It all started with a red light: The early days of Bay Village police communication

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  • This is the collection of vintage Bay Village Police Department radio equipment Chief Spaetzel had been able to save as artifacts of his department's history. From left to right are: A car trunk mounted two-way radio transmitter-receiver set. A two-way radio base station desktop remote control console with associated microphone in front. A handheld portable two-way radio transceiver, commonly known as a "walkie-talkie." An under-dashboard mountable two-way radio mobile transceiver. 

  • This appears to be a Sonar Radio Corporation FM-40 VHF low-band transceiver, likely mid-1960s vintage. From the FCC callsign label on the unit's faceplate this two-way radio would have been used on the low-band auxiliary channel employed for a period of time by the Bay Village Police Department.

  • This appears to be a General Electric Corporation Progress Line era two-way radio base station remote control console. This console would be located in a place convenient for its use, such as a front desk or other dispatch area, and control the actual radio transmitter-receiver set, likely placed in a less accessible area near the station's radio tower.

  • This is a General Electric Corporation VHF high-band two-way radio mobile transmitter-receiver set. Enclosed in the green steel case, which is meant to be mounted within an automobile's trunk, is the actual radio circuitry.  A under dashboard remote control head enables a vehicle's driver or passenger operation of the radio set from the front seat area.  While no model name could be found on the cabinet, this appears to be a Progress Line model transmitter-receiver set.  The at the time popular General Electric Progress Line encompassed both mobile and base station radio models. It's been determined this particular unit had likely been manufactured sometime from 1955 to 1958.

  • This is a Motorola MH-10 portable transceiver assigned the model name "Handi-Com" by the manufacturer. This radio has the capability of having crystals for up to four channels installed. Research indicates this transceiver may have been manufactured sometime around 1973.

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