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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!!

Under Dog

Hi all.  New guy here.  My wife and kids prefer the cheap cordless phone in the house, but not me.  I still use my Grandfather's black 302 that he had for as long as I (or my mother) can remember!!!  NOTHING beats the ring of the old bells!

WEBellSystemChristian

Quote from: Under Dog on October 23, 2014, 07:13:31 PM
Hi all.  New guy here.  My wife and kids prefer the cheap cordless phone in the house, but not me.  I still use my Grandfather's black 302 that he had for as long as I (or my mother) can remember!!!  NOTHING beats the ring of the old bells!
Welcome to the forum!

Do you have any pictures of the phone?
Christian Petterson

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

NorthernElectric

Just spotted this thread.  I selected 'I have no modern phones' in the poll.  I do have a couple that are a little more modern (probably only 20-30 years old), but they are in a box in the closet.  I also have a prepaid cell that mostly lives in the car and seldom gets used.  Sometimes I will bring it in to dial my home line to test the ringer on a vintage phone that I am working on or testing.  So what I meant by that is, I have no modern phones connected to my line.  At the moment, I am using a D1 and a 302.  And I have another D1 and a 352 that  am working on, a no dial 302 I just got today for parts to complete the 352, and will hopefully have a metal bodied 302 coming in the mail soon.
Cliff

podor

I have a fully functional WE 551b in my office that I use almost daily. I use an XLINK for all cell calls. The ones I use the most are a WE 2565 and a matching 4a setup (dates and all) from '82, which is pretty new compared to many others on this forum. Along with the other 8 or so on my KSU, I also have several classic phones throughout the house on my intercom system. I'm not a big fan of having phones I'm afraid to use. That keeps me from having some rare pieces, but for me, functionality is the fun part.

19and41

I always have one connected.  Either the AE 40 or one of my Trimline phones.  They are on line with my DECT 6.0 cordless system that I use when keypad manipulation is a necessity.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

dsk

My PA(B)X does not understand anything else then rotary.
(B) because of modification to use one line as trunk line.
I guess it has been permanent with a 302 on my bedroom, and a AE 40 on my desk. A glowing wall mounted Starlite at the livingroom, and others will change form time to time.  I have a push button payphone in the basement, and of-course it is working with coins. (The Norwegian 10 kr has pretty equal size to the quarter so it is adjusted to accept the 10 kr. 1 coin and you may call all the world, and talk for as long as you want :-)

WEBellSystemChristian

I guess I never gave a complete up-to-date list on what we have in use in the house!

-2 WE 302s on my nightstand. I can get away with that because I have a spare bed next to mine, sharing a wooden chest as a nightstand. ;D

-WE 202 with 684-A subset in the loft.

-WE 151AL with 295-A subset in the dining room.

-1984 ITT 2500 in the master bedroom.

-Late-model single slot payphone in the basement.

I also hope to install a Yellow AE Spacemaker in the kitchen, but I'm not sure how. There are no wall phone mounts in the kitchen (one modular outlet), and the Spacemaker is far different from any 2554 or 554.
Christian Petterson

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

WesternElectricBen

Quote from: WEBellSystemChristian on May 10, 2015, 07:09:24 PM
I also hope to install a Yellow AE Spacemaker in the kitchen, but I'm not sure how. There are no wall phone mounts in the kitchen (one modular outlet), and the Spacemaker is far different from any 2554 or 554.

Actually, that should not be too hard as there are various routes to take. Assuming the jack is at hanging height, you could hang the subset next to the jack and run a short modular cord from the jack to the subset. Also, you could build a stand off, so the subset sits slightly proud of the wall. This works well as you do not see the jack nor the wire. Finally, another method is that you could remove the original jack plate and hardwire it directly in the phone.

Ben 

dsk

#248
It is always a job to find a location for every phone I hope this one resists the sun. 30 years in a moist/wet tunnel was tough enough.
But no it is at our balcony:

dsk

http://tinyurl.com/ovb49hy 

PS
I was forced to do some minor modifications, the Ringer had the 2 x 500 ohms coils in parallel , I re-soldered it to series, and added a 1 microfarad capacitor in series, but left the 2 microfarad in position as in the schematic's. The 4 wire rubber cord was bad so I use one common for transmitter and receiver.  the dial return spring was rusted away, so I replaced the dial with one looking equal. The transmitter capsule was not good, even after drying and shaking, so it is replaced with another.
I turned the bell upside down to make it work as a buzzer to not wake up the neighbours.
DS

unbeldi

Quote from: dsk on July 22, 2015, 02:57:46 PM
It is always a job to find a location for every phone I hope this one resists the sun. 30 years in a moist/wet tunnel was tough enough.
But no it is at our balcony:

dsk

http://tinyurl.com/ovb49hy

Do you now experience the illusion of being on a ship?


dsk

#250
It may be pretty windy, and I may see the creek. The telephone served in a tunnel used for ammunition storage during the cold war. I served there in 83, when we got automatizing.

unbeldi

Quote from: dsk on July 22, 2015, 03:08:55 PM
It may be pretty windy, and I may see the creek. The telephone served in a tunnel used for ammunition storage during cold war. I served there in 83, when we got automatizing.

I think they were originally ship phones.  Perhaps sold as surplus to fit the purpose?

dsk

It belonged to the Coast artillery, a part of the navy. So, yes probably a ship telephone. 
dsk

19and41

Thanks for the look.  I like the simple, utilitarian phones.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

unbeldi

Quote from: dsk on July 22, 2015, 04:35:01 PM
It belonged to the Coast artillery, a part of the navy. So, yes probably a ship telephone. 
dsk

Hagenuk was well known for its marine communication systems, as well as other radio transmission systems.
Can these phones be found easily? The phone is actually quite modern looking.