#PhoneExchange

2025-04-16

Is anyone able to lay their hands on a firmware image for a Samsung Ubigate IBG1004?

It’s an #isdn to #sip #telephone gateway, and the one I’ve got seems to be corrupt and won’t decompress.

My usual haunts for firmware images are coming up blank.

The filename will be something like `iBG1004_Advanced_1.6.1.9.Z` - but I'm really not too fussy about the version number!

Please boost if you think you have followers that can help!

#TelephoneExchange #phone #phoneExchange #PABX #PBX #voip

2025-02-24

Ok #vintageElectronics nerds! tell me about these things…

The “MR” designation denotes some kind of diode (it stands for Metal Rectifier, a notation hangover from before silicon/germanium diodes) and they’re obviously arranged as full bridge rectifiers

They’re in a PSU made for the British Post Office in 1972

The brown stripe seems to denote the + end, but what does the other stripe mean?

#Electronics #TelephoneExchange #Telephone #phone #phoneExchange #strowger #hamRadio #AmateurRadio

A brown pcb with 4 small diodes labelled MR14 to MR17, clearly arranged as a bridge rectifier. The diodes are marked with brown and orange stripes.A brown pcb with 4 small diodes labelled MR8 to MR11, clearly arranged as a bridge rectifier. The diodes are marked with brown and blue stripes.
2024-12-20

The (extensive) phone system in my house is reachable from the outside world, but I don't like anyone phoning me overnight.

So I've made all the inbound routes time-of-day aware and they now play this message if you phone them overnight

youtube.com/shorts/I0gfkRpPchc

#asterisk #phones #telephones #voip #phoneExchange #telephoneExchange

2024-05-29

The #strowger #phoneExchange is in the van, and headed to #emfcamp #emf2024

A van full of boxes and phones and omg so much stuff
2024-05-27

My #strowger #PhoneExchange installation for #emf2024 is as fully working as it’s going to get… so out come the packing crates!

I’ve got 48hrs to pack it all up before the van arrives…

Packing Progress:
🟩🟩🟩🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 29%

Workshop scene with two large grey and red packing crates sitting in front of an electromechanical telephone exchange
2024-05-07

I've made another video about getting the #strowger #TelephoneExchange ready for me to take it to #emf2024

In this episode, I try and get the tie lines working...

youtu.be/tJ9UP861z6E

Oh, and what's that? There's now a website with more information about the #phoneExchange and a blog and everything?

emf.lpbk.net/blog/posts/2024-0

The site is a work in progress, and will change a /lot/ in the run up to the event.

RSS feeds are on the todo list, but I've got a phone exchange to fix first!

2024-04-25

found an annoying fault on the #strowger #phoneExchange - see that little pin just hanging out there at a jaunty angle nestled amongst the contact springs?

It’s a lifting pin for the contacts at the top of the pile, it’s supposed to be straight, and attached to one of the contacts.

Instead, it’s not lifting anything and is wiggling around connecting things that shouldn’t be connected.

I guess now I get the fiddly job of replacing the stack of contacts without breaking any 70 year old wires!

Close up of an old GPO telephone relay, a large electromagnet is in the left, a metal armature at the top, and a stack of sprung metal contacts to the right.
2024-04-15

I’ve now done two of those RJ21s (terminated by hand with a screwdriver) then terminated on the 5 krone strips at the top of this boxconn, then the 4 x RJ45 sockets are terminated on the bottom 2 strips.

Two of the RJ45s will go to a Cisco 1760 fitted with 4-FXO/4-FXS ports, that will connect to the rest of the phones at #emf2024

The other two RJ45s will go to 8 demo #phones for people to play with!

One step closer to having the #strowger #phoneExchange ready to go camping!

7 krone type punch down termination blocks, with a pair of large white cables terminated on plugs at the bottom of the case.  To the right is a square white faceplate with 4 RJ45 sockets, one of which had a black cable connected, with each core broken out to a BT Phone socket
2024-03-27

I’ve decided on my Easter weekend project… I need to swap the position of two #phoneExchange cabinets in my shed, so I can set up the one I’m taking to #emf2024 as though it’s installed on-site

I’ve measured, it’s possible… but involves moving about 15 heavy crates full of GPO relays, 7U of network equipment, 2 #strowger exchanges, an #isdx PABX, several reels of cable and other miscellaneous stuff I’ve forgotten about!

Perhaps this needs to be a time lapse video of some kind

2024-02-24

I haven’t watched it all yet, but here’s some people poking about inside a BT #phoneExchange

m.youtube.com/watch?v=kfOzyIib

#telephoneExchange #telecoms #telecom #urbex

2024-02-17

AC14 (2280Hz) Signalling Demo Progress…

The wiring between the relaysets is done with the exception of the connections that go to the #phone end, the #phoneExchange end, and the 4-wire circuit between the two ends of the link.

So, 9 wires remaining then I can start powering it up… but first, I need to find a suitable method of terminating those connections that allows me to add in annamplifier/speaker so you can hear the tones.

It’s back to the sketchbook and eBay searches!

#strowger #phreak

Cast iron shelf with lots of solder tag connections attached. Many coloured wires are connected to the solder tags
2024-02-15

If you're interested in this sort of thing (and who wouldn't be?!)

The whole notebook full of late 1950s UK telephone routing codes is online as a pdf here: paulseward.com/downloads/Telep

An OCR version will follow at some point in the handwavy future when I get around to it (if I don't forget).

#phreaking #preak #telephoneExchange #strowger #phoneExchange #telecom #telecoms #telecomHistory #telecomsHistory #phone #telephone

2024-01-10

I love the product names in this extract from Telephone Rentals document "EP2/4055 - S50 - FACILITIES, DICTATION RECORDING" (30th Nov 1964)

It lists approved suppliers of centralised recording equipment, to be connected to their internal telephone systems

Centralising the recording equipment was much cheaper than duplicating it for each exec.

A central typing pool would retrieve the recordings, type them up and send them out

#telephoneHistory #telephone #phone #telecoms #phoneExchange

Typewritten document, text reads:

Examples of equipment utilising this method of control and known to be suitable for connection to our PAX installations are as follows:-

1. Dictaphone "Telecord"”
2. Aga Dictating Machine Co., "Agavox"
3. Shipton "Intercorder"
4. E.M.I. "Eminet"
5. Edison "Televoicewriter”
6. Hartley "Tape-Riter"
7. Recorderpool "Centradict"
8. Pullman
9. Omal
10. Peter Williams (Philips)
11. Devodias
2023-12-11

Oh yeah! I was posting Christmas telephone stuff this month wasn't I..

On Friday I mentioned that The Hull Corporation telephone company launched their Santa service.

Well, here are three examples of the recorded messages that kids could dial up and listen to:

youtube.com/watch?v=rI4Gt5YKAW

youtube.com/watch?v=zvpTfQCNP7

youtube.com/watch?v=wBEmAsACQc

#telephone #phone #telephoneHistory #telecom #telecoms #telecomHistory #TelephoneHistory #vintagePhone #telephoneExchange #phoneExchange #Hull #kcom

2023-12-06

Christmas at Haywards Heath Telephone exchange 1953

Lots of paper garlands and decorations adorning the CB10 switchboard here, but if you look closely there are paper santas/elves hanging from the cable turning sections where the positions wrap around the corners of the room.

Thanks to Stefan on the "UK Switchboards" facebook group for finding it.

#telephone #phone #telephoneExchange #PhoneExchange #TelecomsHistory #telecomHistory #switchboard #operator

Large telephone switchboard wrapping round at least 2 walls of the room with 11 operators seated at it, 2 operators on an enquiry desk in the foreground and the exchange supervisor standing in the middle of the room.

The switchboard is adorned with paper garlands, articulated paper cutouts of santa and his elves, and concertina paper decorations hanging from the ceiling.

The enquiry desk in the foreground is topped by a large collection of christmas cards.
2023-12-02

Test shot for a video I’m planning at the moment. I thought it was too pretty to keep to myself… so it’s here with no context 😀

#TelephoneExchange #Strowger #PhoneExchange #relay #Telecoms #TelecomHistory

2023-06-26

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

Cat sat on the electronics workbench in my shed, happy amongst the test gear, telephones, and ancient industrial electronics
2023-06-08

Got some dirty #telephone #switchboard plugs you need to clean up? You need a Bell System Plug Polisher 497A!

m.youtube.com/watch?v=PtGYEqkr

I don’t think we had an equivalent in the UK, but now I really want one!

#TelephoneExchange #PhoneExchange #TelecomHistory #phone

2023-05-28

I’ve spent over a year been looking for a Mk1 operators console for my #isdx #TelephoneExchange

I finally got one a few weeks back, but before I start trying to wire it up to the #PhoneExchange I wanted to give it a once over, and #GetTheBatteriesOut if needed!

It all looks good, no obviously leaky caps, no battery to remove, most of the chips are date coded 1986.

I’ve put it back together, and now I can proceed with sorting out the exchange end!

#phone #telephone #telecoms #vintagePhone

2 part telephone operators console on my workbench. The panels are brushed steel with wooden end cheeks and black buttons. The top unit is labelled “Merlin DX” with the BT “T” logo, and has a large LCD display. The bottom unit has the buttons required to operate the system.  The two units are connected by a thick brown curly cablePCB from inside the display unit, lots of through hole chips mostly date codes 1986

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