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cobra 150 any good
- Thread starter anixon
- Start date
I've never owned or used a 29, but I've had a 150GTL for 3 or 4 months now. I paid only 20 bucks for it ($119.95, free shipping and -$100 mail-in rebate, whoohoo!)
I like it, it does 15 watts carrier and I've got it set for 90-95 percent modulation, so it swings up past 40 watts no problem. On low it does 3 watt carrier and swings up past 10 watts. FM also works great. I am using a Superstar DM452 hand mic with it, and everyone likes how it sounds.
The channel mod is easy, just remove a chip resistor. It does block TX on several Frequencies below 1 and above 40, but there is a second mod to defeat that. That involves putting the resistor you removed for 11 meters in an empty slot on the board. I have not done this myself, because there are plenty of channels for me.
The RX isn't the best. It is quite sensitive, but allows lots of noise through. The NB/ANL are ok as far as alternator whine and stuff, but alot of static comes through around town, like those awful LED traffic signals, and high voltage power lines and stuff like that.
The echo and talkback work, but I don't use them. The backlit faceplate is nice.
I've had it in my car for many weeks now, and it is doing fine.
For 20 bucks, it is GREAT! For 150 bucks, I'm not so sure. You could get a Magnum 257 for just a little more, and have alot more radio, IMO. I only bought it 'cos it was such a great deal.
I like it, it does 15 watts carrier and I've got it set for 90-95 percent modulation, so it swings up past 40 watts no problem. On low it does 3 watt carrier and swings up past 10 watts. FM also works great. I am using a Superstar DM452 hand mic with it, and everyone likes how it sounds.
The channel mod is easy, just remove a chip resistor. It does block TX on several Frequencies below 1 and above 40, but there is a second mod to defeat that. That involves putting the resistor you removed for 11 meters in an empty slot on the board. I have not done this myself, because there are plenty of channels for me.
The RX isn't the best. It is quite sensitive, but allows lots of noise through. The NB/ANL are ok as far as alternator whine and stuff, but alot of static comes through around town, like those awful LED traffic signals, and high voltage power lines and stuff like that.
The echo and talkback work, but I don't use them. The backlit faceplate is nice.
I've had it in my car for many weeks now, and it is doing fine.
For 20 bucks, it is GREAT! For 150 bucks, I'm not so sure. You could get a Magnum 257 for just a little more, and have alot more radio, IMO. I only bought it 'cos it was such a great deal.
What Highlander said is about the same I would say. I get 17 watts out of mine, and I can not find any info on how to turn it up any more ? Anyway, I got mine one year ago for $40 after rebate. I heard my wife on it one day (it's in my car) and I thought it sounded very good ! I don't plan on getting rid of it. I would not pay more more than $100 for one.
Highlander_821 said:
I hate those LED traffic signals! I remember not long ago there was some talk about interfering transformers (maybe in the antenna section) and what people tried to get the power company to address it. Has anyone tried to get their DOT to fix the interference caused by the strobing traffic signals? If you had any luck, how did you do it?
Had one...got rid of it. There is info on cbtricks.com to adjust the amc and the carrier levels, but you have to be very careful because if you turn up the audio too far, they begin to distort. They are not as loud as you might expect for 50 watts, but I guess if you get one cheap, it's not so bad. The rx was good on mine, as was the nb. Good radio if you are long winded because they have a heavy heat sink and can run at 20watts carrier for a long time w/o getting too hot.
YMMV,
preacherman
YMMV,
preacherman
For the price, I think its a good choice. As for being loud, that depends on the type of mic you use and how you use it.
I've sold quite a few of the 150's through my online store, and at my storefront location. Good reports from customers.
I've sold quite a few of the 150's through my online store, and at my storefront location. Good reports from customers.
DTB Radio said:For the price, I think its a good choice. As for being loud, that depends on the type of mic you use and how you use it.That's what I get for tuning it myself w/o having a scope.The audio had spikes outside of the envelope that sounded like static on the carrier and when I turned it down to the point that it sounded clean (using headphones on my meter), then the locals complained that the audio sounded weak. Other than that, it was a good radio for the price. It may also have just been the radio I had.
preacherman
That's because you haven't heard one where the audio sounded like it had loud machine-gun like static superimposed on the carrier. I'm not just talking distortion, I'm talking loud "pops" as you talk.
YMMV
preacherman
YMMV
preacherman
I've heard one and it sounded good on a D-104 on the low side into 250 watts off a 2000 antenna. I've always just wondered about these low low prices that you could get them for over the months ? 20 dollars or 40 dollars after rebates and what not , so now I have heard the good and the bad , but for those kinds of numbers (prices and what the radio can do itself plus all the channels and extras that come with it) How could one go wrong on this ? Hmmmmm .......Now I have heard a few Cobra 200s on both AM/SSB and I was very impressed !! for roughly 250.00 out the door on those ,I'd have to say pound for pound ,dollar for dollar ,I don't see how anyone could go wrong on one of those. Nice to see the Cobra name doing something again after all these years , now if only Uniden could jump on the band waggon and bring us back a decent AM/SSB radio like the XLs and LTs were. Hmmmmm
Yes it is easy to do the channel mod BUT! be very careful when pulling the resistor up off the board.Only heat it for about 1-2 seconds and lift it up! do NOT! pull on it cause it will rip the trace off the board.just food for thought, bigunHighlander_821 said:
