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#91
Fritz!box devices with FON/FON1/FON2 connector(s) also support pulse dialing. I have by myself tested these models: 7360, 7490 and 7530. Dial tone, ring freq and call progress tones are configured automatically based on country selection. Those includes typically 1-2 FXS ports and on some devices also FXO port. Outdated version can be found on ebay/flea market/drift stores around 10uer in Europe. I have used them with Asterisk and those seems to be very stable. No support for voice mail indicator neon pulp voltage.

FXS port is standard RJ11 but FXO is 8 pin RJ45. Analog phone line is on pins 3-6, DSL on pins 4-5! Possible EURO ISDN on pins 1-2 and 7-8.
#92
Technical "Stuff" / Re: What determines the volume...
Last post by MaximRecoil - April 13, 2026, 12:06:40 AM
Quote from: TelePlay on April 12, 2026, 10:01:14 PMIs yours a 4228D or some other version (there seems to be at least a dozen 4228 versions)

I don't know. It only says "4228" on it, molded into the plastic just below the "S" terminal. On the front of the network there's a date stamp ("2-83 B"), but I don't know if the "B" is supposed to be part of the date stamp or part of the model designation.
#93
Technical "Stuff" / Re: What determines the volume...
Last post by TelePlay - April 12, 2026, 10:01:14 PM
Quote from: MaximRecoil on April 12, 2026, 07:56:48 PMYeah, I know that 425B and 425E are electrically the same, but this is about 425 vs. 4228.

Yes, guess I was trying to say that by comparing those 425s to each other but being different from the 4228 verifies the two 425s were in the same condition and there is a difference between the 425 and the 4228.

Anyway, the TCI library has the internal wiring diagrams for the 425B/E and the 4228D (which is noted to be the direct replacement for the 425B/E. Is yours a 4228D or some other version (there seems to be at least a dozen 4228 versions)

First image below is the 4228D, the second the 425s.

They are similar but different and unfortunately they don't give component values.

#94
Technical "Stuff" / Re: What determines the volume...
Last post by MaximRecoil - April 12, 2026, 07:56:48 PM
Quote from: TelePlay on April 12, 2026, 05:37:23 PMThe one noted difference between the 425B and 425E was the "C" terminal.

https://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=23232.0

They would be expected to sound the same.

Yeah, I know that 425B and 425E are electrically the same, but this is about 425 vs. 4228.
#95
Western Electric Pay Phones / Re: WE Phone Booth with Phone ...
Last post by chconnor - April 12, 2026, 07:20:45 PM
It's at my partner's house, but from memory: no. There are a variety of cables in the "attic" section (power, etc.) I asked him about RJ11 or similar and he said he'd check. I'll be going over there soon to do more research and will look harder (at everything).
#96
Western Electric Pay Phones / Re: WE Phone Booth with Phone ...
Last post by Stan S - April 12, 2026, 05:42:34 PM
Are there any phone line wires coming out of the payhone or the back of the booth?
#97
Technical "Stuff" / Re: What determines the volume...
Last post by TelePlay - April 12, 2026, 05:37:23 PM
The one noted difference between the 425B and 425E was the "C" terminal.

Quote1963

Shifted from 425B network to 425E network. Apparently the only difference between these networks is a screw-on "C" terminal instead of a soldered one.

https://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=23232.0

They would be expected to sound the same.




#98
Technical "Stuff" / What determines the volume of ...
Last post by MaximRecoil - April 12, 2026, 05:18:44 PM
I have a 1957 Western Electric model 500 (425B network) and the volume of the transmitter is significantly lower than in a Western Electric model 2500 (4228 network) I have, even when I use the same transmitter for both phones, or even the same entire handset for both phones.

I have another WE 500 (a newer modular one, 425E network) that also has a lower transmitter volume than the 2500, so it seems to be due to some difference between the 425 and the 4228 network, assuming there is in fact any electrical difference between them.

You can see the volume difference in these two waveforms. I'm saying the same three words in both of them. I've repeated the recording tests quite a few times and the transmitter volume through the 2500 is consistently louder than through a 500:
#99
Western Electric Pay Phones / WE Phone Booth with Phone -- s...
Last post by chconnor - April 12, 2026, 04:36:17 PM
Howdy! We were recently gifted this incredible phone booth, and the goal is to get it working via ATA at some point (edit: in a museum in our town). Weighs as much as a piano. The blower and lights still work. :-)

But first I need to figure a way in to the phone -- seems to be from area code 607 (apparently south/central NY state?)

Western Electric? Seems to use the hardest-to-pick lever-style key, right?

Any chance of having the key made these days? Edit: top key only, the bottom key we don't need because as you can see in the pick, the $ holder is gone.

I'm not sure we could even drill it if we had to because of the angles involved.

My understanding is that once inside the phone we can figure out what the internals are and only then can we be sure if the phone can be made to work with an ATA. We don't need coin operation.

Thanks for any insight!
#100
Technical "Stuff" / Re: Making a governor tension ...
Last post by TelePlay - April 12, 2026, 01:21:19 PM
That spring of the heart of the dial, a part that "never" breaks or wears out, because without the spring, the dial does not work. While a dial can be cleaned and lubricated to restore it, without that governor spring it's just a pile of parts.

That spring works by allowing the governor brake wings to spread or open due to centrifugal force just enough to let the governor spin at about 10 pulses per second.

If you look at the spring in use, you can see the spring applies a retention force to the brake wings, holds the brake wing pads away from the governor race, by having the wings try to pull the spring's one and a half turn half inch diameter coil apart.

This coil touches nothing, only the hooks at the end of the spring touch the brake wings. The spring's coil is floating in air above the governor wings.

So, in operation, the centrifugal force generated by the spinning of the brake wings must be countered by the pull of the coiled spring which spring force has to be just right to allow the brake pads to just touch the raceway hard enough to allow the governor to turn at 10 pulses per second. It's a real force balancing act. Not enough spring force and the dial will run very slow, well under 8 pulses per second. If too much spring force, the governor will run wild, well over 11 pulses per second.

The creation a replacement spring from spring wire is totally dependent on the spring wire's composition (its springiness) and its diameter.

Finding one without buying a relatively expensive dial will be difficult. Making one without the original WE wire stock may be impossible.