Static on my WE 302

[KnowMoreTax]

I have an interest in old rotary phones. My 302 is on my desk and used daily. Of late I've noticed a static noise in the background. My callers also notice it. I removed the handset covers and gently tapped the elements thinking the inner material was compacted over time after disconnecting the modular connector. When I plugged it back in the phone sounded great again so I thought it was about the handset elements. Later that day the static returned in another call. So, I simply unplugged the phone again, waited a bit, then plugged back in...voila! Sounded great. Anyone have an idea of what may be going on?

[countryman]

Your transmitter is bad. That's pretty much the norm for most older transmitter elements. Tapping the capsule will be a remedy, but not for long.
Try to get a transistorized transmitter, it should be available. The sound quality will be better than it ever was.

[HarrySmith]

In my experience when I have static it is usually from the handset cord or the connections to it. You mentioned "modular connector", on a 302?

Usually diagnosed by shaking, pulling or twisting the cord while listening for the static.

[KnowMoreTax]

Countryman: Vielen Danke!

I'll order another transmitter.

[RDPipes]

Ya know a photo of the phone in question will help a lot and maybe someone here has a transmitter element they can send you too. 

[poplar1]

Countryman: Vielen Danke!

I'll order another transmitter.

I agree with Harry: It's more likely the cord or a loose connection. Unlike the AE or Kellogg transmitters of this era, the WE F1 transmitter unit is usually good.

[dsk]

Try to put a 330 ohms resistor between BlacK and Red wire to the handset.

[HarrySmith]

I just thought of some things I had happen to me. I am assuming your 302 has a F type handset? Check the contacts inside the handset where they touch the element. I had one where they were heavily corroded and not making good contact. The other thing was to make sure the contacts are not bent down away from the element making poor contact. Both easily fixable and does not require a new element.

[HowardPgh]

You mentioned modular connection. Make sure the connections in the modular jack are clean and straight, on the plug make sure the connection there is clean also. Sometimes dust and moisture cause noise.  Jiggle the modular cord at the plug end to see if that is noisy.

[LarryInMichigan]

The first thing to do in such situations is the remove the transmitter capsule, clean the back of the capsule and contacts in the handset, and then bend the contacts outward a bit so that they push properly against the transmitter.

Larry

[Contempra]

I just thought of some things I had happen to me. I am assuming your 302 has a F type handset? Check the contacts inside the handset where they touch the element. I had one where they were heavily corroded and not making good contact. The other thing was to make sure the contacts are not bent down away from the element making poor contact. Both easily fixable and does not require a new element.

True. As far as I am concerned, it was a 500 desk, I hadn't seen the rust underneath a plug (spade )  of reciever. It wasn't visible as such at all. I had passed a very fine sandpaper on the two elements, history to clean the contact. It hadn't given anything. So I had disassembled the whole cord of the handset to see the corrosion under a spade. I can easily imagine that it was a phone that had spent a lot of time in an unheated garage... It works very well to this day.