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Now the Story Can be Told - 1949 WECo 500 Set

Started by Dan/Panther, March 20, 2010, 11:08:11 PM

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Jim Stettler

Quote from: Dan/Panther on April 17, 2010, 10:46:46 PM
Paul;

I am available any time day or night, so whatever everyone else feels, is fine with me. I thought about 5 o'clock PM Pacific time, that way it will only be 8 o'clock back East.
Any suggestions ?
D/P
Careful what you ask for: My suggestion follows,

You need to post it with at least a  72 hour notice. You should have a sign in thread before hand and a roll call by handle during the call (alpha-numerically), acknowledgement includes the info of the phone being used.
A seperate link thread for the phone call info so everyone can post their call in phone and also a real or staged full face shot of them using the phone.
Every one should try to use their "coolest" phone for the call. Kenny should use his 1962 500, I am planning on using a 6-9-58 F-53115 transparent 500 set. A green 532 amplified set should get used(hint). You should use a phone that is significant to you or that you mentioned on the list, or that is a really oddball and cool set... If your oldest phone is a 1983 mod SC 500- use it.
I am thinking  a sign-in thread and post a photo of the phone on hook. After the call, post a real or staged photo of you using the phone during the call. If it is a real photo, take a pic during roll call. we can create a neat slide show to go with the wav file. Make sure the "action" photo shows your face.
(can we consider this a book Promo and get Bwanna to do the slide show?)

Rotary's work for dialing in, DTMF is only needed to access the site.


Just some of my opinions.
D/P's  phone is one of the most significant and (post)-documented in history. When he is gone, it and all related files should eventually end up in the phone section of the Smithsonian( Our Nation's Attic). It and the documentation is quite worthy. Let's blow them away on the documentation.

JMO ('cause you asked),
Jim
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

gpo706

How's about calling switching from the oldest set to the newest?

a 1948 500 talikng to a country junction set, then progressing?

The audio recording could be laid over a video or Powerpoint with pics of all the equipment connecting.

(I'll not be on, but will wait for the recording).

S.
"now this should take five minutes, where's me screwdriver went now..?"

Dan/Panther

Jim;
I'm all for your suggestions, I wouldn't have a clue how to co-ordinate all of that. But seriously WHATEVER time I need to hook up I will. Whether noon or 3 AM.

Was the Smithsonian comment tongue in cheek ? I can not even imagine something I have had contact with being in the Smithsonian.
D/P

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

rp2813

I think that makes at least four of us who have mentioned the Smithsonian regarding your phone, Dan.  I don't think it's at all far-fetched.

Here's what I was thinking we'd all like to know prior to the conference call:

If you have the capability, could you perhaps create a video or otherwise capture the sound of the phone's dial and ringer?  I think we're all dying to hear how both of those components sound compared to production 500's we're all accustomed to.

Ralph

Dan/Panther

I have a wave file of the dial in operation, but I'm not sure how to post it. I don't know if I post it like a photo or what. But if it doesn't work, someone tell me how to get it posted.
D/P

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

Dennis Markham

Dan, it worked fine with Microsoft Media Player.  The volume is low.  I had to turns things up a bit---but it sounds great.

Kenny C

In memory of
  Marie B.
1926-2010

rp2813

Thanks D/P, that worked fine for me too with Media Player. 

It sort of sounds like the #6 on my 5302, but the ratcheting up sound as you move the dial clockwise is unique.  Very smooth and refined, and likely too well-built for mass production.  I suppose it's super low mileage.  Hey--could this be one of the dials as are pictured in that bank of dials that are being tested?  I don't know if there's any way to determine that, but I think we can be fairly certain that they didn't do that same sort of testing once production was underway.

I agree that the term '48 500 is appropriate for the time being if not permanently.  We've all been so obsessed with the elusive production model '49 500's that we never thought an even earlier trial model would ever surface.

Ralph
Ralph

Phonesrfun

Wow, that is one very smooth sounding WE dial.  Too bad they didn't put that one into production.  Besides having a different gear train altogether, I suspect that the nylon gear has something to do with its being so quiet.  That is probably why they went to nylon gears later on.  Perhaps the nylon gears were not ready for prime time in 1948.

-Bill G

McHeath

Thanks for that sound file, it's very different and unique.

I'm all for a conference call, perhaps we ought to shoot for next weekend.  That would give everyone time to check in who wants to be part.


Dan/Panther

The 17th would be good if no one objects.

Here's a project for someone. Figure out a way to connect a single microphone wired with a stereo plug, into a 48/500 telephone to record both converstaions on the phone.  That's one common and a left channel wire and a right channel wire that can be connected together. so basically where to hook two wires.That way i can wire it directly to the computer toi record the entire conversation without background noice interfering.


D/P

One of those suction cup contraption doesn't work.

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

paul-f

Did you mean to look at next Saturday on the calendar? The 24th?

There was a device called something like a recording coupler that was used in broadcasting to link audio lines to the phone line.  I have one in a box somewhere and have been meaning to try it out.  Perhaps someone familiar with broadcasting has more details.  I'll look for BSPs tomorrow or Tuesday.
Visit: paul-f.com         WE  500  Design_Line

.

Phonesrfun

Colin Chambers who has signed up for this list, but has YET to participate has just the circuit for this.  Colin, are you listening?

I can build one and send it to you, but that, of course will take a few days.
-Bill G

Dan/Panther

Yes Paul; I meant the 24th. Too bad Dennis' Birthday is Thursday, unless that works ?
D/P

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

Phonesrfun

I talked to Colin on the phone.

THe TU-016 transformer is a 1:1 600 ohm impedance center tapped transformer that can be used by clip-leads to the receiver of a WE 500 phone through a 470 ohm resistor in series with the primary.  The center-tap of the secondary would be connected to the grounds of the two audio inputs, and two 4.7k ohm resistors would be used off each of the other leads of the secondary to the audio inputs.

He recommended that a second 500 be used, calling in from a second line to the conference in order to keep from having the problem that if a participant was using their phone to do the recording, their voice would be heard much louder than the other participants.  The phone that is being used to do the recording should also have its transmitter unscrewed to keep background noise from that phone from interfering with the recording.

Dan, if you want, I can build this circuit and send it to you or to whoever might have a second line so that they can call in from two lines at the same time.

-Bill G