I built a hot Cobra 29 for a local boy and he blew it up...

[GLR]

in the future don;t pass judgement when you only have a limited understanding of what is going on

To further share my limited knowledge, this is what I have gathered from reading this thread:

1. You did a chop shop hack job on a perfectly good Cobra radio.

2. Shockingly, the radio didn't last.

3. You blamed the customer instead of taking responsibility for your 48 watt HOT ROD COBRA.

 

[GLR]

we tested it in my buddies truck... 10k predator... and a 'nice' mag mount... 1.3 swr

Ahh yes, your buddies truck with a mag mount 10K. The worldwide standard for radio testing.

 

[mr_fx]

Ahh yes, your buddies truck with a mag mount 10K. The worldwide standard for radio testing.

he wanted it tested on site so chill out man

 

[mr_fx]

To further share my limited knowledge, this is what I have gathered from reading this thread:

1. You did a chop shop hack job on a perfectly good Cobra radio.

2. Shockingly, the radio didn't last.

3. You blamed the customer instead of taking responsibility for your 48 watt HOT ROD COBRA.

1.) when the radio came to me it was hacked up... no speaker... dead display, weird messed up echo function... it also maxed out at around 8 watts on the swing (iirc)... when it left it had a new final and all supporting companion parts, a new display, and that squeal happy each box was fixed (by throwing it in the garbage where such things belong... lol)

2.) all the others I have built lasted just fine

3.) again all the others have been fine... why would this one be any different...

MANY people have built cobra 29s using mosfet finals and seen 35-50 watts (PEP) on the swing... it's not un heard of and in fact lately it's quite normal

unless you have something useful to say just buzz off... bye bye now

 

[mr_fx]

Kinda like putting candy on the table and telling the little boy to wait until he's had his supper.

lol, very good point

 

[mr_fx]

Offer to test it on your bench. It may come back up to specs, because his coax is messed up, giving high SWRs. Personally, I would not hook up a radio of any kind, with such high SWRs.

yeah I was surprised that he thought it was ok to run it like that... I was even more surprised that his old royce was still alive and kicking on that high of an SWR

I am going to test it on the dummy load and my meters on the bench and see what it does...

maybe I can sell him my old A-99? $50 installed with some new mini 8 coax and silver ends I would not be making a dime on it BUT at least I would KNOW that it was a proper install...

lol I would love to get rid of that thing and get a v5/8 or w58.... I would even settle for an IMAX 2000

for that matter it is installed in his work trailer.... which is all steel... I could just sell him a mag mount little will (I have one laying around) or a 4 foot or taller firestik II with a tuneable tip

 

[AudioShockwav]

1.) when the radio came to me it was hacked up... no speaker... dead display, weird messed up echo function... it also maxed out at around 8 watts on the swing (iirc)... when it left it had a new final and all supporting companion parts, a new display, and that squeal happy each box was fixed (by throwing it in the garbage where such things belong... lol)

2.) all the others I have built lasted just fine

3.) again all the others have been fine... why would this one be any different...

MANY people have built cobra 29s using mosfet finals and seen 35-50 watts (PEP) on the swing... it's not un heard of and in fact lately it's quite normal

unless you have something useful to say just buzz off... bye bye now

Just some friendly advice.

If you are going to get into a business of repairing or fixing radios this is what you open yourself up to.
I know several guys around here that found cbtricks online and the next-weekend they are radio tech`s, one even went so far as to taking his truck and camp trailer over to the Pilot truck stop on HWY 99 and start advertising his work on the radio.
Long story short, he like to got himself beat to death over a brand new export radio he fouled up and moved up north somewhere.....
Yes many people do take there own radios and add mosfets to them, and chop limiters, and superwhakpack there own Equipment, but it is there`s to do with as they please, you how ever are charging for a service, and your customers are paying for you to do work.
If you are not going to warranty what you do you should be very clear with that right from the start.
There is a reason that having a business is a bit more complicated that just reading something and hanging out a shingle.
And Yes I do not know you, nor do I know what your background is in electronics.
I can only base this by what you have posted on this forum, the crust of it seems to be This post that you put up on 12/29 of 2011

Posted by Mr FX
I did not even open this radio up when it went down the tubes... I bought this radio so I would not need to open it up...

and NO I never claimed to be a tech, just a guy with a hobby... I do a little radio work on the side to offset the cost of the hobby...

Al tho you say you are not a radio tech, you are working on radios/building radio`s and charging for them.


73
Jeff

 

[Robb]

I agree.
I align radios, do simple mods, and fix a few things for local operators. Usually for no charge, just because it is a hobby and we try to support each radio operator in the Bay Area of CA. But I have no problem with you making money at it either. More power to ya.

I think you did the right thing by helping out that kid, FX. Part of working on radios is making sure that your customers are informed. That is my opinion, but I'm stickin' to it too. The kid messed it up; it wasn't really your fault if he doesn't know how to do things right. Hopefully, he learned something about operating a radio correctly in the process. Just be glad that you don't have to do this for every customer you work for - lol!

But reputation is everything if you are going to turn it into a business. Having started my own automatic transmission shop years ago, it was founded on the principles of doing work at competative prices, word of mouth from satisfied customers, and taking on one transmission at a time and each part of it at a time. That was my formula for success, and that it was. 'Parts is parts'; and the same principles applies for radios as well - IMO.

 

[GLR]

There should be a "yeah what GLR said" button on this forum.

 

[mr_fx]

There should be a "yeah what GLR said" button on this forum.

dude you are ate up... I am putting you on the ignore list... you have WAY too much time on your hands. BYE BYE

 

[GnG8d]

dude you are ate up... I am putting you on the ignore list... you have WAY too much time on your hands. BYE BYE

TRANSLATION= I don't like what you have to say, even though I know you're right, so I'm not going to listen.

Man, you've read a couple books and hacked around on some radios and now your trying to step on out, kudos to you. But you need to be able to deal with the business side of soldering a resistor too. The reality of it is, people are going to do stupid things to blow up radios, and if you were the last hack to touch it, you get the blame. Pure and simple.

So you either fix it, or send them down the road, your choice.

Ahh, the pleasures of watching the free market work ........ refreshing compared to the crony capitalism our government has adopted :headbang

 

[mackmobile43]

There should be a "yeah what GLR said" button on this forum.

dude you are ate up... I am putting you on the ignore list... you have WAY too much time on your hands. BYE BYE

TRANSLATION= I don't like what you have to say, even though I know you're right, so I'm not going to listen.

Man, you've read a couple books and hacked around on some radios and now your trying to step on out, kudos to you. But you need to be able to deal with the business side of soldering a resistor too. The reality of it is, people are going to do stupid things to blow up radios, and if you were the last hack to touch it, you get the blame. Pure and simple.

So you either fix it, or send them down the road, your choice.

Ahh, the pleasures of watching the free market work ........ refreshing compared to the crony capitalism our government has adopted :headbang

Truer words have never been spoken

 

[mr_fx]

So you either fix it, or send them down the road, your choice.

I already planned to fix it... but how many times should I fix it if he keeps doing the same crap over and over? I plan to fix it so I don't look like a jackass. ..

 

[GLR]

I already planned to fix it... but how many times should I fix it if he keeps doing the same crap over and over? I plan to fix it so I don't look like a jackass. ..

By fix it do you mean send it to someone that knows what the hell they are doing and will un-HOTROD it?

Oh and we would never want you to look like a jackass.

 

[IMD262]

How much do you charge to hack-rod a Cobra 29???