From: lumpy@digitalcartography.com   
      
   miso@sushi.com wrote:   
   > 3) The rectangular radios probably were not cell phones. For the most   
   > part, commercial radios are known at "bricks". That is, they are boxy.   
   > These guys could be cops, rent-a-cops, or casino workers. It seems   
   > everyone in Vegas has a handie talkie.   
      
   What was the status of cellular in Las Vegas in 1990?   
   I remember as late as 87 in Ukiah, I had a VHF brick   
   for a "mobile phone". Simplex PTT to an operator, verbally   
   giver her the number you want and you were connected   
   via phone patch. Shared the comms with a bunch of other   
   users.   
      
   And of course, those bricks, as miso suggests, would   
   do unit to unit comms, like any typical HT radio.   
      
   Similar situation in Hot Springs AR in the early 90's.   
   Lots of doctors had huge VHF bricks that an operator   
   would phone patch to whoever they wanted to call.   
   They weighed so much the docs would carry them   
   on a shoulder strap. Some of the snooty docs would   
   assign an intern or nurse to carry the radio.   
      
   When cell phones started coming in, there in AR at least,   
   the most popular were the mini-briefcase style with coil   
   cord handset and 12vdc cigar plug. Some people had   
   the "hand held" style cellphone that looked sort of   
   like a PRC-6 military radio, not much smaller. But   
   the briefcase phones had more power.   
      
      
   Lumpy   
   --   
   You played on "The Love Boat"?   
   Yes. White tux, huge sideburns.   
   www.lumpyvoice.org   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)