s and make them nice again. I allways ask them what they want and I do what they want I am doing this for a living so I have to make money. There is nothing wrong with that. I have contact cleaner and de oxit and a frequecy counter and a nice volt ohm meter. I do light repairs on 148 s 29`s and uniden`s in general nothing that is over my head I refer them to other shops as to not waste there money. And yes the radio`s are custom built per the customers request. Like I said my testimonial`s speak for them selves. If I was so bad do you think I would have gotten all the great testimonials I dont think so. and belive me it does not bother me anymore what my critics say I just had to respond to this in my own words. I just dont get what is wrong with making money. People can search for themselves on google for the mods they are there but they choose to come to me to get the work done and I am going to charge for it because I am in business to make money so I can eat and have a roof over my head. I tell people all the time hey go to cb tricks or go here or go there the mod is there but they say no I want to send the radio to you to get it done. I do work my butt off and i do buil;d nice quality radios and no one can take that away from me.

www.snakeradiosinc.com

Scopes are ESSENTIAL for the alignment process. Get one for $100; or don't ever say that you have aligned these radios. Because that just wouldn't be true. The PLL part of the alignment process REQUIRES a scope. This cannot be done 'by ear'. Don't short-change your work or your customer!

In addition, checking your AM modulation on the scope will ensure that an NPC mod is adjusted correctly after installing it. Without putting it on a scope; you make that mod null and void. A very critical step!

 

[badass560]

Thanks to Tim I have gotten into this hobby again and am actually tinkering with a few radios, I could do the same things myself but it is my money and I choose to spend it however I want. I am planning another build for Tim to do, a)he did a great job on a 959 for me, b)his honesty throughout my first experience with him. Some people may not like what he does, that's their opinion so be it, personally I find it reassuring that he doesn't put on a front when you talk to him. I don't understand how some people can judge others without having any experience with them. Just my opinion, take it or leave it!

 

[loosecannon]

Yes Tim, i started this thread and did have a condescending tone to my posts regarding your radio knowledge or lack thereof.

i personally wouldnt drill a hole in a 2000GTL even if a customer did ask for it because there are other ways of doing it that dont involve cutting up a radio in a way that cant be reversed later.

and you have to admit that using hot glue on a heatsink defies all logic.
im sure you dont do that anymore.

you said yourself that you are learning as you go, and there are many of us that disagree with practicing on other peoples' radios and charging them for it.

you are right though, that in the end, that is between you and the customer, and no one else.

i do believe that you should be more honest in your videos about what you do and dont know, and where you get your mods from for the benefit of your potential customers.

maybe your customers would care that you got 80% of your mods from my posts on the internet and maybe they wouldnt. I used to go by "Kid Vicious" on the Copper forum, so those are my posts too. No, i didnt invent the mods, but i also didnt put them out here for amateurs to make money off of.
Its a free country and a free internet, so you are allowed to do whatever you want with them.

I gave you the mod to get rid of the channel muting because i know you are doing mod installs and i want to maintain the integrity of "the mod" no matter who puts it in a radio.

your work is improving, and i do hope you continue to learn, but you do need to start learning the "whys" instead of just the "whats" and "hows".

For example, did you know that its not a good idea to replace the 2SC1674's with the 2SC2999's except in very few cases? the 1st RF amplifier is one of them, but there is a big difference between a "quiet radio" and "reduced sensitivity". the gain figure of the transistor is only one part of the equation.
its about why its quiet.

do you know the downsides to broadbanding the RX and TX mixer stages in these radios?

do you realize that getting rid of the SWR CAL control doesnt work like you think it does?
just because the radio calibrates on your dummy load doesnt mean that it will calibrate on the customer's antenna.

do you know why its not a good idea to tune the 455khz IF cans using a 27mhz signal?

remember that the testimonials you get are from people that know less about it than you do, otherwise the majority of them would be doing it on their own.

good luck in your future endeavors, and if you get stumped by a radio with an issue, feel free to PM me and ask for advice.

LC

 

[cmgoulart]

good honest shop

" I have never been busier than I am now lol. And to Tony why are you so angry and condecending towards someone you dont even know in person. And as far as the mods that I do goes yes I have taken the best mods from the net and I use them to create some of the best custom 148`s out there and I am not bragging just look at my testimonials on my website they speak for them selves. I dobnt hold a gun to anyones head to get work done by me people need a good shop they can trust"

Tims modified 3 radios for me, one UNIDEN 78LTW one COBRA 148GTL and one COBRA 148F and this i can say about the custom work he does ....
He is extemely qualified and up front, communicates rapidly and does excellent work. I have no problem with custom added features. He's the only guy i trust ! I'm know hes highly qualified to restoring a classic COBRA or UNIDEN without the "added knobs or switches, lighting or anything else a true classic buff may rebuke as a "hacked radio" Tell you what ... I run my tim built radios in harsh trucking enviorment and without fail when i key up theres always compliments from other drivers, curiosity of the type of rig im talking on followed by suprise (the suprise is from the export crowd) I've run General Lees, GALAXY 33/99 and STRYKERS but wanted to go back to the classics and glad I did. Nothing sounds sweeter than a 148 PHILIPPINE custom infront of a 3 or 4 pill with cophased antennas ! Nothing .... Dun the whole "EXPORT thang" For my personal radio I would only have Tim build me a Classic 148 stock on the outside no bells or whistles but heavly modded on the inside. But thats after he MODS my Classic COBRA 29GTL (radio no. 4) Some folk seek out the extras ! Tims got a good thing going and folks thinking that adding a knob, lighting or switch defaces a radio wernt looking for a true classic anyway. When I had my 68 CAMERO i painted it orange with white ralley stripes, placed the Z/28 emblems on it, ran centerlines wheels with a 396 pumped up with a muncie M22.... All the classic buff never sneard or mumbled ... (only the jealous ones) Then just wanted to hear the solid lifter big block idle and drive away ... Brought alot of joy when they welcomed me into the club as a member, always offered a helping hand and learned from some great people. Internet has taken that away cause its easy to secretly type out BS and know everything about someone without ever metting the person, Might try reaching out and doin alittle teaching yourselves and maybe learning while your at it. Radios a great hobby and not many folks working on classics anymore that are worth a darn (everyones got a golden screw driver) But atleast Tim puts it out on the line. Never met the dude maybe never will but I trust his opinion and know that his work and word is good !

Carlos

 

[AudioShockwav]

Might try reaching out and doin alittle teaching yourselves and maybe learning while your at it.

Stick Around and read some of the stuff on this forum, I think you will find there are a lot of guys here that help others out in all kinds of radio.

73
Jeff

 

[Superidgit]

" I have never been busier than I am now lol. And to Tony why are you so angry and condecending towards someone you dont even know in person. And as far as the mods that I do goes yes I have taken the best mods from the net and I use them to create some of the best custom 148`s out there and I am not bragging just look at my testimonials on my website they speak for them selves. I dobnt hold a gun to anyones head to get work done by me people need a good shop they can trust"

Tims modified 3 radios for me, one UNIDEN 78LTW one COBRA 148GTL and one COBRA 148F and this i can say about the custom work he does ....
He is extemely qualified and up front, communicates rapidly and does excellent work. I have no problem with custom added features. He's the only guy i trust ! I'm know hes highly qualified to restoring a classic COBRA or UNIDEN without the "added knobs or switches, lighting or anything else a true classic buff may rebuke as a "hacked radio" Tell you what ... I run my tim built radios in harsh trucking enviorment and without fail when i key up theres always compliments from other drivers, curiosity of the type of rig im talking on followed by suprise (the suprise is from the export crowd) I've run General Lees, GALAXY 33/99 and STRYKERS but wanted to go back to the classics and glad I did. Nothing sounds sweeter than a 148 PHILIPPINE custom infront of a 3 or 4 pill with cophased antennas ! Nothing .... Dun the whole "EXPORT thang" For my personal radio I would only have Tim build me a Classic 148 stock on the outside no bells or whistles but heavly modded on the inside. But thats after he MODS my Classic COBRA 29GTL (radio no. 4) Some folk seek out the extras ! Tims got a good thing going and folks thinking that adding a knob, lighting or switch defaces a radio wernt looking for a true classic anyway. When I had my 68 CAMERO i painted it orange with white ralley stripes, placed the Z/28 emblems on it, ran centerlines wheels with a 396 pumped up with a muncie M22.... All the classic buff never sneard or mumbled ... (only the jealous ones) Then just wanted to hear the solid lifter big block idle and drive away ... Brought alot of joy when they welcomed me into the club as a member, always offered a helping hand and learned from some great people. Internet has taken that away cause its easy to secretly type out BS and know everything about someone without ever metting the person, Might try reaching out and doin alittle teaching yourselves and maybe learning while your at it. Radios a great hobby and not many folks working on classics anymore that are worth a darn (everyones got a golden screw driver) But atleast Tim puts it out on the line. Never met the dude maybe never will but I trust his opinion and know that his work and word is good !

Carlos

So you had to lie about your car to become a member of a club ... hmmm interesting. Only 7200 z28 were ever made in 68, Less then 28,000 SS models and 41,000 RS models. Wonder which one you had?

Another thing that is bugging me is you had an account on this forum 6 months before the thread was ever created. And now you are making a post?

Your are Fine in trusting this mans work and giving him your money no one will ever argue that point. Just some folks here would never take a "classic" radio and do what his customers ask him to do. Kinda Like some people wouldnt take a "classic" car and turn it into something its not just to impress people. I will say this though. Not one person here that has posted a negative comment on Tims work has ever had work done by him. That I do not agree with.

One other point I would like to make is, Tony made perfectly clear his intentions in a later post.

 

[wavrider]

If the customer wants their radio hacked up, then it is the technicians decision to hack it/ drill it, mod it, or to tell the customer to go somewhere else.

Drilling a hole in a chassis has no determination of how good the techs ability is to install a mod or tune a radio.

Man walks into a auto parts store and wants to buy a battery. Sales person offers to test the battery to see if it is indeed defective. customer says nope just sell me a battery.

Two days later same guy walks in with the new battery he bought, tells the sales person the battery is bad, wants to exchange it.

Sales person says no exchange, the battery is good the customers vehicle charging system is bad.

So now the customer has bought and paid for a new battery he did not need and also has to get his charging system repaired. Customer is pissed.

Sales person gave the customer exactly what he asked for.

If you open the doors to your shop or auto store to the public, then the golden rule applies.

"The customer is always right."

If the customer wants his radio drilled with holes, drill it or tell him to take it down the road. Do not give the tech a hard time for doing what the customer asked.

 

[Robb]

The only thing I can say at this point, is that if you don't use a scope when aligning a radio's PLL circuit - then you didn't do a real complete alignment. Tech gets one golden screwdriver award out a possible of ten. If the tech tunes the SSB and AM receive by using his ear instead of a frequency generator - no matter how experienced he is - another golden screwdriver award is earned. If you use a frequency counter used to map channels on a CB - instead of a tech grade reference frequency counter, yet another golden screwdriver award is earned. List can go on.

If the customer wants the bells and whistles treatment, he is better off having a tech doing that - than making a mistake himself and wrecking the radio. I'll buy that.

 

[jazzsinger]

If the customer wants their radio hacked up, then it is the technicians decision to hack it/ drill it, mod it, or to tell the customer to go somewhere else.

Drilling a hole in a chassis has no determination of how good the techs ability is to install a mod or tune a radio.

Man walks into a auto parts store and wants to buy a battery. Sales person offers to test the battery to see if it is indeed defective. customer says nope just sell me a battery.

Two days later same guy walks in with the new battery he bought, tells the sales person the battery is bad, wants to exchange it.

Sales person says no exchange, the battery is good the customers vehicle charging system is bad.

So now the customer has bought and paid for a new battery he did not need and also has to get his charging system repaired. Customer is pissed.

Sales person gave the customer exactly what he asked for.

If you open the doors to your shop or auto store to the public, then the golden rule applies.

"The customer is always right."

If the customer wants his radio drilled with holes, drill it or tell him to take it down the road. Do not give the tech a hard time for doing what the customer asked.

A concientious tech has a duty to educate their customers, at the end of the day, its HIS reputation on the line.

To compare a sales person who is trained in fast sales with little knowledge of what their actually selling, to a radio tech who SHOULD have an excellent knowledge and understanding of what they are working on is quite frankly absurd.

In my experience of life, the customer is rarely right, infact more often than not they are completely wrong, a good tech would insure they left with vastly more knowledge than they arrived with.


As for hacking up classic radios, that IS criminal.

 

[Superidgit]

A concientious tech has a duty to educate their customers, at the end of the day, its HIS reputation on the line.

To compare a sales person who is trained in fast sales with little knowledge of what their actually selling, to a radio tech who SHOULD have an excellent knowledge and understanding of what they are working on is quite frankly absurd.

In my experience of life, the customer is rarely right, infact more often than not they are completely wrong, a good tech would insure they left with vastly more knowledge than they arrived with.


As for hacking up classic radios, that IS criminal.

I will agree with you Jazz that customers are generally ill informed and a lot of times wrong. One of my first jobs I ever had was working behind a sales counter at an Advance auto Store. There were so many times I would tell a customer this part or item will not work the way you are wanting to apply it, yet they still bought it. Two or three days later they would come back and try something else. Was I wrong to sell the item to them, nope I dont think so. Not after telling them it wouldnt work. Then again I sold items where I told the customer it wouldnt work, then customer brought it back to me and they had made it work. Some jobs looked awful other job looked really good.

But as a tech, a customer has a radio and money and wants something done to the radio. Wether its a modification or just a simple tue or just a fix, I believe the tech should have some input. However, it is up to the customer to know what they are getting themselves into.

I do not think Tim so far as I have seen pissed a customer off or made them angry. I am sure he has you can not please everyone, but yet to see anything.

The only thing I have seen here is that he done some work that other folks would not do or have done.

To Robb:
His methods may be questionable under your eyes, I agree with you that an Oscilliscope probably is the best way to tune a radio. However, when I look at the specs that factories give when tunning a radio, the spec are mainly dealing in voltages that a voltmeter would supply easily enough.

 

[Klondike Mike]

>>.. As for hacking up classic radios, that IS criminal.

Please, ALL refrain from using such comments. And my response is not in defense of all the golden screwdrivers out there or mentioned in this thread.

A little over a year ago I brought my 2000 out of storage and with the help of members here and on CBTricks, I was able to get my machine fully functional and I took things further and really "hacked" it up.

I had a lot of questions and inquiries on a number of things. Many people "in the know" answered my questions and I was never was dissuaded in pursuing any of my projects. My "hacked" radio has turned out to be much more than it ever was. If the help was not there when I needed it, it then truly would have been a "hack" job.

Maybe, I'm one of the few ... but don't paint everyone who wants to mod their radio with a broad stroke as being "criminals"!

 

[Robb]

I wouldn't exactly say it is criminal; but I wouldn't buy a radio that has front panel hacks.

If you want a radio that has talkback, echo, extra channels, and a roger beep; then I would buy one that already has it built in. A Galaxy, Ranger, or Magnum can do all that. Magnums often have a built-in compressor that can keep the modulation at 100% with clarity and sensitivity, and that is a usable mod for AM or SSB. Now that is a VERY useful mod one can add to just about ANY radio.

I might buy a Cobra 2000 that has extra channels. But if I wanted echo and talkback for it, I would get a mic that would do that instead of going any further into the radio.

I wouldn't put an external ALC control on it. That is something that should be adjusted internally with the mic that will be used with it to keep it accurate. I wouldn't put a Mod control on it either. That should also be done internally and adjusted carefully with the mic to be used to ensure the NPC mod is on target as well.

Variable power control might be an OK option, especially if a low drive linear is going to be used. Aren't all of the new amps high drives anyway?

An internal recorder/playback is the height of 'superfluous flummery'. I can see no practical value in that when an external video recorder would do just as good as job - if not better.

It's getting hard to find one of these radio that someone hasn't stepped all over already - too. An original unhacked one is worth the bucks.

But its your money and your radio.
These things have value to the user.
But think about the next person you try to sell it to - when you are tired of that and want to get your investment back - when upgrading to a better radio . . .

 

[Klondike Mike]

All valid points Robb that I agree with. No "superfluous flummery" here.

 

[jon666]

re

if that is what the customer wants why bash the person
doing what it asked of him..
from what i have seen on his cam he does pretty good work.
for real you bashers need a life.it is not your radio so why do you care.
tim does good work. i would trust Tim with any of my radios.

 

[jazzsinger]

if that is what the customer wants why bash the person
doing what it asked of him..
from what i have seen on his cam he does pretty good work.
for real you bashers need a life.it is not your radio so why do you care.
tim does good work. i would trust Tim with any of my radios.

educating a customer isn't bashing them, 95% of mods are either pointless or detract from a properly set up radios performance. As i have always said and will always say, " if you have to mod the radio, you bought the wrong radio", the most you should ever have to do to a radio is give it a good alignment.

because a customer asks you to hack up his pride and joy doesn't mean you have to do it.

after pointing out why its best not to do it (for that bit you need knowledge, the downfall of many a tech), if he still persists then i don't see any harm in doing what he wants, as you correctly point out its his radio to deface and devalue if he so chooses, at the same time it makes my radios and other people's radio's which are unhacked like mine more valuable and far more sought after, especially now, as it's getting harder to source the spares to return a hacked radio to standard.

Personally i wouldn't trust any tech with my radio, much better to learn to do the work yourself, in 90% of cases, it ain't rocket science.