My biggest brick yet - Motorola 8800x

[gpo706]

Just got an exciting message on Facebook from a mate in London...

"How are you? You all better now?

Having a clear out and as you're a bit of a phone collector these days, I wondered if you'd like my ancient old Motorola mobile from 1993! It's one like on the link below. Has it's charger and cradle, but won't charge as the contacts have corroded, so might need a bit of work. If you'd like it, let me know and i'll drop it in the post. x"

This was her dad's old one and he gave it to her for emergency use in her car, it was stowed in the front door pannier.

She used it until either the battery failed, or they shut off the analogue network, so its been a fair workhorse over the years.

I told her I just need a can of Coke...

[twocvbloke]

Nice, with the contacts cleaned up, and if the batteries haven't burst, it might just take a charge, not much but enough to see if it still works (aside from the lack of analogue mobile networks)...

[gpo706]

Just came yesterday, the verdigris was all on the battery contacts, so it got the Coke, applied with cotton buds and then the small flat head screwdriver treatment, the phone chassis contacts were quite clean.

Then I plugged the transformer/charger in and gets an orange light on its cradle.

Left it for a few hours, lifted out the cradle/charger and it powered up - the display said "LOW BATT" so it powers up and I will leave it in the charger overnight, might be back assuming the battery doesn't explode...

My dear friend Lisa, who sent the machine up, has been getting regular updates, and the last message she sent me was "good luck"!

[Dan/Panther]

I got on a clean up kick about 8 years ago, pre phone collecting,  and tossed a unit very similar to that, except gray, New in box, with Charger, and spare battery. I still kick myself in the arse for that one.
D/P