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Swamper
| | Posted on Saturday, January 04, 2003 - 8:11 pm: | 
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just wondering who has a cobra 2000 i have a few questions about the radio...i may buy one and the guy told me with extra channels it goes down to 26.175 and up to 28.045.....do they really go this low with extra channels?..i want to find out before i buy it if i can have a tech get it to go down to 25.00 or 26.000..also when i move the clarifier will the frequency tack with it?(will the digits move with the clarifier and is this for receive and transmit?..thanks,,any info will help.  |
Crafter
| | Posted on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 2:23 am: |
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With a card kit type which gives you another vco you get 80 above and 80 below. They will go 40 above and 40 below with just a bit of tuning and a regular kit its easy with the normal kit or if you got a mb8719 pll you can get 26.815 to 28.045 but as you know that 28 mhz is a ham freq. My opinion those 2000's were top shelf sets and getting harder and harder to come by, if a good clean set. |
123upmichigan
| | Posted on Sunday, January 05, 2003 - 1:53 pm: |
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I have one and the frquency range on mine is 26.815 through 28. it is a allright talker but not my favorite bye far. the clarifier mod that has been done to my 2000 alows for 22khz swing on the clarifier and it tracks right with the frequency counter. only problem had with this radio is that it keeps blowing wheat lamps left and right i think the board voltage might be turned up causing this but not sure. |
2600
| | Posted on Monday, January 06, 2003 - 12:41 am: |
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Hey 123,
The Cobra 2000GTL was made with a chip that restricted the extra channels you could get with just changing the chip's programming pins with toggle switches. The Cobra 148GTL received its official FCC "Type Acceptance" with a 'looser' chip, identical on all but ONE of the 18 pins. That one pin adds 64 channels to a simple "toggle switch" mod. Some folks will unhook the PA and ANL wiring to use those switches instead of toggles. No holes needed. If you look inside your radio, you will find that the original MB8734 PLL chip has been changed to the MB8719. This type went into radios that had received their "Type Acceptance" earlier, before the "Chip Rule" got tightened. Because all such federal rules "grandfather" an older design, those models remained legal to sell with the "looser" MB8719 in them. The 2000GTL was submitted to the standards laboratory for testing too late, after the rule was made tighter, and the 8719 got outlawed for "new" design radios.
All other mods, especially using the factory-original chip, contain crystals that are switched in place of the stock 11.3258 MHz chip, the big fat one next to the PLL chip. Moving that crystal's frequency moves all 40 channels together, and keeps them in order by channel number. Some of these will match channel numbers on a Galaxy/Connex/Superstar radio. The toggle switch mods will scramble the order of the new frequencies. The built-in counter on the 2000 makes that tolerable. Without a counter, you need a "cheat sheet", listing all the jumbled-around frequencies for each up/down combination of your toggle switches.
That fat crystal has a lot to do with the fabulous clarifier coverage. Without the Fine control, you would never get anyone tuned in on SSB.
The meter, mode and tx/rx lamps on the front are supposed to be 14volt lamps. If the ones you put in are for 12 volts, they won't last long.
Somebody (else) needs to write up a proper how-to for using modern ultra-bright LED lamps for this radio. Sure would save a lot of bulb-changing.
73 |
Swamper
| | Posted on Monday, January 06, 2003 - 3:56 am: |
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well i have this thing called digi scan and it is suppose to make this radio go pretty low i think down to 26.000 or almost that low,but im not sure if the radio will still track if i have a tech put it on? |
Sparkomatic
| | Posted on Monday, January 06, 2003 - 8:56 am: |
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I have a Cobra 2000 that has an Expo 100 L kit installed in it. 40 lowers/40 reg/40 uppers. I was never a fan of the channel mods done without the kits. |
Dinker1
| | Posted on Monday, January 06, 2003 - 10:19 am: |
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I Have the digi scan on mine-works fine-- ihad eight of these at one time, have three left, the one above, one has the expo kit, the other has the the switches and scattered they all track well, the scattered one is in very clean condition-want to see if 307 will put it back in good operating soon but havent contacted him about it cause of the holidays, any way other than the digi scan, i would rather the expo kit-- 40- up ==40 down..DEAN- |
Crafter
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 07, 2003 - 2:31 am: |
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Thanks 2600, Them lights sure do bug folks don't they I knew the trick but good to pass down, 18volt bulbs work to in a dark area. Like using a 130v bulb in 110v They call them long life and charge 5.00 bucks extra.
Mine has the mb8719 and a kit I settled for the uppers being 28.415 an lower being 26.595 vco just wont let it lock for the whole thing.Never figured the card kit out! |
Swamper
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 07, 2003 - 8:46 pm: |
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some tech told me today that there is a way to get the cobra 2000 to go down to 26.000 i dont know what the trick is but id like to find out.dont know if the feq counter will track way down there though. |
2600
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 2:33 am: |
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I'll bet the "trick" he's talking about is the external "Digi-Scan". It contains its own PLL chip, and completely frees you from the limits imposed by the PLL built into the radio. It was built to cover 26.0 to 28.0. I have a Cobra 2000 that got the MB8734 chip changed to a MC145106, the same chip used in Galaxy/Superstar/Connex radios. Covers 26 to 28. Proved it could be done. Also proved nobody would ever want to pay what that ended up costing, either.
73 |
Dinker1
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 7:48 am: |
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My 2000 with digi-scan goes down to 25.695 and up to 28.000 and the freq counter go right up and down with it,,, DEAN- |
Crafter
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 4:27 pm: |
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Swamper I looked up in my paper work and found my receipt for my card kit I dont know if there still in business. Drop me an e-mail for information.
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Swamper
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 08, 2003 - 10:37 pm: |
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crafter i am saying i have a digi a scan here but i never used it.dinker your cobra 2000 with the digi scan goes that low?to 25.695 i thought with the digi scan it only goes to 26.695.anyway the frequency counter still tracks with the digi scan????..i was told it wont but maybe the guy was wrong.2600 how much did you pay to have that chip changed?..and does the feq counter track with it still?..thanks |
Dinker1
| | Posted on Thursday, January 09, 2003 - 9:37 am: |
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Sorry to sAY the man is wrong or I have a Different radio-- the chip in my radio was removed and i.m told it would be using the one in the digi-scan and have never opened it up..I bought this one this way.. DEAN-
It does go down to 25.995 and up to28.000 and the freq. counter stays with the digi-scan DEAN- |
Swamper
| | Posted on Thursday, January 09, 2003 - 7:27 pm: |
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thanks dean |
Swamper
| | Posted on Friday, January 10, 2003 - 12:12 am: |
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dinker do you mean that when you have the digi scan on and you move your clarifier that it will still track? (numbers move) i was told that it wont but maybe the guy was wrong?let me know thanks. |
2600
| | Posted on Friday, January 10, 2003 - 12:19 am: |
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Uh, Swamper the Cobra 2000 chip-change was my design. I'd hate to think what I actually spent to do that one. The radio gets used nearly every day, so I can't say the money was wasted. The second chip, the one that runs the digits and the selector knob has a program about 1100 lines long in it. I just modified the program I developed for our Mark IV and Mark III synthesizer/slider to suit the frequency arithmetic in the Cobra. Didn't write it from scratch just to do two radios. The other radio that got this treatment is a 148GTL. When I figured out selling the setup would cost as much as the radio, I stopped there and moved on to other things. Proving that something CAN be done won't prove that it's worth doing. With radios like the Superstar 3900 selling for not much more than a 148 or Grant there's no way to justify spending more to "trick" out a 40-channel that just buying a radio that has the channels in the first place.
I took a few pics of the setup last time the cover came off it for service. Roger-Beep relay went bad. I oughta post those somewhere. Problem is, I rebuilt the counter module and sold it. Makes it a less "photogenic" radio with that big window completely dark. The channel digits read from 96 below to 96 above at 5 kHz per click, so the counter is kinda redundant. Still a 2000 with channel "42" showing to the left of the channel knob has some humor value, I guess.
73 |
Swamper
| | Posted on Friday, January 10, 2003 - 10:20 am: |
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I think its cool that you did that though 2600.i mean i would do it to mine too.i use my cobra 2000 evryday also i like it more than my tomahawk.so doing this would be worth it to me.gee i wonder if you could add fm into the cobra 2000 also?haha...maybe you could who knows. |
707
| | Posted on Friday, January 10, 2003 - 2:47 pm: |
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Yes there was an FM kit for the 2000 and similar boards back in the early 80's. It's probably still available at some backwoods CB shop. I had a 2000 with Digi-Scan. It worked fine from 26-28. The freq counter tracks with the clarifier, while the Digi stays on the base frequency. |
707
| | Posted on Friday, January 10, 2003 - 2:52 pm: |
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Oh, almost forgot. There is a type of rotary switch that is spring loaded, DPDT, momentary contact, that can be used to replace the useless channel selector in a Digiscan equipped radio. Then you tag on some control lines from the switch to the Up/Down momentary or scan switch on the Digi. Works well. |
CM 3885
| | Posted on Friday, January 10, 2003 - 3:22 pm: |
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For whats its worth for the $$$ value if it were me id sell the 2000 and get a galaxy 2517 or a 2985 or the like.....
In fact i did that once i had a 2000 and i sold it for 300.00 and get me a galaxy sat when they were popular.... |
Crafter
| | Posted on Friday, January 10, 2003 - 7:17 pm: |
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Yea, I sold mine now Im looking for another. That dosnt have the slugs tuned out of it! I just really miss the ole radio. Like the exports but my wife use's it too and see said "Get me another 2000" so you better get what you can when they say its OK ! As the FM goes my first one had it was a lou franklin kit from cbc I think but deviation was really never really right on mine. 2600 I would like to see those photo's. Hey CM you know what CB stands for ???
Constant Buying !!! You know something always catches your eye. All of are on track take care CRAFTER. |
Swamper
| | Posted on Friday, January 10, 2003 - 9:01 pm: |
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hey 707 thats good to know.i think i will have my digi scan put on my 2000 soon.cm 3885 call me crazy but i like my old cobra 2000 so much im will to pay the extra money to have all this dont to it even fm.call me crazy buy thers just something about the old cobra 2000 i just love..peace |
Dinker1
| | Posted on Saturday, January 11, 2003 - 9:22 am: |
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Swamper, I don't blame you , Had cobra 2000 some years ago, went to bigger better stuff and ended up selling most of my radio equipment to go back to the cobra 2000, like I said above I have three of them left and holding.. Last big radio I had was a 2517, quite the radio had all the goodie put to and it did hammer, still was no 2000- Had a eagle 2000 was a great radio, but again no cobra 2000. Had a couple 142's great radios. I bought all the 2000's through e=bay got a couple that wern't so good, but the one with then digi-scan came from Oregon ,out where the big ones are. It was on e-bay I held top bid all the way through and never sold, so I contacted the man and offered him what he wanted "$350.00" and he sold it to me. I have one here that is clan as can be in side and out that came doa but i just kept quite on it got it at a good buy gonna get it going soon,, Then the other one I have set up in my camper on a 102" whip does a fine job.. So much for that input.. You asked about the digi=scan, yes you can move the freq. and the freg. will follow it but the digi-scan will stay.The channel selector will stay where ever untill you set it, when you turn power off to the radio it will go to your home setting. mine is 15,I guess there is a way to set that, i havent checked it to return to your standby station, I definatly love the operation of the digi-scan, for this the first time I've had one, ok I this is enough for now, good luck with yousr adventure shure hope i have vbeen some help... DEAN- |
Karatebutcher
| | Posted on Saturday, January 11, 2003 - 11:57 am: |
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I don't have the Cobra 2000, but I do still have the Cobra 139XLR, I bought her new back in the 70's, it is still like new, And I talk on her once a week, it also has a Digan Scan on her, she goes from 26055 to 28045, and with that and A D104 with a tug 8 stand, that is all I need from the past. |
CM 3885
| | Posted on Sunday, January 12, 2003 - 11:54 pm: |
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Tell ya what guys! Id have another 2000 -IF- i can get one or find one that some idiot hasnt hacked to hell and back which this day in age is almost impossible because the ones ive found were modded for channels and the way they did it was not the way id want to do it!! I have a 142GTL and i love it! But i do like the "big black radios" too(like my AR ranger 3500 and a RCI "299-something or other" but i say theres still nothing like hearing a Cobra radio on AM or SSB that is running right! Ive always been a big fan of the pre 1995 Cobra radios(all of them!) before they started the worthless sountracker bit that i HATE! |
CM 3885
| | Posted on Monday, January 13, 2003 - 12:22 am: |
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BTW RU guys referring to the "Digiscan 400"? I see them from time to time on Ebay. I remember seeing one at my local CB shop that the owner said would work on the cobra 142 and the 2000 but he wanted too much for it. I though about getting it to use on my 142 GTL but i couldnt see spending 150.00 for the thing... |
Swamper
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 14, 2003 - 2:36 pm: |
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150? wow that is to much i think i got mine for 70 dollers. |
Freebird
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 22, 2003 - 12:14 am: |
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dinker what digi scan do you have the digi scan ufo or the 400? |
Freebird
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 22, 2003 - 12:38 am: |
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dinker are you sure it goes that low?...if it really does id like to know....this link says differnt though but maybe there wrong who knows? digi-scan_ds400
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