Cobra 148 GTL
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| Frequency | 26.965-27.405 MHz |
| TX power | 4 / 12 W (4W AM / 12W PEP SSB) |
| Modes | AM, USB, LSB |
| Weight | 2.3 kg (5.1 lb) |
| Connector | SO-239 |
| Year | 1979 |
| antenna | SO-239 |
| mic | 4-pin CB standard |
| dc in | 13.8VDC (red/black power wire) |
| power req | 13.8VDC (vehicle power) |
The most respected mobile SSB CB radio ever made. The Cobra 148 GTL has been in production in various versions since the late 1970s. SSB for extended range. Built-in SWR meter. RF gain control. Noise blanker. The 148 GTL is the CB that serious operators recommend.
Larger than AM-only CBs. SSB requires more operator skill. Some versions are better than others (the original Japanese-made units are preferred). Production moved to various countries over the decades with varying quality.
The king of SSB CBs. The Cobra 148 GTL name has been on more serious CB installations than any other SSB radio. The original Japanese-made versions from the early 1980s are collector items. Current production versions are adequate but lack the build quality of the originals.
The Cobra 148 GTL is one of the most famous single-sideband CB radios ever built, a full-featured AM/SSB mobile that became the template countless other radios copied. It works the 40 license-free CB channels on 27 MHz, transmitting AM at the legal 4 watts and single sideband at up to 12 watts PEP. Adding upper and lower sideband effectively gives it the often-quoted '40 AM plus 80 SSB' channel count. It is a legal Part 95 CB, not amateur radio and not GMRS, so no license is required.
Its reputation rests on solid SSB performance and a clean, dual-conversion receiver, wrapped in a practical package with a front-mounted microphone connector, PA capability, and an illuminated meter. The design was so well regarded that it spawned a whole family of export and clone radios over the years, which is why the 148 name turns up on so many look-alikes, but the genuine Cobra is the legal CB.
Originally a late-1970s design, it was reissued and remains available new, keeping it in current production rather than purely vintage. For a base-station companion in the same family, the Cobra 2000 GTL is the flagship desktop SSB rig, while the plain-AM Cobra 29 LTD is the classic mobile alternative.