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From: parnass@ihuxf.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.ham-radio
Subject: inside news from Bearcat
Message-ID: <1636@ihuxf.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 16-Nov-83 16:00:07 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxf.1636
Posted: Wed Nov 16 16:00:07 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 17-Nov-83 08:04:37 EST
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, Il
Lines: 66


       A marketing representative  from	 Electra,  manufacturer	 of
       Bearcat	scanners,  spoke  at a recent scanner club meeting.
       He had some interesting comments:

	  o+ Bearcat manufacturing facilities were moved	 to  Puerto
	    Rico a month ago.

	  o+ Some Bearcat crystal controlled portable  scanners	are
	    manufactured by Sanyo.

	  o+ Bearcat will not offer 800 MHz capability in a  scanner
	    until they can be assured of at least 10,000 sales.

	  o+ A new scanner/computer product  will  be  announced	 in
	    1Q84.   (Could  this  be  a	 scanner  with	a  computer
	    interface?)

	  o+ Bearcat can	no longer repair  BC-101  scanners  because
	    the	 automatic  test equipment used	for troubleshooting
	    this model broke down, and "is not worth fixing." Since
	    a  federal	law  requires  manufacturers  to  repair or
	    replace their  products  for  a  7	year  period  after
	    manufacture, BC-101	owners are being offered a trade in
	    allowance on a new BC-250.

	  o+ SCAN Magazine, published by	an advertising agency hired
	    by	Electra,  will	probably cease publication soon, as
	    Electra is firing this agency.

	  o+ Electra interviewed	several	state  police  officers	 to
	    determine  what features they deemed most valuable in a
	    scanner.   This  resulted  in  the	new  BC-260  mobile
	    scanner.   Its  size  permits  mounting  in	 a standard
	    Motorola mounting bracket under the	dashboard, and	has
	    3 watts of audio output.

	  o+ The	BC-220 is still	being offered,	but  on	 a  limited
	    basis.

	  o+ The	BC-250,	although a  current  model,  has  not  been
	    manufactured for a while, because of large inventories.

	  o+ Newer BC-100's (the	portable  synthesized  model)  have
	    the	following improvements:

	      a.  BNC  antenna	connector,   which   replaces	the
		  threaded type.
	      b.  Fewer	"birdies."
	      c.  Greater sensitivity.
	      d.  More audio output.
	      e.  Four new chassis reinforcements.  Owners of older
		  BC-100s  complained that the batteries would tem-
		  porarily disconnect when  the	 unit  was  jarred.
		  Needless  to	say, this wiped	out the	contents of
		  memory.

	  o+ Bearcat scanners will be sold at Ace Hardware stores.

	  o+ The	lowest scanner prices may be found in  places  like
	    Service Merchandise	(BC-210XL < $200, BC-100 < $300).


-- 
============================================================================
Robert S. Parnass, AT&T Bell Laboratories, ihnp4!ihuxf!parnass (312)979-5760