Xref: utzoo rec.ham-radio:13321 sci.electronics:7823
Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!sharkey!lopez!flash
From: flash@lopez.UUCP (Gary Bourgois)
Newsgroups: rec.ham-radio,sci.electronics
Subject: Scanner losing its mind
Keywords: bearcat 210 memory problem
Message-ID: <795@lopez.UUCP>
Date: 19 Sep 89 15:36:45 GMT
Followup-To: poster
Organization: Great White North/UPLink, Marquette, MI
Lines: 44

I have an old Bearcat 210, which I use constantly here for monitoring the
old 152 mhz telephone band.  The old 210 (NOT 210xl or other variation, but
the original 210) has TONE SQUELCH, and thus is a godsend for those who
monitor mobilphones.

Well about 2 years ago the scanner started to lose its memory when the
power was turned off.  It might have been that way a long time, but I
noticed it when my girlfriend turned it off because it was noisy.
Generally all my scanners run 24 hours a day.

I figured it was no big deal if the scanner lost its memory that way, as my
old BC-100 is like that by design.

But now the following symptoms occur.

The scanner will begin to display very odd frequencies like 13.705 or
21.400 even 9.540 which are completely out of range.  BUT it continues to
receive on the proper frequency.

BUT sooner or later all channels become 512.000 and it no longer receives.

I am thinking that the later problem could occur from a micro power
outage. 

Does anyone know what the BC-210 uses to back up memory.  I doubt that
there were lithium batteries in the stone age, and I assume a capacitor
memory of some sort.  

Since there were very few scanners made with tone squelch, I really want to
keep this old hog, and would like it even better if it worked.  After a few
hours of silence I know it needs to be reprogrammed, and last night I had a
dickens of a time getting it to enter the right frequencies.     

I know that parts are not available from Electra any more, but saw an add
somewhere from someone who bought the parts out.

Any help would be appreciated.


-- 
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| Gary Bourgois, ...rutgers!sharkey!lopez!flash  (flash@lopez.UUCP) |
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