Hi All,

As I have previously posted, it has been a while since I have played telephones with a 1A2 system. Once I get my VOIP lines (sigh), I want to start expanding the system. Got the little lunchbox KSU. Four card capacity. So here are several questions that I should know, but like the math student who has not looked at an equation in years, I need a little refresher. I know these are strange newbe questions, but I do have that deer in the headlights feeling when I look at my old but working 1A2 system nicely mounted on that gray back board. I do not want to break it.

1. So I have one five line/hold phone wired to the board. It works today. The lights work when a line key is pushed. No dial tone of course, as there is no lines yet. If I want to put another five line/hold phone on the system, do I simply wire it in parallel with the first? Or does it need different connections to the KSU? I suspect that if I want to use an intercom to talk between stations, then they should not be hooked in parallel.

2. Ultimately, i want to have a call director with 18 buttons in my home system. I will take the lunchbox KSU and use it to wire the out building. So what type of KSU would be appropriate for an 18 button call director? I think that the rack type unit is what I need as it has room for 12(?) cards? I would like to have three lines, overhead page (so I can call to my wife to get me a beer), tie line to the outbuilding, and intercom. Little phones will have three line keys, overhead page key, intercom key and of course hold key.

Call director will have all three lines and maybe a couple others, tie line, intercom, page key and anything else that enters my imagination. I was thinking about a button to turn on my outdoor lights. How about a button that automatically dials a phone number?

Any way, thank you all in advance and for putting up with me.

Best,

Joe

Real comms took 200lb teletypes, hand keys, sounders, operators and cranked phones!