Help me Make Oldish Style Phone (type 746) Work and Network Limitations?

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BixBarton

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Wannabe Geek

#254255 3-Aug-2019 21:47

Hi there. I’m new to this group but I don’t really have any particular areas of expertise. I find myself looking into something very specific and then spending a lot of time on it before morning on before I ever spread out into other related areas.

The latest bee I have in my bonnet is getting an old Type 746 phone working for my, even older, Mum.

The type 746 I have for her is the “fancy” push button version. I’ve done a lot of reading about the place and despite there being a lot of information on the rotary 746 the push button looks different wiring-wise on the inside.

For those who’ve found this post, some information on the rotary version can be found here:

https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=48&topicid=239979

I’m hoping someone here has some information on the push button version.

The information I have is a picture of what I was told was a correctly wired up NZ rotary one:
Click to see full size

Here’s an English conversion of a rotary 746
Click to see full size

Here is the writing I have in my push button version:
Click to see full size

Quite different.

I’m at a loss how to continue.

Can anyone help?

The Network limitations part is related to wether the phone actually “works” but because my Mum has Vodafone it’s just giving what sounds like an out of service sound.

I can’t make sense of this part either.

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#2289366 3-Aug-2019 22:56

I have one of those (NZPO 100 type) in use with the DTMF keypad. The wiring for the DTMF keypad has five wires White, Blue Orange Pink Brown. If your DTMF module has the same wiring I can probably help.

My phone also has the ear piece insert with the hearing aid coil and there is an extra module in the phone as well so my wiring is slightly different to normal.

Your top picture does appear to be correctly wired for a dial, though some of the colours are are to see.

There is a wiring diagram inside the case for the dial version which I'll photograph and post tomorrow. I'll also try and post more details tomorrow.

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gehenna

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#2289367 3-Aug-2019 23:00

I love Geekzone.

BixBarton

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2289368 3-Aug-2019 23:04

That would be fantastic.

The sticker text on the back is something like

G.E.C. (New Zealand) Ltd. Type 746 NZPO Type 100

A picture of you wires would be great.

Bung

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#2289369 3-Aug-2019 23:07

Can you show the keypad?

I have a suspicion that that phone may have been converted to push button in a different way to the old PO issued ones. The yellow block with a wire going through the pcb was never part of the old 1980s conversions.

IMHO these phones were obsolete over 40 years ago.

BixBarton

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2289370 3-Aug-2019 23:16

I totally agree that it is obsolete, I’m enjoying doing battle with the problem too much to give it up though.

Technofreak

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#2289371 3-Aug-2019 23:19

Bung:

IMHO these phones were obsolete over 40 years ago.

Actually with the later model electronic mics they work very well. The bells wake the dead. 😂

Wait till I tell you about the BPO model 332 with plated cords, or the 100 type PABX, or the old Button A Button B coin phone that I have.

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Technofreak

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#2289373 3-Aug-2019 23:22

BixBarton:

I totally agree that it is obsolete, I’m enjoying doing battle with the problem too much to give it up though.

That is not the DTMF keypad that was fitted by the NZPO. The buttons are quite different. What identifying marks/manufacturers name or model are on it?

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BixBarton

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2289375 3-Aug-2019 23:24

I do prefer the ringer too, as well as the way the handset feels.

If I can get it working I may try to get one for myself too.

BixBarton

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2289379 3-Aug-2019 23:32

The circuit board on the side of the buttons under the button board where the wires attach says MED CE9RK CHCH.

The underside of the actual push button board says 7a GEN 75/1 and also Edge A DPA1086.

The base has the sticker type 746 NZPO type 100

Bung

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#2289385 3-Aug-2019 23:48

Technofreak:
Bung:

IMHO these phones were obsolete over 40 years ago.

Actually with the later model electronic mics they work very well. The bells wake the dead. 😂

Wait till I tell you about the BPO model 332 with plated cords, or the 100 type PABX, or the old Button A Button B coin phone that I have.

Back in the day the emphasis was trying to get the best performance on longer lines. Now that cabinets have reduced the line length the output from some old phones can be too high. This shows up as poor echo control on long distance calls.

Bung

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#2289387 4-Aug-2019 00:07

BixBarton: The circuit board on the side of the buttons under the button board where the wires attach says MED CE9RK CHCH.

The underside of the actual push button board says 7a GEN 75/1 and also Edge A DPA1086.

The base has the sticker type 746 NZPO type 100

So likely to have been a small operator in Christchurch possibly selling phones at some place like the Riccarton market. Definitely soddered rather than soldered. If the line cord is ok chances are that the connections are in the right place but something is faulty.

BixBarton

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2289589 4-Aug-2019 13:43

You’re probably right.

I’ll see if I can find any components that look dodgy.

Is it possible that it is currently functional but that it is incompatible with Vodafone?

richms

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#2289605 4-Aug-2019 14:13

Did they ever curse the world with a pulse dialing version of the button upgrades? I have a couple of 80s/90s novelty phones that are a butchered NZ version with only backwards pulse dialing to suit the absurdity of the prehistoric phone network, and they are obviously useless to make calls on nowdays.

Richard rich.ms

Technofreak

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#2289659 4-Aug-2019 14:45

Here's the type 100 wiring diagram.

The key pad is wired on my phone as follows.

Keypad Phone Terminal Other Connection on terminal

White T14 White - Handset cord

Blue T15 Blue - Handset cord

Orange T8 Red - Plug/Wall cord

Pink T10

Brown T3

T1 Green - Handset cord

T2 Red - Handset cord

T18 Green - Plug/Wall cord

T19 White - Plug/Wall cord

T6 Blue - Plug/Wall cord

Hope this is of help.

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Goosey

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#2289723 4-Aug-2019 16:33

@bung

Not 40, more like 30-35. We still had rotary dials in the 80s...i think mid to late 80s the DTMF push buttons arrived...

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