Did all the 148 GTL-DXs get sent to the UK ?

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Did all the 148 GTL-DXs get sent to the UK ?

Post by cb4ever104 »

Just curious . You hardly ever see any 148 GTL-DXs outside of the UK . So my question is this . Did all these radios get imported directly into the UK via the Isle of Man ?

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Re: Did all the 148 GTL-DXs get sent to the UK ?

Post by Transwarp »

They came in via a few methods. I think I'm right in saying that the Superstar 360FM's were converted (eprom-ed) in England for UK40 to pass (an attempt to) as a legal set, hence the plate with CB/27/81 on them, just like the Stalker 9F-DX. Heard all sorts of stories of where and who did the work but nothing concrete, still don't really know to this day. Somebody else on here may be able to give us a history lesson on the subject.
Last edited by Transwarp on 02 Jul 2018, 17:26, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Did all the 148 GTL-DXs get sent to the UK ?

Post by The Collector »

Email Dynascan and ask them for the story :idea:

I'd do it myself but I'm crap at typing...as well as very lazy :crazy:
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Re: Did all the 148 GTL-DXs get sent to the UK ?

Post by 26TM944 »

A lot came in via southern Ireland. They were collected up north (ish) and then were resold to whomever.

It's like the Ham Ints' that came via the Channel Isles from memory ... everyone thought all very cloak and dagger back in the day but it was more like only fools and horses! Many a Volvo estate packed full of rigs coming back up the M3!

I think there are two dealers left who'd still have fond?! memories of all those goings on back in the day!
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Re: Did all the 148 GTL-DXs get sent to the UK ?

Post by Buick Mackane »

cb4ever104 wrote: 02 Jul 2018, 13:45 Just curious . You hardly ever see any 148 GTL-DXs outside of the UK . So my question is this . Did all these radios get imported directly into the UK via the Isle of Man ?

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Dunno about cobras, But the nato 2000 was smuggled in via the isle of man, Which ebay seem to think is in the UK :?
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Re: Did all the 148 GTL-DXs get sent to the UK ?

Post by 26TM944 »

Buick Mackane wrote: 03 Jul 2018, 09:02
cb4ever104 wrote: 02 Jul 2018, 13:45 Just curious . You hardly ever see any 148 GTL-DXs outside of the UK . So my question is this . Did all these radios get imported directly into the UK via the Isle of Man ?

Sammy
Dunno about cobras, But the nato 2000 was smuggled in via the isle of man, Which ebay seem to think is in the UK :?
Yes, we were surrounded by Isles that were shipping kit to the UK back in the day!
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Re: Did all the 148 GTL-DXs get sent to the UK ?

Post by cb4ever104 »

Yeah . It was mainly the 148 that I was thinking of . Just wondering why they weren't sent out to mainland Europe . Saying that , they didn't have much problem selling them all anyway . Which leads to another question on why they stopped production so soon . The 360FM kept going until the late 80s . It's all a bit strange ....
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Re: Did all the 148 GTL-DXs get sent to the UK ?

Post by Buick Mackane »

Maybe they weren't good sellers on the home market (USA) I'm sure the pimp would know, But hes only interested in clints head served on a silver platter
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Re: Did all the 148 GTL-DXs get sent to the UK ?

Post by Transwarp »

Buick Mackane wrote: 03 Jul 2018, 13:21 Maybe they weren't good sellers on the home market (USA) I'm sure the pimp would know, But hes only interested in clints head served on a silver platter
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Re: Did all the 148 GTL-DXs get sent to the UK ?

Post by astradyne »

cb4ever104 wrote: 03 Jul 2018, 12:10 Which leads to another question on why they stopped production so soon . The 360FM kept going until the late 80s . It's all a bit strange ....
Maybe it was more cost effective to just manufacture and package the one radio (the 360 FM) than to build smaller batches of the 148 for a much smaller consumer group.

It probably didn't take long for people to catch on that the 148 and 360 were one and the same. Plus no doubt the "stealth" version of the 360 (which was specifically aimed at the UK market) will have helped with the demise of the 148. Having the full UK 40 back in those days will have been a huge priority, so having only 26 channels that you had to faf around getting wouldn't have bode well.
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Re: Did all the 148 GTL-DXs get sent to the UK ?

Post by Otter »

I'm pretty sure the 27/81 SS360 FMs came in via the model shop on IOM. UK was allowed to import radios manufactured in IOM, so they were bought in to IOM almost finished - finishing touches added in IOM and came in legally as straight 40 channel FM radios. I'm pretty sure the SS360FM stickers were added on IOM. The original stickers (not the truck-king SWR ones) used to be available to purchase on their own. I covered many a tatty Cobra 148 GTL DX or SS360 FM front with a stealth sticker.
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Re: Did all the 148 GTL-DXs get sent to the UK ?

Post by astradyne »

Around three years ago I got a stealth 360 off someone. Original none "SWR" stealth plate still in place. I removed it and was stunned to find an immaculate 148 fascia behind it. So maybe the last few 148's were shipped to the IOM for converting.
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Re: Did all the 148 GTL-DXs get sent to the UK ?

Post by WARLOCK »

Living quite close to the usaf airbases of mildenhall and lakenheath and raf marham which usaf forces used in the 60s and 70s it was quite easy to get uour hands on the cobra,s and superstars it was very cloak and dagger in them far off days ,but fun ,
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Re: Did all the 148 GTL-DXs get sent to the UK ?

Post by JB »

What was the cost of a brand new 148 back in 1981-82. Prices quoted on air were never below £250 in my area of West Yorkshire, which made my £140 Tristar 777 look cheap. I always thought 148s would be a nice little earner for anyone in the forces who could fly them in from overseas but I presume the bulk of them came in lorries with frozen beef or legit imports like the stealth models.
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Re: Did all the 148 GTL-DXs get sent to the UK ?

Post by Martinedwards »

I know some folk who drove down to Dublin from Belfast back in the day.

One bloke had a car full of Sharps....

40 ch hideaway rig with the controls and ch read out on the mic, along with a motorised antenna.....

very stealthy on an orange Austin Princess!
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