Capt'n Crunch was a guy who, while playing around with stuff, realized that that whistle had exactly the frequency-range to unlock international telephone-communications. He went so far as to be able to, what, call himself with a line going once around the globe or something like that... made him famous.
here's the wired article: https://www.wired.com/2001/02/the-greatest-hacks-of-all-time/
[edit: believe they had a much longer, better entertainig story about it but can't find it—ageing memory?]
here's the wired article: https://www.wired.com/2001/02/the-greatest-hacks-of-all-time/
[edit: believe they had a much longer, better entertainig story about it but can't find it—ageing memory?]
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In the early 80's pre-cellular days I was asked to check with the phone company (USA) about getting a phone for the company car.
IIRC, it was something like this:
1) About $3000 for the hardware installation, plus monthly rental fees
2) $10 per minute for local calls, coming or going, plus long distance charges if applicable
3) And a 3-4 YEAR waiting list just to get a number
Even if you were really rich, you still had to wait for existing customers to die off before you could get one.
Needless to say we passed on that deal.
Okay, it sure wasn't that bad up in the great white north.
Phone was about $1000
$1 per minute in and out. More than my weekly allowance.
Your phone number was two letters and four numbers. IIRC they used the phonetic alphabet so CF1234 was Charlie Foxtrot 1234 and you had to go through a special land line operator to place your call. There was no dial, rotary or otherwise, just a signal button. It was like a radio but only for telephoning. If you missed a call, a little light came on and stayed on until you called the operator back. I don't know if there was a monthly subscription or WHY to maintain service. All I know is my Dad was the only one on the block with one of those. I felt like one of the cool kids.
And yes, my Dad could beat up your Dad. 🙂
Now that I think about it, this probably wasn't what techtool was talking about. This was in the 60's and early 70's.
A friend of mine had a manual exchange set up in their house, servicing the small town they lived in. Lights would show, you'd ask who they wanted to talk to and then pull their spring loaded cable out and plug it into someone elses socket and ring their bell. There were a couple of outside lines to other exchanges. I wish I'd taken a photo. It was roughly the size of this random example..
Then came Strowger to automate that stuff.
He invented the auto commutator and created a company that became GTE.
I worked for them in Melrose Park and Northlake Illinois in the late seventies.
Great souvenirs of Chicagoland.
He invented the auto commutator and created a company that became GTE.
I worked for them in Melrose Park and Northlake Illinois in the late seventies.
Great souvenirs of Chicagoland.
Delhi had car radios, from a central tower in Connaught Place.
20 km range.
$10,000 deposit, $6 a minute, it was a two way radio, don't remember the number / access system. Mid 80s, IIRC.
Saw it in a Mercedes S class car, Chairman of Escorts (tractors, cranes, bikes, JCB licensee).
He could afford it.
20 km range.
$10,000 deposit, $6 a minute, it was a two way radio, don't remember the number / access system. Mid 80s, IIRC.
Saw it in a Mercedes S class car, Chairman of Escorts (tractors, cranes, bikes, JCB licensee).
He could afford it.
I meant two way radios being used in duplex mode as telephones.
My uncle's factory was in a place with terrible phone connectivity, one 50 pair cable serving 500 consumers locally with an operator, and plug console.
So I went to find out about the VHF radios, learnt that I would be allotted a specific frequency, I was told to describe the antenna as plain rather than a directional Yagi array.
And we needed a 'No Objection' from the military bases close by.
We dropped the idea.
Now everybody has frequency hopping two way radios, nobody blinks an eye. They even have encryption, and can send pictures immediately.
My uncle's factory was in a place with terrible phone connectivity, one 50 pair cable serving 500 consumers locally with an operator, and plug console.
So I went to find out about the VHF radios, learnt that I would be allotted a specific frequency, I was told to describe the antenna as plain rather than a directional Yagi array.
And we needed a 'No Objection' from the military bases close by.
We dropped the idea.
Now everybody has frequency hopping two way radios, nobody blinks an eye. They even have encryption, and can send pictures immediately.
My wife (Mrs DTMF) has oddly configured vocal cords can can trigger a #7 or #9 on a phone system if she is not careful.
She also worked for Lucifer Enterprises (Lucent) about the time they split into Avaya. She got to support all sorts of odd telco stuff at the time.
She also worked for Lucifer Enterprises (Lucent) about the time they split into Avaya. She got to support all sorts of odd telco stuff at the time.
I don't understand, why would she be disappointed? Is this something to do with why I'm single?