Cobra 148F GTL Arriving today-Any1 Else Had One?

[Mistah Gravy]

all-right i've probably over stated this in many posts but i have two Phillipine made Cobra 148GTL's made in 1989 and 1993 i believe and love them both as i have gotten many great reports on my audio and modulation and what not.just as the Cobra's in general are known for.

well i've always wanted a 148F and have bid on quite a few but they've always gone out of my price range.well about a week ago i was not shopping for one reall but i saw one on eBay as i was window shopping 148Fs and fell in love with all chrome cases,a Ranger chrome speaker to match,a 3outlet cig.plug and a gear keeper leash.i wasn't really looking to buy at this particula time but i fell in love with this particula 148F as it was the nicest looking set up i have seen so far so i went for it.

i first messaged the auction holder to ask if they had a buy it now price in mind and they said that they were just going to let the auction run it's course so i let them know that "THAT DAMN RADIO WAS A'GONNA BE MINE" and i placed the first bid.about six bids later and $183.00 plus shipping later and the bastid will be here this afternoon from UPS and i can't wait.

has anyone had an older 148F before and if so,how did you like it?did you have any issues with the frequency counter dying out after time?this will be my first experience with a frequency counter all together and i am pssyched to have one because i was going to buy one and install it to one of my 148GTL's because i have extra upper/lower channels but i'll hold off for now since this baby will be my main radio and i might just have one of my 148GTL's tuned and tightened up and then sell it off on eBay or somewhere like here or the other CB website i belong to.

overall,were you very happy with everything about your 148F?i know if looks were everything with a radio,i'll be happy for life now!! so please,any experience you's guys might have with the 148F would be appreciated.or knowledge about them.i've already gotten a link to a review and it gave a good review but i'd like to hear it from some people i speak to or come across online.thanks-Gravy626

[noisemaker]

Great radio- i had one back in the early 90's and i still kick myself in the ass for getting rid of it. I never had any problems with the radio but then again i wasnt running the power i run today, but i still beat the snot out of my radios.

The SS 158edx is the same form factor of the 148f (i think).

[Mistah Gravy]

who makes the SS 158edx? granted i don't have a whole heck-uv-a-lot of experience with different radios,i've yet to see this model?i'll take a look on eBay and google to see if i can find something.
i am sold on the 148F's though i will admit.once i get the refund after i return this radio,i am going to most likely immediately buy another 148F.it's just that they don't come up as often as other radios on eBay and when they do,they exceed the $200.00 range and there would have to be a bit more to the radio for me to go above $200.00
there's a 148F on there right now that is at $260.00 and still has time left on it.only thing i saw about it was variable power and i think extra channels.to me,that wouldn't make the radio worth $260 but again,i don't know a whole lot about the technical side of radios.

[High Voltage Mobile NJ]

Ranger i think.

[BOOTY MONSTER]

you may want to consider holding on to your money and seeing what kind of reports the about to be released (yes ... again) stryker ssb radio gets . dave at DTB radio has one and he's impressed with it so far ... but ... he has the last prototype . the final version is so far only supposed to have display and programming features .
here's a thread on it

http://www.cbtricks.com/forum/index.php?topic=6323.0

[Mistah Gravy]

that's funny Booty because last night i was on GIJoe's looking at the Ranger TR696f and considering that radio.and with a price tag of $149.00 for a brand new radio with a factory warranty i can't beat that.i love the Cobra 148F's and i am torn right now but if i go with logic it tells me to go with the Ranger(or the Ranger you are referencing,have to wait to get an approval from admins at that site so i can sign in).
i want to do some research on the 696f because it looks like a nice radio.i just want a radio that gets good reports over the air like the Cobra radios.i know Ranger is a good radio but i don't know if it's a loud talked with good modulation and all of that other technical stuff.so once the admins from the CBtricks forum approve my membership to the site i will go and check out that thread.thanks for the link up Booty!!

p.s. i am not necessarily an SSB user since not that many people are on the CB up here to begin with.i would prefer to have SSB on a radio but i don't have to have it.

[Mistah Gravy]

what about Connex radios....specifically the CX566
looks like a really nice radio,it's got SSB and variable talkback,roger beep and six color display choices
i have heard no bad about Connex radios but haven't really heard a whole hell of a lot.are they good talkers and good all around radios?this radio is only $199.99 and that is exactly what i was spending on the 148F only thing is that i'd want to soon after buy a frequency counter to put on it.i like having a fre.counter(have yet to have one though).
there are also two Cobra 50th Anniversary radios up for bid on eBay from a reputable seller and right now their bids are both at $53.00.if they stay in that range i may hop on either one or both of them and then go from there.the new Cobra's are a nice radio,and they're Cobra's!!

[Bulldog-Unit777]

I owned two old version Cobra 148 GTL's. Complete with upper and lower channels. On converted to electronic relay so the radio can be used in VOX mode! As a teenager I use to put on a pair of headphones and do my homework. Never had to worry on keying up the radio. With the door shut and a D104 it was a cool set up. Also have a new version 148 GTL. Rumor is Cobra might revamp the 148 to the 148 LX with the same LCD display features as the new 29 LX.

[Mistah Gravy]

forgive my ignorance BullDog but what is that-"Converted to electronic relay so the radio could be used in VOX mode".
i do not know what that measn but it sounde like you could play your music through your CB?
the Ranger PPR-TLM1 has a feature that allows you to load music onto it through a memory card,as well as load pictures onto it that you can display on the screen as background wallpaper or scrolling.it's a pretty neat CB radio and i've thought about buying one.there was a review on YouTube about this radio and they gave it good marks and also told how to tune it up to get more power out of it and to make it talk louder.

but for now i want to purchase my new base.i had bought the 148F but it was DOA when i got it Friday.someone linked me to a thread on cbtricks.com forums where one of their mods are currently looking at a new Ranger radio so i am waiting for my site membership to be approved by the mods so i can sign on to the site and check it out.otherwise i looked at the Ranger 696F that was right in my price window of $149.00(i have about 2hundred to spend).

do you know much about the Ranger 696F,BullDog?at the risk of sounding like an asskisser of BullDog,i have read a lot of your posts on here and i have quickly grown to trust your opinion and experiences.you seem to have a lot of background with radios and accessories so your opinion is high up there.just curious if you know anything about the 696F.i want a radio with a fre.counter and if i can't get the right one then i'll just add a counter to one of my Phillipine 148GTL's.

[Mistah Gravy]

yeah it's a Ranger(SuperStar)radio and it's a very nice looking radio but it's a 10meter radio and i don't have a license.i know you don't need it unless you operate on that band.also the one i saw on eBay is $299.00 which is out of my price range although i will check the radio shops to see what they really cost because the one on eBay most likely has mods and upgrades that i necessarily won't neet or use.so i'll go look for this radio on the sale sites(radio shops).thanks for the info cause that is a really nice looking radio and one that i would definitele like to have because i would like to eventually get a license to operate on other bands but for now just gotta get my feet wet on 11meter for a while(used to be into CB's back from 1986 to 1993 off and on and then from 1993 til last year off).

P.S.editing this post to say-WOW that radio has gotten the highest review of any radio that i've seen or read.i just now have to find out about pricing on this radio.if it's not too far out of my range then i will definitely shelf my cash and save up for it and also wait for the review of the other radio that was linked in this thread.doubt it will be as intense as this Ranger radio though.thanks for this suggestion.