BearCat versus TomCat

[WildRoot]

Well, hell... For a few years now I've had a desk model Uniden BearCat 340CRS with a helical dipole antenna — which has always worked amazingly well — and I typically keep it switched on to monitor my local police 24/7. Odd to say it, but the BearCat has actually paid for itself over the years, alerting us to all kinds of situations before the general public knows.

Anyway, about a week ago, I noticed the BearCat's volume cutting out, so I went and messed with it, and both the volume and squelch pots were cutting out like crazy, really choppy. This was puzzling. I gave them a few good turns and they cleared up a little bit, so I just chalked it up to constant use.

Then, last night, I came into the office and switched on the light, and there on the desk was my big old tomcat Mike, hunched over and taking a **Censored** right on my BearCat scanner! I kid you not. I swatted his butt and shooed him away, and I thought I heard him laughing as he ran down the hall.

Well, he sprayed it but good, but then I realized to my horror that it wasn't the first time that Mike had whizzed the scanner. I found evidence of multiple whizzings. Which explained the volume and squelch pots cutting out — they had been repeatedly soaked with highly electrolytic cat **Censored**.

Instantly, I hit the power button to shutter down, but the power switch wouldn't respond. This is when I knew that the damned cat had soaked everything, so I pulled the plug, cracked the box, and found a nice, stinking mess inside the scanner. Cat **Censored** that had evaporated and crystalized, as it does.

You know the BearCat isn't a terribly user-serviceable unit, but I grabbed a can of contact cleaner and went after it, trying to salvage the thing. After allowing it to set for a few hours under a lamp, I reassembled it, plugged it in, and all I got was a flashing clock alarm readout. It didn't respond to any key command or mode switch. So I broke it down again, sprayed it again with the Golden Contact Cleaner, and this time I'm letting it dry for a few days.

QUESTION for those who know: What are the chances that I can salvage this scanner? Should I just start shopping for a new one? Has cat **Censored** destroyed the BearCat? Or is there a slim possibility that it can pull through?

[626]

oh man

There is a slim chance that cat might not get a scanner for breakfast. ugh cats. I feel for you. I got a drop point, guthook skinner you can borrow. sheesh

It might recover.

['Doc]

I hope that contact cleaner didn't have any lubricants in it, that's not going to help at all. After that, and considering that you've cleaned it more than once, you might clean it one more time before trashing it.
Not too sure I'd recommend doing this with a scanner, too many potential trouble spots with different types of switches, buttons, etc. But, I've found that one way of cleaning a receiver that's been drowned is by sloshing it around in alcohol (not the kind you drink). I haven't let them sit for long periods of time doing that, but an hour or so seems to have worked so far. Remove from the alcohol and blow dry it with compressed air. No heat, just lots of air so the alcohol will evaporate. These receivers were used in R/C models, so were very simple things. No switches, etc, that might get ate up by a solvent. With that scanner, do it at your own risk, you know? If it doesn't work, what'a you gonna hurt, sort of?
- 'Doc


Skin that cat including the tail! Makes nice gloves and the tail does good for the fingers too. Dogs will love you!

[WildRoot]

I hope that contact cleaner didn't have any lubricants in it, that's not going to help at all. After that, and considering that you've cleaned it more than once, you might clean it one more time before trashing it.

No, no lubricants, I use the good stuff that leaves everything squeeky clean with no residue whatsoever. The reason I let it dry is because the solvent is so cold — it can produce instant condensation out of thin air, so I leave it to thoroughly dry for a bit.

Nah, I'm not gonna skin old Mike... I had his balls cut off when he was a young tomcat about 15 years ago, and he's never forgiven me, I guess. The boy has got a real attitude. When he gets annoyed with something, he'll **Censored** on it. Damned cat.

[WildRoot]

Good news, for a change. After contact-cleaning the hell out of the scanner and allowing it to dry under a lamp overnight and half of today, I reassembled the thing this evening, and it came back to life like nothing ever happened. The volume and squelch are like new, audio is fine, no bugs. Success!

But, from now on, I'm going to keep a jar of Vaseline next to the scanner.

Cuz if Mike ever whizzes on this BearCat again, I'm gonna shove it right up his butt.

['Doc]

...you know, that could give a whole new meaning to a "CAT" controlled radio. Dang, wouldn't even need a computer!
- 'Doc

[TURNz]

I used to work as a Repair Technician in a cell phone refurb company. For a while the yield of phones wasn't good enough, so they actually had us classifying liquid damage, and trying to clean the minor cases. So I looked it up online, lots of good info.

I have since saved 5 or 6 phones, a couple were mine, the rest friends. Various things from coffee, soda, orange juice, or just water. (I don't do toilet drops) Most phones lasted 6 months or more after cleaning.

Distilled water works well, with a nylon brush. As stated above, contact cleaner works, as long as it's the good stuff.

Some things that can't usually be recovered are LCDs and heavily corroded ribbon cables.

Also, when you drop your phone in water (or whatever), don't "power down". The worst of corrosion sets in when you energize wet circuits. Powering down, is not just cutting power, it's an electrical process of closing applications, just like a computer. It is best to pull the battery. This wouldn't apply as much to CBs and Scanners, since they are not software controlled.

Usually the battery is toast, but, if you can save the phone, a battery is a cheap cost.

I like to put all the circuit boards, cleaned and still disassembled, in a baggy with a couple dessicant packs for at least 24 hours.

[TURNz]

Forgot to add, getting circuit boards wet is not a problem (except for some switches and relays that aren't sealed). I work for an electronics manufacturere now. We run most boards through what is basically a dishwasher to remove flux resideues. You just have to make sure they are completely dry first.

['Doc]

Ha! That dishwasher reminds me of taking an old radio or two to the car wash. Don't wanna get meters wet, or a few other doo-dads, but typically the rest of those things survived well enough after a good drying. Not too sure I'd do that with the newer thingys, but who knows.
- 'Doc\

Don't bother with the 'spray wax' at the car wash, it doesn't help anything.