Pye Telecom

Mobile Devices in the 1960s

Pye Vanguard AM/FM25

1960

Pye Vanguard AM/FM25

This large, high-power, remote-mount product was first sold to the UK Home Office for police use.

Initial versions were all-valve designs but a transistorised receiver (shared with the Pye Cambridge design) was soon introduced.

A number of versions were available for the VHF and UHF bands, using either amplitude modulation (AM) or frequency modulation (FM).

Transmitter power output 20, 50 or 100 Watts.

Pye Cambridge AM10/FM10

1963

Pye Cambridge AM10/FM10 dash-mounted radiotelephone

This was the first VHF mobile radiotelephone with an all-transistor receiver, which was also retrospectively fitted to the Pye Vanguard.

Like the Vanguard, the Cambridge was available in AM or FM versions.

Both dash and boot-mount models were produced, plus a battery powered transportable version. A waterproof motorcycle version was extensively used by police forces.

Transmitter power output 7 Watts.

Pye Transistor Reporter AM5D

1963

Pye Transistor Reporter AM5D

This was a low-cost, low-power, dash-mount radiotelephone designed and produced by the Pye Telecommunications subsidiary in Finglas, Dublin.

It was a hybrid valve/transistor design, utilising technologies from the PTC116 Reporter, the PTC2001 Ranger and the AM10D Cambridge.

Transmitter power output 2 Watts.

Pye Westminster W15AM/FM


1967

Pye Westminster W15AM/FM

The world’s first all solid-state mobile radiotelephone.

The Westminster was a major technology milestone and gave increased reliability together with lower power consumption from the vehicle (or battery) supply.

The Westminster family included VHF AM, FM, UHF FM, dash-mount and boot mount versions, plus battery transportable and motorcycle equipment.

Transmitter power output 5-15 Watts.

Pye VHF/UHF Repeater

1969

Pye VHF/UHF Repeater

This was a mobile cross-band, talk-through repeater variant of the remote-mounted Westminster family, used for Police and other security/military applications.

It could receive and transmit in both the VHF and UHF bands and also relay messages between user groups who were otherwise allocated radio channels in different parts of the frequency spectrum.

Transmitter power output 5-15 Watts.

Pye Whitehall W20AM/FM Radiotelephone

1969

Pye Whitehall W20AM/FM Radiotelephone

The Whitehall was a specialist equipment design in the Westminster family, for UK police forces and certain special military and security applications.

In the UK, most police forces operated using AM equipment supplied through the Home Office. But some, independent police forces, and the military, used FM equipment. This meant that some police/military units could not communicate across county borders.

The Whitehall enabled all security forces in the UK to be able to inter-communicate.

Transmitter power output 20 Watts.