202 D1 with WE internal subset cheater?

[TelePlay]

In my very few years of exploring phones, I've never seen this item in a 202 desk set. It's about an inch or so square with 3 wires (B, Y and R) and is held above the dial using one OE support bracket on each side of the component. What is it? Could this be a WE cheater subset making this a dial out only phone?

The sixth picture below is a close up of that component on which I superimposed the text exactly where it is stamped into the metal on the item. The stamped text is really hard to read due to the surface deterioration. It is stamped WESTERN ELECTRIC MADE IN USA.

I got this 202 D1 with an E1 handset and a 5H dial by way of a BIN auction on eBay for $10 plus $8.50 shipping.

The phone is in good condition except for a chip on the transmitter cup. The paint is worn due to usage and age and some of the base metal is pitted. There is more corrosion inside the base than I would have liked to have seen but it seems to be easily removeable surface corrosion. The handset cord is in great condition. The base is date stamped 11 36.

[Phonesrfun]

Not a cheater or anything to do with a subset.  It is a common item for 202's and 302's.  It is R-C filter to keep dial pulses from being picked up by nearby AM radios.  The model 500 has this feature built into the network.  Although it was common on candlestick, 102's, 202's, and 302's, it was optional, so they are not always found, and by now, many have been removed.

[TelePlay]

Thanks, Bill.

I have a lot of 302's, most metal shells, and a few 202's but have never seen this item on any of them. I have only one candlestick and it didn't have one either.

So, can I just remove it and leave it out of the phone after I clean up the inside?

And, does the component have any value or should I just toss it? Would anyone need it or want it? Does it have any use?

And, since the phone came with a line cord with a modular plug, most likely used without a subset, can I expect the handset element to be fried?

[Phonesrfun]

Using a phone without a subset won't automatically fry it, at least not immediately.  The risk is demagnetizing the permanent magnet in the receiver.  If that E1 handset has the older bullet style transmitter, the transmitter may already have poor audio quality; not from being used without a subset, but because they were a first generation handset transmitter, and we're quickly replaced by the F1 transmitter element that was retrofitted to the E1 handset.

You will definitely want to use the phone with a subset or a cheater.

As far as the filter is concerned, I suppose they my have value to someone, but they are not a necessity.  Perhaps someone will want yours.

[AE_Collector]

So why not just leave it in place since it is an authentic "option" on this type of phone?

Terry

[TelePlay]

So why not just leave it in place since it is an authentic "option" on this type of phone?

Terry

Good point. Just a little extra to clean up, compared to the rest of the mess in that base, to keep it original.

Thanks . . .

Just didn't know what it was, had never seen one before and haven't removed it yet so don't know what it says on the bottom. Didn't know about that "option." I do now.

This site daily impresses me with the abundant knowledge of all the phone pros contribute to keep us new guys with questions on track.

[TelePlay]

Life is strange.

I find something new to me in a phone. My question is answered on this forum. Then I find one for sale on eBay - a 61A filter for about $25. A never before seen component and now 2 seen in two days.