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and very rarely ever needs repairs, once you fix them." - Dan/Panther

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Hello from a new member

Started by Kittybell, January 15, 2009, 03:13:20 PM

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Kittybell

Hi to everyone, and thanks, Mark, for hooking me up (yeah, I know, that was awful...! :D) I just received two old phones from the family, and I'd like to know more about them. I read a lot of the posts, and was totally lost just on the dial discussions! Anyway, I'll post some pics of them and let me know what you think! The older phone has a dial tone when I plug it in, but I just found out it doesn't have a ringer (apparently that's a separate thing). It's very exciting!

Hope to hear from some of you.

Kitty


"Read it back to you! Are you insane?"

metdial

Welcome aboard Kittybell!

The folks here are friendly, knowledgeable, helpful, and oh so generous.

For example, the esteemed member Mr. Dan/Panther would be happy to take these nice phones off your hands (you'd have to pay for the shipping/handling to his address of course).  ;D

Once again, welcome. 
You have definitely come to the right place if you want to enhance your telephone I.Q.

Tom

benhutcherson

Hello and welcome!

Yes, it does look like you have a pair of very nice telephone. The newer one is a 500 set, while the older one is a D1 handset mounting with a desirable E1 handset.

The D1 doesn't have a ringer built in, nor does it have any other necessary circuitry components for proper operation. Yes, it will work by simply hooking it up to the wall, but the sound quality is relatively poor, and this can quickly destroy the receiver.

In order to properly use this telephone, you need something called a subset, which brings the line voltage to the proper level for operation, as well as providing a ringer.

Kittybell

Hi, metdial, and hi, Ben! Thanks for writing back. One belonged to my great-uncle, and I'm trying to decipher the receipt, and the other belonged to my grandfather and was in his home where he lived since 1919. My dad collected them, and no-one wanted them but me. Ben, you're right, the dial tone was funny and echoey, but cool to hear! I didn't want to keep pumping power into it without knowledge, so I just did it for a second. What does a subset look like?  I wonder what the ring would sound like. Maybe a 30's movie? May I ask what an E1 handset is? Is that the deeper mouthpiece at one end?

I just heard that Walmart is selling a Crosley reproduction of the 500, but it has push buttons.
"Read it back to you! Are you insane?"

Dan/Panther

#4
Welcome to our forum.
It appears you've got two noce phones as a start for your collection.
your concerns about your phones are very common concerns and can be fixed rather quickly and and at reasonable exspense. The subset will cost you but the ringer problem should be a simple wire move.
By your Signature can we assume you are a member of the fairer sex ?
Welcome to our Forum, and you will be hopelessly hooked soon.
Regards;
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Kittybell

Hi, Dan/Panther,

Yes, I am "capricious, coy, and hard to please". I was teasing Mark that I didn't get approved for the board because apparently, I'm the only girl, and the shock was too much for the system! I'm glad everyone so far likes my little collection beginnings...maybe it's because I never got to have that pink Princess phone! I like history and artifacts though, and I thought these were interesting. Plus, the older one (D1) goes with my film noir collection!  :)
"Read it back to you! Are you insane?"

bingster

Hi Kittybell, and welcome!  I think it's high time we had a lady to class up the joint!

Here are a couple photos of a subset, exterior and interior.  They were all pretty much the same:  Black boxes screwed to the wall close to the baseboard. Telephones like yours, and the older upright "candlestick" telephones all required these boxes, because the telephones' bases weren't large enough to hold all the electronic parts needed to make the phones work. 
= DARRIN =



Mark Stevens

Quote from: Kittybell on January 15, 2009, 04:21:25 PM
Hi, Dan/Panther,

Yes, I am "capricious, coy, and hard to please". I was teasing Mark that I didn't get approved for the board because apparently, I'm the only girl, and the shock was too much for the system!

It's not the shock, but the realization that we're going to have to clean up our act... and I'll probably have to ban Dan/Panther!  ;)

rp2813

Welcome Miss Kitty!  You have a very nice couple of phones there.  The older model 202 appears to have what is commonly referred to as a "seamless" E1 handset.  This means there is no groove along the bottom front and rear sides of the handset near where it rests on the cradle.  It looks like your 500 model has the grooves and you can see them on both sides between receiver and transmitter caps.  The "seamless" handsets are more rare than the later types that had the grooves.  Also, your handset has been retrofitted to accept the later type of transmitter capsule that was used with the F1 style handset.  This is a good thing if you intend to put the phone into regular use.  The original "bullet" type transmitters used with the 202 model provided inferior voice transmission and the F1-style retrofits were a major improvement.  A lot of 202's got retrofitted with F1 handsets when refurbished so you are fortunate to have one that still has the original E1 type.  From the story you've told, I suspect that this phone was deployed only once, to your grandfather's house, and never went back for refurbishing.  The transmitter capsule change was probably done on a service call.  You could have an early dial on that phone too.  When you decide to open it up, take some pictures and members can probably tell you more.

You shouldn't have any problem getting the 202 working once you get the subset or "bell box" for it.  I think you'll be pleased with the type of ringer the old subsets used.  It should provide that classic movie sound you're hoping for.  Plenty of people here can help you get things hooked up properly so you can enjoy your phone!

Ralph
Ralph

Dan/Panther

Kitty;

That 202 is absolutely gorgeous.

Now before Mark bans me, are you married, I'm single, If I get banned write down my Email before I get blocked.
Regards;
Dan/Panther

To everyone else it's still D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

Steve


Hi Kitty and welcome to the forum. nice phones, I especially like that 202 :)
If you're a long way from home,
Can't sleep at night.
Grab your telephone,
Something just ain't right.

HobieSport

Hi Kitty and welcome.  Anyone with a 202 telephone and a film noir collection is all right in my book! :)  What are some of your favorite noir movies?  I also enjoy spotting the great old phones in the movies.  That's great that you have your grandfathers' phone from 1919.


McHeath

QuoteNow before Mark bans me, are you married, I'm single, If I get banned write down my Email before I get blocked.
Regards;
Dan/Panther

To everyone else it's still D/P

Wait a minute, I thought we voted you off the island!  ;)

Or was that me who got voted off?  Can't recall.

HobieSport

Or maybe we all got voted off the mainland onto the same island? ;)

McHeath

Ooo, that's probably more likely what happened.  So is this sort of a Gilligan's Island episode?  Who gets to be Gilligan?  I think Dennis is the professor.