Bearcat old scanner

[mastr]

...Now if I only had my old Regencys. Touch m100 series?...

I probably have one around here someplace if you actually want one.

 

[garys]

I don't know about either the T or NYPD, but Boston PD had them well into the 1970s and Boston EMS had them until the mid 1980s. The handsets, not scanners that is.

Boston PD had Motorola Mark 12 full duplex UHF radios until they were replaced by regular Micor radios in the late 19070s/early 1980s.

A lot of the NYPD mobile units in the 70s had black telephone style head sets.
I remember some of the MBTA buses here in the Boston area had them too.

 

[foodie]

Saw this display at the Old Lyme (Connecticut) Fire Department today as they celebrate their 100th Anniversary. When I started as a volunteer firefighter in early 1970’s, I had been issue a Plectron and at one point a Viking, similar to the photo, but it was red. And of course I had a Bearcat III. Departments in southeastern CT in those days operated on 33.90, 33.92, 33.94 and 33.96. Simple.

 

[Omega-TI]

Those old wall powered crystal scanners with large speakers sure sound a lot clearer than the new tech that always seems to have a hiss in the background, and sometimes anemic audio output.

 

[pandel]

That Plectron looks oddly like a Motorola I had back around the mid 1970's

 

[MrTommy]

I can't remember the brand of scanner I had in the early 70s but it had 10 (I think) lights across the front that I could stick color chips in. There was a CB/HAM/scanner store near me that stocked most of the crystals I needed (Chicago PD). I used to play it through my stereo!

 

[trimmerj]

I love those old Electra scanners, but the loud squelch tail drove me nutz.

 

[W9WSS]

I can't remember the brand of scanner I had in the early 70s but it had 10 (I think) lights across the front that I could stick color chips in. There was a CB/HAM/scanner store near me that stocked most of the crystals I needed (Chicago PD). I used to play it through my stereo!

Probably Robyn scanners. There were several models. You could change the lenses to several colors to your liking.

 

[a727469]

My bc101 is sitting in my basement..maybe I will see if it still works…it did about 2 years ago

 

[Omega-TI]

My bc101 is sitting in my basement..maybe I will see if it still works…it did about 2 years ago

Does it still work?

 

[a727469]

Haven’t got around to trying but will…I have to find the manual since it’s certainly not obvious how to enter a frequency!

 

[Bob1955]

Bearcat IV still in pristine condition, sitting in m

this maybe.....

This uses pin prong wires to change the L/H/U and the Bearcat BC-4 uses slide switches and a metal case, better sensitivity too.

 

[Omega-TI]

Haven’t got around to trying but will…I have to find the manual since it’s certainly not obvious how to enter a frequency!

Wow, you're not kidding! I tried to upload the manual here for you, and had to compress it 1.96 megabytes or the site would not accept it. So, if you cannot find your book, you should be able to at least use your scanner.

 

[a727469]

That is very nice of you..Thanks!

 

[emtbucky1]

What is your best guess on the first Bearcat years? and any prior to 1975 and which one was the first? Am I missing any here?

I see the BC 101 1974 ?
BC IV 1975 ?
BC III 1974 ?
Electra Bearcat 8 ?
Bearcat Scanner BC U-2 ?
The Regency TME-8H 1968

 

[garys]

The 101 was probably 1976 or so.
The BC-U2 predated the BCII and might have been as early as the late 1960s.
The Electra BCH was the earliest scanner I think they made.
The list here on the Wiki has some more detail, but there is still a lot of missing information.

This list is better for Electra, but doesn't include the BC 250, BC300, or BC350. The 350 had an Alphanumeric display. Neither the 300 nor the 350 had good receivers as a I recall.

Electra Co. / Corp. ; Cumberland, IN manufacturer in USA, Mo | Radiomuseum.org

Electra Co. / Corp. ; Cumberland, IN manufacturer in USA, Model types from United States of America , 14 radios, 55 pictures, 47 schematics, tubes

www.radiomuseum.org

 

[kc2asb]

The 101 was probably 1976 or so.
The BC-U2 predated the BCII and might have been as early as the late 1960s.
The Electra BCH was the earliest scanner I think they made.
The list here on the Wiki has some more detail, but there is still a lot of missing information.

This list is better for Electra, but doesn't include the BC 250, BC300, or BC350. The 350 had an Alphanumeric display. Neither the 300 nor the 350 had good receivers as a I recall.

The BCH was their first scanner, in 1968. The BCII had channel lockout switches that the BCH lacked. (see post #8) Was the BC-U2 just the UHF version of the BCH ? Was there a BCL for VHF low?

I think the Bearcat 210 came out in early '77. I have an early version (March '77 date code) which has the backup battery mounted directly to the PCB vs the usual external holder on the rear panel. Replacing the battery requires opening the radio up.

 

[garys]

Early 1977 sounds about right for the 210. A few years later for the 250. I've never seen a reference to a BCL, but it wouldn't surprise me if there was one since low band was big, UHF was exotic, and 800 was practically unknown in that time frame.

The BCH was their first scanner, in 1968. The BCII had channel lockout switches that the BCH lacked. (see post #8) Was the BC-U2 just the UHF version of the BCH ? Was there a BCL for VHF low?

I think the Bearcat 210 came out in early '77. I have an early version (March '77 date code) which has the backup battery mounted directly to the PCB vs the usual external holder on the rear panel. Replacing the battery requires opening the radio up.

 

[kc2asb]

Early 1977 sounds about right for the 210. A few years later for the 250. I've never seen a reference to a BCL, but it wouldn't surprise me if there was one since low band was big, UHF was exotic, and 800 was practically unknown in that time frame.

Sounds right for the 250. I think the earliest date code I've seen for the 250 was 1978, but could be '79. Bob Parnass had an excellent article that made the rounds on the interwebs 20+ years ago. I think it was titled "Repair Tips for Bearcat Scanners". I think he mentioned that the Bearcat 300 had a fairly good receiver, but the 350 was a dud.

 

[garys]

I bought a used 300 that had to go back to the factory. It was fine after repair, but I didn't hold on to it for too long. I saw only one 350 and that was a long defunct ham radio/electronics store in MA. Over the years I had a lot of both Bearcat/Uniden and Regency scanners. A couple of Fanons as well.

Sounds right for the 250. I think the earliest date code I've seen for the 250 was 1978, but could be '79. Bob Parnass had an excellent article that made the rounds on the interwebs 20+ years ago. I think it was titled "Repair Tips for Bearcat Scanners". I think he mentioned that the Bearcat 300 had a fairly good receiver, but the 350 was a dud.