Regency Scanner help

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kg4ere

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I recently bought a Regency ACT-R10 off ebay just to have an old crystal scanner again. I bought it because I got it really cheap, the ad stated that it powered on but that nothing else was known working condition wise because there were no crystals with it. So I got the scanner in, it powers on just fine. Got the crystals in today and put them in, and I am not getting squat from the scanner. I do have the Lo/VHF/UHF settings plugged in correctly. The scanner came with one telescoping antenna, which I have tried in both of the antenna ports on the board. I am getting just "blank" noise from the speaker, adjusting the squelch knob does not seem to have any affect on it. Soooooo I have some questions that hopefully can get answered here.

1) On the back of the unit as well as on the board there are places for 2 antennas. Why are there 2 separate antenna places for both base station and mobile use?

2) The scan button seems to have to affect on the unit, I do have the channels I want to scan "programmed in" via the push buttons below each channel, am I missing something there?

3) The crystals I bought off ebay stated they were for Regency scanners 10.7, is there something different with the crystals I should have done? I got them for the exact frequencies I wish to monitor.

4) Any other advise or suggestions?

I am not the smartest person in the world, but I am comfortable with electronics, and the fact I cant get an old crystal scanner to work is driving me nuts.

Thanks for any and all help!
 
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homeinva

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Dec 7, 2008
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SUFFOLK,VA
not sure but on my crystal radio there were switches inside just aboue or below the crystal that set the if it vhf high vhf low or uhf make sure they or set if there there
 

pro92b

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Jun 27, 2002
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There are two versions of this scanner and you must determine which you have to tell if it is set up properly. Owners and service manuals are at Regency Documentation

Look through the old and newer owners manuals and match the crystal configuration to the radio you have. Old has two rows of crystal socket pins and new has three. Follow the instructions in the right manual for your radio to properly insert and jumper each crystal.
 

KR4BD

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Jul 6, 2001
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562
Location
Lexington, KY
I have this radio...still works. Somewhere, I have the original manual for this radio, but could not find it tonight. From memory, I can give these suggestions:

1. -- There are two antenna ports. One is for UHF and the other is for VHF Hi/Lo. As you look at the radio from the front, the left hand slot (larger in size on the top) is for VHF Hi/Lo. The jack on the back panel below this is for an external VHF antenna. The other antenna slot is for UHF and is located in the middle of the topof the rig and has a smaller opening. There is also a jack on the back panel below it for an external antenna. These required "Motorola type" plugs connected to coax for the external antennas. The radio was supplied, when new, with Both VHF and UHF adjustable antennas which screwed into the top.

2. -- On the back, there are three screws, numbered 1, 2 and 3. There should be a jumper between 2 and 3. These terminals are for attaching an external speaker. The internal speaker should work when 2 and 3 are connected.

3 -- On the crystals. The 10.7 IF is correct for Regency. Be sure your jumper wires are in the right positions. The VHF-Lo positions are the first row of connections when looking from the front of the radio. The second line of connectors are for VHF-Hi and the farthest line of connections are for the UHF frequencies. Be sure your connections line up with the frequencies of the crystals.

4 -- Last resort...Regency radios sometimes had cold solder joint problems. Carefully check the circuit board with a magnifying glass looking for corroded or bad solder joints.

I love these old radios, but soon, they will be obsolete with all the narrowbanding coming down the pike!

Good luck.
 
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kg4ere

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Location
Tennessee
I checked all the settings again and still no luck. This evening I was fooling around with it and I could just barley make out our local SO, which was the channel I had selected. Seeing as how I only paid $9 for it I am not too concerened with looking over it with a fine tooth comb trying to find cracked solder joints. I may just see if I can find another one that these crystals will work in and try that.
 
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