Gadget Freak: Walkie-Talkie Forever

As kids, most of us wanted to become astronauts, cops, or firemen. Aside from the obvious reasons, these professions all have one thing in common: radio communication.

That’s why when you were young the coolest thing you could get was a walkie-talkie. Now that you’re all grown up, you can see that this device has a lot more uses than just being a child’s plaything, and we’re here to cover the story.

From Big To Small

The first-ever gadget that had both a radio receiver and transmitter in it was the 1940 Motorola SCR-300.

It didn’t even remotely resemble the Walkie-Talkie we know today, as it was fitted in a backpack and required two people to operate it.

During WWII, Motorola began production of the hand-held SCR-536, which was nicknamed “Handie-Talkie” originally.

Over the decades, the handy communication device went through some minor changes. Initially, it was reserved for military purposes, but it soon found its way to the police, fire departments, and ever radio and personal use.

It’s not clear when did the “Handie-Talkie” SCR-536 actually evolve to the Walkie-Talkie we know today, but it’s obvious that it still retained some usefulness, be it for professional or recreational use.