Happy Birthday Motorola - 90 years young

Started by Eclipse, September 24, 2018, 10:31:03 PM

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Eclipse

https://www.motorolasolutions.com/en_us/about/90-years.html

Whether it's military, public sector, business radio, or just CAP, if you've had a need for 2-way wireless communications,
you've likely used a Motorola radio product in your day.

Leaving cell phones aside, they used to be just about the only game in town for PD and Fire, sometimes to the
chagrin of those departments due to their one-time monopoly status.

Their radio consoles were ubiquitous in dispatch centers, and like Bell System phones, you could drive a tank over
most of their stuff and all it would do is scratch the tank.  A lot of CAP members have seen, or may still be using
these as they made their way to units as donations (or flea market finds). We had one for years.

And how many millions of those blocky Adam-12 speakers are still in use?


Sadly, economics, world markets, and the complacency of being the market leader lead to their downfall, notably with the
recent closure of their campus in the NW Chicago Suburbs.

Working for a municipality I heard and saw both sides of the love / hate relationship, got some internal exposure
to what a global powerhouse like this looks like in its waning years, and now drive past the campus with a little
tinge of nostalgia for a Startac.


"That Others May Zoom"

Slim

Quote from: Eclipse on September 24, 2018, 10:31:03 PM
https://www.motorolasolutions.com/en_us/about/90-years.html

Whether it's military, public sector, business radio, or just CAP, if you've had a need for 2-way wireless communications,
you've likely used a Motorola radio product in your day.
Thirty years in law enforcement (very briefly), fire/EMS, and CAP, I've pretty much always had a Motorola at my side.

Quotea little tinge of nostalgia for a Startac.

I'll see your Startac and raise you an HT-220-crytsalled to CAPs old VHF freqs-sitting on my shelf.  Hasn't seen a charger in years, but just turned it on today, and got the friendly static sound those made when you first turned them on.


Slim

EMT-83

They were giving those speakers away at a hamfest a couple of weeks ago. I almost grabbed a couple for nostalgia, but I have a bunch of Mitrek vintage speakers. Kenwood audio from a Motorola speaker - doesn't get any better than that.

Consoles? I sure miss the CentraComm II. Spent a lot of midnight shifts with my feet up on working hard with the CentraComm II.

PHall

Old Motorola radios are like old AT&T Western Electric telephones, absolutely bulletproof!

Mitchell 1969

The old saying goes:

"No purchasing agent ever got fired for buying Motorola."


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_________________
Bernard J. Wilson, Major, CAP

Mitchell 1969; Earhart 1971; Eaker 1973. Cadet Flying Encampment, License, 1970. IACE New Zealand 1971; IACE Korea 1973.

CAP has been bery, bery good to me.