sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems 1A2 and Comkey Telephones & Systems 1A3 KSU?

I found this in one of my regular searches for cool keysets:

https://cgi.ebay.com/Northcom-KSU-1...220270629641&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

That was one of the earlier fully-electronic key systems that emulated 1A2 operation and didn't have a lot of features. The phones used two pairs per station and all ringing, intercom, etc. was changed through programming. It is 100% NOT compatible with 1A2.

It was also marketed under several product brand names. In addition to Northcom 1A3, it was also available through TIE under the Econ-o-Key or Delphi brand names.

Don't by it. It won't help you with your quest to collect 1A2 equipment.

phone_collector95
If you want an old 1A3 KSU and some phones to play with take a ride to Turner and I'll give them to you.

P_C95 -

There were a number of products that came out that "did 1A2" on skinny wire. 1A3 was one of them, Eagle was another one. (Eagle used 3 pairs per set and actually used 1A2 equipment [KSUs and 400 cards] if you wanted to have the same lines appear in more then one KSU).

But as Ed said - they are NOT 1A2. They duplicated the "look & feel" of 1A2 -sort of - to make the transition to a new system easier.

Sam

Are the line lamps and everything pretty much the same on 1A3?

No. As I recall they were LEDs. Everything on these sets were digital. Essentially you had a voice pair and a data pair (on some sets an additional pair for power or off-hook intercom). When you pushed down the button for line 1 you sent a digital signal to the CPU in the KSU. The CPU switched Line 1 dial tone onto your voice pair and sent a digital signal to the chip in your set to light the led for line 1. If you then pushed the hold button, the CPU would put line 1 on hold, remove the line from your voice pair and flash the led, etc.

These sets appeared to the user to function like a 1A2 set. They had line appearances, usually a red hold button and a dial intercom - but on the inside everything was digital instead of analog and electronic instead of mechanical.

Sam

Interesting. Thanks.

Thanks for the offer metelecom! Is the system still working, and does it have everything needed to be put to use? I will have to ask my dad.

PM sent

That ebay listing says that this is a 6x16. I believe it was a 6x12. Sold many of them purchased through North Supply. The north system had music on hold where the Tie system did not.