Mobility

Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown

By // May 3, 2011, 12:01 AM PST // billdetwiler

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  • Cracking Open the Motorola Advisor Gold pager (1997)

    In the mid- to late-1990s, cellular phones were rapidly replacing pagers in the personal communication market. Still, it wasn't uncommon for people to have both a mobile phone (particularly in their car) and a pager. In 1997, I was such a person.

    I had a phone in my car and carried this Motorola pager. Nearly 15 years later, I decided to dig it out of storage and crack it open. Follow along as I take a look inside the Motorola Advisor Gold pager (circa 1997).  

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Back

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: With case

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: In belt case

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Case clip

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Still works

    Even after nearly 15 years, this Motorola Advisor Gold pager still works--provided it had service.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Battery cover removed

    The Motorola Advisor Gold pager was powered by a single AA battery.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Battery removed

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Releasing the back cover catch

    The Motorola Advisor Gold's back cover is held in place with several plastic clips. The main clip is located inside the battery comparment.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Popping loose the back cover

    With the back cover's main clip released, we can continue popping loose the Motorola Advisor Gold's back cover.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Loosened back cover

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Removing the back cover

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Back cover removed

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Back cover

    The Motorola Advisor Gold's large vibration motor is located inside the back cover.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Removing the vibration motor

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Vibration motor removed from back cover

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Vibration motor - Front

    The Motorola Advisor Gold's vibration motor is significantly larger than the motors found on current smartphones.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Vibration motor - Back

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Inside the case

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Disconnecting the antenna PCB from the main PCB

    The Motorola Advisor Gold pager has two PCBs--a main PCB and this one that has the antennas. The two PCBs are attached with a connector. Using a plastic spudger, I gently detached them.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Removing the antenna PCB

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Antenna PCB removed

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Antenna PCB - Top

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Antenna PCB - Bottom

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Motorola chip 79Z71-06 VORTEX XAF9703

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Motorola B01 4476000 T9705

    This metal component is likely one of the Motorola Advisor Gold's radio transmitters/receivers. It has the markings - B01 4476000 T9705.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Assembled 02/19/1997

    According to the date printed on this sticker, the antenna PCB in this Motorola Advisor Gold pager was assembled on February 19, 1997.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Motorola 37B09 T9704

    Another radio transmitter/receiver with markings - Motorola 37B09 T9704.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: With antenna PCB removed

    With the Motorola Adivsor Gold pager's antenna PCB removed, we find a formed, rubber cushion separating it and the vibration motor from the main PCB.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Removing internal rubber cushion

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Internal rubber cushion removed

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Internal rubber cushion - Front

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Internal rubber cushion - Back

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Main PCB still attached

    With the internal rubber cushion removed, we get our first good look at the Motorola Adivsor Gold's main PCB.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Removing the case ring

    A thin rubber ring site between the Motorola Adivsor Gold's back cover and front cover.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Case ring removed

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Removing the main PCB and display assembly

    At this point, I was able to easily detach the display and main PCB assembly from the front cover.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Main PCB and display assembly removed

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Main PCB and display assembly - Back

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Inside the front cover

    There's a lot of dust inside this old Motorola Adivsor Gold pager.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Display and main PCB assembly

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Main PCB (with display) - Front

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Motorola SC428253PU IC

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: NEC D43256BGW IC

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: System battery

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Speaker

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Removing the front Up and Down buttons

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Display

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Display cable attached to main PCB

    Unfortunatley, the display cable is permanently glued to the Motorola Adivsor Gold page's main PCB.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Underside of display ribbon cable contacts

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Removing the front button contacts

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Front button contacts removed

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Removing the front cover from the display assembly

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Front cover removed

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Display and main PCB assembly

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Main PCB without front cover

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

  • Motorola Advisor Gold Pager (1997) Teardown: Completely disassembled

    This Motorola Advisor Gold pager was a reliable device that served me well for many years. And, it's no wonder. After cracking it open, I found it to be well constructed and contain sturdy material. I only wish all current smartphones were as rugged.

    Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
    Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Related Topics:

Mobility Security Hardware Software Apple Android Google

Cracking Open the Motorola Advisor Gold pager (1997)

In the mid- to late-1990s, cellular phones were rapidly replacing pagers in the personal communication market. Still, it wasn't uncommon for people to have both a mobile phone (particularly in their car) and a pager. In 1997, I was such a person.

I had a phone in my car and carried this Motorola pager. Nearly 15 years later, I decided to dig it out of storage and crack it open. Follow along as I take a look inside the Motorola Advisor Gold pager (circa 1997).  

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic
Caption by: Bill Detwiler

About Bill Detwiler

Bill Detwiler is Managing Editor of TechRepublic and Tech Pro Research and the host of Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Prior to joining TechRepublic in 2000, Bill was an IT manager, database administrator, and desktop supp...

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