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My old friend President Jackson.

Well; at least the fine clarifier mod I posted earlier is still applicable - lol!
But seriously it is a nice, old radio.

I was getting pretty suspicious when Wayne told me - word for word - that he saw the dual MOSFET IRF-520N's in it. When I opened it up - guess what - no MOSFETs. If that wasn't a lie; then what was it? Surprise - surprise - surprise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6_1Pw1xm9U

I really DO NOT LIKE having to replace all of the electrolytic caps. I've said it many times on this forum. I've done it to a few radios and it is dull, boring, tedious, etc. But necessary if you want to restore a classic - IMO. Soooo, is Ranger/RCI going to give me a set of new caps and pay me to do it? I'd settle for that at this point. But not satisfied; I was expecting/paying for a new radio.

If I knew it was old - would I have bought it?
Knowing that I would have to fix it soon and end up replacing all of the caps - absolutely not . . .
 
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I think you guys are jumping the gun thinking these are 30 year old radios. They have ranger boards that are like the originals but not exactly. They are not PB 042 board Jacksons. They are probably just leftover new old stock superstars they found in a warehouse somewhere.
 
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Grinder74 said:
I think you guys are jumping the gun thinking these are 30 year old radios. They have ranger boards that are like the originals but not exactly. They are not PB 042 board Jacksons. They are probably just leftover new old stock superstars they found in a warehouse somewhere.
Click to expand...

Maybe; maybe not.
What about the yellowed tape falling off of the meter? You know - that clear cellophane tape they use to keep the meter movements covered so that dust and dirt doesn't get in to the meter movement? Let me ask you; how old does tape have to get before it turns yellow and falls off of whatever it was placed on? A week? A year? A decade? Longer - perhaps; as that tape wasn't exposed to the Sun while inside the radio.

The fingerprints on the inside covers that looked like they were stenciled on. The corrosion on the pots and the chassis. Why, M42 also noticed the really old funky smell from inside the radio - as I did. Coincidence? Have YOU ever bought a new radio that had this kind of evidence? I think not . . .
 
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Grinder74 said:
I think you guys are jumping the gun thinking these are 30 year old radios. They have ranger boards that are like the originals but not exactly. They are not PB 042 board Jacksons. They are probably just leftover new old stock superstars they found in a warehouse somewhere.
Click to expand...

And what final did the ranger boards use?
These are old boards. Plain and simple.
 
When did the superstar jacksons come out and for how long? I didn't say they were new, I said new old stock,NOS. Something NOS could be 50 years old but still new in the box. They may be 10 years old I don't know, but I don't think they took President boards, modded them and then put a Ranger board number on it.
 
m42duster said:
And what final did the ranger boards use?
These are old boards. Plain and simple.
Click to expand...

That's it right there. If these things have Motorola MRF477 finals, then they are old. Or, considering the cost of an MRF477 the radio is one HELL of a bargain. I'm sure RCI can get their hands on those finals cheaper than you or I could, but it would cost me up to half the cost of this radio just for the final.
 
just got done with the AGC mod and did the clarifier mod while i had it open, clarifier was easy compared to straining the eyes replacing those resistors. if anyone else does the clarifier mod the wire colors are not the same as the original Jackson's,, on this one the yellow wire from the clarifier goes to +8.5vdc and the green wire gets moved over 1 spot on the small switch board, then d58 gets removed and d65 gets removed and replaced with a jumper wire
 

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m42duster said:
Camaro1,

Can you comment on the inside condition of your radio?

Is it old, nasty and corroded like ours?
Click to expand...

yes it is, i didnt really pay any attention to it the other day to do the 11m mod,, but tonight i was looking it over more and it looks like very old electronics, corrosion on the solder joints and discoloration
 

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