Bearcat Scanner BC-100

[WRMZ361]

The Bearcat BC100was produced by Uniden predecessor Electra. It was the first hand-held, programmable radio scanner. The unit covered 30-50, 138-174, and 406-512 MHz. Sixteen memory channels were provided as well as a search function. Individual channels could be locked out during scan. Delay was fixed at 2 seconds for all channels.

Initial units had a screw-in antenna and a bottom battery cap that was held in by plastic tabs. Later models had a BNC antenna connection and a battery cap (and top cap) that was attached with screws.

 

[buddrousa]

I had one of those

 

[mmckenna]

So did I, with the BNC antenna.
That was my prized possession for a few years. That, a CB and an old shortwave radio lead to a long and rewarding career.

 

[KevinC]

So did I, with the BNC antenna.
That was my prized possession for a few years. That, a CB and an old shortwave radio lead to a long and rewarding career.

BNC….must be a youngin. The original stud mount was the way to go. No adapter, so no way to use anything other than the piece of crap stock antenna.

 

[mmckenna]

BNC….must be a youngin. The original stud mount was the way to go. No adapter, so no way to use anything other than the piece of crap stock antenna.

I think I had a Radio Shack ground plane antenna outside with about 50 feet of RG-58. I was young, so no grounding, didn't know a thing about coax, didn't have the antenna above the roofline originally. Everything was based off what I could afford at the local Radio Shack, or scrounge. Fortunately I grew up across the street from a guy who was an EMI/RFI engineer for some of the major electronic companies in the Silicon Valley. When he cleaned out his garage, I'd usually score all kinds of good stuff.

But you know what? It worked just fine. I heard what I wanted to hear. No LMR cable, no grounding, no super high gain directional antenna, just plain and simple and having fun. Those were good days.

Now, the last thing I want to hear when I get home, is a radio squawking at me...

 

[trentbob]

If I might clarify, I owned the original Electra Bearcat 100. It was the first keyboard programmable handheld scanner. $399.99, which would be well over $1,000 today LOL. Tough to remember the year but it was made by Electra Company in Cumberland Indiana right before Uniden bought Electra in 1983.

Unfortunately the radio was a piece of crap. Very low volume and the battery pack of Double A's kept falling out or disconnecting and had to be taped in place securely for it to work.

When Uniden took over they continued to call it the Bearcat 100. They made significant improvements including the battery pack and the antenna became BNC as opposed to the screw in antenna I had with the original Electra unit. I never had the Uniden version, just the Electra version which eventually lost its liquid crystal display and totally stopped working at some point LOL.

It was the brother of the Electra Bearcat 210 keyboard entry base and mobile scanner in the late seventies. Great radio, I had several but one of them caught on fire and burned lol.

The rest of the 210 series like the 210 XL and XLT where Uniden models, copied directly from Electra.

 

[mmckenna]

Unfortunately the radio was a piece of crap. Very low volume and the battery pack of Double A's kept falling out or disconnecting and had to be taped in place securely for it to work.

The battery retainer on the bottom of the new version had 2 screws that held it in place. That worked well enough, but there was enough pressure from the springs that it tended to warp the bottom plate.
I know I replaced the rechargeable batteries in mine a few times.
The leather case was super tight also. Hard to get the radio in/out.
Volume wasn't great by todays standards. It was a pretty small speaker.
Overall, the build quality was pretty good. The chassis was one piece aluminum and pretty durable. The top and bottom were plastic, as was the rear plate.

My brother had the 210. I was fascinated by that radio. I think he might still have it.

16 channels was a lot considering most scanners at the time used crystals, and the portable crystal scanners were often only 4 channels.

Good ol' Betty Bearcat….

 

[trentbob]

Yes you are talking about the new version that was made by Uniden, they made all the necessary modifications to improve the unit.

I'm pretty sure that Betty Bearcat was.. Joe Bearcat's grandmother, sorry but I had to say it, both very cheesy usernames.

I'd loved the Electra Bearcat 210. That was the first keyboard programmable scanner that came out at the same time Radio Shack's GRE keyboard programmable scanner came out. Both great units. I remember when one of my Bearcat 210's started to smoke and literally went up in flames. The local brick and mortar vendor replaced it for me, LOL.

 

[mmckenna]

I'm pretty sure that Betty Bearcat was.. Joe Bearcat's grandmother, sorry but I had to say it, both very cheesy usernames.

I wish I'd kept those frequency guides.
Back then, you could drop into the local Radio Shack and they'd have a crappy photocopy of the local frequencies. I remember doing a lot of traveling and just getting in the habit of checking the local store.

Unfortunately I tend to toss/sell stuff if it sits around for too long.

I'd loved the Electra Bearcat 210. That was the first keyboard programmable scanner that came out at the same time Radio Shack's GRE keyboard programmable scanner came out. Both great units. I remember when one of my Bearcat 210's started to smoke and literally went up in flames. The local brick and mortar vendor replaced it for me, LOL.

Yikes.

 

[trentbob]

I wish I'd kept those frequency guides.
Back then, you could drop into the local Radio Shack and they'd have a crappy photocopy of the local frequencies. I remember doing a lot of traveling and just getting in the habit of checking the local store.

Unfortunately I tend to toss/sell stuff if it sits around for too long.



Yikes.

Haha, first I smelled it, then I saw the stream of smoke rising, I couldn't believe it and then the flames appeared. One of the first ones, I'm guessing 77 or 78.

Oh gosh I think I still have Betty Bearcat stuff, their frequency listing or should I say her frequency listing were always totally inaccurate. I always kept it with all of my crb research frequency listings from Tom. All of that stuff is probably still in the scanner graveyard in my garage.

Yes Radio Shack managers would always type up and mimeograph frequency listings for those who bought scanners. They always had crystals on hand. That's when Radio Shack employees actually knew something about radios and didn't sell shoes at the mall the week before LOL.

 

[WRMZ361]

Here is video of the Bearcat on.

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[WRMZ361]

Thanks for the info guys…👍

 

[Skypilot007]

I had a BC-100, it was expensive back in the day. It eventually got stolen from my car.

 

[sprman1955]

Had a Bearcat 100 and a Bearcat 350!Used the 350 for many years till it died and got a Pro 2006a which i still used to this day.Heard so much stuff!

 

[N9JIG]

I had one of the original BC100's with the threaded antenna and one of the later ones with the screw-on battery door. I thought there may have been an interim model with the threaded antenna and screw-on battery door but the years have faded my memory.

I took my later radio on an Amtrak trip back in the day and kept a small screwdriver and extra AA batteries in my kit as I did not have power for charging all the time. It was kind of a pain to swap out the batteries but compared to what else we had at the time it was acceptable.

 

[Randyk4661]

The Bearcat BC100was produced by Uniden predecessor Electra. It was the first hand-held, programmable radio scanner. The unit covered 30-50, 138-174, and 406-512 MHz. Sixteen memory channels were provided as well as a search function. Individual channels could be locked out during scan. Delay was fixed at 2 seconds for all channels.

Initial units had a screw-in antenna and a bottom battery cap that was held in by plastic tabs. Later models had a BNC antenna connection and a battery cap (and top cap) that was attached with screws.

I had one too. I had the threaded antenna.
I remember I placed a deposit down for one of the first units before they were released.
I used the scanner for many of years and traveled many of mile around the country.

 

[WRMZ361]

I had a BC-100, it was expensive back in the day. It eventually got stolen from my car.

fk sad hear that...that one was a present for a friend...

 

[WRMZ361]

I had one of the original BC100's with the threaded antenna and one of the later ones with the screw-on battery door. I thought there may have been an interim model with the threaded antenna and screw-on battery door but the years have faded my memory.

I took my later radio on an Amtrak trip back in the day and kept a small screwdriver and extra AA batteries in my kit as I did not have power for charging all the time. It was kind of a pain to swap out the batteries but compared to what else we had at the time it was acceptable.

you have any idea how much costs this radio today? in your opinion...

 

[mikewazowski]

They claimed 138-174MHz but they wouldn't lock across the whole band and required tuning for one end or the other end.

 

[trentbob]

They claimed 138-174MHz but they wouldn't lock across the whole band and required tuning for one end or the other end.

That I did not know, at that time, I was mostly listening to VHF low band, 33.xx, 39.xx and 45.xx..

Also VHF, 154-155 MHz area. Worked fairly well on the 453 MHz Philadelphia frequencies.

My memory is pretty shot at this point but..