My old friend President Jackson.

[Grinder74]

If you look at the final section pic I posted, you can see yellow underneath. It looks like some kind of corrosion dust.

 

[The Mad Scientist]

Pull the control and check it with an ohm meter. It is possible that the corrosion has caused this problem.

 

[Grinder74]

I will. I may replace the caps also.

 

[The Mad Scientist]

That would be a great preventive maintaniance move.

 

[camaro1]

I was in the mobile for about 2 hours today and the radio did good by me, after the clarifier mod.

I had no problems making many contacts today. my vehicle was about 24*f when I started the trip, clarifier turned about 1/8 turn to the left to tune everyone in, made several contacts, as the vehicle warmed up inside I had to now and then give the clarifier a slight turn to the right till everything was all warmed up then it was back to center.

 

[Robb]

Replaced the stock 2SA473(O) voltage regulator/TR501 with a TIP42C voltage regulator. Not really necessary; but the spec sheet did show a better current output rating over the stock regulator. For a radio that has ~40w output; it just offers some more headroom of supply current. I had to lift the stock regulator up and off the heat sink just because I had to clean that surface from the old, dried out heat sink compound anyway. Was just easier to do both operations at the same time.

Much less dimming of the meter light when TXing on SSB @ 13.8v from the supply. Radio also seems to be more freq stable at that voltage too. At 13.2v; it tended to constantly drift a little back and forth. The Output Oscillator seems to be very stable. But the Loop Oscillator seems to be the cause of the drifting that I can see.

Top photo: The IC to the upper/left is the audio IC; and the large green transistor on the upper/right is the stock voltage regulator.
Bottom photo: The three metal tuning cans on the left/center are the Loop Oscillator coils that seem to be the cause of the radio drifting off freq. The three metal tuning cans on the right/center are the Output Oscillator coils

 

[Mudfoot]

Put my JMR Model 40 power mic on the JA. Locals say it woke this radio up, especially on AM.

 

[Robb]

The top photo is a view twards the front of the radio.

The second photo is a bit more interesting. The original 'Jacko' had five tuning coils for tuning/peaking the transmit circuit (L31, L37, L41, L42, and L43; however the Jacko has the ferrite core of L31 removed and in the SuperStar it is intact). The SuperStar version of this radio has a sixth tuning coil designated as 'L44'. It does not appear on the schematic nor in the original 'Jacko' alignment manual. It is the coil on the right of the two in the center. The coil on the left is used to peak the VCO output (L13) and it is found on all versions of this radio.

At least, that is what I can gather from the posted pictures and the schematic. If you can comment on this and give all of this some more clarity, I would like to hear what you have.

For one, does anyone know they year that this SuperStar JA was first released?
Someone must know . . .

 

[Grinder74]

Robb, another difference is the pot at the final that has no slug on the original. You can see this of you look at your pic in 243 vs the one I posted. In my pic the pot is to the left of the new cap.

 

[space cowboy]

I ran a Sadelta MB+4 on mine, it made for a good talker. I've actually been trying to get mine back, the guy I sold it to doesn't radio anymore.
I'm a little worried it got damaged in his basement flood though.

 

[The Mad Scientist]

So it would seem from the information that you guys have provided that these are NOT n.o.s Jacksons but some kind of mutant hybrid of one. Looks as though the main board has had some alterations done to them.

 

[Mudfoot]

I talked to some locals SSB, one was in his pickup and was within 150 yards from my house waiting for his old lady.

I had no AGC related problems with mine. Also, noticed no issues with any of the other locals signals.

 

[camaro1]

well now today this radio is all over the place, just when i got the suv all warmed up, made some contacts, then after about 30 min the radio was off freq again, then later again, and again, seems a guy is always having to adj the clarifier. its too bad because when its on freq it is a great workin radio.

thinkin this radio is going in the closet or ebay. if you are a guy that always likes to be turnin knobs this is the radio for you,,lol

oh well, at least it wasnt too expensive.

it might just be the conditions from a cold vehicle then warming up and hot air from the heater in the suv?? maybe if the radio was used indoors it would be more stable, but going from 0-20*f to 80*f in a vehicle its all over the place.

 

[123kid]

?

Radio sounds like more trouble than its worth.It lacks alot for its price.be happier with a anytone 5555

 

[Robb]

So it would seem from the information that you guys have provided that these are NOT n.o.s Jacksons but some kind of mutant hybrid of one. Looks as though the main board has had some alterations done to them.

Naw, it isn't a mutant hybrid. It is a SuperStar JA. Question is; when did they come out? I can tell you that it had to come out just a short period after the original Jacko did. My guess is 1984; the serial # on the back begins with a '4'. Again - a guess. But the evidence from visual finds on/in the chassis dictate that must be so.