# converting japanese fm tuner, possible?



## an2ny888 (Jun 27, 2008)

i have an alpine 7909j, which is the japanese version, is it possible to convert the fm section to receive local stations? i've seen some pics of a 7909j that had 107.5 on its display, so i guess it's been done before. is it as easy as ordering the tuner chip from pacparts and installing it?


----------



## Pseudonym (Apr 17, 2006)

people still listen to the radio?


----------



## starboy869 (Dec 16, 2006)

Pseudonym said:


> people still listen to the radio?


thanks for the helpful post 

I found this

http://catronics.com.au/fmconverter.html

something to get you started


----------



## Jopop (Jun 23, 2008)

Hmm interesting but i think the main problem is that the US has radio stations on odd frequencies while Asia and Europe have them on even frequencies.. I.e. 101.3mhz is available on a US radio, but 101.4mhz is not..


----------



## szubek (May 9, 2008)

Europe have radio stations both on even and odd frequencies. Difference is that european radio goes in smaller steps 0.05 compared to us 0.2. In Japan radio works in smaller range of frequencies up to 90-something mhz.. I think:blush:


----------



## Nelson de Leon (May 24, 2005)

Locally, i think Jeff Tan can do that for you.


----------



## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

starboy869 said:


> thanks for the helpful post
> 
> I found this
> 
> ...


It only goes down to 94MHz


----------



## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

szubek said:


> Europe have radio stations both on even and odd frequencies. Difference is that european radio goes in smaller steps 0.05 compared to us 0.2.


Sweet Jesus! What are their spacings over there? the .05 is either for fine tuning or there is NO deviaton on the broadcast modulation!


----------



## szubek (May 9, 2008)

chad said:


> Sweet Jesus! What are their spacings over there? the .05 is either for fine tuning or there is NO deviaton on the broadcast modulation!


Spacings can go really low - down to .1 Mhz but the radio stations broadcasts are rather small range.


----------



## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

Wow, we are allowed a +/- 75Kc of max deviation, you may see how that could cause issues


----------



## Boostedrex (Apr 4, 2007)

To the OP, this link might be of some help to you.

http://www.melting-pot.com/website/faq.html#FAQ

They sell the converters there as well for $55. I've never done business with them personally though so I can't comment on that. Best of luck.

Zach


----------



## Jopop (Jun 23, 2008)

szubek said:


> Europe have radio stations both on even and odd frequencies. Difference is that european radio goes in smaller steps 0.05 compared to us 0.2. In Japan radio works in smaller range of frequencies up to 90-something mhz.. I think:blush:


What. After the Geneva conference of 1984 the use of 0.05 intervals were discontinued in most nations throughout Europe. Only a few select countries still use the 0.05 interval (Italy for one). My radio goes 100.0 100.2 100.4 100.6 100.8 101.0 etc.


----------



## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

Jopop said:


> What. After the Geneva conference of 1984 the use of 0.05 intervals were discontinued in most nations throughout Europe. Only a few select countries still use the 0.05 interval (Italy for one). My radio goes 100.0 100.2 100.4 100.6 100.8 101.0 etc.


Why they just don't tune in 1Kc increments is beyond me..... I have a couple tuners at home that do.


----------



## Jopop (Jun 23, 2008)

chad said:


> Why they just don't tune in 1Kc increments is beyond me..... I have a couple tuners at home that do.


I think its a money issue.. my home receiver tunes in 1k increments too. The thing is the Alpine 9887 costs $1400 around here and from the bay it's around 350 with ship'n'tax.. so the markup is just insane. They probably make europe only versions to promote local sales.. buying from the 'bay is easy and cheap you know, but you get no radio.. still for $1000 i'd say **** the radio. I have a US 9887 and would love to get even number frequencies but looks like it ain't happening, unless there is like a really easy mod like a chip, resistor or cap swap (long shot)


----------



## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

Jopop said:


> I think its a money issue.. my home receiver tunes in 1k increments too. The thing is the Alpine 9887 costs $1400 around here and from the bay it's around 350 with ship'n'tax.. so the markup is just insane. They probably make europe only versions to promote local sales.. buying from the 'bay is easy and cheap you know, but you get no radio.. still for $1000 i'd say **** the radio. I have a US 9887 and would love to get even number frequencies but looks like it ain't happening, unless there is like a really easy mod like a chip, resistor or cap swap (long shot)


You know there MAY be a switch buried in there, older Alpines had it so it could accessed externally.


----------



## Jopop (Jun 23, 2008)

crap.. double


----------



## Jopop (Jun 23, 2008)

chad said:


> You know there MAY be a switch buried in there, older Alpines had it so it could accessed externally.


Really? The eBay listing said the HU did european radio, and i've checked for a dip switch externally like the 2/3-way mode switch but couldn't find it.. I'll crack her open tomorrow to have a look. 


I don't really care but sometimes the radio can be useful to get news, traffic announcements etc. not to mention i have a less than common taste in music and some passengers prefer some mainstream stuff.. especially the gf.


----------



## an2ny888 (Jun 27, 2008)

i've seen the fm converters, but what i'd really like to do is convert the radio internally, so that the display will show the proper frequency. here's a pic of the 7909j on ebay that's been converted, i wonder how he did it


----------



## szubek (May 9, 2008)

Jopop said:


> What. After the Geneva conference of 1984 the use of 0.05 intervals were discontinued in most nations throughout Europe.


Agreed. In Poland radio stations intervals go only to 0.1 but how the radio tuner works is different story and mine tunes in 0.05. 



Jopop said:


> I think its a money issue


x2 that. Different markets different prices. Any HU bought in United States would cost me almost half price of what it cost in retail over here. So they have to make it harder for us. US version radio will work in Poland but only partially .. with every other frequencies - even ones.


----------



## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

an2ny888 said:


> i've seen the fm converters, but what i'd really like to do is convert the radio internally, so that the display will show the proper frequency. here's a pic of the 7909j on ebay that's been converted, i wonder how he did it


Those things are pure sex... Timeless.....


----------



## Jvc21 (Jul 19, 2008)

whoa...i didn't think converting it was possible...


----------

