Still more PBX-wise. It's (acting like it's) alive!

From: Daniel A. Seagraves <DSEAGRAV_at_toad.xkl.com>
Date: Wed Aug 18 21:29:35 1999

Well, the power problem was easy to fix. Inside the PBX, someone had
disconnected one of the live AC leads froms the screw terminal, and wrapped
the end in electrical tape. Once I figured out where it went (Which was easy,
it was the only unscrewed screw...) and applied power, it did all sorts of
fun stuff. First, the console gets VERY confused when the things boots,
and for about 30 seconds or so, the alarm goes off, all (or most of) the
lights come on, and all of the various tones (intercept, dial, busy, etc.)
sound at once. The tones themselved sound the same as the tones on the
public network today. I was hoping for something interesting... Also, I
found out the PASS and FAIL lights on the test panel are burned out. I'll
have to replace them. The next thing to do is to connect some stations
to it and see what happens. I think I have the proper wiring for this...
Also, does anyone have the pinout of a trunk connector? You see, all we have
at the destination of the PBX (Which is where I work) is Centrex service,
and it sucks because we can't do PBX type stuff like music on hold, or
transfer calls around, or pick up on any line from any phone... Right now
when the phone rings or we have to pick up on certain phones (Cause not all
of them have 4 lines, and of those that do, not all of them work.) and it's
a general mess. So, what's going to be connected to this (if possible) is
just 5 straight phone lines, and we'll have the Centrex service cancelled.
(That way we don't have to dial 2 9s for an outside line.)

SO far, from the console, I can snag a loop, and get an internal dial tone.
If I dial 9 (It is touch-tone), I can get an outside line, but there's nothing
on it so it's just silent. Also, I need to clean out the console buttons,
right now you have to mash pretty hard to make a button go. Other than hat,
I haven't been able to test much. There's no fans, and no loud noises,
it just kinda sits and hums. OH, and I did (try) doing some of the
test described in the DLP books, but a lot of them refrences use of a MAAP
device, which is (apparently) supposed to be located in the PBX cabinet,
but it isn't. The others refrence use of an "X-Ray" tape, I guess this is
like XXDP to a PDP-11. But I don't have it. SO I just skipped those.

Also, is there a special mailing list somewhere for people who play with
old phone stuff? This is getting pretty interesting, and I really hate to
keep perstering people here with this...

Anyway, more tomorrow when I drag a few extensions in!
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Received on Wed Aug 18 1999 - 21:29:35 BST