BEARCAT 100 Model (circa 1985) Help

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radioskip1

radioskip1

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I've searched for info on my Bearcat 100 model, 16 channel programmable, portable scanner and can't find much. I need to know what AC adapter it came with. Currently it's operating on 6 AA NiMH installed in two tubes placed inside the metal case. The 25-year-old model has a "Caution" beside the jack saying, "use only rechargeable batteries installed properly when using specified AC charger." Before I start poking chargers in the hole it would be nice to what Bearcat supplied. Thanks
 
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gary123

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I believe that the charger was a 12v dc charger. The charger is definatly a center positive 2.5mm. They were an nice unit, the aliminum case meant they could take a lot more punishement than the plastic cases most scanners used during that time period.
 
donc13

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radioskip1 said:
I've searched for info on my Bearcat 100 model, 16 channel programmable, portable scanner and can't find much. I need to know what AC adapter it came with. Currently it's operating on 6 AA NiMH installed in two tubes placed inside the metal case. The 25-year-old model has a "Caution" beside the jack saying, "use only rechargeable batteries installed properly when using specified AC charger." Before I start poking chargers in the hole it would be nice to what Bearcat supplied. Thanks
Click to expand...



It's a 12v power supply, Scanner Master carries replacements for them along with car power cords if you want one of them also.
 
radioskip1

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Interesting how quick you can find things out when you post a question here on the Radio Reference site! Thanks everybody! And Gary you are right, the black/bronze, full-metal jacket, is pretty amazing. I think it was priced around $429 in the mid-80's. And ScanCHS I think I might have that adaptor. Thanks for the photograph. radioskip1
 
Bucko

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pjbracing

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I had one back in about 1983 and it was a great unit! My first handheld. Unfortunately I fried it by putting the batteries in backwards. It had a screw in antenna . . . .

:cool:
 
fineshot1

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Bucko said:
It was a earlier model than that one. The wife bought mine for me late 1983, it did have a heavy duty case but the audio really lacked( at least on mine). However I was tickled to have a hand held that I could program in stead of using crystals. Here it is BC100 - The RadioReference Wiki
Click to expand...

I guess I should have looked in the RR wiki first.

Yes - that is the model I had also. I had some problems with my unit.

The battery compartment tubes had the contacts in them and if they
got damaged or corroded evenly slightly the batteries loose contact
a lot and that was so frustrating to me I had to get rid of it eventually
for a newer RS model.
 
radioskip1

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Bearcat 100 (1983-85) 16 ch scanning radio

Here's what I have. I've been charging it with a 12DVC 300mA adapter. It's loaded with six NiMH AAs. I'm sure they weren't around in the 80's and NiCADs would of been used. Actually I use Rayovac because the Duracell NiMH are too fat for the little tubes you slide the batteries into.
 

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radioskip1

radioskip1

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And yes, Bucko, the little speaker in the Bearcat 100 puts out 'crappy' audio. Have you ever experimented with external computer speakers? I have some Logitech powered units (LS-11) that were on sale at Staples. You can make a little 'Y' splitter cable with parts from Radio Shack and run one scanner on the left channel and a different scanner on the right channel. I currently just have the mini-phone jack from the speakers into a mono, mini-phone jack adapter, that I keep in my BCD396T. The sound is amazing out of the two, 2 inch, enclosed desktop speakers, with lots of mid and bass tones!
 
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typesix

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To program for searching:

-Put in Manual mode
-Type in freq(it doesn't matter whether you type in lower or higher limit first)
-Press Limit
-Type in freq
-Press Limit

Search limits are now set, to Search:

-Press Manual, then Search

These directions are for a 100XL, but should be same for your 100.
I like the audio the best on the 100XL of my three programmable portables(Pro-43, HX-1500), strong and crisp. Don't like the battery bounce that erases all freq and the long squelch tail. Plus it has the biggest display.
 
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frenchlieutenant

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The Bearcat 100 uses 6, 1.2 volt rechargeble batteries (originally nicads). The Charger/power supply is Model AC100U. It is printed on the back of the unit. It has a 7.2 volt output. I have the scanner and the power supply. It still works like new. The last I checked, Uniden still sells the AC 100U power supply.
 
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joeymore

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BC100XL charger

radioskip1 said:
I've searched for info on my Bearcat 100 model, 16 channel programmable, portable scanner and can't find much. I need to know what AC adapter it came with. Currently it's operating on 6 AA NiMH installed in two tubes placed inside the metal case. The 25-year-old model has a "Caution" beside the jack saying, "use only rechargeable batteries installed properly when using specified AC charger." Before I start poking chargers in the hole it would be nice to what Bearcat supplied. Thanks
Click to expand...

BC 100XL
Ihave the charger is says uniden on it & it is:
Input: AC 120V 60hz 5watts
output DC 12v 200MA

joeymore@aol.com
 
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