# Any idea what this thing is? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 13, 2014, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-idea-what-this-thing-is/707093 "2014-12-13T06:01:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-idea-what-this-thing-is/707093/1 "2014-12-13T06:01:11Z")
[THIS](http://www.ebay.com/itm/VTG-Radar-Detector-1970s-Citizen-Band-Converter-Ten-Bear-Buster-ECD-Co-Inc-/141499928152?ssPageName=ADME:X:COCE:US:3160) does not look like a radar detector to me, not even one of the old bread box sized ones from the 70’s. Even the seller isn’t sure what it is. The “Bear Buster” logo on it makes them think it is some kind of Fuzzbuster, but I disagree. I’m wondering if it isn’t a kicker (linear amplifier) to give CB’s greater range. I’ve found some mentions of it on the web, but not what it actually is. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-idea-what-this-thing-is/707093/2 "2014-12-13T06:36:04Z")
It seems to be a scanner to pick up police CB channels. [Here’s an ad for it](https://books.google.com/books?id=xAEAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA156&lpg=PA156&dq=electronic+circuits+%26+design+co.+inc.+alliance+ohio&source=bl&ots=ydEDMcXdrN&sig=rwq7RxyzxVUReUCylhAr-N9lhYw&hl=en&sa=X&ei=B96LVPiZI4ScNpusg9AP&ved=0CCYQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=electronic%20circuits%20%26%20design%20co.%20inc.%20alliance%20ohio&f=false). ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-idea-what-this-thing-is/707093/3 "2014-12-13T08:58:08Z")
I think what I can glean from that ad is that it receives CB channels and converts them to a bunch of individual AM radio signals so you can use the radio dial on a regular car radio to go through them. The spot switch I presume makes all of the AM signals play CB channel 19. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-idea-what-this-thing-is/707093/4 "2014-12-13T09:38:35Z")
Hey it’s the strange grid ball! Oh shit. Nevermind. Maybe a mod will fix it. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-idea-what-this-thing-is/707093/5 "2014-12-13T10:31:47Z")
Greasy, I disagree with you. It looks to me like it’s a police scanner that pumps it’s output to a cb radio channel. I guess it’s for a driver who doesn’t want a CB radio and a police scanner cluttering his dashboard. I doubt it was a big seller, cause back in those days, drivers LOVED the flashing lights/LEDs of a police scanner. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-idea-what-this-thing-is/707093/6 "2014-12-13T10:47:25Z")
The ad said it picked up 23 CB channels, though, which are not police scanner frequencies, so the ad sounds a bit misleading. The main value of the gizmo seems to be its ability to monitor channel 19, which is the frequency truckers mostly use. You could get information about where the speed traps are, road and traffic conditions, or if there are any accidents on the road ahead of you. If there were any police on the CB frequencies, they were using them informally and not in any official capacity, as they used VHF FM and not the AM frequencies of CB. As the name implies, CB is a _citizens_ band. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-idea-what-this-thing-is/707093/7 "2014-12-13T14:33:05Z")
It’s a CB reciever that one hooks up between the car radio antenna and the car radio. It allows one to listen to CB radio traffic in the area. The giveaway is the Motorola-type jack for the antenna on the back. CBs don’t use that kind. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-idea-what-this-thing-is/707093/8 "2014-12-13T15:01:02Z")
Here’s an ad for it from '76- > **[Popular Science](https://books.google.com/books?id=xAEAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA156&lpg=PA156&dq=bear%2Bbuster%2Bcb%2Bconverter&source=bl&ots=ydEDMfXgrM&sig=447vEHwdKg93kO2mE2obWbf5LKw&hl=en&sa=X&ei=YVSMVNTfO8flsASXhoKQAw&ved=0CCIQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=bear%20buster%20cb%20converter&f=false)** > > Popular Science gives our readers the information and tools to improve their technology and their world. The core belief that Popular Science and our readers share: The future is going to be better, and science and technology are the driving forces... ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-idea-what-this-thing-is/707093/9 "2014-12-13T16:06:29Z")
A similar device appeared in the late 70s, when FM radio stations became very commonplace, but a lot of existing cars had only AM radios. The device picked up the FM band, retransmitted it to your car radio on two AM frequencies (in case one of them was occupied by a local station), and you could leave your car radio tuned to the same AM, while dialing the FM on the box. They actually worked quite well, and were amazingly cheap. A new FM station in rural Kansas bought case lots of them, and gave away 2,000 of them as station promotional prizes ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-idea-what-this-thing-is/707093/10 "2014-12-13T16:32:11Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > I think what I can glean from that ad is that it receives CB channels and converts them to a bunch of individual AM radio signals so you can use the radio dial on a regular car radio to go through them. The spot switch I presume makes all of the AM signals play CB channel 19. > [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > Greasy, I disagree with you. > > It looks to me like it’s a police scanner that pumps it’s output to a cb radio channel. I guess it’s for a driver who doesn’t want a CB radio and a police scanner cluttering his dashboard. I doubt it was a big seller, cause back in those days, drivers LOVED the flashing lights/LEDs of a police scanner. [Here’s a 1976 review from _Popular Mechanics_](https://books.google.com/books?id=cuIDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA84&lpg=PA84&dq=%22bear+buster%22+%22electronic+circuits%22&source=bl&ots=SQb5YxrXxN&sig=E_yFkutqXlxcZaHkISPwX7pC80I&hl=en&sa=X&ei=y2iMVJutLIXToATh2IDwDA&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=%22bear%20buster%22%20%22electronic%20circuits%22&f=false). ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-idea-what-this-thing-is/707093/11 "2014-12-13T19:36:10Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > A similar device appeared in the late 70s, when FM radio stations became very commonplace, but a lot of existing cars had only AM radios. The device picked up the FM band, retransmitted it to your car radio on two AM frequencies (in case one of them was occupied by a local station), and you could leave your car radio tuned to the same AM, while dialing the FM on the box. They actually worked quite well, and were amazingly cheap. A new FM station in rural Kansas bought case lots of them, and gave away 2,000 of them as station promotional prizes I had one of those. It actually worked quite well. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-idea-what-this-thing-is/707093/12 "2014-12-13T19:46:04Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > The ad said it picked up 23 CB channels, though, which are not police scanner frequencies, so the ad sounds a bit misleading. Au contraire! The transition to 55mph was not smooth and inspired semi-organized civil disobedience. Know your history: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPTWZQv0liY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPTWZQv0liY) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-idea-what-this-thing-is/707093/13 "2014-12-13T19:54:06Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Au contraire! The transition to 55mph was not smooth and inspired semi-organized civil disobedience. Know your history: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPTWZQv0liY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPTWZQv0liY) Mercy sakes alive, Good Buddy!