Cobra 200 GTL DX

Nicholas440 · Post by **Nicholas440** » Sunday 9th Sep 2007, 15:52

Hello guys, Im new here, and have a question. I see the Cobra 200 GTL DX isnt very popular on this forum but I have a chance to pick up a new second production which states the PCB number is PCB # 200-GTL PFM-0090A- BE . These are supposed to be the newest and supposedly have the previous bugs worked out.

My question is I read on this forum where a member had trouble tuning his 200 GTL on SSB where the clarifier wouldnt slide down low enough to cover the freq's ending in ZERO on 5's it was fine. Im not sure if this is just a problem with his rig, or if its common to all 200 GTL radios once they are modified for 11 meter coverage.

I'm really not sure I even want the Cobra as I have a Galaxy 99v that needs a little attention on the reciever, and Im going to have that repaired , but I thought I would ask if that Cobra clarifer will slide where its supposed to once the radio is modified.

Any thoughts on these new second production units that are out now?

Thanks, Nicholas

spitfire · Post by **spitfire** » Sunday 14th Oct 2007, 17:45

I have a Cobra 200, and it works just fine. I'm not sure what you meant by "has the bugs worked out", since mine has had zero problems, other than the usual CB stuff like horrible adjacent channel rejection..and I really doubt they fixed THAT.

Animal · Post by **Animal** » Thursday 18th Oct 2007, 5:51

There have been numerous negative reports about the performance of the Cobra 200GTL-DX on SSB, in particular the frog-like croaky audio and insufficient clarfier shift (meaning you can't get the zero's) & are all well documented on most online forums.

Here in the UK, some of the 'bugs' have been ironed out by Fusion Commodities with so-called various 'revisions' (to date there are three!)

When set-up correctly, the Cobra 200 does sound fantstic on SSB but if you get a duck-egg, they're terrible (speaks from experience!!)

My advise would be ~ try before you buy & get a highly critical friend to listen to the audio (particularyon the zero's) before parting with your hard-earned.

ATB

Steve

frogman296 · Post by **frogman296** » Monday 12th Nov 2007, 9:56

i would stay away from them...go with rci, magnum or galaxy....the 200's have made themselves a bad name

148 · Post by **148** » Monday 12th Nov 2007, 11:37

no to cobra 200 and galaxy 99v both are junk

frogman296 · Post by **frogman296** » Tuesday 13th Nov 2007, 3:12

i have 3 of the 99's...i like them...they have crystal clear audio...enlighten me

SirLurksAlot · Post by **SirLurksAlot** » Saturday 15th Dec 2007, 19:38

Greetings,

I've been a radio hobbiest since the late 50's..ham and cb. I just got a new 200. Board #200GTL-0090A-BF. I also know several folks that have early production units I can compare mine against.
All the bugs present in those early units that are adressed by the TSB's seem to be present in mine, to some degree. It does sound great in SSB mode, tho.
The local factory-authorized service center will accept those units in need of the TSB updates as warranty repair jobs, so they're free fixes. That by itself is unprecedented. However, I know of one radio that failed in service (due to excessive power supply voltage i.e. 20vdc) that had been modded for freq's with a 1/4 watt resistor and had the mosfet driver replaced by a local tech that was accepted for warranty repair despite the repair center being told of the facts.
That goes beyond any factory authorized support for any consumer product I ever heard of.

My own experience with the radio is fairly standard for export-style stuff for the most part. The noise blanker needs help. The adjacent-channel rejection and selectivity in general are not great. They are on a par with the 3600-series rci/galaxy boards though, IMO. And better than the non-DX 2950's I've had.
In a comparison to a 99, the 200 wins, hands-down. IMO.
The receiver performance is similar (after updating), it has considerably more power, requires NO modifications to make it talk very well on AM (doing nothing but tuning to factory specs followed by lowering high-power carrier and turning-up the mod-limiters *slightly* - mine keys 4w L/25w H and peaks 50w+ PEP L/120w PEP H into a dummy load and P-P voltage measured with a calibrated osciloscope), has considerably higher build-quality IMO, is frequency-stable, and costs a lot less (I paid $200 for mine, new in the box from a dealer). For those with low-drive amps, these radios don't do weird power-on or first-key power 'blips' like some of the RCI-made 100-watt radios do. So, you can safely drive a low-drive amos with these (just be sure the radio is set to low...LOL)
Galaxy's are decent radios, but it's hard to compare them favorably to philippine-made boards. The robustness of the Cobra's board is almost reason enough alone.

They're far from perfect, but considering the antiquity of the ept3600 series, their relatively fragile pcb's, their frequency drift, their 'modular' construction (hanging metal cans from the chassis sides is a design weakness for a variety of reasons), requires less to make it an outstanding talker, and considering it costs up to $100 less.....to me there isn't much question which is the better buy. Leaving matters of taste/style out of it, the 200 is better at what makes a radio a -radio-, if you know what I mean.

Long-winded reply, but I *am* a bucket mouth operator

James Unit 198 · Post by **James Unit 198** » Saturday 15th Dec 2007, 21:18

do you know the cobra 200 gtl dx is no longer made and parts are hard to come by. i have been waiting 4 month for a channel switch and when i get 1 the the 200 will be up for sale. i have a new ss158edx that lot better than the 200.

Min · Post by **Min** » Sunday 16th Dec 2007, 19:19

save your money and invest it in another galaxy or something. Not the 200.

captian_radio · Post by **captian_radio** » Monday 17th Dec 2007, 14:56

James how do you like the 158 so far? I will be using mine as of Dec 25th and was wondering how its performing,selectivity,sensitivity,power etc. Also wondering if yours has the blue display and what it has for final Tr's or any problems you may have had.
Tnx Bob

fatdude1 · Post by **fatdude1** » Monday 17th Dec 2007, 15:16

148 wrote:no to cobra 200 and galaxy 99v both are junk

frogman296
PostPosted: Monday 12th Nov 2007, 10:12 Post subject:
i have 3 of the 99's...i like them...they have crystal clear audio...enlighten me

Yes Please en lighting me also as i have 2 DX99V with no probs

Min · Post by **Min** » Monday 17th Dec 2007, 16:07

Yes, let us all know. I was thinking of possibly getting a 99V.
Whats the bad scoop you have on them???

James Unit 198 · Post by **James Unit 198** » Wednesday 26th Dec 2007, 1:15

captian radio
The ss158 his excellent radio.
The only 2 small problems fm is very flat and bit for carrier on lsb.
I have been in connect with Rick and he is going sort some mods for me but wont be until mid February has he is busy.
I will let you know how i get on.

James.

hamguy2 · Post by **hamguy2** » Thursday 23rd Oct 2008, 12:45

hey i disagree on the 200 cobra being rubbish .there better than a 2950 atleast when you mod them they dont lose or there channel rejection like the 2950 does etc and the 200s are well built for the price, thanks hamguy2 nsw australia

timrim · Post by **timrim** » Thursday 23rd Oct 2008, 16:00

I really liked the Cobra 200GTL, I sold lots of them. They are nice radios if you make sure you have all the tech bulletins up to date. Lot of bang per buck. A lot of shops gave the radio a bad name because they lacked the skill to work on them. The 200GTL uses extremely small surface mount parts, many the size of a speck of pepper, it is extremely easy to destroy the board if you are not careful. I personally dislike the surface mount technology myself, but I have set up many 200GTL's, and the customers were all happy with them.

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Cobra 200 GTL DX

Cobra 200 GTL DX

there better than a 2950 etc