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How many of you actually use your antique phones?

Started by BDM, September 21, 2008, 04:19:03 PM

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So, how many are actually using their phones?

I have no modern phones
several at any given moment
Maybe one hooked up, when I'm in the mood
Hardly ever. Besides, they scare the kids
Heck no! Are you kidding? Display only!!

WesternElectricBen

Quote from: LM Ericsson on October 28, 2013, 11:23:31 PM
We have VOIP, specifically Vonage and My antique phones work on the system, I am just going to be using a modern phone in my bedroom.

Huh... Why?

WesternElectricBen

#211
Well, I have been on this server for over a year, and about 1,100 post later I still have not posted about what I have been using every day.

In my room I have two phone hooked up

1963 564 Multiline phone (on my desk next to the computer)

1963 500 (next to my bed... and yes.. We do get calls at midnight)

in the kitchen a 1978 White 500

and in the shop (not shown) a 1984 or so 554 that MagicMo gave me! :)

Ben

WEBellSystemChristian

Quote from: LM Ericsson on October 28, 2013, 11:23:31 PM
We have VOIP, specifically Vonage and My antique phones work on the system, I am just going to be using a modern phone in my bedroom.

Why not use a 2500 or other touch tone phone from the '70s? I have VOIP too, but I have two 2500s (One is a 1984 WE in green, the other an originally WE but refurbed by AT&T in black from '79) in my bedroom, and we have a SC Trimline in Beige in the kitchen.
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

twocvbloke

Currently, the oldest phone hooked up to the phoneline is the Lilac-blue BT Relate 200 I picked up in August (doesn't seem that long ago!!), it was built some time in the 90's, so it's not too new!! I have been tempted to plug in the AE80 though, but I haven't bothered to deal with the extension wiring, so there's no spare sockets to put it in anywhere... :D

The issue with using the older phones is that people on the other end complain of being on a "bad line", I guess they expect same-room quality calls rather than something going through a carbon granule transmitter before reaching them or something... :-\

decked002

#214
The only problem i ever had with my W.E. 102 was a staticky,ringing sound in my ear piece.
Since i have DSL internet, i needed a filter connected to my phone jack which resolved the problem.
Never had a complaint about a bad line or any other problems on the 'other end.'

poplar1

Quote from: twocvbloke on October 29, 2013, 05:43:11 AM
Currently, the oldest phone hooked up to the phoneline is the Lilac-blue BT Relate 200 I picked up in August (doesn't seem that long ago!!), it was built some time in the 90's, so it's not too new!! I have been tempted to plug in the AE80 though, but I haven't bothered to deal with the extension wiring, so there's no spare sockets to put it in anywhere... :D

The issue with using the older phones is that people on the other end complain of being on a "bad line", I guess they expect same-room quality calls rather than something going through a carbon granule transmitter before reaching them or something... :-\

If they complain, this is a case of "the pot calling the kettle black" or "the pot talking to the kettle." I find it amusing when calls from a cell phone or from a MagicJack or other VOIP suddenly disappear into thin air. Usually, the person will call me back and ask "what happened?" as if there were some problem on my 5ESS "real" phone line!

And as for what they should expect? It's unbelievable how poor the quality is on many cell phone calls. Not to mention the total lack of sidetone so cell phone users talk as loudly as near-deaf people.
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

brshaffer

Quote from: WesternElectricBen on October 28, 2013, 11:11:21 PM
I plan to buy this x-link thing, so I can use my cell on an old phone.

Ben,

I have an x-link gateway, and I've been using it for about 6 months now.  It's a wonderful, amazing device, and my experience with it has been flawless and seamless.  The x-link picks up pulses from every phone I have, even ones with sluggish dials, and you can even set different ring cadences (long US ring vs. two short UK rings for example).

A word of caution though: the x-link only has enough REN (ringing voltage) to ring newer phones i.e. those that were originally modular--so a 1977 WE500 will ring, but a 1955 will not.  And you won't get a peep out of a WE302.  Everything else works, just not the ringer.

I purchased a Viking RG-10A ring voltage booster to solve that problem. You wire the Viking in line between the phones and the x-link.  After installing, there isn't a phone you can't ring.

I currently have three 302s hooked up to it regularly and they all ring perfectly.  To stress test it, I plugged in everything I could: 3 302s, 2 princesses, 3 500s, and a trimline--9 phones in total and they all rang without effort.  What a sound!
_________________________
Brian

WesternElectricBen

Quote from: brshaffer on October 30, 2013, 02:30:45 PM
Quote from: WesternElectricBen on October 28, 2013, 11:11:21 PM
I plan to buy this x-link thing, so I can use my cell on an old phone.

Ben,

I have an x-link gateway, and I've been using it for about 6 months now.  It's a wonderful, amazing device, and my experience with it has been flawless and seamless.  The x-link picks up pulses from every phone I have, even ones with sluggish dials, and you can even set different ring cadences (long US ring vs. two short UK rings for example).

A word of caution though: the x-link only has enough REN (ringing voltage) to ring newer phones i.e. those that were originally modular--so a 1977 WE500 will ring, but a 1955 will not.  And you won't get a peep out of a WE302.  Everything else works, just not the ringer.

I purchased a Viking RG-10A ring voltage booster to solve that problem. You wire the Viking in line between the phones and the x-link.  After installing, there isn't a phone you can't ring.

I currently have three 302s hooked up to it regularly and they all ring perfectly.  To stress test it, I plugged in everything I could: 3 302s, 2 princesses, 3 500s, and a trimline--9 phones in total and they all rang without effort.  What a sound!

Thanks for the information,

so what your saying, is, I can use a 196... multiline phone on it? With the ringer ringing?

Thank you,
Ben

AE_Collector

What is a 196, or do you mean a 1960's multi-line key phone? A 196 is the wall version of an AE 186 5 line 1A2 type key phone though few people know that! The more often are referred to as a 186 wall phone.

Terry

poplar1

Brian, what model X-link are you using? I have a BTTN (has the extra port for connecting a landline input). I just tried connecting it to 5 phones:

2 each 302
1 each 500 with 1959 ringer
1 each 2500 with 1981 ringer
1 each 2702 Princess

All ring simultaneously without any problems. I did have to change the Princess from a newer Signature Princess because the Sig. PRN ringer sounded weak when connected with 4 other ringers.





Quote from: brshaffer on October 30, 2013, 02:30:45 PM
Quote from: WesternElectricBen on October 28, 2013, 11:11:21 PM
I plan to buy this x-link thing, so I can use my cell on an old phone.

Ben,

I have an x-link gateway, and I've been using it for about 6 months now.  It's a wonderful, amazing device, and my experience with it has been flawless and seamless.  The x-link picks up pulses from every phone I have, even ones with sluggish dials, and you can even set different ring cadences (long US ring vs. two short UK rings for example).

A word of caution though: the x-link only has enough REN (ringing voltage) to ring newer phones i.e. those that were originally modular--so a 1977 WE500 will ring, but a 1955 will not.  And you won't get a peep out of a WE302.  Everything else works, just not the ringer.

I purchased a Viking RG-10A ring voltage booster to solve that problem. You wire the Viking in line between the phones and the x-link.  After installing, there isn't a phone you can't ring.

I currently have three 302s hooked up to it regularly and they all ring perfectly.  To stress test it, I plugged in everything I could: 3 302s, 2 princesses, 3 500s, and a trimline--9 phones in total and they all rang without effort.  What a sound!
"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.

Contempra

for myself poplar. on my phone line I have my Princess and 4 other phones ringing in the same time when I receive a call and all ring properly without problem.. I can tell you that my neighbor hear my phones. hahahahaha !

Babybearjs

the only thing I use in my home..... all W.E. 400 series keysets  except for the 2564 I have to have to retrieve my voicemail....darned touchtone!   John
John

Contempra

Quote from: Babybearjs on January 03, 2014, 02:22:49 AM
the only thing I use in my home..... all W.E. 400 series keysets  except for the 2564 I have to have to retrieve my voicemail....darned touchtone!   John


I use a touch-tone for an auto-responder and recording calls when I'm not at home. no choice, I have codes typing on keyboard before I can take my messages in my Inbox. ( Voicemail ).

old_stuff_hound

Quote from: poplar1 on October 29, 2013, 09:31:56 AM
It's unbelievable how poor the quality is on many cell phone calls. Not to mention the total lack of sidetone so cell phone users talk as loudly as near-deaf people.

+1000!

As for discussions about ringers, we have a 302, a Galion, a Trimline, and a modern electronic warbler that all go when a call comes in. The cats dive for cover! ;-)

George Knighton

I finally broke down and bought one of those wireless devices that broadcasts to extensions, and bought a few extra extensions so that I can have phones scattered around the house.

302's, 500's, and 701's in use at the moment, and it's nice being able to scatter then around several to a room or in rooms where there is no jack.

Of course, I've had to switch the Airport/Time Machine to 5 GHz, but that's not a big deal.  :-)
Annoying new poster.