I’ve been reading some history and it seems that powerful politicians (like LBJ) had telephones in their vehicles during this time. Obviously this was way before cell phones.
What kind of technology did they have back then to allow telephones in their cars? Did it have a certain range? Could I duplicate that technology today (just for giggles)?
You’re looking for info on Mobile Telephone Service and Improved Mobile Telephone Service.
Apparently still available in a very few areas.
As for “duplicating” it, you’d need suitable licenses from the FCC. Given that the FCC has been trying to kill off old tech so that the bands can be reused for more modern, high-traffic uses, I don’t think that’ll happen.
Can’t say about the one LBJ had, but before cell phones, car phones were just two way radios. You called the mobile operator and gave her the number you wanted. She made the call and “patched” you into the phone system from her console. When you were done, she disconnected you. Not too convenient, and quite expensive to use. And the radios took up some trunk space too.
Here’s the obligatory Wiki page with some additional information. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_Telephone_Service
I never had one, but a fellow I worked with did, and I witnessed him making some calls.
I’m a Ham Radio operator and hams still patch HF communications intot eh phone system when desired. Before the advent of cell phones, many GIs overseas made phone calls home by using their bases HF radios and having a stateside Ham run a phone patch.
I briefly had a job as a mobile operator. The mobile phones were mostly just standard two-way VHF FM radios that communicated with a base station. The base station had an operator that would connect incoming and outgoing calls with the telephone network. One base station could cover a city sized area if its antenna was properly located. The mobile radios were installed in the trunk of the car and connected to a control head in the passenger compartment, similar to the radios in police cars. Transmitter power output was much higher than that used in cellular systems.
I did this as late as 1996 when deployed on a ship to South America - the ship wasn’t yet equipped with Sailor Phone. I called my folks - my mom couldn’t get the hang of saying “over” at the end of her conversation blocks.
Seems like MARS is still operational - though their MWR duties are less urgent than before.
Heh. I once read a great story (probably apocryphal) about LBJ and his c. 1955 carphone, of which he was inordinately proud. Seems that Hubert Humphrey was eager to get a carphone of his own, and assigned an aide to keep an eye on LBJ’s office. As soon as LBJ went out to drive somewhere, the aide let Humphrey know, and Humphrey ran to his own car. He then called LBJ and said, “Lyndon, I just wanted to let you know, I’ve got my own carphone now!”
Johnson, without missing a beat, said, “Hang on, my other phone is ringing.”
Here is one of the best articles I have read that described the telephones.
Farley, Tom. “The Cell-Phone Revolution”. Invention & Technology Magazine Winter 2007
The author covers the ancient roots of cell phones (starting with the old mobile phone technology) in significant detail.
From what I remember, these were more common with big businessmen, rather than politicians. They could charge the high price off as a business expense.