Regency WHAMO 10

[Styx_N_Stones]

I have a Regency WHAMO 10 scanner that I picked up a few years ago. That's the one that is programed by breaking the 'teeth' off a metal 'comb' according to a chart of frequencies. It's an odd method, but it works just fine. Some folks consider this the first user programmable (no crystals) scanner made. It's almost 40 years old and works like a champ! Looks cool too... like something out of Adam-12... LOL!!!

When I got it about half of the combs were already programed for frequencies that I wanted. It came with a few 'blank' combs for the rest. At the time there was a website that would tell you which teeth to break off (the unit didn't come with the programing book). You would input the desired frequency and it would display a picture of the proper combination.

I can no longer find the website (forgot... oops). Can anybody help me out? Does anyone know either the website I'm talking about, or know where I can find a PDF of the original book (not the owners manual... that I have)? Or any other way of figuring out how to config these combs? I'd be very grateful if someone has an answer to this perplexing dilemma...

Thanks

 

[mule1075]

Check post number 23 for the link to the program i think you are looking for.

http://forums.radioreference.com/al...1977-sears-61-3639-scanner-2.html#post1742467

 

[W9NES]

Stvx N Stones, go to Scanner World - The Largest Dealer of Scanning Radios in the World. find the search bar and type in Regency.When the Regency section comes up scroll down to the part nmber MA-88 programming comb for Regency Whamo 10 scanner. The price for a comb is $1.99 and f you buy 10 you can get them for $1.49 per comb. If you want to order them you can call them at 1-800-476-8050. I have (2) Regency Whamo 10 scanners that are in use in the communications center.I have bought from them in the past and they are very quick on shipping. Hope this helps you find what you are looking for.

 

[Styx_N_Stones]

Hey mule1075...
That was exactly what I was looking for! I've been looking for this info about 6 months now. Way coooool...! Many, many Thanks.

W9NES,
Thanks for the source to get new blanks. I think I still have 2 or 3, but considering how old this rig is, I should probably grab a few. I would hate to find out there's no hope of ever getting new ones... LOL.

Thanks to everybody who helped out. This forum ROCKs...!!!

 

[W9NES]

Styx and Stones, You are welcome. I also have the remote unit that sets on top of the Whamo 10.

 

[Styx_N_Stones]

Cool... I'm guessing you mean the Digital Frequency Selector? I've never seen one... just pictures. From what I've read you could use 2 of them the way the WHAMO came from the factory, or up to 6 with a factory mod. Can you imagine 6 of those stacked up on top the unit? That would be something to see.

Is the DFS just a set of rotary switches set up one for each digit of the frequency? I think it would be great to have one sitting on top... just for that one channel you want to be able to change. I've seen them on FleaBay and such with a Whamo and a full set of programed and blank combs... $479 !!! Yikes, I don't like the idea that much... LOL!

I bought my WHAMO about 3 years ago at a yard sale for $2. A year later when I went back to the same sale the lady says'Oh I found this and saved it for you'. She had the owners manual. I thought that was great a year later on a rig that was almost 40 years old!

BTW... did you get my message from this afternoon? No rush... just asking.

 

[KR4BD]

I bought my WHAMO Scanner NEW at Graham Electronics in Indianapolis....when it first came out in the mid-1970's. A few years later, while visiting AES Electronics in Milwaukee, I saw the matching Digital Frequency Selectors NIB being closed out for $19.95, so one one those followed me home! I still have it all including the frequency programming book and tooth-breaking tool. Now, I am thinking I probably should get a few more frequency combs BEORE they are totally impossible to find.

The only problem I've had with my WHAMO is a noticeable 60 Hz hum. I could probably re-cap the power supply to fix this. Instead, I now power it from a small external, filtered 12 VDC supply.

This Regency scanner is one of four Regencies I still own and all still work. Regency, in it's early days made some really rock-solid scanners.

 

[Styx_N_Stones]

When I bought my first WHAMO I was working in an electronics parts house in SoCal. We had one at the cash register for display. Mid 70s... I was a teenager. Saved up my money and had my first scanner. I was hooked. A HAM ticket followed the next year.

I can remember that even new the unit had the 60Hz hum. I don't know if re-capping would help. I like the idea of a well filtered regulated DC source. I'll have to give it a try...

 

[telxonmaster]

I was just given one of these by my GF's dad, and it still works. has all paperwork, about 5-8 unused "combs" and the little tube/rod to break off the teeth on the combs. Is there any calculation that will tell me what frequency a comb is set for, other than holding it up to EVERY frequency in the book? They are unlabeled and I'd be interested to know what they are set for, and see if any freq's are still active.

 

[bluesdrummer31]

I just got the regency whamo 10 as well and I am getting nothing when a break the comb off for the frequency in my county but the weather one works, do I have to convert my frequencies in order for it to work? Here is the county I live in Nodaway County, Missouri (MO) Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference

 

[pro92b]

Each frequency the radio covers has a corresponding pattern of teeth in the comb. VHF-HI frequencies with 7.5 kHz steps need to be rounded off to the nearest 5 kHz step for the Whamo 10. Examples for your county are listed below.

    Valid frequency ranges
   30 -  50 MHz in 10 KHz steps
  146 - 174 MHz in  5 KHz steps
  440 - 512 MHz in 12.5 KHz steps

 The metal programming comb has 20 teeth.
 Tooth number 20 is at the far left and
 the notch is directly above tooth number 3.


 O = TOOTH PRESENT     X = TOOTH REMOVED


       Frequency               ___ ___
                                  V   
   1   155.6700  XOXOXOXOOOOOOXOOXXOO
   2   155.7650  XOXOXOOXOOXOOXXOXOOO
   3   155.9550  XOXOXOOOXXXOXOOOXOOO
   4   151.3600  XOXXOOXOOXXOOXXOXXOO
   5   154.4150  XOXOXXOOOXOXOOOOXOOO
   6   154.1300  XOXOXXOOXOXOXXOOXXOO
   7   156.2100  XOXOXOOOXOOXOOOOXXOO
   8   154.9500  XOXOXOXOXXXOXOOOXXOO
   9   155.9250  XOXOXOOOXXXOXXXOXOOO
  10   151.0600  XOXXOOXOXXOOOXXOXXOO

 

[plato]

Whamo 10 Scanner

I had a Whamo 10 scanner back in 1976. When I first got it, I programed it up with the combs and hooked it up to my Vhf-Hi outside ground plane antenna. I picked-up Newark City police in north jersey( Essex County) on 156.210 Mhz. from Camden county!! That lasted about two days and then stopped until the band opened-up. About a year later, it started giving me trouble so I sent it back to Regency for repair. Cost:$20.00!! Two years later,I sold it to buy a better radio shack scanner.( Key-board programmable) The person I sold it to had trouble with it and sent to Regency for repair. I don't know what happened to the Whamo 10 scanner after that. I lost contact with the person I sold it to.

 

[bluesdrummer31]

Thanks PRO

I wanted to see if I did it right, I have the book to program the frequency and it only picks up the weather ,all of the other codes you gave me, I already programmed the combs to? and I get nothing but static. I am about 15 miles outside of Maryville but I figure if it can pick up the branson weather 162.4 then it could pick up my town or am I wrong.

 

[schleeb]

I have a Regency WHAMO 10 scanner that I picked up a few years ago. That's the one that is programed by breaking the 'teeth' off a metal 'comb' according to a chart of frequencies. It's an odd method, but it works just fine. Some folks consider this the first user programmable (no crystals) scanner made. It's almost 40 years old and works like a champ! Looks cool too... like something out of Adam-12... LOL!!!

When I got it about half of the combs were already programed for frequencies that I wanted. It came with a few 'blank' combs for the rest. At the time there was a website that would tell you which teeth to break off (the unit didn't come with the programing book). You would input the desired frequency and it would display a picture of the proper combination.

I can no longer find the website (forgot... oops). Can anybody help me out? Does anyone know either the website I'm talking about, or know where I can find a PDF of the original book (not the owners manual... that I have)? Or any other way of figuring out how to config these combs? I'd be very grateful if someone has an answer to this perplexing dilemma...

Thanks

I can send you a PDF of the programming manaual...

 

[Styx_N_Stones]

One of the posts above has a link:

http://forums.radioreference.com/al...1977-sears-61-3639-scanner-2.html#post1742467

post #23
this is a DOS program for giving you the teeth to break for a given freq. Its very handy!

 

[danieldad]

Have a Whamo 10, & a DFS unit. ....lots of combs too. Always wanted one back when they came out, back in the day. I LOVE this thing ! Beats my 'newer gear' in many ways...
I keep SPEN 1 & 2, NJFS, a couple of low band freqs, etc., in it, & its on 24/7. Sometimes better reception, stability, rejection, clarity, then some of my other rigs. Using a Scantenna with it, have a second scantenna parallel, but down the way, from the first ( have a JIL SX 400 & BC 780 on that), ---
Really glad I came across that set of Regency radios - they're GREAT!
As previously posted, Scanner Master has the combs. Very fast service. ...thinking maybe I should pick up a few more.

 

[KR4BD]

Have a Whamo 10, & a DFS unit. ....lots of combs too. Always wanted one back when they came out, back in the day. I LOVE this thing ! Beats my 'newer gear' in many ways...
I keep SPEN 1 & 2, NJFS, a couple of low band freqs, etc., in it, & its on 24/7. Sometimes better reception, stability, rejection, clarity, then some of my other rigs.

I also have the Whamo and a DFS unit. This scanner was a good performer and was very stable. Until I got this rig back in the mid-1970's, I was pretty much locked into crystal scanning. Due to poor quality standards, or just plain aging, many of the crystals would "drift" off frequency giving distorted reception of some frequencies. The Whamo's "comb/diode" tuning method locked and stabilized the received frequencies. The only "issue" I ever had with this scanner was a noticeable 60 Hz hum on received signals. I worked around this by powering it with a small, well filtered 12VDC power supply. My Whamo outfit is still in mint condition, but virtually everything around me is now trunked, digital or encrypted (or ALL of the above), making this scanner a relic of the past. At least for now, I can still listen to the weather and rail activity.....