Manuals for Japanese versions of Sony tuners

[PE9ZZ]

The latest hype here in the Low Countries is the 3.5 meter band. This is the range from 84 to 87 MHz where many radio stations operate. Illegally of course. To receive these frequencies one can use a Japanese FM tuner. Digital tuners can be reprogrammed for operation as a different type, like AEP/US but I cannot find any service manuals specific for Japanese versions like this Sony ST-J60 which I have in the AEP (European) version:



The manual lists several diodes to reprogram the micro IC606 but none are for the Japanese version. Where can I find a Japanese service manual? Lacking this I would have to revert to experimentation which may result in a borked controller...

 

[Bone Yard]

I rarely see Japanese Service Manuals in my internet travels but there are a few out there. If you have a VPN you can set it for Japan and maybe have better luck searching, I also will go on www.yahoo.jp and type in the model number and see what comes up. The images will give a better direction than the mostly English Websites, sometimes you'll see the cover of the manual you want. I've seen blogs over there where guys will have stacks of manuals in the photo but probably don't want to commit the time to scan them, maybe you can email someone over there to see if they'll share. Here's some info on that reciver.

https://audio-heritage.jp/SONY-ESPRIT/tuner/st-j60.html

 

[PE9ZZ]

I actually searched for the Google translated term for "Service Manual" (which turns out to be fonetically similar in Japanese) and came up with actual service manuals... for the US/AEP version. The mask of the controller in the Japanese version is different from that version (µPD552C014 vs. 024) so very likely to contain different tuning tables.