Cobra 25 ltd newer version parts help

[Shockwave]

Finding components that failed from golden screwdriver shorts is one of the more difficult tasks. Parts that would never fail in normal use can now all be considered a possibility until traced or tested.

 

[dss56]

Well I replaced the final, audio chip> and a few trannys and electro caps so all parts were changed in the mic-audio section. If something happens again the radio I will tell customer not worth it. I will also put tamper seals on case so if broken not gonna work on that radio anymore.

 

[Handy Andy]

Sometimes, after all that. You just want to weld the case shut and tell them NO MORE!

Glad to know you got it fixed.

Thank you for letting me work with you on this.

I don't like radios with too many complex problems - and glad to know the customer got theirs back working...

Hopefully they're a little smarter for it...

WHEW...

 

[dss56]

Andy

I would of given up if not for you pushing me and pointing out areas I missed.

thanks hope this also helped others with a similar problem.

 

[Handy Andy]

I had one instance where the radio came in - in two pieces. The case and main PCB in one hand with the front panel in the other...

So as the story went (I'll be brief) the "gentleman" was using the radio in a mobile setup driving an amp - then something happened to the antenna and he received a shock off of the mic - and nearly losing control of the car at the same time.

Well, he wanted to fix it himself but wound up getting in over his head - the original problem was loss of ground - bad SWR kinda' thing - where RF floats about and can give you quite a poke. It burned up the Mic gain pot and limiter - Final and Driver survived. But it's in the effort to repair it, that he took it apart to fix it not knowing how to put it all back together let alone know what went wrong.

So that was like those puzzles you see in toy stores - lots of hardware - frayed wires and pieces of radio in a Ziploc bag - with them saying "can you get it to work again"?

I actually did, it was an older PC-66XL - so I used one as a template and put it back together for them...

So, if you think this was bad, it is a good lesson for all of us in why we put up with what shows up on our doorsteps - and don't feel too guilty about charging for the repair. As far as the customer goes, it's in their best interests to learn how to become a responsible operator - having to pay for their mistakes that could have been avoided.

And also the Murphys' Law of Labor Rates...

$10 Hr - to re-align
$15 Hr - to replace meter light
$20 Hr - to replace broken knobs
$40 Hr - to replace Finals and or Driver
$100 Hr - If you bug us to let you watch us fix any of the above
$250 Hr - to repair what you broke and recreate original problem and fix that
DUMB LOOKS ARE STILL FREE!​

 

[dss56]

I agree with you this was a challenge to fix I charge him $60.00 and told him if it craps out not to bring it back because of not knowing what other parts might fail later.
I explained when a radio takes a voltage short many parts get affected that might not show up now but later.
Problem with this one was not having the exact schematic and trying to use one similar but better than nothing. I must of stared at the schematic over 2 hours to see if something obvious but too many parts could of been the culprit..

thanks again

 

[Eldorado828]

Well, everyone else was rocking and watching the show away at the theatre -



Thanks to you for stopping by..

Hey there my friend I wasn't trying to be sarcastic, I jumped in at place where you guys had offered some of what I had thought and I was waiting to take and learn from the advice you guys were putting down. You guys were doing an excellent job at pointing the right direction, I was just waiting for the voila moment. Shoot if I'd of had a 25 to throw on the bench I would have opened up her up to follow along! Love this place and you fellas, I don't ever mean any disrespect but if I don't know I watch and listen.

 

[Handy Andy]

Hey Eldorado - we missed ya' on CB Tricks - mah' man!
​

Hey there my friend I wasn't trying to be sarcastic, I jumped in at place where you guys had offered some of what I had thought and I was waiting to take and learn from the advice you guys were putting down. You guys were doing an excellent job at pointing the right direction, I was just waiting for the voila moment. Shoot if I'd of had a 25 to throw on the bench I would have opened up her up to follow along! Love this place and you fellas, I don't ever mean any disrespect but if I don't know I watch and listen.

No never took it as sarcastic - just amazed that people actually read this stuff...

Everyone else was off watching (???) and playing around tossling, jostling - jabbing each other on another thread - spilling soda and popcorn everywhere, making a sticky buttery mess all over the works of the old salts that lay around here like tigers awakened from some long winters nap only to feed on the remaining tid-bit's as a whole...

(It's never pretty - just ask Daniel)

- so thanks for taking the time to actually stop and read our little part of the site...not too often does someone stop by and cheer us on...SERIOUSLY!!! I do mean that!

 

[dss56]

Eldorado

Glad you were interested in the problem going on with the 25LTD and having a happy ending.

 

[sonoma]

dss56 you spent a lot of time and parts for what money you received. my buddy has a shop and I have seen him work on a radio like this for hours and only charge the guy 20.00 to fix it. he got about 2 dollars per hour doing the repair and the guy would think he was getting robed. do not understand why people think you can repair some radios for next to nothing.
good job on finally getting it fixed. Handy Andy is good at doing these kind of repairs and the pictures he post are amazing.