Am I misremembering?

"Ross Herbert" <rherber1@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:t6jsg4l3o8ntlbgs01vf0dpcqhkolpmprg@4ax.com...
On Sun, 2 Nov 2008 12:44:30 +0900, "Alan Rutlidge"
don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote:

:
:Spot on the money there Ross. :)
:
:As newer phones where introduced (and were still using pulse dialling),
an
:add on device called an anti-tinkle module was wired into the bell
circuit
:eek:f the phones. The module consisted of a simple circuit of
semiconductors
:and resistors encapsulated in a small epoxy block about half the size of
a
:box of matches. It had two connections - one flying grey lead and one
fixed
:spade type terminal which was wired into the bell circuit in the later
800
:series phones (both wall mount and table sets). This prevented the bells
:from tinkling when the phones were wired in parallel using only a two
wire
:cable pair, effectively eliminating the need for the third wire to the
other
:phones.
:
:Cheers,
:Alan
:


While I did know about this add-on for the earlier decadic push-button
phones I
never actually used it. I considered it as a "bodgie" way of connecting
parallel
phones using only 2 wires, and they were generally not available in our
depots
anyway. It was not available already fitted to a phone so a tech had to
install
it for a customer anyway.

It only made sense to use the anti-tinkle module if an insitu cable was
installed to the point where the parallel phone was required and that
cable was
single pair, and the tech didn't feel like running a new 2pr cable, or
this
option was too difficult. A module was required in each phone as well so
it was
probably just as costly as running a new cable. Since the early 60's
internal
customer cabling was done using 2pr (or 3pr in some cases) pvc cable so
there
were usually spare conductors available even where insitu cabling was
installed.
It was just as quick to connect the third wire and modify the parallel
phone
rather than install the ant-tinkle devices.

I considered it as inferior to the 3 wire connection and I always opted
for the
old method.
Click to expand...
Hi Ross,

2 pair internal is still the standard cable used these days.
I've probably still got one of these modules tucked away in the junk parts
bin.

Cheers,
Alan
 
"qmod" <qmod@internode.off.net> wrote in message
news:011d231c$0$20666$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com...
Ross Herbert wrote:

:Bob

When I sarted in the PMG in 1956 the standard phone was the 300 series
and I


You must have been sent to one of the more modern exchanges at that time,
I started a few years after you but we only had the older magneto phones
and exchanges in the district.

I recall that some of the older techs made sure that one of us trainees
was hanging on to the line when they tested with their "portable" phone.

That 90 0r so volts sure livened things up a bit.


--
Laurie.
Registered Linux user # 468070
Click to expand...
Yep, they sure did. The horse shoe magnet used in the magneto hand
generator produced a distorted peaky version of a sinewave and was quite
effective in increasing the "bite" of the voltage. LOL

Of course, ringer machines in exchanges of that era produced a sinewave
output but at a low frequency of approximately 16Hz.
Low Hertz, but big on the "it hurts" factor - LOL No pun intended.
 
"K Ludger" <kjlkj@kljl.org> wrote in message
news:490d3ccf$0$22630$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
"Alan Rutlidge" <don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote in message
news:490d22b5$0$22608$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...

"Bobby" <bob@bobsville.com> wrote in message
news:v6POk.10052$sc2.1098@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

"John" <john@junk.com> wrote in message
news:gee2q5$ql$1@news-01.bur.connect.com.au...
When I was a kid (in the 70s) the family house had a phone extension in
my parents' bedroom.
I remember being told that Telstra (or whatever they used to be called
then...) should not find out because they would charge us more for the
phone service, or we would get in trouble for tampering with the
installation, or some such thing.

Was this ever actually the case?



Where I came from in Africa we used drums. If the Chief caught you
strapping an extension drum to your back you were in big trouble - you
were put into the pot and cooked.



LOL - best contribution to this thread so far. :)


mmmmmm, I wonder if "Bobby" is a psuedo for one of the training school
instructors who used to tell us TOITs/TTOs in depth of his Africa/PNG
travels.
Click to expand...
Dunno, but it sounds like a familiar yarn.
Quite a few of the instructors I know of worked in PNG and had some
interesting tales to tell.
 
"Alan Rutlidge" <don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote in message
news:490ef4d3$0$22655$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
"K Ludger" <kjlkj@kljl.org> wrote in message
news:490d3ccf$0$22630$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...


"Alan Rutlidge" <don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote in message
news:490d22b5$0$22608$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...

"Bobby" <bob@bobsville.com> wrote in message
news:v6POk.10052$sc2.1098@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

"John" <john@junk.com> wrote in message
news:gee2q5$ql$1@news-01.bur.connect.com.au...
When I was a kid (in the 70s) the family house had a phone extension
in my parents' bedroom.
I remember being told that Telstra (or whatever they used to be called
then...) should not find out because they would charge us more for the
phone service, or we would get in trouble for tampering with the
installation, or some such thing.

Was this ever actually the case?



Where I came from in Africa we used drums. If the Chief caught you
strapping an extension drum to your back you were in big trouble - you
were put into the pot and cooked.



LOL - best contribution to this thread so far. :)


mmmmmm, I wonder if "Bobby" is a psuedo for one of the training school
instructors who used to tell us TOITs/TTOs in depth of his Africa/PNG
travels.

Dunno, but it sounds like a familiar yarn.
Quite a few of the instructors I know of worked in PNG and had some
interesting tales to tell.
Click to expand...
Shame the old Manning Training Centre (WA) was demolished. In hindsight it
was a pretty significant place.
 
On Tue, 4 Nov 2008 07:40:42 +0900, "K Ludger" <kjlkj@kljl.org> wrote:

:
:
:"Alan Rutlidge" <don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote in message
:news:490ef4d3$0$22655$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
:>
:> "K Ludger" <kjlkj@kljl.org> wrote in message
:> news:490d3ccf$0$22630$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
:>>
:>>
:>> "Alan Rutlidge" <don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote in message
:>> news:490d22b5$0$22608$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
:>>>
:>>> "Bobby" <bob@bobsville.com> wrote in message
:>>> news:v6POk.10052$sc2.1098@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
:>>>>
:>>>> "John" <john@junk.com> wrote in message
:>>>> news:gee2q5$ql$1@news-01.bur.connect.com.au...
:>>>>> When I was a kid (in the 70s) the family house had a phone extension
:>>>>> in my parents' bedroom.
:>>>>> I remember being told that Telstra (or whatever they used to be called
:>>>>> then...) should not find out because they would charge us more for the
:>>>>> phone service, or we would get in trouble for tampering with the
:>>>>> installation, or some such thing.
:>>>>>
:>>>>> Was this ever actually the case?
:>>>>>
:>>>>>
:>>>>>
:>>>> Where I came from in Africa we used drums. If the Chief caught you
:>>>> strapping an extension drum to your back you were in big trouble - you
:>>>> were put into the pot and cooked.
:>>>>
:>>>>
:>>>
:>>> LOL - best contribution to this thread so far. :)
:>>>
:>>
:>> mmmmmm, I wonder if "Bobby" is a psuedo for one of the training school
:>> instructors who used to tell us TOITs/TTOs in depth of his Africa/PNG
:>> travels.
:>
:> Dunno, but it sounds like a familiar yarn.
:> Quite a few of the instructors I know of worked in PNG and had some
:> interesting tales to tell.
:>
:>
:>
:
:Shame the old Manning Training Centre (WA) was demolished. In hindsight it
:was a pretty significant place.
:

Or the old Lord Street training school before that. Actually it was a pretty
boggy collection of old WW2 sheds with one main brick building for the Scots
principal, Jim Douglas. He was a great old guy who went to bat for a number of
trainee techs who got into trouble with the law - borrowing cars, shop-lifting
and the like. He would go guarantor for their future good behaviour and none
that I know let him down.
 
On Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:19:49 +1000, qmod <qmod@internode.off.net> wrote:

:Ross Herbert wrote:
:>
:> :Bob
:>
:> When I started in the PMG in 1956 the standard phone was the 300 series and I
:
:
:You must have been sent to one of the more modern exchanges at that
:time, I started a few years after you but we only had the older magneto
:phones and exchanges in the district.

While I did work mostly in the city I also did my stints in the outer metro
exchanges like Armadale, when it was still magneto service, and Kalamunda just
after it changed to auto. The latter exchange used old refurbished Keith Line
Switches (plungers) as the primary line finders. Much of the line plant in these
areas was still aerial construction and "walking the route" was performed by the
trainee when line faults required fixing after a storm. The only way to find
that broken wire, popped insulator or tree branch across the line was to
actually walk the route.

:
:I recall that some of the older techs made sure that one of us trainees
:was hanging on to the line when they tested with their "portable" phone.
:
:That 90 0r so volts sure livened things up a bit.

An old trick played in training school... wire up a metal stool and a pair of
side cutters to a hand magneto during a break period and when the unsuspecting
trainee returned, sat down and grabbed the cutters, the magneto was madly
cranked by the joker.
 
On Mon, 3 Nov 2008 21:45:23 +0900, "Alan Rutlidge"
<don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote:

:Hi Ross,
:
:2 pair internal is still the standard cable used these days.
:I've probably still got one of these modules tucked away in the junk parts
:bin.
:
:Cheers,
:Alan
:


I wouldn't mind grabbing it off you to add to my collection of memorabilia....
 
"Ross Herbert" <rherber1@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:mv6vg45u72lu7sdjm6jbhosjnvd5vs9npe@4ax.com...
On Tue, 4 Nov 2008 07:40:42 +0900, "K Ludger" <kjlkj@kljl.org> wrote:

:
:
:"Alan Rutlidge" <don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote in message
:news:490ef4d3$0$22655$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
:
:> "K Ludger" <kjlkj@kljl.org> wrote in message
:> news:490d3ccf$0$22630$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
:
:
:>> "Alan Rutlidge" <don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote in message
:>> news:490d22b5$0$22608$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
:
:>>> "Bobby" <bob@bobsville.com> wrote in message
:>>> news:v6POk.10052$sc2.1098@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
:
:>>>> "John" <john@junk.com> wrote in message
:>>>> news:gee2q5$ql$1@news-01.bur.connect.com.au...
:>>>>> When I was a kid (in the 70s) the family house had a phone
extension
:>>>>> in my parents' bedroom.
:>>>>> I remember being told that Telstra (or whatever they used to be
called
:>>>>> then...) should not find out because they would charge us more for
the
:>>>>> phone service, or we would get in trouble for tampering with the
:>>>>> installation, or some such thing.
:
:>>>>> Was this ever actually the case?
:
:
:
:>>>> Where I came from in Africa we used drums. If the Chief caught you
:>>>> strapping an extension drum to your back you were in big trouble -
you
:>>>> were put into the pot and cooked.
:
:
:
:>>> LOL - best contribution to this thread so far. :)
:
:
:>> mmmmmm, I wonder if "Bobby" is a psuedo for one of the training school
:>> instructors who used to tell us TOITs/TTOs in depth of his Africa/PNG
:>> travels.
:
:> Dunno, but it sounds like a familiar yarn.
:> Quite a few of the instructors I know of worked in PNG and had some
:> interesting tales to tell.
:
:
:
:
:Shame the old Manning Training Centre (WA) was demolished. In hindsight
it
:was a pretty significant place.
:

Or the old Lord Street training school before that. Actually it was a
pretty
boggy collection of old WW2 sheds with one main brick building for the
Scots
principal, Jim Douglas. He was a great old guy who went to bat for a
number of
trainee techs who got into trouble with the law - borrowing cars,
shop-lifting
and the like. He would go guarantor for their future good behaviour and
none
that I know let him down.
Click to expand...
I was a bit late for Lord St.

Their were a few good guys at Manning. I think Jack Keilly was the OIC, guys
like Cliff Pilgrim, Bob Boyes and others I've forgotten were good
instructors and also good blokes. I still recall some of Keith Perry's
(believe it or not) stories.
 
"Alan Rutlidge" <don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote in message
news:490ef41f$0$22628$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
Low Hertz, but big on the "it hurts" factor - LOL
No pun intended.
Click to expand...
Surely that pun WAS intended.

MrT.
 
"Ross Herbert" <rherber1@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:u19vg49u5uursecqjape7cqo42852urj8t@4ax.com...
On Mon, 3 Nov 2008 21:45:23 +0900, "Alan Rutlidge"
don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote:

:Hi Ross,
:
:2 pair internal is still the standard cable used these days.
:I've probably still got one of these modules tucked away in the junk
parts
:bin.
:
:Cheers,
:Alan
:


I wouldn't mind grabbing it off you to add to my collection of
memorabilia....
Click to expand...
How many metres or feet of it do you want Ross?
 
"Ross Herbert" <rherber1@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:g38vg4tok5efbf7g5nfe0bmrqtlu2t3o57@4ax.com...
On Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:19:49 +1000, qmod <qmod@internode.off.net> wrote:

:Ross Herbert wrote:
:
:> :Bob
:
:> When I started in the PMG in 1956 the standard phone was the 300 series
and I
:
:
:You must have been sent to one of the more modern exchanges at that
:time, I started a few years after you but we only had the older magneto
:phones and exchanges in the district.

While I did work mostly in the city I also did my stints in the outer
metro
exchanges like Armadale, when it was still magneto service, and Kalamunda
just
after it changed to auto. The latter exchange used old refurbished Keith
Line
Switches (plungers) as the primary line finders. Much of the line plant in
these
areas was still aerial construction and "walking the route" was performed
by the
trainee when line faults required fixing after a storm. The only way to
find
that broken wire, popped insulator or tree branch across the line was to
actually walk the route.
Click to expand...
What, no PET?
Mind you, if the distance wasn't great, a walk in the sunshine probably
didn't do any harm.

:
:I recall that some of the older techs made sure that one of us trainees
:was hanging on to the line when they tested with their "portable" phone.
:
:That 90 0r so volts sure livened things up a bit.

An old trick played in training school... wire up a metal stool and a pair
of
side cutters to a hand magneto during a break period and when the
unsuspecting
trainee returned, sat down and grabbed the cutters, the magneto was madly
cranked by the joker.
Click to expand...
We used it charge up high voltage capacitors, bend the leads over and chuck
them to an unsuspecting victim whilst yelling - "hey catch this".
Another trick was to place the lead of a pencil across the 50V bench power
supply outlets and drape the hair of a sleeping trainee across it.
Turn on the power, watch the carbon get quite hot and smoke up his hair.
Long hair was fashionable in the 70's. :p

I won't even begin to tell you what we did with a roll of jumper wire, the
ring output from a ringer rack and a toilet seat. :) (evil grin)
 
"K Ludger" <kjlkj@kljl.org> wrote in message
news:490fa699$0$22657$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
"Ross Herbert" <rherber1@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:mv6vg45u72lu7sdjm6jbhosjnvd5vs9npe@4ax.com...
On Tue, 4 Nov 2008 07:40:42 +0900, "K Ludger" <kjlkj@kljl.org> wrote:

:
:
:"Alan Rutlidge" <don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote in message
:news:490ef4d3$0$22655$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
:
:> "K Ludger" <kjlkj@kljl.org> wrote in message
:> news:490d3ccf$0$22630$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
:
:
:>> "Alan Rutlidge" <don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote in
message
:>> news:490d22b5$0$22608$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
:
:>>> "Bobby" <bob@bobsville.com> wrote in message
:>>> news:v6POk.10052$sc2.1098@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
:
:>>>> "John" <john@junk.com> wrote in message
:>>>> news:gee2q5$ql$1@news-01.bur.connect.com.au...
:>>>>> When I was a kid (in the 70s) the family house had a phone
extension
:>>>>> in my parents' bedroom.
:>>>>> I remember being told that Telstra (or whatever they used to be
called
:>>>>> then...) should not find out because they would charge us more for
the
:>>>>> phone service, or we would get in trouble for tampering with the
:>>>>> installation, or some such thing.
:
:>>>>> Was this ever actually the case?
:
:
:
:>>>> Where I came from in Africa we used drums. If the Chief caught you
:>>>> strapping an extension drum to your back you were in big trouble -
you
:>>>> were put into the pot and cooked.
:
:
:
:>>> LOL - best contribution to this thread so far. :)
:
:
:>> mmmmmm, I wonder if "Bobby" is a psuedo for one of the training
school
:>> instructors who used to tell us TOITs/TTOs in depth of his Africa/PNG
:>> travels.
:
:> Dunno, but it sounds like a familiar yarn.
:> Quite a few of the instructors I know of worked in PNG and had some
:> interesting tales to tell.
:
:
:
:
:Shame the old Manning Training Centre (WA) was demolished. In hindsight
it
:was a pretty significant place.
:

Or the old Lord Street training school before that. Actually it was a
pretty
boggy collection of old WW2 sheds with one main brick building for the
Scots
principal, Jim Douglas. He was a great old guy who went to bat for a
number of
trainee techs who got into trouble with the law - borrowing cars,
shop-lifting
and the like. He would go guarantor for their future good behaviour and
none
that I know let him down.

I was a bit late for Lord St.

Their were a few good guys at Manning. I think Jack Keilly was the OIC,
guys like Cliff Pilgrim, Bob Boyes and others I've forgotten were good
instructors and also good blokes. I still recall some of Keith Perry's
(believe it or not) stories.
Click to expand...
Well, strange as it may seem the Manning Training School social club is
still alive and well.
We meet on the second Wednesday of every month at the Mt. Pleasant Bowling
Club at about 4PM for drinks and we hold a Christmas BBQ every year. Many
of the old faces still turn up if they can make it.
Keith Perry, Bob Cook, Martin Clare, Alan Hudson, Bob Grannary, Bob Boyes,
Neville McPherson, Colin Plackett, Russell Nash and myself are regulars and
we frequently get a few former instructors from several years back like
Geoff Lofts (now pretty high up in Cisco) and John Connell turning up from
time to time.

Jack Keilly and Cliff Pilgrim may possibly not be with us any more. I'll
ask about them at the next meeting.

The training school is now completely demolished and has been for some time
now. Strangely AFAIK the block hasn't been redeveloped which is surprising,
considering its location and close proximity to the city (only 9km out via
the freeway or the train).

Cheers,
Alan
 
"Alan Rutlidge" <don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote in message
news:4910088e$0$22635$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
"Ross Herbert" <rherber1@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:g38vg4tok5efbf7g5nfe0bmrqtlu2t3o57@4ax.com...
On Sun, 02 Nov 2008 14:19:49 +1000, qmod <qmod@internode.off.net> wrote:

:Ross Herbert wrote:
:
:> :Bob
:
:> When I started in the PMG in 1956 the standard phone was the 300
series and I
:
:
:You must have been sent to one of the more modern exchanges at that
:time, I started a few years after you but we only had the older magneto
:phones and exchanges in the district.

While I did work mostly in the city I also did my stints in the outer
metro
exchanges like Armadale, when it was still magneto service, and Kalamunda
just
after it changed to auto. The latter exchange used old refurbished Keith
Line
Switches (plungers) as the primary line finders. Much of the line plant
in these
areas was still aerial construction and "walking the route" was performed
by the
trainee when line faults required fixing after a storm. The only way to
find
that broken wire, popped insulator or tree branch across the line was to
actually walk the route.


What, no PET?
Mind you, if the distance wasn't great, a walk in the sunshine probably
didn't do any harm.

:
:I recall that some of the older techs made sure that one of us trainees
:was hanging on to the line when they tested with their "portable"
phone.
:
:That 90 0r so volts sure livened things up a bit.

An old trick played in training school... wire up a metal stool and a
pair of
side cutters to a hand magneto during a break period and when the
unsuspecting
trainee returned, sat down and grabbed the cutters, the magneto was madly
cranked by the joker.


We used it charge up high voltage capacitors, bend the leads over and
chuck them to an unsuspecting victim whilst yelling - "hey catch this".
Another trick was to place the lead of a pencil across the 50V bench power
supply outlets and drape the hair of a sleeping trainee across it.
Turn on the power, watch the carbon get quite hot and smoke up his hair.
Long hair was fashionable in the 70's. :p

I won't even begin to tell you what we did with a roll of jumper wire, the
ring output from a ringer rack and a toilet seat. :) (evil grin)
Click to expand...
We thougth we invented the pencil lead arc lamp! The fine .7mm leads of the
80's were nice & bright 7 did a good job of melting the binding post
terminals.....
 
<<snipped>>

I was a bit late for Lord St.

Their were a few good guys at Manning. I think Jack Keilly was the OIC,
guys like Cliff Pilgrim, Bob Boyes and others I've forgotten were good
instructors and also good blokes. I still recall some of Keith Perry's
(believe it or not) stories.


Well, strange as it may seem the Manning Training School social club is
still alive and well.
We meet on the second Wednesday of every month at the Mt. Pleasant Bowling
Club at about 4PM for drinks and we hold a Christmas BBQ every year. Many
of the old faces still turn up if they can make it.
Keith Perry, Bob Cook, Martin Clare, Alan Hudson, Bob Grannary, Bob Boyes,
Neville McPherson, Colin Plackett, Russell Nash and myself are regulars
and we frequently get a few former instructors from several years back
like Geoff Lofts (now pretty high up in Cisco) and John Connell turning up
from time to time.
Click to expand...
There's a few more familiar names, should try to turn up at the Bowling
Club some time, it's just up the road.



Jack Keilly and Cliff Pilgrim may possibly not be with us any more. I'll
ask about them at the next meeting.
Click to expand...
I hope they are still around. I think Cliff went off to set up his own
cabling/telecoms outfit.


The training school is now completely demolished and has been for some
time now. Strangely AFAIK the block hasn't been redeveloped which is
surprising, considering its location and close proximity to the city (only
9km out via the freeway or the train).

Cheers,
Alan
Click to expand...
 
On Tue, 4 Nov 2008 17:22:43 +0900, "Alan Rutlidge"
<don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote:

:
:"Ross Herbert" <rherber1@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
:news:u19vg49u5uursecqjape7cqo42852urj8t@4ax.com...
:> On Mon, 3 Nov 2008 21:45:23 +0900, "Alan Rutlidge"
:> <don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote:
:>
:> :Hi Ross,
:> :
:> :2 pair internal is still the standard cable used these days.
:> :I've probably still got one of these modules tucked away in the junk
:> parts
:> :bin.
:> :
:> :Cheers,
:> :Alan
:> :
:>
:>
:> I wouldn't mind grabbing it off you to add to my collection of
:> memorabilia....
:
:How many metres or feet of it do you want Ross?
:
:

Not the 2pr cable - I have heaps of that already.
 
On Tue, 4 Nov 2008 17:32:13 +0900, "Alan Rutlidge"
<don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote:

:What, no PET?
:Mind you, if the distance wasn't great, a walk in the sunshine probably
:didn't do any harm.
:

PET's were only issued to long line terminal exchanges, not local service only
exchanges.

And it was often still raining when I had to walk the route.

:
:We used it charge up high voltage capacitors, bend the leads over and chuck
:them to an unsuspecting victim whilst yelling - "hey catch this".
:Another trick was to place the lead of a pencil across the 50V bench power
:supply outlets and drape the hair of a sleeping trainee across it.
:Turn on the power, watch the carbon get quite hot and smoke up his hair.
:Long hair was fashionable in the 70's. :p

With only 50V dc to play with a charged cap doesn't tickle that much. If you
wanted to risk it you could always use the -50V main equipment supply and the
+50V metering supply to get 100V to charge the cap.

It was better if you were at a long line station where 130Vdc was available.


:
:I won't even begin to tell you what we did with a roll of jumper wire, the
:ring output from a ringer rack and a toilet seat. :) (evil grin)
:


We weren't so keen to have a law suit brought against us...

Our best trick was to install a magneto bell under the floorboards of a lecture
room connected to the pabx ringer machine and a foot operated switch under a
desk. During the lecture the instructor thought the phone was ringing and
answered it - several times. After much frustration at hearing dial tone when
answering the phone he started to become quite angry and suspected the trainees
of having a joke at his expense. He cleared the room and did a search and found
the bell and footswitch and ripped the lot out. When we finally re-assembled to
continue the lecture, an old Westclox alarm clock took off with a raucous alarm
- this had also been pre-set to go off half an hour before afternoon tea, and it
was hidden under an upturned rubbish bin near blackboard. That was the final
straw. The instructor saw red and picked the clock up and hurled it against the
wall. He was a broken man, and the lecture was over for the day.

We did get another lecture from the principal the next day....
 
On Tue, 4 Nov 2008 10:34:14 +0900, "K Ludger" <kjlkj@kljl.org> wrote:

:
:
:I was a bit late for Lord St.
:
:Their were a few good guys at Manning. I think Jack Keilly was the OIC, guys
:like Cliff Pilgrim, Bob Boyes and others I've forgotten were good
:instructors and also good blokes. I still recall some of Keith Perry's
:(believe it or not) stories.
:
:


I remember Jack Keily and Bob Boyes. Keith Perry was also a 1956 intake TiT and
hopefully he will be at our reunion lunch today at Mundaring Hotel.
 
On Tue, 4 Nov 2008 17:51:57 +0900, "Alan Rutlidge"
<don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote:

:
:"K Ludger" <kjlkj@kljl.org> wrote in message
:news:490fa699$0$22657$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
:>
:>
:> "Ross Herbert" <rherber1@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
:> news:mv6vg45u72lu7sdjm6jbhosjnvd5vs9npe@4ax.com...
:>> On Tue, 4 Nov 2008 07:40:42 +0900, "K Ludger" <kjlkj@kljl.org> wrote:
:>>
:>> :
:>> :
:>> :"Alan Rutlidge" <don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote in message
:>> :news:490ef4d3$0$22655$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
:>> :>
:>> :> "K Ludger" <kjlkj@kljl.org> wrote in message
:>> :> news:490d3ccf$0$22630$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
:>> :>>
:>> :>>
:>> :>> "Alan Rutlidge" <don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote in
:>> message
:>> :>> news:490d22b5$0$22608$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
:>> :>>>
:>> :>>> "Bobby" <bob@bobsville.com> wrote in message
:>> :>>> news:v6POk.10052$sc2.1098@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
:>> :>>>>
:>> :>>>> "John" <john@junk.com> wrote in message
:>> :>>>> news:gee2q5$ql$1@news-01.bur.connect.com.au...
:>> :>>>>> When I was a kid (in the 70s) the family house had a phone
:>> extension
:>> :>>>>> in my parents' bedroom.
:>> :>>>>> I remember being told that Telstra (or whatever they used to be
:>> called
:>> :>>>>> then...) should not find out because they would charge us more for
:>> the
:>> :>>>>> phone service, or we would get in trouble for tampering with the
:>> :>>>>> installation, or some such thing.
:>> :>>>>>
:>> :>>>>> Was this ever actually the case?
:>> :>>>>>
:>> :>>>>>
:>> :>>>>>
:>> :>>>> Where I came from in Africa we used drums. If the Chief caught you
:>> :>>>> strapping an extension drum to your back you were in big trouble -
:>> you
:>> :>>>> were put into the pot and cooked.
:>> :>>>>
:>> :>>>>
:>> :>>>
:>> :>>> LOL - best contribution to this thread so far. :)
:>> :>>>
:>> :>>
:>> :>> mmmmmm, I wonder if "Bobby" is a psuedo for one of the training
:>> school
:>> :>> instructors who used to tell us TOITs/TTOs in depth of his Africa/PNG
:>> :>> travels.
:>> :>
:>> :> Dunno, but it sounds like a familiar yarn.
:>> :> Quite a few of the instructors I know of worked in PNG and had some
:>> :> interesting tales to tell.
:>> :>
:>> :>
:>> :>
:>> :
:>> :Shame the old Manning Training Centre (WA) was demolished. In hindsight
:>> it
:>> :was a pretty significant place.
:>> :
:>>
:>> Or the old Lord Street training school before that. Actually it was a
:>> pretty
:>> boggy collection of old WW2 sheds with one main brick building for the
:>> Scots
:>> principal, Jim Douglas. He was a great old guy who went to bat for a
:>> number of
:>> trainee techs who got into trouble with the law - borrowing cars,
:>> shop-lifting
:>> and the like. He would go guarantor for their future good behaviour and
:>> none
:>> that I know let him down.
:>
:> I was a bit late for Lord St.
:>
:> Their were a few good guys at Manning. I think Jack Keilly was the OIC,
:> guys like Cliff Pilgrim, Bob Boyes and others I've forgotten were good
:> instructors and also good blokes. I still recall some of Keith Perry's
:> (believe it or not) stories.
:>
:
:Well, strange as it may seem the Manning Training School social club is
:still alive and well.
:We meet on the second Wednesday of every month at the Mt. Pleasant Bowling
:Club at about 4PM for drinks and we hold a Christmas BBQ every year. Many
:eek:f the old faces still turn up if they can make it.
:Keith Perry, Bob Cook, Martin Clare, Alan Hudson, Bob Grannary, Bob Boyes,
:Neville McPherson, Colin Plackett, Russell Nash and myself are regulars and
:we frequently get a few former instructors from several years back like
:Geoff Lofts (now pretty high up in Cisco) and John Connell turning up from
:time to time.
:
:Jack Keilly and Cliff Pilgrim may possibly not be with us any more. I'll
:ask about them at the next meeting.
:
:The training school is now completely demolished and has been for some time
:now. Strangely AFAIK the block hasn't been redeveloped which is surprising,
:considering its location and close proximity to the city (only 9km out via
:the freeway or the train).
:
:Cheers,
:Alan
:


Most of those names are familiar. I still see Colin Plackett regularly at ATHS
meetings. I might drop by Mt Pleasant BC next Wednesday and have a beer...
 
"Ross Herbert" <rherber1@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:elu1h4hqmvn1i9jli4m1plska4jch2i2eu@4ax.com...
On Tue, 4 Nov 2008 17:22:43 +0900, "Alan Rutlidge"
don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote:

:
:"Ross Herbert" <rherber1@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
:news:u19vg49u5uursecqjape7cqo42852urj8t@4ax.com...
:> On Mon, 3 Nov 2008 21:45:23 +0900, "Alan Rutlidge"
:> <don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote:
:
:> :Hi Ross,
:> :
:> :2 pair internal is still the standard cable used these days.
:> :I've probably still got one of these modules tucked away in the junk
:> parts
:> :bin.
:> :
:> :Cheers,
:> :Alan
:> :
:
:
:> I wouldn't mind grabbing it off you to add to my collection of
:> memorabilia....
:
:How many metres or feet of it do you want Ross?
:
:

Not the 2pr cable - I have heaps of that already.
Click to expand...
Sorry, obviously the anti-tinkle module. When if dig it out you are welcome
to have it.

Cheers,
Alan
 
"Ross Herbert" <rherber1@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:eru1h4d7103bc49obc1mi7h4bkeolsovbp@4ax.com...
On Tue, 4 Nov 2008 17:32:13 +0900, "Alan Rutlidge"
don't_spam_me_rutlidge@iinet.net.au> wrote:

:What, no PET?
:Mind you, if the distance wasn't great, a walk in the sunshine probably
:didn't do any harm.
:

PET's were only issued to long line terminal exchanges, not local service
only
exchanges.

And it was often still raining when I had to walk the route.

:
:We used it charge up high voltage capacitors, bend the leads over and
chuck
:them to an unsuspecting victim whilst yelling - "hey catch this".
:Another trick was to place the lead of a pencil across the 50V bench
power
:supply outlets and drape the hair of a sleeping trainee across it.
:Turn on the power, watch the carbon get quite hot and smoke up his hair.
:Long hair was fashionable in the 70's. :p

With only 50V dc to play with a charged cap doesn't tickle that much. If
you
wanted to risk it you could always use the -50V main equipment supply and
the
+50V metering supply to get 100V to charge the cap.

It was better if you were at a long line station where 130Vdc was
available.
Click to expand...
MiniLab power supplies were a good source of HV above 200 volts and were
often used to charge up the caps.

:
:I won't even begin to tell you what we did with a roll of jumper wire,
the
:ring output from a ringer rack and a toilet seat. :) (evil grin)
:


We weren't so keen to have a law suit brought against us...

Our best trick was to install a magneto bell under the floorboards of a
lecture
room connected to the pabx ringer machine and a foot operated switch under
a
desk. During the lecture the instructor thought the phone was ringing and
answered it - several times. After much frustration at hearing dial tone
when
answering the phone he started to become quite angry and suspected the
trainees
of having a joke at his expense. He cleared the room and did a search and
found
the bell and footswitch and ripped the lot out. When we finally
re-assembled to
continue the lecture, an old Westclox alarm clock took off with a raucous
alarm
- this had also been pre-set to go off half an hour before afternoon tea,
and it
was hidden under an upturned rubbish bin near blackboard. That was the
final
straw. The instructor saw red and picked the clock up and hurled it
against the
wall. He was a broken man, and the lecture was over for the day.

We did get another lecture from the principal the next day....
Click to expand...
At one stage pagers were all the go. Keith Perry had a pet hate for them,
especially if they went off in his class.
In one of his classes there were so many interruptions from the beeping
pagers he decided he had to get the message across that the constant
interruptions from the beeping wasn't appreciated. So he talked to one of
the guys from sales and acquired a pager.

At the beginning of the day he asked all the students who had pagers with
them to switch them off. Knowing full well most would not he arranged with
one of the other instructors to ring his pager. As soon as the pager beeped
he ripped it off his belt and took to it with hammer, smashing it to bits on
the table in front of the students, muttering something on the lines "... I
bloody hate these pager thingies..." As one can imagine, all the students
who had pagers on them immediately checked to make sure their pagers were
turned off.

Now of course Keith wouldn't have really smashed his pager to bits - he
actually did it to a dummy display model he got from the sales guys.
His own pager which did go off was safe inside his pocket. Never the less
it had a lasting effect. The word quickly got around not to bring your
pager into Keith's classes for fear it may suffer a similar fate. If only I
could achieve such success with mobile phones. :-(

Cheers,
Alan
 
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