Carphone 1959
On the 28th October 1959 the South Lancashire Radiophone service was offically opened.It was replaced in 1973 (by System 3) , by 1979 the 1959 system was being called SYSTEM 1
Most of the details below were gleaned from POEEJ Jan 1960
Transmitters at Winter Hill and Liverpool, additional receivers at telephone house Manchester
Radio Spec
Channel Spacing 50 Khz FM deviation +- 15 Khz
Land Station 35w, mobile Station upto 25w
Using the Car Phone - Receiving a call
1)Turn on the receiver and adjust the squelch control so that you hear the operators calls to radio phone users and not the static.
2)Listen to the calls put out by the radiophone operator, you will hear every incoming call for any radiophone user in the Manchester and Liverpool areas, you only need respond when your number is announced.
".. exchange calling car A100..."
Note Selective Calling ( a series of 600hz and1500hz tones) didnt arrive till 1965 when a slightly technically improved service was opened in London
3)If you hear your number announced lift the handset off the hook switch which should switch on the transmitter valve heaters and start up the HT power supplies
?? would the operator tell you what channel to use ?
http://www.britishpathe.com/video/phone-in-your-car
says yes
?? was there a procedure for what phrases the operator should use
???Would the call be announced if there was no free channel
?? can you transmit on the calling channel- yes according to film, would conversation with 3rd party be allowed ?, if it was everyone with a radiophone on the calling channel would hear.
?? was there a 999 type protocol
?? does a real instruction manual exist
6) Now you need to transmit by pressing the PTT button on your handset, in the Manchester area your signal might get picked up at winter hill and/or telephone house and a supervisory lamp will light up in front of a radiophone operator in Peterloo exchange.
6)now say "hello operator" ?????
7) ??? I'm note sure if you should now release your PTT and await a certain period for a response, then press again, or just lock the PTT to keep the supervisory light lit.
8) the radiophone operator will then ask you for your radio phone number an location
8b) she will then say "please switch to channel 2"
8c) you switch your radio to channel 2
9) she will then connect you to the person who called you
9a) you have your phone conversation
10) At the end of the call hang the handset on the hook to switch off the transmitter and return the receiver to the calling channel ??
Mobile phone call costs 1959
According the the 1979 POEJJ article -"The System 3 radiophone service was introduced in the south lancashire area in 1973 to replace the original (1959) service.... The south lancashire service had 790 subs by 1978
Nigel says http://www.cntr.salford.ac.uk/comms/walkie_talkies_radio_telephones_pagers.php
"In February 1963 there were only 86 radio telephones registered on the (south lancashire) service"
But the 1972 POEEJ article says "using 1 control channel with speech calling and five traffic channels the South Lancashire service has 270 subscribers"
http://bristol.academia.edu/CassieNewland/Papers/456846/An_Archaeology_of_Mobile_Phones
says "...allowed 120 subscribers to place wireless telephone calls from their cars.."
http://www.btplc.com/today/art91356.html
has some pricing information and "It was far from an instant revenue earner for the Post Office. Previously confidential company documents stored by BT Archives - part of BT Heritage - show that, in February 1963, only 86 cars were connected to the service - producing revenue of £4,000 (£61,000) a year but resulting in an annual loss of £3,000 (£46,000)."
http://www.storno.co.uk/radiophone.htm
Has a nice summary of the GPO systems
Has a description of the system
talks about 1966 bill which was a London radio telephone one.
http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1968/jun/13/car-radio-phone-services
says there were 159 on waiting list for radiophone in london in june 1968
In says july 1963 Mr. Bevins I expect the base stations for the London car radiophone service to cost about £20,000 and the number of installations to be about 3,000 when the service is fully developed. Demand for the South Lancashire service has been disappointing but my estimate of demand for the London service has been based on inquiries of potential customers, and I am satisfied that it is a reasonable one.
PRIME MINISTER'S CAR (RADIO TELEPHONE) HC Deb 27 July 1965 vol 717 c84W Q8. Mr. Eldon Griffiths asked the Prime Minister what type of radio telephone has been installed in his official car.The Prime Minister One suitable for use with the General Post Office public radio-phone service.