Realistic PRO-21A

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JamesPrine

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Jan 25, 2010
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Ponchatoula, Louisiana USA
I recently bought a Realistic PRO-21A on an eBay auction. This is a 4-channel crystal-controlled pocket scanner that covers the VHF and UHF hi-lo bands; it uses 4 AA batteries and runs off 6VDC wall power, too,

These went for $129.95 in the 1982 Radio Shack catalog ("New for '82!"), and crystals were $4.95 apiece.

This radio came with a metal belt clip, two antennas (!!!) with screw-in attachment (No BNC or SMA in those days), and an earphone. One of the included antennas is a rubber duck type, and the other is a telescoping metal rod.

I remember my old PRO-4 had a plug-in for the antenna that was identical to the earphone jack next to it, and you had to buy the antenna separately...and it too was $4.95, the same price as that of a crystal <g>.

My PRO-21A was, incredibly, still packaged as it came from the factory, in a sealed plastic bag with silica gel envelope, and though the box was a bit battered, everything inside it was pristeen.

Why did I buy it?

Well, the price was very reasonable, yes, but mostly I got it for sentimental reasons.

After all these years and all the cutting-edge receivers I own, I'm still enraptured by those little flashing red LEDs...
 

georgew0819

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Aug 19, 2006
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Location
Salisbury, NC
Crystal Scanner

After all these years and all the cutting-edge receivers I own said:
That's the same reason I still have a Bearcat 8 L/H/U 8 channel crystal scanner on my desk. The flashing red leds bring back memories of my first Pro 4 (which if I ever find one I'm buying it) when I was 15 and introduced into scanning by a family friend. I had gotten it for chistmas and knew it was under the tree. And when I was in the house alone I would carefully open the present, listen to the local PD and FD and carefully put it back under the tree before anyone came home!
 
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