The #2 NE Uniphone

[DavePEI]

I am wondering if you are confusing the different models of Uniphones.

An Uniphone #1 is a wide based pyramid shape complete phone, handset, hookswitch, network, capacitor. ringer, etc. and may or may not be equipped with a dial. I do have a Uniphone #1 here which never had a dial - it was used at CFB Summerside through its early PBX.

A Uniphone #2 is the same as a #1, only a wall version.

A Uniphone #5 is a wide based pyramid shape stand only. Desk type for manual service

A Uniphone #6 is a pyramid shape stand only. Wall type for manual service only. No Dial.

Both #5 an #6 are stands only - they contain only a handset and hook-switch, no network, capacitor or ringer. They were meant for use with an external subset. Basically empty cases.

No. 5s and #6s have dial blanks installed (as do #1s and #2s not equipped with dial - rare to find these days).

The difference is #5s and #6s are basically empty boxes, containing ONLY a hook switch, and yes, basically the equivalent of a 211. 

#5s and #6s can be upgraded to the equivalent of a #1 or #2, with the addition of a network, capacitor, and ringer, but then are Frankenphones, since they are no longer original.

WOW! what history! Thanks Guys! I just checked the tracking.... its already here and to be delivered on Monday. Tuesday at the latest. talk about fast! anyway... from what you say, the dial followed the exchange... so..... it looks like a #5 or #6 will work for me.... by the way, does anyone know what dial blank was used? I have a ton of #82A blanks.... did they use those?

[Jack Ryan]

I am wondering if you are confusing the different models of Uniphones.

so..... it looks like a #5 or #6 will work for me

I thought he was talking about using a #5 or #6 dial.

Jack

[DavePEI]

Well. what is confusing me, is he is also asking what blank to use. Simple - if you have a dial, no blank is used...

I am wondering if you are confusing the different models of Uniphones.

so..... it looks like a #5 or #6 will work for me

I thought he was talking about using a #5 or #6 dial.

Jack

[NorthernElectric]

Well. what is confusing me, is he is also asking what blank to use. Simple - if you have a dial, no blank is used...

I am wondering if you are confusing the different models of Uniphones.

so..... it looks like a #5 or #6 will work for me

I thought he was talking about using a #5 or #6 dial.

Jack

I was curious too, so I did a little searching on ebay and I think I can clear up the confusion.  I think I found babyybearjs' phone here.  If this is it, it's a no. 2 with no dial or handset.

[DavePEI]

I was curious too, so I did a little searching on ebay and I think I can clear up the confusion.  I think I found babyybearjs' phone here.  If this is it, it's a no. 2 with no dial or handset.

Ok, if that is the case, then the answer is easy. It would have been simpler and less confusing for the photo to be posted along with his original query, or at least the won auction number so we could see what the auction number as. In fact, I think I answered any question he could have when I posted the No. 2 Uniphone diagrams from the NE Catalog.

Then it got even more confused with the statement it was wired like a 211 - no, it isn't it is wired like the schematics say. There is no dial blank installed, and as the drawings say, it should have either an NE #5 dial, a Tyre 24 AE dial, or a BPO (Siemens) type dial, but it should not have a WE or a Number 6 dial.

But, because of the photo not being posted, it got more and more confused as each person got involved 

So, please guys if you buy something, post a photo of exactly what you are speaking about. It makes answering your questions accurately so much easier!

[Jack Ryan]

So, please guys if you but something, post a photo

Well I never!

Jack

[DavePEI]

Yes, Jack - I caught that one just before you commented :-)

On handsets.... The first handset supplied on Uniphones was the trpe NF NE handset. After the first couple of yars, they changed it to an NU NE Handset, primarily since it used a better cartridge. Finally, later Uniphones were provided with F1 handsets due to its superior acoustic properties, and whenever a handset required service, it was upgraded in the field to am F1 handset. Which makes NU handsets rare and NF handsets even rarer. I have Uniphones with all versions of handsets, but it took a very long time to find one with an NF handset.

So it would be quite correct for you to use an F1 handset on it, though if you could find one of the others, even better.

There is another discussion on Uniphone handsets here on the Forum, showing the differences - don't have time now to locate it. They were actually made in three colours, but with only two widely released colours, Black, Burled Walnut, and  a small number of Ivory ones were produced, but not widely distributed, as the plastic in them was unstable, and stained and kept on flowing for many years. If you ever get one of those, you have found a real gems. I have only personally seen one - a gift given to Walter C. Auld during his term as executive vice-president of Island Tel, nd I have heard of one other in someone's collection.

[Babybearjs]

....and spoil the fun.... wheres your imagination? I like it when you guys go guessing.... anyway, you found my phone I bought.... I have an extra F1 handset and plenty of AE dials.... so.....I guess I will be able to restore it.... but, its a keeper.... its my first Uniphone....

[Ktownphoneco]

Forum member Paul Fassbender has an excellent web page which explains a lot of the historical information of the N.E. Uniphone, and I'm sure he wouldn't mind me posting the URL here :   
  http://www.paul-f.com/neUNI.html

Thanks Paul !

Jeff Lamb

[Babybearjs]

Thanks Jeff. I noticed your handle.... you are part of Phoneco?

[SUnset2]

My Uniphone No. 2 came with a plastic AE dial that was definitely not original.  Not having any NE dials, I replaced it with a WE No. 5 dial from a 302.  I wired it like a 302.  It looks a lot better, and nobody can tell the difference.  OK,  you guys can tell the difference, but most people can't.  I don't know how it ended up with the ugly plastic dial, maybe it was manual to start out and somebody replaced the blank with a dial that was available.

[Ktownphoneco]

John   ....     Your welcome.      No, I'm not part of Phoneco, nor am I related to the people who own it.   

Jeff

[Babybearjs]

Thanks... your handle had me wondering....

[DavePEI]

A lot of people figure just because the majority of Uniphones you aee are equipped with dials that they all were. Not so. Many Telcos facing the spectre of an upcoming changeover to dial would chose the Uniphone due to its versatility, and the fact it could very quickly be upgraded to dial when the need arose.

Many Uniphones you see with dials were upgraded to dial when the exchange cut over to dial, using whatever type dial the Telco had. To assist in this, NE made the  drawings showing the wiring to a number of different dials.

The hardest to find nowadays is a completely unmolested Number 1 or number 2, which has never been upgraded. An example of one is my dial-less #1 from CFB Summerside, which was used on the PBX at the base.

It was a versatile series of phones, which came out a couple of years before the 302 in the U.S. #1s and #2s were for common battery exchanges, while they also made the #5 and #6 stands for use with local battery magneto exchanges. The difference? The #1s and #2s had a handset, hook switch coil, capacitor, and bells installed, and the #5s and #6s  were basically empty boxes with nothing but a hook switch and handset designed to be used with external subsets on local battery lines..

I am including the listings from the T-7 and T-8 catalogues. Also a photo of my unmolested CFB Summerside dial-less #1 with its RCAF military assets tag still attached. It is complete with handset, coil, capacitor, hook switch - a full Number 1 minus a dial. That photo was taken even before I cleaned it up and buffed it. I was collecting Uniphones for a number of years before I found it, and it basically fell into my lap.  No, I wouldn't upgrade it with a dial - it is exactly as it was when it left the factory. After cleaning and buffing it, I laminated the asset tag, and left it attached to the phone, so people could see it in its full context.

Just playing around with my new watermark on the phone photo....

[Babybearjs]

I got the phone today. It was in excellent condition and all I had to do was to add the handset and dial. when I put my toner on it, it worked fine. I'm going to mount it on a plywood backboard and add a #228 adapter on the back to make it modular. I used one of my AE dials on it... Looks OK. I still have to do a Ring test on it.