Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Telephone Switching => General Switching Discussions => General CO Talk => Topic started by: Phonesrfun on May 09, 2010, 04:39:35 PM

Title: Old dial tone
Post by: Phonesrfun on May 09, 2010, 04:39:35 PM
OK, this forum is about Rotary Phones.  Here is something that is relavant to rotary telephones, and particularly the dial tones "way back in the good ol' days".

Currently, in the US and some other countries, the dial tone we hear is one that came about in the 1960's and implemented as part of putting in Touch-Tone service.  It is called a "precise dial tone", and consists of two frequencies blended together of 350 and 440 Hz.  The reason for going to the new dial tone is that the older tones had frequencies and overtones that would interfere with the Touch-Tone (DTMF) dialing.  DTMF stands for Dual Tone Multi Frequency.

If you have a sound card in your computer and a program that can produce two simultaneous tones, you can actually make your computer sound card produce a dial tone.  In fact, with all the DTMF frequencies that are used for the digits 1 through 0, and the asterisk and the pound sign, you can actually program your computer to dial a number if you hold the handset up close to the computer speaker.

But I digress...

As I mentioned, the precise dial tone came into being in the mid 60's as part of the Touch-Tone conversion.  This happened in my neighborhood in 1967 when I was 16 years old.  Prior to the precise dial tone, depending on where you lived and what phone company you were on and what type of equipment was in the central office, there were a whole variety of dial tones out there.  So, if you ask an old-timer about old dial tone, there will be a variety of opinions of what "old dial tone" sounded like.

They were everything from just a buzzer hooked into the circuit to some sophisticated tones that had been developed by Ma Bell after the war.

I have heard both the buzz and the post-war dial tone.  I grew up in an area in Portland, OR where we were on Bell system, but just a few blocks away was the boundary between Bell System and West Coast Telephone, later GTE.  Theirs was more of a buzz.  At home, we had the more modern post-war dial tone that the Bell System standardized on until they switched to precise dial tone.

That post-war dial tone is a 600 Hz tone modulated by 120 Hz.  There is no way I have figured out to modulate a tone with another tone on the computer sound card.  Maybe there is, but my skills in this area are not all that good.  However, with an intergrated circuit chip, it is possible.  Last year, I did a bunch of research into old dial tone, and as a result of contacting a collector named Chuck Richards, I was able to build his circuit.

While I cannot get a computer to actually make the tone, I can, of course record the tone from the tone generator I built.  So without further adieu, here is a .wav file of the dial tone.  How many of you recognize it?

Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Jim Stettler on May 09, 2010, 05:00:24 PM
My grandparents had the same or similar dial tone. The were served by a telephone CO-OP out of  Burlington, CO. by similar, Theirs may of been a slightly different pitch.

I was always scolded for playing with telephones. In this case I checked the dial tone on their 302-type phone to  make sure it sounded right and it didn't.

I was never allowed to experiment with the other tones.

At the time I wanted to know if the difference was from the phone style or company. My Mom said Company (ex operator). I suspected it was from the phone because I thought all phone co's were Bell. She was right.


Back in the day, most adults frowned on kids playing with telephones. Mom didn't mind me experimenting within reason.
Jim
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: baldopeacock on May 09, 2010, 06:35:52 PM
I'd almost forgotten that old dial tone, but not quite.   I would have been 11 when Ma Bell made that transition.   Thanks for the revisit.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Dennis Markham on May 09, 2010, 10:18:19 PM
Bill, your posting is very interesting.  I enjoyed listening to the dial tone, but I have to say I don't remember specifically that tone as opposed to what we have now.  I know there is a big difference, but I guess I just never paid attention at the time.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: savageje on May 09, 2010, 10:51:25 PM
Bill:

Thanks for the interesting post.  The current dial tone is the only one I remember, although I've heard something very similar to the one you posted in old movies and TV shows.  Prior to the introduction of DTMF, was there any technical reason why the tone had to be a certain way, or could it basically have been anything?  I have heard the old "buzz" in a Bell System film on YouTube, and it seems to be a very nerve-grating noise, to say the least.  Glad that didn't last!
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Phonesrfun on May 09, 2010, 11:16:56 PM
Before DTMF, it could have been anything, and in practice, it was almost anything.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: bingster on May 10, 2010, 04:33:33 PM
Here are a few that I've picked up around the net.  I think some of them came from the Bell System Memorial site. 
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: bingster on May 10, 2010, 04:34:39 PM
And an old ringback for good measure:
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: jsowers on May 10, 2010, 04:57:12 PM
I recall from childhood that the RE1-2xxx numbers in the small community I still live in sounded different in the ringing tone when called than the other numbers like mine that were RE1-4xxx. The busy signal also sounded strange. This all changed when they brought in digital switching equipment in the 1980s. It resembled the old dial tone and busy signals Bingster posted, but with a little more of a bass note. Almost like the sound a ceramic phono pickup makes when you touch one of the leads. Maybe a 60-cycle hum?

I also remember the busy signal in a small community called Denton after I started working for the school system in 1985 and I had to call the school there. It was a honk-honk-honk sound similar to Hoppy the Kangaroo on the Flintstones. Hoppy was Dino's counterpart over at Barney and Betty Rubble's house, in case you need to know. I laughed every time I heard that. It's gone now too, many years ago.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: McHeath on May 10, 2010, 07:06:01 PM
I never knew any but the current tones, but I have heard them in old movies. 

That old busy tone 2 sounds like it should be in a low budget science fiction flick from the 50's.   ;)
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Dan/Panther on May 10, 2010, 11:03:00 PM
I go back farther than I want to admit, but I don't recall any of the old versions.
D/P
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: JorgeAmely on May 11, 2010, 12:17:08 AM
Quote from: Phonesrfun on May 09, 2010, 04:39:35 PM

If you have a sound card in your computer and a program that can produce two simultaneous tones, you can actually make your computer sound card produce a dial tone.  In fact, with all the DTMF frequencies that are used for the digits 1 through 0, and the asterisk and the pound sign, you can actually program your computer to dial a number if you hold the handset up close to the computer speaker.


Bill: Someone already wrote such program. I use it with my phones and works very well.

http://www.silverstones.com/DTMFDial.html

------------------

EDIT:  the above link works but the download links at that site are dead, so, no longer available

Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: AET on May 11, 2010, 01:39:06 AM
I don't remember anything but what we got today, but being born post Bell System breakup, I spose it would make it impossible for me to anyways.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: rp2813 on May 13, 2010, 11:39:43 PM
I do remember the old dial tone and busy, like "busy-old 1" on the list above.  Interestingly, we still had those tones until 1980 or so but in the late 60's a friend down the street got an early version of "modern" dial tone that sounded more harmonica-like.  When the upgrades came in the early 80's and switches were converted to electronic, at home we got optional services available like Call Waiting.  The friend down the street remained on a Crossbar switch for a good ten years and couldn't get any of the new features until the early 90's. 

Is there any recording of the warped siren sound that you'd get when you confused the hell out of the system?  As kids we would do all kinds of crazy dialing just to produce that sound.  There's a particular name applied to the sound, but I can't currently put my hands on my 1945 directory that refers to it.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: keysys on May 14, 2010, 02:29:01 AM
Quote from: rp2813 on May 13, 2010, 11:39:43 PM
Is there any recording of the warped siren sound that you'd get when you confused the hell out of the system?  As kids we would do all kinds of crazy dialing just to produce that sound.  There's a particular name applied to the sound, but I can't currently put my hands on my 1945 directory that refers to it.

Wrong dialing tone/wrong dialing signal
Vacant level tone
The "crybaby" tone

http://www.wideweb.com/phonetrips/
then select "Supplemental Sounds of Step - Part 1".
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: rp2813 on May 14, 2010, 02:44:59 AM
Thanks for the link.  It tries to save the sound as a "ram file" and I can't get it to play, but I'll keep trying things.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: GusHerb on May 15, 2010, 05:25:49 PM
Quote from: jsowers on May 10, 2010, 04:57:12 PM
I recall from childhood that the RE1-2xxx numbers in the small community I still live in sounded different in the ringing tone when called than the other numbers like mine that were RE1-4xxx. The busy signal also sounded strange. This all changed when they brought in digital switching equipment in the 1980s. It resembled the old dial tone and busy signals Bingster posted, but with a little more of a bass note. Almost like the sound a ceramic phono pickup makes when you touch one of the leads. Maybe a 60-cycle hum?

I also remember the busy signal in a small community called Denton after I started working for the school system in 1985 and I had to call the school there. It was a honk-honk-honk sound similar to Hoppy the Kangaroo on the Flintstones. Hoppy was Dino's counterpart over at Barney and Betty Rubble's house, in case you need to know. I laughed every time I heard that. It's gone now too, many years ago.

There's an exchange around here that when dialing the numbers it handles, makes a different sounding ringing tone over everything else. It sounds like a rotational sound.  those numbers are 972 and 923, my grandma's number is a 972 and it has sounded like that as long as I can remember, then recently I had to dial a 923 number and noticed it sounded just like 972's unique sound.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Bustercat on June 15, 2010, 04:03:17 AM
wow, thanks for these.

I remember that second old busy signal from some old comedy... was it chaplin's modern times, or the three stooges?
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: deedubya3800 on September 18, 2010, 09:53:01 PM
Quote from: bingster on May 10, 2010, 04:33:33 PM
Here are a few that I've picked up around the net.  I think some of them came from the Bell System Memorial site. 

Wow! Those really bring back the memories! I remember that old dial tone, the first busy signal of the two given, and the ringback tone! In fact, I had mentioned them in my post about my first old phone (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2434.msg44519#msg44519) before I found this thread. Ah, the days of pulse dialing and five-digit local numbers! :)
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: dsk on March 03, 2011, 01:05:33 PM
Hi, waking up this old thread, I want some support ;D or even better your real opinion.

I just stumble over this dial card. It was sitting on an old 1934 telephone from Oslo Norway.  I have always been told our dial tone = A (425 Hz)

But her it states "Wait for dial tone" and has a big B.  When I grew up we were connected to an old exchange, and as far as I recognize the tone was near to 247 HZ or B.  
You may generate the tones here: http://www.seventhstring.com/tuningfork/tuningfork.html (http://www.seventhstring.com/tuningfork/tuningfork.html)

Any other reason for printing that B????

dsk
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Adam on March 03, 2011, 01:08:46 PM
I don't know the answer to your question, but thanks for posting that picture!  Being that the "backwards" Oslo dial has been a fascination of mine, it was fun to see!
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Wallphone on March 03, 2011, 05:21:43 PM
I was just checking out some Wiki's today and came across a few things about tones. Many of the tones you hear are multi-frequency such as dual or even quad. Here are some of the links.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dial_tone <
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Off-hook_tone <
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Telephony_signals <
On the ones that have a wav.file you have to play it once before you can save it. Either right click, or click on "more" under the time line to save it.

Doug Pav
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: dsk on March 04, 2011, 05:04:36 AM
Tried to make a redraw of the card.
Both reverse, and ordinary dial.
dsk
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Weco355aman on March 05, 2011, 12:36:27 AM
If you want to hear a  vacuum tube busy  signal call 218-488-6399 x-y
or a step by step ringback tone call 218-488-9901 WE sxs.
Please note the calls will take a log time to complete. Aprox 15 sec. Also they will be VOIP and not a great quality.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: GG on March 05, 2011, 11:30:31 AM


I have eidetic audio so I can still play many of those tones in my mind's ear.  Brings back a lot of memories, and the wish that these things still existed today. 

When I was a kid, Bell System crossbar dialtone in NJ Bell was very much like the "modern dial tone" .wav recording: similar to the modern "standard precise tone plan" dialtone we have now, but with that higher pitched tone in the background.  Crossbar busy tone was a repetitive buzz.  Ringing tone was similar to ESS ringing tone (standard precise tone plan) but a bit "rougher" sounding.

Moving to Connecticut in the late 70s, the entire state with few exceptions was still Strowger, and the variety of sounds these had was just amazing.  Each exchange had a slightly unique dial tone, busy tone, and ringback tone.  My home exchange had a medium-pitched "burrrrrrrrr", another that served a nearby town where friends lived had more of a bass-pitched "Wohhhhhhhh", and so on.  Describing the sounds of these things is like trying to describe tastes: you can approximate it, but it's very difficult to convey accurately.   Though, with a sufficiently flexible audio oscillator setup, one could re-create most of them. 

All of the Strowger machines in CT had that "number unobtainable" tone, which we referred to as the "cat howler," envisioning a trained cat perched next to a desk stand phone, who would go "meeee-yowwww, meee-yowwww" when a red light came on.  But as with the other tones, the "cats" were different in each exchange. 

I never heard the story before about "just hooking up a buzzer" to produce tones, and I'm inclined toward skepticism about that.  Proper Strowger exchanges had "motor/generator sets" that produced the 90 volt ring and the rest of the tones in the switch, and the cadences for ringing, busy, reorder, and so on. 

One time I stayed in a motel where the PBX's motor/generator set would remain idle unless there was traffic on the switch.  I'd pick up the phone and hear it spin up to speed and then overcorrect just a bit: the tone would start out low pitched and then rise to just above its normal pitch and then settle down to normal.  They had 500 sets that might have been SC, so chances are the PBX was not WE.  Might have been SC XY for all I know, but I've never knowingly heard an XY dial tone. 

Then there's the whole topic of foreign call progress tones, some of which could be heard on foreign PBXs imported into the US.  I worked on Ericsson crossbar for a while, and Ericsson ASB-100.  All of the Ericsson machines used one tone pitch of about 400 - 425 Hz with various cadences.  The dial tone was actually an interrupted tone: "doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo...."  Busy tone was similar to US cadence.  Ring tone was as well though slightly faster.   There were also Hitachi and NEC crossbar switches in the US, often installed in hotels & motels from what I could see of the front-desk switchboards. 

The current generation of Panasonic PBXs has an option for an internal dial tone that sounds like an uninterrupted ring tone ("purrrrrrrr").  I use this for clients in order to differentiate internal from external dial tone and prevent the risk of errors dialing 9-1-1 (actually 9-9-1-1) in an emergency.   

I also have an old GPO (UK) 10-station PAX using two uniselectors, in which the dial tone and ringback tones (there's only one link, thus no busy tone) are straight-up 60 Hz (presumably originally 50 Hz in the UK). 
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: rp2813 on March 06, 2011, 10:29:53 PM
Another thing about the old dial tone.

I remember that upon dialing out, after the fingerwheel returned from dialing the first digit, there would be a brief sound of dial tone, barely half a second.  This would only occur after the first digit dialed.  After that, you got complete silence/white noise after the fingerwheel returned from dialing subsequent digits.

Was that a crossbar/analog characteristic?

Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: GG on March 07, 2011, 02:53:46 AM


That could happen in Strowger exchanges that had "digit-absorbing selectors."  These were selectors that only existed to respond to the first one or two digits that weren't needed before dialing the last five or six digits for a local call. 

For example let's say your local number started out as 5-2368.   Now a few decades go by and the telco has to make it conform to the national numbering plan, so they extend it to KLondkie 5 - 2568.   You can still dial 5-2368, but if you dial KLondike 5-2368, the first two 5s will be absorbed as if you hadn't dialed them.

I've also seen the last digit of the prefix only, absorbed in this manner.  For example given the exchange 543, one could dial a local call as 54 + the last four digits. 

At least some crossbar switches in New Jersey in the 1960s did not respond to the leading digit 1.  You could dial a 1 and you would not break dial tone.  Long distance calls were just dialed as 7 digits or area code plus 7 digits. 
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: rp2813 on March 07, 2011, 02:01:47 PM
Interesting. 

Most exchanges here in town began with a 2.   ALpine, ANdrews, AXminster, BAldwin, CHerry, CLayburn, and CYpress come to mind.  So, probably 9 times out of 10 in the scenario described above, the 2 wasn't required.  I'll bet that's the explanation.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: deedubya3800 on March 12, 2011, 12:17:44 PM
I remember that, long ago when I dialled a number, the dial tone didn't stop until that first digit was dialled. Of course, in the earpiece, one didn't hear the dial tone while the dial was turned, but once it returned to its original position, it would be audible just briefly and then stop; but listening in on the line in a series connection (like a tap), the dial tone could be heard to cut in and out with each pulse of that first digit until that digit was done pulsing and the dial was fully returned.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: dsk on March 12, 2011, 02:04:35 PM
Quote from: deedubya3800 on March 12, 2011, 12:17:44 PM
I remember that, long ago when I dialled a number, the dial tone didn't stop until that first digit was dialled. Of course, in the earpiece, one didn't hear the dial tone while the dial was turned, but once it returned to its original position, it would be audible just briefly and then stop; but listening in on the line in a series connection (like a tap), the dial tone could be heard to cut in and out with each pulse of that first digit until that digit was done pulsing and the dial was fully returned.

Happens here in Norway too.

dsk
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Adam on March 12, 2011, 03:20:09 PM
Quote from: deedubya3800 on March 12, 2011, 12:17:44 PM
I remember that, long ago when I dialled a number, the dial tone didn't stop until that first digit was dialed.

This is actually how my ATAs hooked up to my Asterisk switch work, too!  Sounds just like the old days!  :-)
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Eman on March 12, 2011, 03:39:41 PM
i have successfully recreated modulated dialtone using audacity

this is the 600 by 120 dialtone

http://goput.it/zeh.wav (http://goput.it/zeh.wav)
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Phonesrfun on March 12, 2011, 03:46:30 PM
That is excellent.  It is, in fact, the old dial tone!

Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: GG on March 26, 2011, 03:56:34 AM


To my ears the 600 Hz component is a tad too loud and the 120 Hz component isn't quite loud enough.  Try increasing the 120 Hz component by 3 dB and see what happens.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Eman on March 26, 2011, 01:03:04 PM
Hows this one sound?

http://goput.it/fke.wav
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: GG on March 26, 2011, 10:17:19 PM


Very close.  Excellent in fact.  But the 120 Hz should still be a tad louder.  Sorry if I sound picky but I have eidetic audio which means photographic memory for sound.  I have a recording of that dialtone in my head, as well as the ones from when I was a kid (#5 Crossbar, #1ESS, and various Strowger machines).
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: bingster on March 28, 2011, 12:07:43 AM
Quote from: deedubya3800 on March 12, 2011, 12:17:44 PM
I remember that, long ago when I dialled a number, the dial tone didn't stop until that first digit was dialled. Of course, in the earpiece, one didn't hear the dial tone while the dial was turned, but once it returned to its original position, it would be audible just briefly and then stop;

I get my service through the cable company, and that's exactly the way it works for me, now.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: deedubya3800 on June 02, 2011, 02:34:45 AM
Okay, here is my attempt at creating it:

http://goput.it/3wa.wav

I've been sitting on this for a while. Let me know how I did.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Greg G. on June 02, 2011, 05:46:31 AM
Quote from: bingster on March 28, 2011, 12:07:43 AM
Quote from: deedubya3800 on March 12, 2011, 12:17:44 PM
I remember that, long ago when I dialled a number, the dial tone didn't stop until that first digit was dialled. Of course, in the earpiece, one didn't hear the dial tone while the dial was turned, but once it returned to its original position, it would be audible just briefly and then stop;

I get my service through the cable company, and that's exactly the way it works for me, now.

Does that for me on my POTS too (once I dial 9).
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Greg G. on June 02, 2011, 05:47:45 AM
Quote from: deedubya3800 on June 02, 2011, 02:34:45 AM
Okay, here is my attempt at creating it:

http://goput.it/3wa.wav

I've been sitting on this for a while. Let me know how I did.

I like this one best, the others sound harsh.  I wish there was a way to get a "custom" dial tone.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: deedubya3800 on June 02, 2011, 03:40:04 PM
This one is more better. I created this one after visual analysis of other recordings of the old dial tone. Tell me if this one isn't just perfect:

http://goput.it/str/tzg.wav
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: DavePEI on August 12, 2012, 11:30:18 PM
Quote from: Phonesrfun on May 09, 2010, 04:39:35 PM
That post-war dial tone is a 600 Hz tone modulated by 120 Hz. 
This is the tone which my UK Strowger Demo will have. I was lucky enough to be able to buy a Lorain F1 generator which outputs this tone. The exchange the switches came from was activated in 1950, so this should be very close to the tones it used....

Dave
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: dsk on August 13, 2012, 07:30:33 AM
Here are my 1948 exchange dial tone, followed by dialing for external dial tone (my UK Panasonic 616) and again the POTS dial tone here in Norway.

You may notice the dialtone generator uses some time to start and stabilize when I go off hook. After the first digit dialed, the tone sounds for a short moment. Then the clicking and noise from the trunk, and then the Panasonic etc...

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2657.0;attach=39042

dsk
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: TheGBC on April 15, 2013, 08:20:36 AM
I found this thread tonight looking for tone recipes to put into my Obi110.
I accidentally figured out that to emulate modulation, you take the tone (600Hz), then subtract the modulation from it (120Hz), and plug that number (480) into the second tone when mixing in audacity or whichever. So to get Phonesrfun's post-war dialtone in audacity, mix 600 Hz with 480 Hz. At least, it sounds pretty close to me, coming out of the receiver on a weco 500. May have to play with the loudness of each tone.)
The OBi tone pattern I came up with is:
600-18,480-18;20

[EDIT]
OBi tone pattern for old ringback: 20+36;-1;(2+4)
(also not perfect, but close to recordings I've heard, sounds best on a real handset)

Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: xhausted110 on April 15, 2013, 08:22:13 PM
old dial tone in audacity: make 600 hertz. effects->tremolo put in 120 on the bottom box.
press repeat a few times. BAM! old dial tone.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: twocvbloke on April 15, 2013, 10:01:33 PM
It's funny reading about the use of a computer to make original dial tones, back in the day, the GPO used these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzIXvO6RahQ

I'd love to play with one of them... ;D
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Weco355aman on January 20, 2014, 09:48:35 PM
I have set up a PSTN dialable Telephone number to access my SXS system,  you will receive Real
SXS (strowger) 1968 dial tone. You can dial the following numbers. These will access differant
tones or ringing tones. None of these are computer generated. All numbers listed good 24 x 7.
Pstn Number   541-327-4488 Please note i only have 1 link. 1 call at a time.
After you receive dialtone.
377-9901  2 ring code pattern.                462-6199 S.C. x-y  Vacuume tube tone busy.
377-9999 Busy tone.                                462-6136 Standard ring.
377-5245 Intercept announcement.           462-62xx 120 Ipm Reorder tone. (blocked level)
377-5252 common # for me.                     448-2512 North Electric CX 100 Ring.
377-5122 120 ipm Reorder tone.
377-5266 Standard ring
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: GTE Rick on January 21, 2014, 06:43:19 PM
Phil I have called several times today... WAY COOL!
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Greg G. on January 21, 2014, 07:25:04 PM
Quote from: Weco355aman on January 20, 2014, 09:48:35 PM
I have set up a PSTN dialable Telephone number to access my SXS system,  you will receive Real
SXS (strowger) 1968 dial tone. You can dial the following numbers. These will access differant
tones or ringing tones. None of these are computer generated.
Pstn Number   541-327-4488
After you receive dialtone.
377-9901  2 ring code pattern.                462-6199 S.C. x-y  Vacuume tube tone busy.
377-9999 Busy tone.                                462-6136 Standard ring.
377-5245 Intercept announcement.           462-62xx 120 Ipm Reorder tone. (blocked level)
377-5252 common # for me.                     448-2512 North Electric CX 100 Ring.
377-5122 120 ipm Reorder tone.
377-5266 Standard ring

That was interesting dialing all those numbers.  Really gave that 4H dial on my daily driver 302 a workout, especially since I dial out through my PBX (9) first.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: old_stuff_hound on January 21, 2014, 10:13:26 PM
Quote from: RickGTE on January 21, 2014, 06:43:19 PM
Phil I have called several times today... WAY COOL!

Seconded -- very cool indeed!
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Mr. Bones on February 02, 2014, 04:37:22 PM
     I was able to (rotary) dial the first number, and get the '68 dialtone. Any attempt to dial the other numbers over the dial tone fail to do anything. An attempt to dial the second number listed, with 1+ area code, resulted in a human (ugh) answering. Please, tell me what I'm doing wrong... I'd just love to enjoy the rest of the show!

     Thanks for sharing this with all of us, and thanks, in advance, for any assistance!

Best regards!
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Weco355aman on February 02, 2014, 06:02:58 PM
It is not possible to send Dial pulse over the telephone network AFTER the call is completed.
Some ATA's (voip) service will convert the DP to Touch tone. The Configuration that i have set up
is refer ed to as END to END signaling. If you have a touch tone phone and after you hear Dial tone then you  can dial the listed numbers. For the folks with Rotary dial phones only the 7,8,10,11 will
be used by the telco. When then call is set up thru the network all of the equipment that detected
the rotary or touch tone's is no longer involved with the call. With the VOIP ATA it is always there
but thru software is disabled.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: xhausted110 on February 06, 2014, 01:22:40 PM
Quote from: Weco355aman on January 20, 2014, 09:48:35 PM
I have set up a PSTN dialable Telephone number to access my SXS system,  you will receive Real
SXS (strowger) 1968 dial tone. You can dial the following numbers. These will access differant
tones or ringing tones. None of these are computer generated. All numbers listed good 24 x 7.
Pstn Number   541-327-4488
After you receive dialtone.
377-9901  2 ring code pattern.                462-6199 S.C. x-y  Vacuume tube tone busy.
377-9999 Busy tone.                                462-6136 Standard ring.
377-5245 Intercept announcement.           462-62xx 120 Ipm Reorder tone. (blocked level)
377-5252 common # for me.                     448-2512 North Electric CX 100 Ring.
377-5122 120 ipm Reorder tone.
377-5266 Standard ring

this is great. Phil, I was dialing around, and dialed 211, and something that  sounds like an ANA machine reorder came on, could you explain that, please?
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Mr. Bones on February 06, 2014, 09:22:12 PM
Quote from: Weco355aman on February 02, 2014, 06:02:58 PM
It is not possible to send Dial pulse over the telephone network AFTER the call is completed.
Some ATA's (voip) service will convert the DP to Touch tone.
Thanks for confirming my suspicions, Phil. I hated to think that after dialing a rotary for more than half a century, I had lost the ability. Apparently, all I need to do is use a DTMF phone, a dialer, or get a Panasonic 308/616, to enjoy the demonstrations.
     I was led astray from my (incorrect) interpretation of Brinybay's post... then had a duh moment, realizing I know he has a Panasonic, due to his youtube video of it.
Quote
That was interesting dialing all those numbers.  Really gave that 4H dial on my daily driver 302 a workout, especially since I dial out through my PBX (9) first.

Thanks for making this available, and I will be enjoying later.

Best regards!
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Weco355aman on February 07, 2014, 07:03:53 PM
 The 211 will reach a ANA card. I connected 211 to a Telephone number. I will read back 377-9999  I find it interesting that you were able to figure out that it was a ANA. (automatic number announcement) The selector that you hear dial tone from in sharing a common bank with other Incoming selectors (CNET) I have this selector programend with differant access than the others.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: GTE Rick on February 07, 2014, 07:41:56 PM
I just called, dialed, and got a number read back 377-9999
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: xhausted110 on February 07, 2014, 10:17:47 PM
Quote from: Weco355aman on February 07, 2014, 07:03:53 PM
The 211 will reach a ANA card. I connected 211 to a Telephone number. I will read back 377-9999  I find it interesting that you were able to figure out that it was a ANA. (automatic number announcement) The selector that you hear dial tone from in sharing a common bank with other Incoming selectors (CNET) I have this selector programend with differant access than the others.

I was able to find out by the reorder, it's very distinctive to ANA's (I'm a phone phreak)
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Weco355aman on February 09, 2014, 07:26:23 PM
I'v added a link to may Incomplete web site. The link shows the SXS and other switches and phones. Click on the photo to access the sub photos.
http://www.strowgercentraloffice.com/gallery2/

Plaese send a PM if link is broken.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Weco355aman on April 04, 2014, 01:10:01 AM
For those who remember hearing the TT to Dp sounds i added a .04 cap around the touchtone converter so you hear the pulsing, also for a month or two i placed this #541-327-4488
across my open wire o carrier system witch means it is working as a SF (single Frequency)
2600 circuit. If you have a test set that can produce 2600 you can drop and re pules into the 1st selector.  The numbers are listed in a January 20 post of this section.
211 has been disconnected.
If you are on C*NET you can reach the same circuit by calling 377-0505
If you have 2 C*NET lines you can listen to the live switch room listen in line ,this is a 24 x 7 system
C*NET 377-7777 or Thur a PSTN gateway portal 206-203-6610 follow voice prompts.
I have set up a PSTN dialable Telephone number to access my SXS system,  you will receive Real
SXS (strowger) 1968 dial tone. You can dial the following numbers. These will access differant
tones or ringing tones. None of these are computer generated. All numbers listed good 24 x 7.
Pstn Number   541-327-4488
After you receive dialtone then you can dial the following
377-9901  2 ring code pattern.                462-6199 S.C. x-y  Vacuum tube tone busy.
377-9999 Busy tone.                                462-6136 Standard ring.
377-5245 Intercept announcement.         462-62xx 120 Ipm Reorder tone. (blocked level)
                                                                 448-2512 North Electric CX 100 Ring.
377-5122 120 ipm Reorder tone.
377-5266 Standard ring
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: dsk on January 04, 2018, 03:19:00 PM
Quote from: Phonesrfun on May 09, 2010, 04:39:35 PM
OK, this forum is about Rotary Phones.  Here is something that is relavant to rotary telephones, and particularly the dial tones "way back in the good ol' days".


That post-war dial tone is a 600 Hz tone modulated by 120 Hz.  There is no way I have figured out to modulate a tone with another tone on the computer sound card.  Maybe there is, but my skills in this area are not all that good.  However, with an intergrated circuit chip, it is possible.  Last year, I did a bunch of research into old dial tone, and as a result of contacting a collector named Chuck Richards, I was able to build his circuit.


While I cannot get a computer to actually make the tone, I can, of course record the tone from the tone generator I built.  So without further adieu, here is a .wav file of the dial tone.  How many of you recognize it?






Waking up this thread again
A useful too for testing sounds may be the freeware: Visual Analyser


dsk

     http://www.sillanumsoft.org/download.htm
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Pourme on January 04, 2018, 04:04:39 PM
Glad you woke this thread up...I enjoyed hearing these old tones....I'm old enough to remember the sounds!...Very cool!
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Weco355aman on January 05, 2018, 12:10:41 AM
All of the phone numbers that i have listed should still work.
I forgot about putting this up on CRPF.
Here is a link to a YouTube video of the switch that some of the numbers work thru.

https://youtu.be/_VO7MWFI9SU
Photo's at  www.stepswitch.us

Also if a person want's to hear LOT"s of tones, call set up and ringing tone go to
www.evan-doorbell.com
Then go to production tapes. About 100 hours of recording's.
Very addicting.
Phil
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: Pourme on January 05, 2018, 07:47:55 AM
~

Weco355aman

looked at the switching equipment earlier, once again I enjoyed your tour. The telephone collection is notable in it's own right as well.

My Mother N Law, now retired, worked as a operator for 30+ years. In Hickory NC, she worked for Central Telephone which became Cent'el. It has been bought out several times since. She and many others worked in close proximity to the switching equipment. Everyone, without exception, still living, that we know in our community that worked in the same room with the equipment, has suffered rather severe hearing loss. From your video the equipment when in full song seams to be loud. What is the db rating of this equipment when in operation? I realize these days this exposure to loud machines would not be allowed. This equipment would be properly isolated.

Do others that read this know of telephone employees that suffer similar loss of hearing?

Benny
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: CanadianGuy on January 11, 2018, 11:22:25 PM
I've done a bunch of reading and listening over the past decade or so that I've been a contractor for my local incumbent telco. I always farted around with the phone where I grew up. At one point, I had my own line in my bedroom (mid-90s) and had a dual line phone set so I could answer the main line. I figured out if I held down both lines, I could hear both dialtones (intentionally crossing the lines haha) Sometimes I'd play a little trick on someone and cross the lines for a second to make it sound like I hung up on them. Yeah, I'm weird that way.

Anyway, doing installations and repairs, I've crossed paths with many long-term employees or retirees of the phone company. I'm pretty sure some have mentioned how loud it was, especially during peak calling times. I absolutely love finding Central office videos on YouTube.

For anyone interested, Evan Doorbell (his phone phreak nickname) also posts and narrates his tapes on Soundcloud. He even narrated the audiobook version of Exploding The Phone by Phil Lapsley.
Title: Re: Old dial tone
Post by: AE_Collector on January 12, 2018, 01:16:05 AM
I would sure like the chance to go back in time to hear and see it again. BC was full of mainly SxS. We only had a couple of NEVo #5 Xbar CO switches, a couple of NECo SP1 Crossbar CO's and the big NECo 4A Crossbar Toll Switch in downtown Vancouver. Fortunately I got to work in itvall as a CO Equipmentbinstaller but mainly in AE SxS.

It all was noisy! SxS was mainly clatter. Crossbar sounded much more interesting in action. It wasn't so noisy that it was annoying or stressful. I've heard lots of stories of CO guys missing the noise in retirement.

Terry