I was wondering if any of the oldtimers here installed the pre-amphenol 565h sets?The BSP shows four or five 44a blocks were required.It seems that between mounting the backboard and 44a blocks,stripping and terminating the inside wiring cable,and then terminating the spade tips of the d42a cord,it must have taken almost an hour to install one set.And I imagine that installing a 465 series set was worse.

An hour sounds about right. I never installed them. I disco'd quite a few that NY Tel left behind that were in the way of our installations.

We had one job once, way out on Suffolk County that was in an old mansion. The company I worked for then (1977) had bought the existing cable plant from NY Tel and I was given the job to install a 1A2 system.

"What could be easier?" I was told. "It's a cable buy."

The cable was old color code mounted on all 44a blocks. It would have been faster to rerun the job, except the cable wouldn't have been hidden. I had to figure out the color code, make up amphenol tails to wire to the blocks at the station end and then make up more tails at the head end to the KSU. Of course they hadn't used 25 pair either (I don't remember what the cable count was, but I remember that had to be creative with A1 leads and lamp grounds).

A job and a half.

Sam

What is a 44a block?

It's just a connecting block for 5 pairs if I remember right.

Jeff;

Dave is right on. A 44A block is a five pair screw-terminal block, very similar to a 42A block but larger. Backboards were available to permit them to be stacked with one common cover. These were used for multi-line phones with spade-tipped terminals on the line cords before 25 pair connectors came along.

[img]https://www.phonecoinc.com/topic.as...up=misc&category=Acc&topic=01056[/img]

https://www.phonecoinc.com/topic.as...up=misc&category=Acc&topic=01056

The photo is a 44A block with the cover on. Underneath are 10 screws and channels to guide the I/W leads and cord conductors.

I converted lots of 1A system 464 and 564 sets using the original color code to the new sets with amphenols, using the even count code. The T, R, B & H leads were in order, but the lamps used the yellow group. The first line lamp used Bl/Y, the second used Or/Y, etc.

This is a pic of the tie down on 4 44A blocks which were mounted on a wooden backboard. The 44A block were roughly this shape. The cable was tied down and then spade tips from the cord from the set was then tied down on the block. In the beginning maybe 2 cables plus the set would be tied down on each screw putting multiple sets on a single run. Single 44A blocks were used on AE 87 sets and on AE 187 sets until amphenol ended cords came out.

Oh the memories, when i worked for PT&T we did the new addition to the SOCAL GAS CO.

it was tough doing those on the floor screwed to your installers grip, so I had the boss get 2 splicers stools mounted a long backboard at an angle, loaded the little bins with blocks,covers, and the 44a back boards. Now we could sit down do up a block, (less than an hour) slide over to the next location and do it all over again.a real time saver and of course no acknowledgement.

But look at the bright side, Jim....You can still walk upright. I can't even imagine doing those things the hard way. Even a 66E3 block pushes my knees to the limit.

Oh yeah I do walk upright after everthing gets all lined up.

and I have the old cloth line cords from those days... my 464, 444's had them on them. got a few of the 44A blocks with the backboards... they come on handy still. though they are a hassle to wire... darn spades won't sit still for me to tighten the screw.... anyway, the old system is still good if you don't mind spending the time installing it.... just have to remember the OLD wiring scheme... (thats a hassle) now I've upgraded to the newer wiring... thats easier! CAT 5e... the 44A blocks work great for this...