Cobra 29LX Changed Again

[CbRadiosPRONTO]

Here we go again.
Sept. 2021 29LX all SMT.
2023 came back in stock w/ through hole and new VFO section (am).
Newest batch (2023) SMT.

I’m not sure what the deal is. They appear to tune somewhat close to the others but the real world results is the audio is pretty low on the receiving end. Would not recommend drivers using noise canceling mics. I’m not a power mic fan but if I ran an SMT version, I’d probably run a Road Devil in the vehicle.

No way to compress the audio, if that’s what you like to do. No JP36. No schemes.

Note: 33ohm (ish) to ground Talkback Mod

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

Here we go again.
Sept. 2021 29LX all SMT.
2023 came back in stock w/ through hole and new VFO section (am).
Newest batch (2023) SMT.

I’m not sure what the deal is. They appear to tune somewhat close to the others but the real world results is the audio is pretty low on the receiving end. Would not recommend drivers using noise canceling mics. I’m not a power mic fan but if I ran an SMT version, I’d probably run a Road Devil in the vehicle.

No way to compress the audio, if that’s what you like to do. No JP36. No schemes.

Note: 33ohm (ish) to ground Talkback Mod

The power socket wires look very small. A sign of the times, I guess.....

 

[NZ8N]

Here we go again.
Sept. 2021 29LX all SMT.
2023 came back in stock w/ through hole and new VFO section (am).
Newest batch (2023) SMT.

I’m not sure what the deal is. They appear to tune somewhat close to the others but the real world results is the audio is pretty low on the receiving end. Would not recommend drivers using noise canceling mics. I’m not a power mic fan but if I ran an SMT version, I’d probably run a Road Devil in the vehicle.

No way to compress the audio, if that’s what you like to do. No JP36. No schemes.

Note: 33ohm (ish) to ground Talkback Mod

According to https://fcc.report/company/Cobra-Electronics-Corp

The first post in this thread with the 29 VCO daughter card (Beken BK4802, like the FM models) is the latest Cobra 29 LXA version submitted with the
FCC on 2022-10-27.

This version is the one submitted to the FCC 2021-03-02. It still uses the Cobra29 PLL.
They also submitted the LX-MAX (has Bluetooth) on 2021-12-20, which also has the Cobra29 PLL instead of the newer BK4802 daughter card.
The 2021 models (SMT) are the interim versions, probably selling them off to make room for the latest version with the BK chip.

It's weird that they would go from discrete component layout, to SMT, then back to (mostly) discrete again.

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

According to https://fcc.report/company/Cobra-Electronics-Corp

The first post in this thread with the 29 VCO daughter card (Beken BK4802, like the FM models) is the latest Cobra 29 LXA version submitted with the
FCC on 2022-10-27.

This version is the one submitted to the FCC 2021-03-02. It still uses the Cobra29 PLL.
They also submitted the LX-MAX (has Bluetooth) on 2021-12-20, which also has the Cobra29 PLL instead of the newer BK4802 daughter card.
The 2021 models (SMT) are the interim versions, probably selling them off to make room for the latest version with the BK chip.

It's weird that they would go from discrete component layout, to SMT, then back to (mostly) discrete again.

Maybe they just go with whatever the lowest bidder has?

 

[CbRadiosPRONTO]

According to https://fcc.report/company/Cobra-Electronics-Corp

The first post in this thread with the 29 VCO daughter card (Beken BK4802, like the FM models) is the latest Cobra 29 LXA version submitted with the
FCC on 2022-10-27.

This version is the one submitted to the FCC 2021-03-02. It still uses the Cobra29 PLL.
They also submitted the LX-MAX (has Bluetooth) on 2021-12-20, which also has the Cobra29 PLL instead of the newer BK4802 daughter card.
The 2021 models (SMT) are the interim versions, probably selling them off to make room for the latest version with the BK chip.

It's weird that they would go from discrete component layout, to SMT, then back to (mostly) discrete again.

It could be a matter of availability. I’m hoping the SMT is not the near future for cobra.