The character Mark Collins uses ham radio to circumvent the cell phone system to make his phone calls untraceable. Collins Radio manufactured ham radios from the 1940's into the 1970's and they are still highly prized by ham operators and collectors.
Considering they are in California it is interesting Toby mentions the Gowanus canal instead of the LA aqueduct.
When Collins is making the floss thin using a knife it is interesting that he doesn't cut through the floss or that the floss doesn't break before Toby is rescued.