Check the sale catalogs on that site. I've seen it in a sale catalog from 1976 I think. I'll look, and provide a link if I can.
Yep. it's in the 1977 Back to School sales flyer at 1977 RadioShack Sale Catalog
Check the sale catalogs on that site. I've seen it in a sale catalog from 1976 I think. I'll look, and provide a link if I can.
That is odd it is not in any of the regular yearly catalogs. I wonder if it was dud and was pulled.
It may have been pulled but it wasn't a dud. I had a Realistic Comp-100 when they first came out and it was a good scanner. To program it you had to look up your frequency in a reference list that came with the radio. The list would tell you what sequence to set the buttons in when in Program Mode. Like: On-On-Off-On-On-Off-Off-Off-On-Off-On-On-Off-Off-On-Off. Basically a binary sequence that described the frequency. It was a revelation at the time, at least for me. No more expensive crystals to buy! Then a couple years later Radio Shack came out with the Pro-2001 which allowed you to enter your frequency by just typing in the numbers on a keypad, which was a whole new revelation.
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Like: On-On-Off-On-On-Off-Off-Off-On-Off-On-On-Off-Off-On-Off. Basically a binary sequence that described the frequency. It was a revelation at the time,
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View attachment 70559
The Bearcat 100. I don’t know if this was the first programmable handheld, but it certainly was one of the first.
Yep, it was labled as the first programmable handheld. I think Electra made them in the beginning and Uniden may have acquired them later on possibly.
I had two of them back in those days. Still have one that works but the other was ruined badly from battery leakage that ate up the aluminum housing.
I always wished the audio stage had a little more power to it though.
Hey I have one of those in my drawer.I wonder if it still works hmmm.View attachment 70559
The Bearcat 100. I don’t know if this was the first programmable handheld, but it certainly was one of the first. I bought one of these in 1982 and used it all day at work every day to listen to the USGS research crews working up on Mt. St. Helens. This was two years after the volcano blew, but they were just beginning to map and study the aftermath as it had been deemed unsafe to enter the area prior to that. Repeater was on 168.425 MHz and must have been pretty high up on the mountain because I could receive it well with that little handheld radio from 50 miles away. It made for some fascinating listening and is definitely one of the highlights of my nearly 50 years of scanning.
RigPix Database - Bearcat BC-100 (By Electra Company)
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It was indeed the 1st programable handheld. Announced Early 81 for sale in 82 $299 from CEI.View attachment 70559
The Bearcat 100. I don’t know if this was the first programmable handheld, but it certainly was one of the first. I bought one of these in 1982 and used it all day at work every day to listen to the USGS research crews working up on Mt. St. Helens. This was two years after the volcano blew, but they were just beginning to map and study the aftermath as it had been deemed unsafe to enter the area prior to that. Repeater was on 168.425 MHz and must have been pretty high up on the mountain because I could receive it well with that little handheld radio from 50 miles away. It made for some fascinating listening and is definitely one of the highlights of my nearly 50 years of scanning.
RigPix Database - Bearcat BC-100 (By Electra Company)
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When I bought my 210, I didn't think there would ever be a need for another scanner. Boy was I wrong!
Great scanner!