148GTL MALAYSIA

[144inBama]

My newest addition.... He was asking 400 but I got it for 300.....Probably still too high but what can I say....I wanted it..
https://www.ebay.com/itm/COBRA-148G...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

 

[w9cll]

Wow!!! If you want it and you have the money when do what you want.

 

[144inBama]

Radio came in today....Couldn't get any checks on SSB because no one around here has/uses SSB, but on AM was told it sounds excellent. Definitely have to lower the DK, it's a 5 swinging 12. Looking inside, I didn't see any obvious butchery, looks as though the power was turned up but other than that, everything is clean and where it should be, from what I can tell anyway.

 

[d4xycrq]

No purple wire mod. That's a good sign.

 

[144inBama]

No purple wire mod. That's a good sign.

What would that be? A 29 LTD I know most every normal mod possible for it, the 148.... I know ZERO, if they did a clean looking mod, I probably wouldn't even notice it.

 

[144inBama]

Think they'll still honor it?

 

[Handy Andy]

My only main concern, since you couldn't check SSB, you wouldn't know readily and right away...

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L50 - needs to be a Ferrite Bead, not a resistor...Look for it and change it out - any Ferrite bead will do, just not a resistor -They used a Resistor - so it will affect the ability for the PLL to stay stable in SSB load conditions.

You don't need it...change it back to a Ferrite Bead...It handles the Cap right next to it too, Supposed to filter but you'll see what I mean when you try to make it work on SSB - or if you'd like - AM you'd hear some "Warble" when you tune the Monitor radio to listen in to the audio on the AM side of the Malaysian 148 - set the Monitor radio up for USB or LSB and tune in, then start talking on the 148 - you may hear a "warble" as the carrier the 148 produces, "vibrates" on the voice peaks - makes it hard to listen to when you drive it with a power mic.

 

[144inBama]

My only main concern, since you couldn't check SSB, you wouldn't know readily and right away...

View attachment 40835​

L50 - needs to be a Ferrite Bead, not a resistor...Look for it and change it out - any Ferrite bead will do, just not a resistor -They used a Resistor - so it will affect the ability for the PLL to stay stable in SSB load conditions.

You don't need it...change it back to a Ferrite Bead...It handles the Cap right next to it too, Supposed to filter but you'll see what I mean when you try to make it work on SSB - or if you'd like - AM you'd hear some "Warble" when you tune the Monitor radio to listen in to the audio on the AM side of the Malaysian 148 - set the Monitor radio up for USB or LSB and tune in, then start talking on the 148 - you may hear a "warble" as the carrier the 148 produces, "vibrates" on the voice peaks - makes it hard to listen to when you drive it with a power mic.

Thank you Andy!
I found a page with mods for the 148 and started looking to see if any had been done. The only one I've found is TR24 has been remover. R131 is still intact, but I "think" TR24 being removed bypasses it?

 

[Handy Andy]

She'll be a screamer, so watch out for that warble on SSB if you go there...

TR24 would have to be used as per my own personal experience with a 148-GTL-F Malaysian made - using the Ranger MB8719 - it will be a duck though...purposely done this way for some ungodly known reason to limit signal output and splatter.

Not the most effective way to go, but it was the only way it would work because of the poor line regulation on voice peaks, not by the MB3756, but by the L50 being a resistor instead of a choke (Ferrite Bead) jumper - which using the jumper is allowing full voltage and regulation to the chip to utilize for it's own. Not choked/restricted in both current and voltage thru a resistor.

look carefully at the silkscreen on the main PCB - it shows a CORE you need to have on the lead, not a resistor.

 

[144inBama]

She'll be a screamer, so watch out for that warble on SSB if you go there...

TR24 would have to be used as per my own personal experience with a 148-GTL-F Malaysian made - using the Ranger MB8719 - it will be a duck though...purposely done this way for some ungodly known reason to limit signal output and splatter.

Not the most effective way to go, but it was the only way it would work because of the poor line regulation on voice peaks, not by the MB3756, but by the L50 being a resistor instead of a choke (Ferrite Bead) jumper - which using the jumper is allowing full voltage and regulation to the chip to utilize for it's own. Not choked/restricted in both current and voltage thru a resistor.

look carefully at the silkscreen on the main PCB - it shows a CORE you need to have on the lead, not a resistor.

I just pulled one out of an old connex carcass (jumper with ferrite bead) so I'll stick that in, so TR24 isn't a "major" concern or do I need to find a replacement?

 

[144inBama]

It looks like a 3.3K ohm.... Unless that's brown then it's a 330...doesnt matter since it's going away.

 

[Handy Andy]

It's 330 ohm, Will be an issue if it's in there, when you are in SSB, so yeah, you're going in the right direction.

Should be a petty good talked once all tuned up...

Make sure you're getting 8 volts to the chip ok?

 

[144inBama]

Side note.... The 148 and connex 3300 have the same frame... Cool.

 

[144inBama]

Make sure you're getting 8 volts to the chip ok?

Will do.. appreciate your help on this.

 

[144inBama]

ehhh.... is it pin 9?

Make sure you're getting 8 volts to the chip ok?

ehhh.... is it pin 9?