--- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, skipp025 skipp...@... wrote:
hybridfan wa6osb@ wrote:
OK, since we've activated the Wy Back Machine again, does
anyone remember the VHF high band West Coast Electronics remote
mount mobiles?
I'm still looking for photos of the radio, especially an
interior picture and control head.
These were built in Los Angeles, used an 832A in the final
and had silver plated tuned lines in the receiver rf stages.
I know San Diego Yellow Cab used them in the early 60's.
That's how we got our FM start down here. The model was
MFM 15-150B.
Ken
No good deed should go unpunished...
I asked Geoff who operates a very nice CHP History web page at:
http://www.wb6nvh.com/
... and he replied with the following.
[pasted text]
West Coast Electronics was a division of, or somehow hooked up
with, Mobile Communications Company of Los Angeles. It is my
understanding that they were wholly owned by Yellow Cab and
existed from only about 1949-54, more or less. Apparently Yellow
Cab did not like paying the prices Motorola and GE were asking
for their gear. They never branched out to public sales, as
far as I can tell, as no one has seen an example with ownership
documentation other than a Yellow Cab franchise somewhere.
They made at least two mobile radios, a two-piece and a one-piece
set. Dynamotor powered. Quite a bit smaller than Motorola, and
cheaper in design. As Ken says, they used an 832 in the PA,
probably because 832's were available on the war surplus market
for about fifty cents at the time. The control head, at least
the one I saw on an old Superman serial (!) was just a square
box with pilot lamps and a volume control, with a Western
Electric F3 handset hanging across the lower portion.
I have an example of the transmitter from a two piece set
and can send you photos when I find what I did with them.
They are probably in my computer at home.
In a true comment of what it is often like working in an
independent mobile shop, my transmitter, tagged with Yellow
Cab of Salinas, California had a yellowed scrap of paper
wadded up and crammed inside the crystal oven. Written in
pencil, the note on it says: Unable to warp back on frequency.
He made me use it anyway.
[end of pasted text]
cheers,
skipp
Thanks for the additional info Skipp. The ones we had were the single piece
R/T unit. Vibrator supply and 15 watts RF output. I think the dynamotor
versions were 25 watts.
I have the manual for them, but no pix. It does have the pictorial layout of
the transmitter and receiver strips though.
No mention is made of Yellow cab in the manual. Date on the schematic is Dec
1950. WCE's address was 1601 South Burlington Ave.
Los Angeles 6, California. I guess Yellow Cab had them in service for quite a
while, as I believe they were changing them out in the 1962-1963 time frame.
We got 'em for $20 each at the time and gave us a start in FM in S.D.
Ken
