Car Phones: Born about 1943 and once the height of status. Now completely dated: the car phone. For 'wannabees' there were even fake car phone antennas for sale. And fake car phones. We write 1988.
Convenience serves people
In 1988 such a car phone was an expensive thing that was certainly not affordable for everyone. At that time about 5.000-6.000 guilders had to be paid for a set. Renting was already possible then. Nowadays we would call it 'leasing'. But under whatever name, the user had to pay about 250 guilders per month for it. And the supplier, which was only the PTT at the time, could not keep things going. The PTT warned that car telephones simply worked according to the laws of radio traffic and that car telephones could therefore be tapped. In 1988, by the way, a lot of work was already being done to make that eavesdropping impossible by 'scrambling' the outgoing signal.
There were two versions
In Den Beginne there were two car telephone variants: the landline and the portable telephone. With the fixed version, the sending and receiving part the size of a serious diplomat's case was in the trunk. On the other side of the connecting cord there was a telephone receiver with the control buttons on it in the cabin, near the driver. Those keys were - oh wonder! - often illuminated. The portable unit was technically no more than a fixed unit with a shorter cord.
The 'calling' went the other way around than with normal home telephones. First the number was keyed in, only then was the connection button pressed. The quality of the signal fell a bit under the law on gambling.
Call while driving
Convenience serves people. But anyone who sees a telephoning rider swinging on the road will be less enthusiastic about this beautiful piece of technology - because it is - text from 1988. The suppliers advised to use the phone only when the car was stationary. At that time, this advice was taken just as seriously as current advice on the use of telephony in traffic. Calling (while driving) was already made possible by pre-programmed numbers and a quick selection option.
Theft sensitive
Car telephones were completely 'hot'. They were regularly stolen. Certainly the portables. After all, they received their power via the lighter and they were equipped with adhesive antennas. By having the PTT block the number immediately, consequential damage could then be prevented. Already then.
They did see a future in it
1988 saw a big future for car telephony. Certainly because the estimate was that prices and calling rates would fall. In the meantime, we found such an old beast during the reorganization of the AMK archive. We looked after it with tenderness. He found a new owner through Marktplaats. Because old car telephones are now also loved by classic enthusiasts.
I worked with a carvox voyager (Motorola still something, but KPN had it on)
Could also use this with a separate battery.
It looked like a handbag incl antenna.
Later I got a handheld, brand Bosch.
A thick battery, but you could put it in your inside pocket.
Both worked on ATF3.
Still know my number from the time: 06-52623400
When I was in the pub on a Friday evening and received a phone call about an emergency ride, everyone was looking at me.
They had never seen that.
We're talking 1993 ...
At the end of 94 I had to switch from my provider Debitel to GSM.
I did not want that, but after a nice offer I did. (ATF network stopped)
Since then I still have the same number.
Advances in technology, it went fast.
Had an at3 phone at the start of hospital equipment key career. Burned out quickly and instead of this built-in large organ received a super offer for Hfl 500, - for an unknown phenomenon called GSM. I then immediately applied for the 3 colleagues. Because you could take it with you :-). There is also a variant that worked at fixed points (petrol stations… ..) where your phone worked up to a few hundred meters.
The last-mentioned system was the Kermit from PTT Greenpoint.
Yes, that was Kermit.