The Cobra 148 GTL CB Radio – Likely the Best Mobile Rig Ever Produced
The Cobra 148 GTL CB radio has been the mobile rig of choice of all serious CB’ers for more than 30 years. Cobra has always been associated with excellence.
Historically, the best sets were always the early ones originally manufactured in the Phillipines. I purchased mine in 1978, and was lucky to get one of these earliest little gems. The manufacture of this exact model was halted in the late 1990’s, but due to overwhelming demand manufacture has begun again and they are now readily available.
Strong and durable construction has always been a hallmark of all Cobra CB radios, and the 148 is no exception. It can live in the harshest of environments that would quickly destroy lesser makes.
The newest radios have retained their original time proven configuration. The only difference is a cosmetic one that now has the microphone connector located on the front of the set, instead of at the side like the older units. This is a good design change, as it now makes for very extremely easy installation. Long microphone cables are also now standard.
This model offers a total of 120 channels. It has 40 AM channels, and a further 80 channels on SSB. 40 on the lower side band, and another 40 on the upper side band.
The TX power output is the maximum allowable by FCC regulation – 12 Watts on SSB and 4 watts on AM.
The radio configuration is certainly rich in features –
a) Built in SWR meter, and SWR calibration control for the accurate matching to the antenna.
b) An adjustable microphone boosting control for maximum clarity on transmit.
c) Adjustable RF gain control allows for the optimum setting of the received signal in strong and weak signal zones.
d) A noise blanking switch to further reduce the amount of received noise.
e) A PA switch allows this model to also be used as a PA system, with the addition of an external speaker.
There is another reason why this model has proven to be so very popular. The casing has plenty spare room inside for mods, and there are a wide range of add-on boards that are available at radio shops to boost the performance. Some are legal, some are not.
If you are searching for a feature-rich, ultra reliable, mobile radio then you can do no better than choosing the Cobra 148 GTL CB Radio.
Author Bio: Nicola is a telecommunications techician, and writes many articles in the telecomms (and 2-way radio) markets. Be sure to visit her CB radio website for some truly great deals on Cobra hand held CB radios.
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