The brand Bearcat has got a good reputation for it's wideband and scanning receivers. In 1983, Bearcat presented their first "big" shortwave receiver rivalling sets like the Sony Worldband radios, the Panasonic DR-31, the Philips D2999 or some Yaesu receivers - and it should remain Bearcat's single "real" shortwave receivers for the future. The set has been developed by Uniden, this company from Japan has been well known for their efforts with the CR-2021, an improved "copy" of Sony's ICF-2001.
The "big" Bearcat DX-1000 is an impressive set, it's reception qualities and the mechanical construction might not be so impressive, as what You would expect from the outside, when You see the DX-1000 the first time. The critics in Europe were at least to be called "not very enthousiastic", due to it's incomparable high price, the set is considered as beeing scarce in Europe.

The desktop receiver can be tilted op on the Dxers desk using the carrying handle, the ergonomics are fine in the tilted position. The set is designed for being portable, it can be operated from 8 UM-1 batteries or from 12V DC (center positive plug). For kkeping it's frequency memory and the clock running, the set will need another three UM-3 cells, the battry compartment is found behind the metal lid on the back fixed with screws.

The left third of the front panel is taken by the speaker grille, You find the headphones socket underneath.
On the right hand on the front panel, You find the main tuning knob, it's lightweight plastic an can be improved by glueing tiny lead bullets on it's back, and the SQUELCH and fine tuning control, this will allow tuning between the 100 Hz synthesizer steps when receiving single sideband transmissions. Above, there is the analog signal strength meter and the red LED frequency display, displaying the reception frequency in 1 kHZ steps or the time.
In the middle front panel segment, You find at the top a row of LED indicators telling You the reception mode, the tuning mode, etc.
Below, next to the Volume / tone control and the switchable three step attenuator, You find a impressive number of round pushbuttons and the square pushbuttons of the direct frequency entry keypad.
In the bottom row of controls, You will find the bushbutton switches for settings that cannot be electronically stored in the memory: the I.F. bandwidths, the noise blanker, the AGC speed and the 100 Hz / 1 kHz tuning steps, the frequency display will only display the nearest 1 kHz.

When You switch the set on for the first time, You have to key in the correct time using the numbered keypad in 24 hour format, pushing the E(nter) button will start the clock. Switch to the second timezone, e.g. for UTC time, here You will only have to key in the hour digit and to save with the E key.

For operation the set, You will first habe to chose the way of frequency control. The pushbutton marked MANUAL will toggle between the main tuning knob (tuning mode DIAL) and the keypad for direct frequency entry (tuning mode called KEY). Type in the frequency in kHz and press the E(nter) button to jumb to the desired frequency, alternatively, when You enter a digits and the dot, the frequency will be assumed as beeing MHz.
When using the main tuning knob, You can switch the tuning steps from 1 kHz to 100 Hz, use the FINE TUNING control for optimal readability of CW and SSB transmissions.
You can chose the reception modes AM, single sideband USB and LSB, CW and even FM reception, in the shortwave bands, this is useful to monitor Citizens Band FM traffic on frequencies above 27 MHz, use the AM setting for listening to international shortwave broadcasters. According to reception conditions, switch the 12 kHz filter (usually found much to broad in the crowded shortwave bands as found in Europa), the 6 kHz filter for pleasant liestening and the 2.7 kHz in case of adjacent channel interference and for CW / SSB transmissions.

As a portable receiver, the set will work well on it's internal telescopic antenna, long wire aerials might tend to overload thereceiver's front end in the European high signal strength areas, in USA and Asia, long wire antennas might turn out more feasible - the set is not designed for the crowded band conditions and high signal strengths in central Europe.
In critical situations of overloading, using the internal attenuatoror an external antenna tuner with a switchable attenuator like the Yaesu FRT-7700 will be of great help.

Using the buttons MEMO, a number key and E(nter), You can store the actual frequency in one of the set's 10 memory channels, MEMO, number key and RECALL will set the receiver to a previously stored frequency. You will find more informations about the clock and tiemr functions in the operator's manual found at Rigpix.

When reception qualities here in Europe will be compared with sets of similar size, price and technical specifications, the conclusion will show disappointing results: In high signal strength areas, the set tends to overload and is likely to produce distorted audio in crowded shortwave broadcast bands. I consider this set as a collectors item, when interested in a set well suited for the reception of international shortwave stations, look aroung for a FRG-7, Kenwood R-100o or a Sony ICF-2001D / ICF-2010 of the same age or a contemporary set. But the DX-1000 has an impressive look on the shelves of the proud owner of a radio collection.