WE306B Party Line Phone with Tube

[HobieSport]

I may have just overpaid for a 1946 WE306B party line phone on Ebay for $32, but since I already have a few examples of standard 302s, I am oddly attracted to slightly different phones in the WE300 series.  I won't receive it for a few days.  Meanwhile I have read the several threads here discussing the tube and party line technology, and sort of understand it.  Maybe.  A little.  Somewhat.  I'm severely electronically challenged but I know what I think I like.

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=99.0

I don't really have any further intelligent questions of yet other than who else here has one of these beasties, and what do we do with them?  The phone is clean and the dial works smoothly (according to seller) but it's untested as per usual.  Anyway, here are three pictures for curiosity.  Sorry if I outbid anyone here.  You may be lucky I did.

[Dennis Markham]

Matt, I think it's pretty cool to have that phone with the tube installed.  I have had only one before.  You referenced the posting where I showed a photo.  Also in that posting is the electrical engineer's view point of what the tube accomplishes.  My friend and fellow phone collector Jorge Amely was kind of enough to make that explanation. 

For originality and collector purposes you can just disconnect the wire leads and leave it inside the phone and wire it as a standard 302.  But there is a way to wire it to work so that it will light the tube but still work as an every day phone.

[HobieSport]

Thank you Dennis as always.  That's what I was secretly hoping to hear.

[Dennis Markham]

Matt, I just went back and re-read Jorge's explanation.  It is really technical.  Guess that's why I'm not an electrical engineer!  I'll bet Tip and Ring gets it.....and Bingster and others.  But it's pretty technical.   Like I say about physicians....it's a good thing there are smart people in the world!

[Sargeguy]

I think you got a pretty good deal.  Those odd 300 desk phones seem to fetch more than the garden variety.  I have the 356 with a similar arrangement.  Of course the 356, the wall version of your phone, costs about $10, but that's beacuse its a wall phone.

[TIPandRING]

$32 and you think you over paid???!!  Geesh, I ain't sharin' what I pay for some of my phones then...

I think you got a super deal on that little gem

[McHeath]

If 32 clams is overpaying, I have a deal for you!

[metdial]

Congrats on the phone Matt!

It looks like it's in exceptional condition.

Looks like you got a steal of a deal. 

Tom

[benhutcherson]

That's probably one of the cleanest as-found 302s I've seen. All of mine-302s and 5302s both(I'm up to 7 between the two models) have been absolutely filthy.

I agree that $32 is a good deal-I would have been willing to pay that for a "normal" 302 in that kind of shape.