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Newbie in central Iowa

Started by dumb_old_guy, August 18, 2015, 07:36:31 PM

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dumb_old_guy

Hi, all,
Just got signed up today. (Thank you, Dennis)
I stumbled on this forum a few weeks ago looking for info on old rotary phones and thought this is the place to be.
Years ago I was a switch installer for a little while, after taking a Telecom program at the local community college. (Among other career paths and schooling.) As a hobby and as a business, I still enjoy electronics projects--mostly radio related--and vintage radio restoration. I never lost the love for the old telephones and the old telephone systems, though. (I am currently enjoying Phil Lapsley's Exploding the Phone, about the old time Phone Phreaks--mostly enjoying the parts about how the phone system worked.

Currently, I own a WE-554 (green). This one is in use in the basement, as we still have pulse dial service available where I live. I have a WE-2500 (beige), a WE-500 (beige), an AE-80 (black), and an AE 50 (black). The AE-50 is all there and pretty much original, but a little rough cosmetically. It needs a good cleaning and maybe some buffing. It is also missing its dial card cover. This is the one I want to restore the most, and put it up in place of the 554, or perhaps install it somewhere else in the house.

That's all I know for now. After all, I am just a dumb_old_guy.   ;D

Cheers,
Rob


19and41

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

dumb_old_guy

Thank you!

Are you also on tube radio and appliance forum? (The signature line)

Cheers,
Rob

HarrySmith

Welcome to our little asylum! You have found the best forum on the net!
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

19and41

Quote from: dumb_old_guy on August 18, 2015, 08:12:12 PM
Thank you!

Are you also on tube radio and appliance forum? (The signature line)

Cheers,
Rob

Yep!
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

.....

Welcome from North of the Border. Lots of great people here.

Doug

compubit

Glad you're here.  Don't get too addicted...

"Hi, my name is Jim, and I'm addicted to phones."  ;)

Jim
A phone phanatic since I was less than 2 (thanks to Fisher Price); collector since a teenager; now able to afford to play!
Favorite Phone: Western Electric Trimline - it just feels right holding it up to my face!

Mr. Bones

#7
Welcome to the forum, Rob!

    There's lots of info available here, both posted, and on tap for the asking, so please feel free to ask questions.

    There's lots of us dumb old guys here, and several right cracking smart ones; between the lot, we usually find an answer. ;)

     It is important to tell you early on that we wants pictures! ;D

     
Best regards!





     
Sláinte!
   Mr. Bones
      Rubricollis Ferus

NorthernElectric

Welcome Rob.  We like photos so be sure to keep us posted on your AE50 project.
Cliff

ESalter

Welcome to the forum from another Iowan!  I'm located in Clinton.  If you get over in my neck of the woods, let me know.

---Eric

dumb_old_guy

#10
Quote from: HarrySmith on August 18, 2015, 08:42:10 PM
Welcome to our little asylum! You have found the best forum on the net!

Asylum? That's for me!  :)
Quote from: 19and41 on August 18, 2015, 09:00:54 PM
Yep!

Howdy 75, from ragwire!
Quote from: Autonut on August 18, 2015, 10:14:01 PM
Welcome from North of the Border. Lots of great people here.
Doug

Thank you from a former Nortel employee!
Quote from: compubit on August 18, 2015, 10:20:17 PM
Glad you're here.  Don't get too addicted...

"Hi, my name is Jim, and I'm addicted to phones."  ;)

Jim

Too late for me...
Quote from: NorthernElectric on August 18, 2015, 10:46:41 PM
Welcome Rob.  We like photos so be sure to keep us posted on your AE50 project.

I will. I am four knuckles deep in a customer's radio set for hid '49 Plymouth at the moment. (A Mopar 603 built by Motorola, I believe) but the AE50 is up next.
Quote from: ESalter on August 19, 2015, 01:25:32 AM
Welcome to the forum from another Iowan!  I'm located in Clinton.  If you get over in my neck of the woods, let me know.

---Eric

I will! One of my nephews lives there (usually), but he's actually at U of I right now.

cheers all,
Rob

jsowers

Quote from: dumb_old_guy on August 19, 2015, 08:16:44 AM
I will. I am four knuckles deep in a customer's radio set for hid '49 Plymouth at the moment. (A Mopar 603 built by Motorola, I believe) but the AE50 is up next.

Rob, welcome to the Forum! Some of my earliest memories are of the radio in my dad's 1951 Plymouth Cranbrook, riding home from kindergarten in 1963-64. Amazingly the radio still worked fine in that old car. He may have had it worked on since I also remember him saying never to leave the fresh air vent open when it rained. It was in the center of the cowl area and evidently it leaked water onto the radio. Another thing I remember was the word "Mello" on the tone control at the left. And the pungent smell of his Marlboro cigarettes.

Dad's family believed in 1951 Plymouths. Dad owned two at the same time, his father owned one, his father's brother owned one and my grandmother's brother owned one. All of them lasted well into the 1960s and some into the 1970s.
Jonathan

dumb_old_guy

Thanks Jonathan, Those old Mopar rides were tough. A lot of taxi companies used Plymouth and Desoto back then.

cheers
Rob

Jim Stettler

Welcome to telephone collecting Rob.
There is a nearby show  that you should try to attend. It is May 7, 2016.


http://www.willtelcom.com/Abilene-Antique-Telephone-Show.html

Attendance was low last year so this show may go away again.

I post remionders in the show section as the date gets near.
Jim S.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

dumb_old_guy

A candy store! Thanks...I may go to that.

cheers
Rob