[Qcwa] Regency Memories?

[Tommye & Jim Wilhite]

I can't help with the specific receiver you mentioned, but can
tell you that Wilson and Regency merged many years back and that
was incorporated into Uniden as I recall.  If I remember right,
Regency bought Wilson sometime in the late 70s or early 80s and a
few years later the Wilson name went away.  Regency, like many
others of that era, started in ham radio then expanded into the
commercial market.

They gave GE, RCA and Motorola fits in the low price market.
They radios would not work hardly at all in their natural low
price state in the high RF environment of a city, but like any
radio would do fine in low noise environments.  Their success in
the market forced Motorola, GE and RCA to introduce smaller,
lower priced radios like the Maxar.  It, like the Regency, GE
version and RCA model were almost junk unless you lived in Quail,
Texas.

Good luck on your research and I hope you post it here to help
jog my memory.

73  Jim
de W5JO

Subject: [Qcwa] Regency Memories?


> Hi folks!
>
> I am a new subscriber to this reflector.  I would like to
> get some information on Regency Electronics and some of
> their products, if anyone has memories of those.\
>
> Basically, this all started when I found not one, but two
> Regency Monitoradio, Model MR-10 VHF Receivers, at a garage
> sale in Ohio.  One is working and on my table at the
> moment, tuned to the local sheriff's frequency.  The other
> is "restorable" as they say!
>
> For those whose memory is as rusty as mine, here are few
> facts to start the recall process:
>
> The frequency coverage is 152 to 174 Mc.
>
> There are 8 vacuum tubes, as follows:
>
> 6X4
> 6AK6
> 6AL5
> 6BJ6 (2 of these).
> 12AX7
> 6U8
> 6BC5.
>
> I have not been able to  find any dates and/or date codes
> to figure out how old this guy is..
>
> I believe there are at least three variations:  MR-10,
> MR-10B, MR-10D.. I don't know how to ID the variations,
> yet.
>
> A web search reveals a few facts of interest:
>
> There is a 30-50 Mc version of the same receiver, Model
> MR-33.  (I bid on one of these on eBay but wasn't quick
> enough to get it!)And, I believe there are some model
> variations here, also.
>
> I have read a brief history of Regency on a web page that
> is devoted to the consumer items, specifically the early
> transistor radios. But, that kicks up a few questions also.
>
> Did Regency change its name to Relm?
>
> Did Relm end up as part of Uniden?
>
> How did Wilson Electronics tie into the whole thing?
>
> Anyway, I would be interested in any memories regarding the
> receivers and other ham-related products as well as Regency
> Electronics in general.
>
> Thanks and 73,
>
>
> Larry Keith
> KQ4BY