The tracking device Roger Moore‘s Bond carries in the Siberian opening of A View to a Kill (1985) is a real piece of mountain safety kit: an Autophon VS68 avalanche transceiver. The screen used device was sold by Prop Store in its Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction 2014, with an estimate of £1,500 to £2,500.
In the film
Prop Store’s lot description says the device was used in the scenes in Siberia in which Bond tracks down the body of agent 003 and recovers a stolen Soviet microchip, before escaping in the ski chase.
The transceiver
The body. A plastic body inside a yellow rubber wrap around cover, with holes over the speaker.
The controls. A dial on top adjusts volume and tone. On the screen device a strap is wrapped around the cover and taped in place.
It works. Prop Store noted wear to the cover and said the transceiver remained functional.
Finding one now
The screen used transceiver sold in 2014 and is not for sale; Prop Store’s lot came with a letter on production letterhead detailing its use, promotional stills and a copy of the title single on vinyl. The VS68 itself is long out of production, so the way to own one is second hand, and our link searches eBay. Treat any old transceiver as a collector’s piece rather than safety equipment.
Specifications
| Maker | Autophon |
|---|---|
| Model | VS68 avalanche transceiver |
| Film | A View to a Kill (1985), Siberia scenes |
| Body | Plastic, yellow rubber wrap around cover, speaker holes |
| Controls | Dial on top for volume and tone |
| Screen device size | 13 x 8 x 2.5cm (Prop Store) |
| Screen device sale | Prop Store Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction 2014 |
| Estimate | £1,500 to £2,500 |
| Now | Second hand only |
Questions
What tracking device does Bond use in A View to a Kill?
An Autophon VS68 avalanche transceiver, according to Prop Store’s description of the screen used prop. Bond uses it in Siberia to find the body of agent 003.
Was the screen used Autophon sold?
Yes. Prop Store offered it in its 2014 live auction with an estimate of £1,500 to £2,500, with a production letter, stills and the title single on vinyl.
Can you buy an Autophon VS68 today?
Only second hand. It is no longer made, and an old unit should be treated as a collector’s piece, not as working safety equipment.
Sources: Prop Store, James Bond’s (Roger Moore) Tracking Device, Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction 2014.
More from the film on our A View to a Kill page, and more kit in our gadgets collection.
