About Bearcat
Bearcat is a private brand label of Uniden, a company formed in the mid 1960s and known for its manufacture and marketing of CB radios. In the 1980s it grew into the manufacturer of cordless telephones and has since become one of the largest producers of cordless phones in the world, producing items that are then sold under brands such as Philips and Radio Shack. The brandname Bearcat specifically covers all the frequency scanners produced by Uniden.
Bearcat Scanner Models
There is a wide variety of Bearcat scanners available as well as accessories and spare parts. You can find excellent deals online if you are prepared to shop around. Bearcat scanner models come in types such as mobile scanners, handheld scanners and base scanners.
Bearcat Mobile Scanners
- BCD996XT – Digital Mobile Scanner with 25,000 Channels and GPS Support
- BCT15X – Mobile BearTracker™ Scanner with 9,000 Channels and GPS Support
- BC355C – 800 MHz Bearcat Base / Mobile Scanner
Bearcat Handheld Scanners
- BCD396XT – Compact APCO 25 Handheld Scanner
- BC346XT – Portable Compact Handheld Scanner
- BC95XLTB – 200 Channel Handheld Scanner with 800MHz Coverage
- BC72XLT – 100 Channel Scanner
Bearcat Base Scanners
- BC370CRS – CRS Clock Radio Base Scanner with 300 Channels in 10 Banks
- BC340CRS – CRS Clock Radio Base Scanner with 100 Channels in 10 Banks
- BC355C – 800 MHz Bearcat Base / Mobile Scanner
- BCT8 – BearTracker™ Warning System with 800 MHz TrunkTracker III
Legal Issues With Bearcat Scanners
In the United States the following guidelines apply, and you should make sure you adhere to these when using a Bearcat scanner. It is illegal to:
- listen in on cellular and cordless phone calls;
- intercept encrypted or scrambled communications;
- sell or import radio scanners that are capable of receiving cellular phone frequencies (this rule does not apply to sales by individuals and radio scanners made before the ban);
- modify radio scanners so that cellular phone frequencies can be received;
- use information received for personal gain (a common example is where a taxi driver listens to a competitor’s dispatch channel to steal a customer);
- use information received to aid in the commission or execution of a crime;
- disclose information received to other persons.
There are other specific rules that apply to individual states including Florida, Indiana, Kentucky and Minnesota. They can be seen on the Wikipedia Radio Scanner page. Remember these rules if you purchase a Bearcat scanner.