Help needed identifying a vintage Remote Microphone

[mrfixit49]

Hi all, I need your assistance. I am going through some old boxes and came across this Motorola Remote Microphone. I searched all over google images and ebay and cannot find an all chrome one like this or one similar anywhere. My late father-in-law was a motorocycle officer and I am suspecting that it may have come from his Kawasaki mounted radio. There are no identifying markings on it as you can see in the images.

The most interesting thing about this microphone is how heavy it is. It weighs 1lb 3oz (with cable and connector). For comparison, my Pro-106 only weighs 13.5oz with the batteries. I would hate to have to communicate throughout my shift with this microphone.

I am hoping someone can teach me a little more about it (model number, describing features) and tell me if I can test it with a simple multi-meter (as I don't have the radio) before I put it in the for sale section.

Thank you in advance!

[R8000]

I remember there was a dash mount radio Motorola made, back in the mocom 70 days. For the life of me I can't remember the model number of it. I saw those with a red, and a blue mic available on them. Maybe that vintage/era ?

[SteveC0625]

It probably was part of a motorcycle specific radio package that looked similar to this:



There were a number of versions of the hand mic for them over the years. All of the radio controls (volume, squelch, channel, etc.) were in the loudspeaker box, but the actual radio itself was the larger box at the bottom of the picture. That was mounted somewhere on the back of the bike, usually in a weatherproof box of some kind.

This webpage will answer some of your questions. Be sure to use the "next page" links at the bottom of each page to move the next one.

http://www.wb6nvh.com/CHPcycle.htm

Oh yeah, the darned thing is so heavy because it is made out of cast aluminum instead of plastic!

[SteveC0625]

As for the chrome, this is only a guess, but since the model number label is missing off the back, I can't help but wonder if it's a custom job. It's possible your father-in-law had it done just for appearance. The aluminum body and steel mesh over the mic element itself are both easily chrome plated.

[cmdrwill]

T Power had the metal housing and the same connector. Made by Sure mic.

They were dicast zamac not aluminum.

[SteveC0625]

Originally Posted by cmdrwill

T Power had the metal housing and the same connector. Made by Shure mic.

They were deicast zamac not aluminum.

I stand corrected on the material! I always thought it AL. Live and learn!

Most of the Motorola product line used some version of that mic. We bought a new '72 Cadi ambulance and a new 100 watt Motrac for it, and that mic was just as heavy, but painted with their standard beige color.

[cmdrwill]

Originally Posted by SteveC0625

Most of the Motorola product line used some version of that mic.

The Motorola plastic mics appeared in the late 60's, early 1970's depending on the model radio.
A 1972 Motrac would of had the Driftwood color scheme plastic mic.

The plastic Motorola mics are also found in grey, black, red, orange, beige, white, and some other SP colors.

[jackj]

I worked for the company that serviced the Marion County Sheriff's Department radios (Indianapolis) back in the late '60s and early '70s. There were a few deputies who had their own mics chromed. Some of the custom hot rod shops in the area would take on small jobs for not much money. The deputies were assigned a car and took it home with them when off duty so they weren't consistently changing out mics.

[k3cfc]

It is a chrome plated white metal police mic you know the radios that had a small unit attached to the dash with a red and green light on it to show tx/rx and also a volume and squelch knob along with a speaker in the center. the radio was mounted in the trunk because it was 2 ft long 1 ft wide and heavy as a horse.

[ramal121]

Or somebody took an old painted metal mic and had a good run with it on a buffing wheel!

As far as the weight of a Motorola mic, if you take an old "potato" mic apart you'll find a metal plate on the back half and the hang up button peened onto this plate. This plate was officially called the "confidence weight". Now whether it provided the user with "heft" to give them the idea the mic was heavy duty, or it simply was a device to make sure the mic stayed solid in the HUB, I don't know.

[mrfixit49]

Thank you all for the insight. Based on that "confidence weight" remark, I just had to open this thing up. It looks as if the weight is coming all from the magnet in the microphone. The back cover is really light and the inside of the face and grill are light too. It seems like somebody just really polished up the zamak.

It is a neat piece of history.