Questions with cobra 148gtl finals

[chec0]

Ok now keep in mind that i am a rookie and dont know to much now so be easy on me please
i have a cobra 148gtl that has been worked on already and its doing 18 watts
ive been reading in a few different places that there not making the 2sc1969 finals anymore is thi correct??? the replacement is the ERF-2030 correct???
now my question is my radio is a singal final right... can i make it a dual final with 2 ERF-2030??? and if i can is there anything else that i need to do this???
and no i wont be doing this im gonna give it to my friend to do but i wanted to come here and asked all you smart CB'rs
thanks in advance

 

[Butcher318]

The 148 and Uniden Grant xl are single final radio's. Here is the best advise I can give. The 148 / Grant xl are exellent radio's, all they need is a corect tune and alignment with no clipping of any limiters. If you are in the 14-18 watt range leave it. If you want more power get a small amplifier.

I'm not up on the newer mosfet mods, maybe DTB or someone can chime in. I would think a decent Mosfet mod would be in the 50-75 dollar range. This might get you 40 watts er so. If you take that money and buy a used Texas Star Mod V you will be seing right at 100 watts.

 

[lords]

a decent Mosfet mod would be in the 50-75 dollar range.

20 bucks or less for the Mosfet Mod and about 40 watts. if you volt them you can get maybe 5-7 more watts but it ant worth it...

 

[loosecannon]

checo,

i fully understand the "bug" that bites you when you first start playing with modded radios.
we have all blown up our share.

that radio you have there, if the mic is mounted on the side, is a classic, and is not the radio to experiment with.
go buy a cheap 29ltd and play with it.
done right they can do 40-50 watts.

now, i know you'll hate to hear this, but if you are doing 18 watts; to get another S unit on someones receiver, you'll have to put out
72 watts (4x18).
sorry, thats the way it works.
as you can see, a 100 watt amp will do wonders for you for a low price.
anything less than that is not really worth the toruble.

the answer to your question is no, there is no easy way to make that radio into a dual final radio.
wouldnt be worth it if it was done.

take it easy,
loosecannon

 

[TonyV225]

I also agree on just buying a 100 watt external amplifier and letting that do all your work and not pounding the p!$$ out of your 148

 

[ajm1571]

I have the older version 148GTl an i love it! It is set at 2w dk a swing to bout 12-15w. I run it into a klv 350 an man does it sound so sweet! I have never gotten any bad reports on AM or SSB. Mind you that it is set up as a base unit with a d-104 desk mic attached I agree with everyone else, if ur seein 18w out of it, go buy a nice small external amp! Dont go messin arouind a ruin a good radio

Just my .02 :wav

 

[chec0]

Thanks for all the replys guys
i will look into getting an amplifier
ive been told to get an xforce x-80 is that a good amp???i want a amp with preamp and ssb

 

[BIONIC_TEXAN88]

Thanks for all the replys guys
i will look into getting an amplifier
ive been told to get an xforce x-80 is that a good amp???i want a amp with preamp and ssb

for ssb get the magnaforce 350 rather than the x force. it already has ssb delay and b biased. it will give ya better performance on ssb and will do great on am as well.

 

[lords]

Thanks for all the replys guys
i will look into getting an amplifier
ive been told to get an xforce x-80 is that a good amp???i want a amp with preamp and ssb

for ssb get the magnaforce 350 rather than the x force. it already has ssb delay and b biased. it will give ya better performance on ssb and will do great on am as well.

yes I would agree with this, my local buddy has this linear and using a Magnum s9 with it..and it sounds great on AM or SSB
Course Magnums have good audio

 

[Master Chief]

The 148 (radio is question) does NOT take a 1969 final like the AM only radios do. The stock final is plenty and can do upwards of 25 watts if done by a true tech who knows what he is doing. Mine peaks at 28 watts.

But its possible that we are NOT talking about the same radio as this thread is in th EXPORT section and not the CB section.

Using a purpose built external amplifier is an EXCELLENT idea.

 

[KC2OST]

The 148 (radio is question) does NOT take a 1969 final like the AM only radios do. The stock final is plenty and can do upwards of 25 watts if done by a true tech who knows what he is doing. Mine peaks at 28 watts.

But its possible that we are NOT talking about the same radio as this thread is in th EXPORT section and not the CB section.

Using a purpose built external amplifier is an EXCELLENT idea.

Every 148 I have seen has a 1969 in it.

 

[KC2OST]

Thanks for all the replys guys
i will look into getting an amplifier
ive been told to get an xforce x-80 is that a good amp???i want a amp with preamp and ssb

for ssb get the magnaforce 350 rather than the x force. it already has ssb delay and b biased. it will give ya better performance on ssb and will do great on am as well.

Unless they changed something (which I doubt) the Xforce
made Magnaforce amps do not have voltage or thermal tracking.
The biasing is a joke.

He would be way better off buying a real amp designed for ssb.

 

[BIONIC_TEXAN88]

The 148 (radio is question) does NOT take a 1969 final like the AM only radios do. The stock final is plenty and can do upwards of 25 watts if done by a true tech who knows what he is doing. Mine peaks at 28 watts.

But its possible that we are NOT talking about the same radio as this thread is in th EXPORT section and not the CB section.

Using a purpose built external amplifier is an EXCELLENT idea.

Every 148 I have seen has a 1969 in it.

yep, I was just about to say the same thing. I have had a few and they all came stock with the 1969's.

 

[Butcher318]

I have run a MagnaForce 100, 200, and 350 as well as two Jokers, a Palomar Magnum 4500, and numerous Texas Stars. The Joker was my favorite but they are impossible to find. I have been running a Magna Force 350 for about a year now. When you consider the price, delivery time of days, and performance they are hard to beat. I have gotten exellent reports on both AM and SSB with several different radio's. Until someone can build amplifiers like the joker line, MagnaForce is the bang for the buck.

 

[TonyV225]

yes the 148 does run the 1969 as does the 2000GTL people were even replacing the finals that have blown in there galaxy and rci radios such as 2950 ETC with the 1969 transistors