It’s always fun to look back at a pioneering piece of technology and see how things have progressed. Thanks to one of our podcast listeners for bringing this one to our attention.
It’s from the archives of the BBC Tomorrow’s World technology show back in September 1979, and it’s a test of a revolutionary new technology to use a mobile radio device to make a direct dial telephone call.
The experiment was done in Chelmsford (the home of radio) over a distance of 7 miles. The clunky mobile handset (a walkie-talkie with a dial-phone plugged in). When the presenter dials, the numbers are sent as “tiny packets of information” to reduce interference from passing motor cars.
The Post Office didn’t seem very keen on this new-fangled technology, and the Home Office won’t make available the wavelengths needed, apparently!
A lovely, cheesy, video clip, and a great look at how it all started. For the clip, go to http://tinyurl.com/675o47b.