Terry,

Many of the newer telephone systems are pc based and even if you have a
UPS for backup, this does not necessarily mean that the phone system
will work.  Perhaps your complex should invest in a good old dc based
line in the manager's office.  

I had a probe from the Pioneers which plugged directly into the
Dimension console but was on a cord.  This did work well as I could
simply clip it into  an adhesive cable clamp designed for cable about
the size of RG58 OR 59 ON THE SIDE OF THE CONSOLE.  

I ULTIMATELY AND MORE PERMANTLY USED EITHER A WRIST WORN PROBE WITH THE
FIBEROPTIC WITHER A  LEAD THREADED BETWEEN MY MIDDLE FINGER AND RING
FINGER WITH A SIMPLE EARPHONE THREADED UP MY SHIRT  TO MY OTHER EAR,
(THE ONE NOT WEARING THE Starset.  

The advantage of the unit that plugged into the Dimension was that the
audio was fed directly into the Starset but the hands free nature of the
other probe made for easer multitasking between phone typewriter
calculator clock 4 spare phones and the Dimension.  

Ah yes the old cord system,  Did you work MECOBS or eventually did you
move over to tsps?  SLEVE 

 

###

BRETT WINCHESTER

[log in to unmask] 

208-693-8386

###

 

 


-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Terri Pannett
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 10:54 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: off topic telephone systems

Dear List,

The discussion of light probes brought back memories of when I used to
work 
as a switchboard operator for several companies.  The light probes I
used 
came from the Telephone Pioneers in Oregon and it consisted of a light 
sensor connected to a speaker which looked like a small transistor
radio. 
These probes worked well on the old cord boards and they also worked on
the 
Dimension console and a console from Japan called the Oki.  In the case
of 
the Oki, the green lights had to be replaced with red or white lights.
The 
probes cost about $20 but they were designed to work with switchboards
with 
very dull lights.  I'm sure they must not be made anymore, since the
demise 
of the good old switchboards.  I still have one fo the light sensors but
I 
stupidly threw away the speaker that went with it.

Last week, there was a power outage at my apartment complex which lasted

several hours.  My phone still worked because I have a corded
speakerphone 
but the phone system in the managers' office was dependent on
electricity so 
they couldn't receive any calls from us.  I can't understand why, in
this 
day of technology, a telephone system would be dependent on PG&E.  Even
in 
the days of the cord boards there were battery-operated systems!
Perhaps 
someone could explain this phenomenon to me.  I don't know what kind of 
system is in the managers' office, but I can find out.  This place is
full 
of seniors who may need emergency assistance that's the reason for
on-site 
managers, and it seems dumb to me communications should be so poor.

Terri, Amateur Radio call sign KF6CA.  Army MARS call sign AAT9PX, 
California