sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems 1A2 and Comkey Telephones & Systems The Barracks 1A2

Hello all,

Figured I'd share my 551C KSU setup in my barracks room now that I've wall mounted (and put together) my 2851, and ran another cable for the desk on the far side of the room.

Here are the pictures, enjoy! Comments and constructive criticism are welcome!


Phone 1: W/E 2851
Location: Wall mounted where a Definity 6408D+ used to be (notice the old RJ11 jack) when my IP Office was installed.
Comments: I snuck this phone in using a Cat 5 cable run, and only ran Line 1 and no ringer, so this phone is just for convenience.


Phone 2: W/E 565
Location: In the left corner of the room on my nighstand next to my captain's bed.
Comments: It's connected to the adjacent W/E speaker.


Phone 3: W/E 2565
Location: Desk on the far side of the room.
Comments: Thanks to Mitch (aka Boskerthearkite) for this phone!


Phone 4: ITT 565
Location: Nighstand on the other side of the room.
Comments: This was a brand new phone, in the box!


Phone 5: Merlin BIS22
Location: My messy ass desk.
Comments: Obviously this isn't a 1A2 phone, but I figured it deserved an honorable mention.


Me in my Pacific Bell polo shirt, verifying dial tone on the premises



Well, what do you guys think?

The time warp barracks!

Retro phones and a really retro clock radio! Seeing the 1A2 wired with 4-pair CAT5 had be doing a double take.

Love it! Can't say I'm crazy seeing a cuckoo clock wired with 4 pair, but I totally understand doing what you have to do. The thought has crossed my mind to do the same, then I always manage to scrounge up a chunk of 25 pair from someplace. The red 2565 looks exactly like mine. Is it WECO? All you need now is to put a call director where that merlin is.

Edit: Why no ringer? 3 pair per line, you should have the wht/brn pair left over to wire up CMB, or you could have connected the ringer to T1/R1 in the phone.

Good looking phones. I don't see many 2851s out there. I've got a light blue one that I restored that's one of my favorites. My 1a2 system is pretty much limited to my office. I never thought about using CAT5 to expand throughout the house. With the right adapters, it may be cheaper than running 25 pair.

Paul: Thanks!

Chris: That's true, I remember the brown pair after I'd already put the thing back together. I'd rather not have the ringer on anyway-I might move the brown pair just to have a Busy Lamp Field for line 2 only. I already have three phones wired with ringers, so that's enough for such a small room. Funny you mention Call Director-I actually have one in near new condition. It's the newer series one. I might put it in one of these days, but for now that's a project for another day.

Podor: Thanks! Honestly I found it easier feeding the Cat 5 cable through the back, after moving the built in Amphenol out of the way and back inside the rear of the phone. This way it doesn't stick way out from the wall. I didn't even have to adjust the screw that was there for the Definity phone, I just dropped the phone right on it and it sits flat and level just fine.

My 2830 phone in the shop (thanks Sam!) is also fed by 4 pair Cat 3.

I've got a new 2830 where the red 2565 was now. I like having one of each kind of phone on display. I'll probably replace the beige ITT 565 with my black 2565 soon enough.

That really brings back memories. I still think pots and 1A2 works the best.
John 807

Nice looking phones!

Sam

I was hoping to hear from the Wise Sam Silverman soon enough!

Does anyone have any suggestions of what I should put together with it? Anything interesting?