WE 214B KTU on eBay

[Babybearjs]

this has shown up on Ebay. Dated 1959, in original condition....(NOS) I'd buy it in a heartbeat if I needed it, but now its up to anyone who wants it.... Wonder if it is going to sell....

[.....]

A link to it would be nice.

CDN Doug

[Babybearjs]

Its on Ebay, in the 1940-1969 phone section.

[poplar1]

Its on Ebay, in the 1940-1969 phone section.

Well, that narrows it down to only 4,121 listings!
   Collectible Telephones (1940-1969) 4,121 listings

To provide a link:
highlight the URL at the top of the page:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-WESTERN-ELECTRIC-1959-1-214-B-K-T-U-B-KEY-TELEPHONE-UNIT-/231882058661?hash=item35fd3f6ba5:g:yJkAAOSwpIdW7C~M

Then, shorten it to this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-WESTERN-ELECTRIC-1959-1-214-B-K-T-U-B-KEY-TELEPHONE-UNIT-/231882058661

or this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/231882058661

[Babybearjs]

and to narrow it down even more....."WE 214 KTU"

[unbeldi]

The No. 214 KTU was the central building block for one type of arrangement in a No. 6A Key Telephone System.
It is described as providing circuits for 9-station battery feed and signaling.

A system with a 214 KTU provided individual line circuits for stations, but also ONE private talking path between two stations.

I think:
A minimum system for up to nine stations with this unit requires additionally:
-101 power plant
-207B or C KTU selector circuit
-224A KTU Call progress tones and camp-on control (optional ?)
-232A KTU Audible and visual signaling


Options:
-215A KTU for additional signaling circuits
-216A KTU for additional selector codes
-217A KTU for conferencing
-225A KTU off-premise circuit
-226A KTU for conferencing CO/PBX line
... and others

Corrections welcome!

Has anyone here built a 6A system?

[AE_Collector]

So what exactly is this? The main basic building block for a 9 station intercom system? If so it must be more like a 9 station pbx, each station having privacy rather than a common talk path with individual station signalling like the basic DSI systems? Just one path (link) is included but it is likely expandable to more than one path as well as to more than 9 stations?

This ktu does not provide 1A1 type line circuits for key sets, that would be other ktu's?

Terry

[unbeldi]

So what exactly is this? The main basic building block for a 9 station intercom system? If so it must be more like a 9 station pbx, each station having privacy rather than a common talk path with individual station signalling like the basic DSI systems? Just one path (link) is included but it is likely expandable to more than one path as well as to more than 9 stations?

This ktu does not provide 1A1 type line circuits for key sets, that would be other ktu's?

Terry

Primarily it is a key system like 1A1, with additional intercommunication features that came into demand by businesses.
The 9-station limit is the limitation on selective signaling (dialing or key signal) between stations, the way I understand it.
For more signaling codes an expansion KTU was needed.

The 214 KTU only provided ONE talk path as intercom.
The 222 KTU provided TWO talk paths, which was another arrangement of 6A.
Yet another arrangement (SELECTOR-ONLY), the simplest, provided a common talk bus on which all stations could participate without privacy.

AE made a similar system, called 16A.

[AE_Collector]

For whatever reason, here in BC we never used any AE Intercom key systems other than the old -70 series which was a 9 station common talk path, selective ringing (buzzers on a separate pair) that could be expanded up to sonething like 36 stations. I saw lots (and have 2 or 3) of the 9 station -70 (pronounced Dash Seventy) but only ever recall seeing one expanded above 9 stations. BC Tel used Ericsson Crossbar 636 PAX for larger key system intercoms prior to electronic systems. Once the little electronic boxes arrived we used the 10 and 19 station versions only.

So you think this 214 unit has 1A1 line circuits built in as well? Like maybe 3 or 5 circuits for a "get started" key system with intercom. That would likely be expandable as well then. If it does come with (CO) line circuits this could be a nice unit for us collector/hobbyists for the price.

By the info that you have found so far indicating that it has 9 private lines of intercom and looking at the unit with 1 to 9 labelled on the pairs of relays and then 6 more (common?) relays, I would guess that the 214 is just the intercom portion that can be integrated with 1A1 line circuits and other expanders to build a system.

Terry

[unbeldi]

I am no expert to give advice on 6A, it seems involved enough for only the top 10% of collectors.
Joel Eves published a lengthly series of detailed articles on the KTUs in the Switcher's Quarterly some years ago, a decade or so.

BTW, I think, the Call Director was first conceived for use with the 6A.

Here is a BLR article published at the time of 6A introduction, ca 1958.

[unbeldi]

So you think this 214 unit has 1A1 line circuits built in as well?

No, I don't think so.  The 1A1 line circuits are preexisting.

By the info that you have found so far indicating that it has 9 private lines of intercom and looking at the unit with 1 to 9 labelled on the pairs of relays and then 6 more (common?) relays, I would guess that the 214 is just the intercom portion that can be integrated with 1A1 line circuits and other expanders to build a system.

It has only one private circuit for intercom, but any station can dial one of nine to use that single path.  With the 222 KTU, a second path is available.  A call is always established on the primary path, if the secondary path is free, the call transfers to it to make the primary path available for the second call.

[Babybearjs]

Awwww....Got you guys talking!

[unbeldi]

I found pictures and link of a two-path 6A system (222A KTU) on my disk and the eBay auction link is still online: http://www.ebay.com/itm/181864819223

This rack sold for $100 with 4 bidders, local pickup and included quite a bit more: 222A KTU, 3x 223A, 232B, 207C, 216A, 201B