#speakingClock done!

Hmm. Except… I’ve only just noticed a bug that puts it in 24hr mode, when it should be 12hr

That bug has been there since I wrote this in 2017 - how has no one ever noticed this?

It’s also a bit quiet on the internal speaker, but I’ll be using the headphone jack when I install it in the #strowger #TelephoneExchange at the #DeanForestRailway #museum display (next time I’m there)

I recently scored three dell thin clients for under £8 each.

Spec is similar ballpark to a raspberry pi, but with an x86 chipset and so much cheaper!

One of them will become a standalone #speakingClock system for the #DeanForestRailway #strowger #telephoneExchange (replacing a #museum exhibit that went offline in ~ 2019)

One of them will probably become a remote control host for my #icom #ic7300

The last one is likely to be kept as a spare for now, unless I can come up with another project.

Now that Lil is allowed outside, she’s discovered my workbench in the #telephoneExchange #shed - so I gave in and put a blanket down for her.

All projects will now include 100% more kitty, and I have to be that bit more mindful when I’m closing up for the day

#CatsOfMastodon #hamShack #strowger #PhoneExchange

I bought an analogue panel meter recently that reads up to 60V DC full scale deflection. These are super handy for monitoring the supply rails in my #strowger #telephoneExchanges

What I love about this one is the tiny wee screw base lamps it uses for the scale illumination!

So smol!

#vintageElectronics #testGear #Meter #analogue #lightbulb #lamp #incandescent

Woohoo! I now own the right vintage kit to operate an AC-14 signalling link (UAX “out of area” exchange lines)

This signalling system relied on in-band 2280Hz tones, and although its design wasn’t quite as open to abuse as the American 2600Hz equivalent signalling, this equipment did have vulnerabilities

So, once I’ve got it working in captivity I intend to have lots of fun trying to #phreak it!

#telephone #TelephoneExchange #TelecomHistory #Telecoms #PhoneExchange #phone #strowger

I'm in the process of moving a small #strowger #TelephoneExchange demonstration rack on to its next home.

Before I say goodbye to it, I thought I'd video a short tour...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EarxXwMvjKw

#Telephone #TelephoneHistory #Phone #PhoneExchange #Telecoms #TelecomsHistory

Another day at the #DeanForestRailway working on the #UAX13 #strowger #ElectroMechanical #TelephoneExchange … today I was changing the strapping on the vertical marking bank (VMB) for some group selectors.

The VMB is used when the selector moves vertically, to allow/deny access to certain levels.

Here I converted a selector that allowed (89)xx to allow (34567890)xx

This changes it from serving our museum demo phones to be suitable for use as an incoming selector from a distant exchange.

I spent today at the #DeanForestRailway working on their #UAX13 #Strowger #PhoneExchange

We’re increasing the junction capacity between Norchard and Parkend (about 3 miles away) and I needed to trace out how the existing junctions are cabled, find the existing terminating equipment, run new cables, prepare new terminating selectors…

Yesterday was leg day at the gym, so I only got about 75% done before I couldn’t cope with the step ladder any longer!

#phones #telephone #TelephoneExchange

I spent today doing maintenance on the #DeanForestRailway #PABX4 #strowger #ElectroMechanical #TelephoneExchange

We cleaned, lubricated and adjusted all the group and final selectors and cleared all but one fault.

This is a poorly group selector, that refuses to operate to dial pulses. For some reason the K relay doesn’t operate. We cleaned all the contacts in the operate chain, checked the coils, spent well over an hour on this one selector!

It beat us today, but it won’t beat us entirely!

My silly little YouTube channel of “weird junk that lives in my shed” (mainly #Telephone and #Strowger #TelephoneExchange videos) has reached 200 subs!

Not a big number, but a pleasing number to wake up to this morning!

https://youtube.com/lpbkdotnet

This is a section of the tag block for the 1st group selectors on a PABX4 #strowger #TelephoneExchange

This shelf relates to the 1st digit in the phone number, and connects onwards to up to 10 pieces of equipment that handle the second digit

The numbering is left to right, with odds on the top half, evens on the bottom.

You might think that for level 4, the numbering is

41-43-45-47-49
42-44-46-48-40

I did

I was wrong, it goes

41-43-45-47-49
40-42-44-46-48

I had to redo it today.

Twice.

These are a group of 4 relay sets that bridge between an #ElectroMechanical #strowger #TelephoneExchange and an electronic #PBX

I designed/installed them at the #DeanForestRailway (UK) back in December, but they didn’t work.

I built them with UAX style “dis testing” of free outlets, but the exchange is PABX4 based, and uses “battery testing” - so they were all permanently marked as busy… oops!

New springsets, extra resistor and lots of rewiring to do, so they’re back on my bench for rework!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo69Hwqg8IA

Newsreel coverage of the British Post Office launching their "mobile telephone exchange" in 1939

This was a complete #strowger #TelephoneExchange built into a trailer.

It was designed to provide service if the existing exchange suffered damage (fire, storm, gas explosion etc) or as a temporary measure while an exchange was upgraded or extended.

#telephone #Phone #PhoneExchange #TelecomsHistory

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