Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Income Taxes (Narrative) (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Income Taxes (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2005
Income Taxes [Line Items]        
Dividend payable $ 1,446,498us-gaap_DividendsPayableCurrentAndNoncurrent $ 1,436,318us-gaap_DividendsPayableCurrentAndNoncurrent    
Uncertain tax benefit positions that would reduce the effective income tax rate if recognized 76,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate      
Expiration of statute of limitations 7,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations 66,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations 81,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations  
Accrual for interest and penalties 2,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued      
Net increase (decrease) in accrued interest and penalties (159,000)jcs_NetIncreaseDecreaseInAccruedInterestAndPenalties      
Austin Taylor Communications, Ltd. [Member]        
Income Taxes [Line Items]        
Pretax income (losses) 389,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= jcs_AustinTaylorCommunicationsLtdMember
428,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= jcs_AustinTaylorCommunicationsLtdMember
419,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= jcs_AustinTaylorCommunicationsLtdMember
 
Net operating loss carryforwards 6,957,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= jcs_AustinTaylorCommunicationsLtdMember
     
Transition Networks EMEA, Ltd. [Member]        
Income Taxes [Line Items]        
Pretax income (losses) (54,000)us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= jcs_TransitionNetworksEmeaLtd.Member
(2,754,000)us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= jcs_TransitionNetworksEmeaLtd.Member
316,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= jcs_TransitionNetworksEmeaLtd.Member
 
Net operating loss carryforwards 37,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= jcs_TransitionNetworksEmeaLtd.Member
     
Transition Networks China [Member]        
Income Taxes [Line Items]        
Pretax income (losses) 345,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= jcs_TransitionNetworksChinaMember
341,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= jcs_TransitionNetworksChinaMember
36,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= jcs_TransitionNetworksChinaMember
 
Net operating loss carryforwards 460,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= jcs_TransitionNetworksChinaMember
     
Suttle Costa Rica, S.A. [Member]        
Income Taxes [Line Items]        
Pretax income (losses) 321,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= jcs_SuttleCostaRicaSMember
152,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= jcs_SuttleCostaRicaSMember
168,000us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesForeign
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= jcs_SuttleCostaRicaSMember
 
Net operating loss carryforwards     0us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= jcs_SuttleCostaRicaSMember
 
Dividend payable       $ 3,500,000us-gaap_DividendsPayableCurrentAndNoncurrent
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= jcs_SuttleCostaRicaSMember