Mobile memories
47 Group - RSM6
Just wondering - what came before analogue and digital mobile phones?
I remember watching old 60/70s spy thrillers where heads of MI5 etc
would talk into GPO 700 style handsets mounted in their Jaguars and ask
to be put through to "REGent 1302" [I assume only spies and _very_ rich
people could afford such kit back then or get it from the GPO]
Also in the 1980s I was doing work experience for BT where in a
storeroom I found a handset which looked like an ETACS mobile but worked
on some different frequency...
Anyone have any more info on these mobile predecessors?
Alex
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Stephen Packer
My 'youth' does not qualify me to answer this question
authoritatively, however I'll make a stab at it...
Before 'analogue' (=ETACS/TACS) mobile phones we had System
4 which was a BT network operating around 160MHz (from
memory). This had automatic dialling and full duplex
operation. This was not a cellular network as is understood
today, there were no handoffs etc. I think it's period of
operation was early 1980's to almost 1990.
The predecessor to System 4 was System 3 which was half
duplex (talk or listen) and operated on the same frequencies
as System 4 (I think). System 3 radios sometimes still turn
up and are suitable for moving to 2m. I think this was
operator connected rather than direct dialling, I guess it's
period of operation was 197*-1982 (ish?)
Other 'mobile' offerings included Securicor Relayfone which
was operator connected and ran (I think) from the early 70's
through to around 1984. Did you know that Securicor had one
of the largest private radio networks in Europe with 27,000
users at it's peak? (They also had in excess of 100
technicians supporting this network).
Any corrections/additions gratefully accepted!
--
Stephen Packer EMail ste...@s-packer.demon.co.uk
spa...@iee.org