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SD-1A, SD-2A, NE Business Interphone

Started by Dominic_ContempraPhones, June 30, 2017, 10:27:34 PM

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Dominic_ContempraPhones

Another system we can't find information on is the Northern Electric Business Interphone, which used modified Call Directors that could simultaneously engage in phone and intercom calls (on the speaker).  These were 30-button Call Directors with the last strip removed and replaced with a microphone.  The Charlie's Angels speaker was separate of course.

The Call Director was partitioned such that 11 CO line and 17 intercom lines (DSS or dialable) were integrated.

One version, called QUJ10D had a prewired dialable intercom that was built at the factory using various line cards, and other cards that could conference, bounce calls to CAP after x seconds, and do DSS with automatic ringing on the intercom, lamp indication, and so on.  A lot more than your ordinary 1A2.

Here's a shot of one from '65 ... (photo courtesy of Joel Eves of WTT Communications in Toronto, Canada).

Victor Laszlo

#1
Both the 1970's version of Charlie's Angels and the movie from 2011 used the speaker/control unit from a 4-type speakerphone.  What is shown in the photo is the 760A loudspeaker from the 3-type speakerphone system.

One hopes that we don't start to hear non-telephone people refer to it as a "Charlie's Angel," in the same way that the desk stand is called an "Elliot Ness"  the 302 is erroneously called the "Lucy,"  the B and D handset mountings are called "102" and "202" and the C and G handset mountings are called "Space Savers."   

There has been enough misinformation swirling around this forum recently from folks who are new to the hobby and unfortunately have driven away some very fine members. We must remain ever vigilant to ensure that the correct nomenclature is perpetuated.

How do you mean, exactly, that "...we can't find information on..." this system? Do you need to see the BSP or SD for it? I believe that the BSP's and possibly the SD's (in the Western company's format) are in the TCI library.

"The Call Director was partitioned such that 11 CO line and 17 intercom lines (DSS or dialable) were integrated."

That would total 28 keys. The 30-button CD had 29 CO/ICM keys. Replacing the last 6 of them with the 667-type Speakerphone transmitter would leave 23 available for CO/ICM lines.  I wonder what you mean by "partitioned" since all the keys were universally capable of pick-up or signalling.

DSS means Direct Station Selection. I think you mean "capable of being manually signaled".  DSS is a time-saving PBX feature, sometimes, admittedly, offered on large key systems.  By the pressing of one momentary key on a specially-designed console,  it creates a talk path automatically, rings a station and sets up a private connection. A pick-up key converted to a signal key is not a "line" by definition. It is a "manual signal key." It makes a buzzer activate at one or more stations so that an ICM call can be answered, or some other prearranged action can take place.

Alex G. Bell

Quote from: Dominic_ContempraPhones on June 30, 2017, 10:27:34 PM
Another system we can't find information on is the Northern Electric Business Interphone, which used modified Call Directors that could simultaneously engage in phone and intercom calls (on the speaker). 
They published a sales brochure, maybe 30 pages, showing photos of the control units.  I have an original printed copy of that. Yes, interesting.

Dominic_ContempraPhones

Column 1 or 2 could be CO, and 2, 3, and 4 could be interphone, so it 5 - 17 or 11 - 11.  I calculated wrong.  READ FRENCH below the shot.

It's NE INTERPHONE ... Joel worked on it.  You guys are crazy.  We did have documents, and so does he, but they're incomplete.  It's not a speakerphone.  JKL bought a slew of these ... $2,000 each.  The speakerphone is independent, allowing simultaneous consultation.  Explain to me what the 2nd red button does.  Yes, I call it the Charlie's Angels speakerphone.  You got a problem with that?  It's a joke.  Lighten up.

Don't tell Nortel employees about our products.  This is 1965.  Look at the dial and you'll BI and a two digit code.  It had DSS because it used a crossbar on that section.

I think your hostile attitude drove away members.  If I say white, you say black, just for the sake of argument.  Exactly what positions did you hold in telecom engineering?

Dominic_ContempraPhones

Thank you Alex for confirming I wasn't making this up ... SD-1A and SD-2A -- Bell threw everything out, and so did NE, so trying to put one together is hard.  I was trying to fake it with SM-1 cards, but Joel wasn't so sure it would work.  I bought one phone for $200 and I thought it was an ordinary Call Director.  If you ever get a chance to scan that, send it to Joel.  He sold the switch but it was intriguing.  I didn't know SM-1 even existed.

I was trying to fill it up with QUN20Ds ... these bounce from one lamp to the main switchboard.  It could do 3-way.  We found another digitone one

Alex G. Bell

Quote from: Dominic_ContempraPhones on July 01, 2017, 12:22:11 AM
Thank you Alex for confirming I wasn't making this up ... SD-1A and SD-2A -- Bell threw everything out, and so did NE, so trying to put one together is hard.  I was trying to fake it with SM-1 cards, but Joel wasn't so sure it would work.  I bought one phone for $200 and I thought it was an ordinary Call Director.  If you ever get a chance to scan that, send it to Joel.  He sold the switch but it was intriguing.  I didn't know SM-1 even existed.

I was trying to fill it up with QUN20Ds ... these bounce from one lamp to the main switchboard.  It could do 3-way.  We found another digitone one
I cannot confirm the operational details you stated based on the sales pamphlet/booklet.

Seen those sets on eBay in the past but never bid on one.

Dominic_ContempraPhones

I got one for $200 BIN before JKL could see it!  LOL.  They had point to point cards so I said why don't we fake it, but he told me the intercom used a mini-crossbar of some kind.

I used to work at Bell and I started digging through my archives.  All I could come up with was SD-1A and 2A (in '67).  SM-1 ... '79 with SL-1 like phones.  Nashville.  Confused the dickens out of everyone.

This one drove people nuts too -- it's just a 2565 with two funky yellow lenses.  Wanna bet?

Dominic_ContempraPhones

Don't you start on me too.  Click on and magnify that picture.

Alex G. Bell

Quote from: Dominic_ContempraPhones on July 01, 2017, 12:31:36 AM
I got one for $200 BIN before JKL could see it!  LOL.  They had point to point cards so I said why don't we fake it, but he told me the intercom used a mini-crossbar of some kind.

I used to work at Bell and I started digging through my archives.  All I could come up with was SD-1A and 2A (in '67).  SM-1 ... '79 with SL-1 like phones.  Nashville.  Confused the dickens out of everyone.

This one drove people nuts too -- it's just a 2565 with two funky yellow lenses.  Wanna bet?
Drove who nuts?

I have not interest in betting because I know what an SK-1 is and am inclined to believe lots of others do too based on conversations about them seen elsewhere in the past, so the others would not be confused either. 

I think I have an SK-1 technical manual.  Somewhere...  Probably with stuff from the 1970s time frame.

Alex G. Bell