Background of "Bearcat"

[RF23]

And this is the winning answer.


David Kb7uns

I cannot remember where I read that the Bearcat trade name was actually after a car and not an animal but I remember it seemed to be fairly official.

However, with the "Bear paw" symbol (with three or four toes) being used suggests someone thinks the name "Bearcat" is realted to an animal. Therefore, a history of the "Bear paw/animal paw" symbol might help us see if the different name origins are associated in some way.

Of course, I really do not know the answer but it show history is not a very straight forward process.

 

[pinballwiz86]

Where's UpMan when you need him? lol.

 

[greggk]

You mean the Jackalope is not real??

 

[AZScanner]

You mean the Jackalope is not real??

Yep. Unless it talks to you. If it talks to you, then you need to make a life decision: Stop drinking or drink more often.

-AZ

 

[AC2OY]

Good stuff here guys!! That's a amazing scanner you have there I hope you can find crystals!!!

 

[QuintLeo]

My mom worked for Electra for about the last 8 years they existed in their original form.

They were bought out by Regency, which continued to manufacture some of the Bearcat scanner line for a very few years (I think 3 perhaps 4) before Uniden bought out Regency.


Electra has been resurrected to some degree, the current Electra Corporation out of Greenfield (about 10 miles east of Cumberland/Indianapolis) is owned by the son of the founder of the original, who I'm sure could give more detailed and complete information.

 

[N9JIG]

Regency, Electra/Bearcat, GRE and others often private-labeled scanners for other companies back in the day. I remember seeing Sears, J. C. Penney's and Montgomery Wards branded scanners that were obvious Bearcat scanners. I think there were also Tennelec and Regency built scanners branded for some of these department stores. Of course this continues today with the RadioShack scanners being built by Whistler after GRE left the business. Uniden also made many RS branded scanners over the years. I don't recall ever seeing any scanners made by Regency for BearCat until after Uniden bought the Regency scanner line. Regency did sell relabeled AOR radios such as the MX5000 and MX7000's toward the end.

After Electra bought the Regency scanner line from Relm there were a few scanners that were obvious Bearcats relabeled as Regency. I seem to recall a BC760 or BC560 branded for Regency as well as a BC100 or BC200 handheld.

I don't recall Regency buying out Electra at any time, I thought it was the other way around. I had understood it to be Uniden buying the Bearcat line from Electra, then later the Regency line from Relm. Relm kept the land-mobile radio line and may even still be in business today. They even sold some more scanner models, presumably after any non-compete clauses ran out a few years later.

I don't know what became of Electra after they sold the scanner line. Did Uniden buy the company itself or just the scanner product line?

 

[garys]

For a relatively short period of time Uniden owned the Regency name as well. They sold scanners under that name as well.

Then RELM, which previously owned the Regency brand reintroduced scanners under that name.

Uniden and GRE made Radio Shack branded scanners.

Good stuff here guys! Thanks for the knowledge.

GREGGK, you say Regency "Bearcat" scanner while W9BU says Electra held the "Bearcat" name now Uniden has it and FXDSCON says Uniden made some Radio Shack branded scanners. If that isn't enough to confuse someone, I don't know what is.

I just figured that if I'm going to be staring a that name for hours on end, for years to come, I might as well try to understand what's behind the name.

 

[MStep]

Gone are the days when throngs of scanner enthusiasts would flock to a location to have their picture taken with "Betty Bearcat" !!!

 

[Voyager]

Although in all cases (Stutz, UofC, Etc) it all comes back to the animal.

 

[scannersnstuff]

The owner of Electra was a big collector of STUTZ BEARCAT cars and picked the name BEARCAT I for the first scanner in the line.
My first scanner was a Bearcat II.

DMC

this member is correct. i remember reading in, i think the old radio shack police call directory, that al.lovell, the owner of electra bearcat, and the inventor of scanner radio's, had a love for the stutz bearcat auto.

 

[AK9R]

...al.lovell, the owner of electra bearcat, and the inventor of scanner radio's, had a love for the stutz bearcat auto.

And, the additional tie-in is that the Stutz automobiles were also made in Indianapolis (long before Electra was formed). The Stutz factory building has been restored and is now used for offices and artist studios. The current owner has an extensive car collection inside the building which is occasionally open to the public.