Whose modification is this please?

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shadow_indy
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Whose modification is this please?

Post by shadow_indy »

Hi

I’m not sure if I’m being too forward here but I would like some help in identifying a conversion on a radio that I have had for a number of years.
It is labelled as a standard black/silver Superstar 360, but with black surround. I suspect it was originally a very early MK 1 148 GTL, as its serial No. is 03000099. I bought it from a fellow CB’ er in 1987 who, like me lived in Romford, Essex. I moved to Cornwall in 1989 and it got relegated to the cupboard about 15 yrs. ago.
Recently, having acquired an Avanti Sigma 4 at a boot sale I decided to fire up the old girl, but it did some strange things. So I ended up taking it to an amazing guy in S.E.Cornwall (M1APC) who specialises in transceiver repairs, and he worked wonders on it. He asked who had done the mods, as he had not seen one quite like this. Apart from having an Eprom fitted , some of the “cans” have been replaced,( highlighted in the pics) which, supposedly, is unusual.
It also has variable power, off the SWR CAL knob, 0 to 10watts, and UK FM on the CAL/SWR switch, which I know is fairly common. Apart from the UK FM, it has all the usual number of channels associated with this model, and no further expansion.
There is also a hand written number and date in the inside of the lower casing, which looks like
005’O’L 20/7/85 in fine felt tip/ink.
I have taken the liberty of attaching some pictures of the board, including a dodgy close-up of the Eprom with the sticker removed. I hope someone can shed some light on who may have done this conversion, please?
Many thanks in advance, and apologies if, as a newbie I’ve overstepped the mark with my first post?
Mods.jpg
Eprom.JPG
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Admiral
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Re: Whose modification is this please?

Post by Admiral »

Hi and welcome to TM1.

The style and attachment of that EEPROM board (direct to the encoder) suggests a JENTEC COB P1 board. If it is the COB P1 EEPROM then your radio should have 7 bands, 6 on the band selector and the UK40 switch, and a +10kc switch somewhere. These where done by John Nugent and his team of elves circa 1983-1985, and they also provided a conversion kit for hobbyists to do their own conversions.

If yours is a COB P1 by the Nugent Team then the scribbling would be their serial number and the date of conversion, ie 00501 20/07/85.

G1LFY is no longer with us, for further reading just search TM1 for 'JENTEC'. 'John Nugent', or 'COB P1'

They were the dogs-danglies in their day, but just have nostalgic, collector value in 2017.
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163TM847
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Re: Whose modification is this please?

Post by 163TM847 »

Those larger flat head crystal inductors were also used in the early MK1 148/360 and not replacements, Apart from the red one.
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ch25
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Re: Whose modification is this please?

Post by ch25 »

Cover eeprom window. Light will erase it.
Chris
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shadow_indy
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Re: Whose modification is this please?

Post by shadow_indy »

Hi
Thanks for your replies they are much appreciated. Subsequently after reading the posts on here regarding Jentec, I decided to follow an earlier answer Radio Pete had said to another member, about looking on the underside of the Eprom, which I did and low and behold,there in copper letters is the word JENTEC. I have attached a photo of this and the date written on the case. It is 1983, whether it is Feb or July is difficult to determine.
On that basis, and the fact this is a very early MK1 148/360, Serial No. 03000099, could this have been, almost a prototype as the written number inside the case is 005, which might explain its limited functions overall, in comparison to a COB P1? Your views are much appreciated, and to Chris, I have re-placed the sticker over the Eprom, which was only removed for the photo, but thanks for your concern.

To Admiral, I have just read your statement in one of your posts from last year. “Jentecs were for TOWIEs, Essex boys only, not Frenchies”. This may be nearer to the truth than perhaps you realise, as a quite a number of the local CB’ers and right the way down to “Sowfend” on Sea, in those days had radios converted by, what would now appear to have been Jentec. These "mods" were “offered” in the late 80’s through a local shop, Romford CB who had a "connection" with a firm in East London who did these conversions.

I have had in the past (late 80's) a couple of 148's converted, by what would now appear to be Jentec and followed the spec of a Cob P1. Frequency range was something like 25.885 to high 29's, if I remember correctly.
We had a fellow radio enthusiast who would take the radios to East London on his way to work to get them modified. At the time we weren't aware of exactly who was doing the mods. I think I've still got them somewhere, but having moved house a few times since then they are probably in a box tucked away in the loft. In view of the kerfuffle, these radios seem to stir up, I think it is time to get the ladders out and go rummaging.

Cheers Guys
Regards Kelvin
Jentec Eprom.JPG
Date 83.JPG
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Admiral
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Re: Whose modification is this please?

Post by Admiral »

That is an early radio, if you haven't already then you may wish to check out this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=20388

Sadly Photobucket have changed their policy recently so the thread is somewhat barren of pics now.
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ch25
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Re: Whose modification is this please?

Post by ch25 »

WE ARE MOTÖRHEAD, AND WE PLAY ROCK N' ROLL
You can't have too many antennas...
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Re: Whose modification is this please?

Post by Admiral »

Cheers Chris, never knew about that, I now have the Chrome version and it works a treat.
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black olive
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Re: Whose modification is this please?

Post by black olive »

Short wave UV light is required to erase an Eprom.
Dont stress too much about the window not being covered :D
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