I once had a Bearcat crystal radio. It was fairly large, dont rember how many channels (10-20)? Dont know the model ##. I keep thinking it may have been a "Electra" . Had a large speaker. Wish I never got rid of it... Just trying to recall the scanner.
Bearcat old scanner
- Thread starter mtnmadman
- Start date
techman210
Member
I’m guessing it was an 8 channel Bearcat III or Bearcat IV. Great audio and sensitivity.
Had both!
Bearcat IV still in pristine condition, sitting in my closet.
kg4ehv
Member
Both great scanners.
I had a Bearcat older than the top one in this picture. Similar, but it had larger round channel lights. I don't think it had the scan/manual switch.
Maybe it was a Bearcat II like this one I bought in 1970.
Yep, that's the model I bought around 1970 too.
MStep
Member
All great radios in their day, with one drawback---- if you had crystals from an older non-Bearcat, they would not work because of the IF frequency of the Bearcats--- most other radios used crystals cut for 10.7 IF radios; the Bearcats used crystals cut for 10.8 IF's.
The major crystal manufacturers at the time were happy campers---- companies like BOMAR and others saw a rise in crystal sales. This was the era when you might also buy "crystal cards"--- a postcard type mailer that you would fill out with the information about your radio and the required frequency and several weeks (months???) later you would receive your crystal in the mail.
Oh happy days, NOT!!!
The major crystal manufacturers at the time were happy campers---- companies like BOMAR and others saw a rise in crystal sales. This was the era when you might also buy "crystal cards"--- a postcard type mailer that you would fill out with the information about your radio and the required frequency and several weeks (months???) later you would receive your crystal in the mail.
Oh happy days, NOT!!!
I still have the scanner and it works just fine, but there is nothing to listen to. All of the lights work, so you still get the "light show". In 1970 when I bought it, the local county police had just upgraded to the "new" UHF band (460Mhz) from VHF low. They were one of the first in the state of Kentucky to go to the latest and greatest. However, in 1973, they merged with the much larger Lexington Police Department, which was on VHF High, so I went back to my old scanner that could receive both VHF low and high which I was already using to listen to the Lexington Police Department. So, it has been approximately 50 years since the Bearcat II has actually received any transmissions. Now the Lexington Police Department is on a P25 Phase 1 simulcast system and fully encrypted, so back to nothing to listen to for the last 5 years for the local police department.
And yes, when I ordered the scanner and specified the 3 frequencies (crystals) I needed, it took several months to receive the new scanner. I ordered it from a local electronics business, but they didn't have the benefit of checking the status online like we do today.
And yes, when I ordered the scanner and specified the 3 frequencies (crystals) I needed, it took several months to receive the new scanner. I ordered it from a local electronics business, but they didn't have the benefit of checking the status online like we do today.
To be honest most people wouldn't notice it. Just as most people don't notice in movies when someone has a Winchester repeating rifle 20 years before they came into being.
Just geeks notice those things.
Just geeks notice those things.
Thats it!!! The top one. Wish i still had it. Looked great in my 68 plymouth..... Now if I only had my old Regencys. Touch m100 series? Just a great radio........
Didnt know the Electra came in so many differnt styles..
It wasn't a microphone. It was a telephone handset! I laughed every time I saw that Bearcat scanner that Kojak communicated with his dispatcher or colleagues. "Who loves ya, baby?"
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