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-   -   A GPO 746 and a liGo Bluewave; Struggling to get them to work together. (https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=172549)

LTTGSecretary 28th Oct 2020 7:04 pm
A GPO 746 and a liGo Bluewave; Struggling to get them to work together.
 
Evening All,

As the thread title suggests, I recently purchased a LiGo Bluewave Bluetooth Gateway which I intend to use with a recently-purchased GPO 746. In my ignorance, however, I am struggling to work out how the two are able to connect. It appears that the 746 requires four wires going into it from the BT plug but the RJ11 Cable included with the LiGo device only outputs two wires.

I've just been looking at a wiring diagram for the 746 but I can't say that it helps me much.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, and I once again apologise for my ignorance here.

- Dan

Graham G3ZVT 29th Oct 2020 1:10 am
Re: A GPO 746 and a liGo Bluewave; Struggling to get them to work together.
 
1 Attachment(s)
Hi Dan and welcome.

So the 746 has been "converted" to use a modern BT plug?

And there was a linecord with an RJ11 on each end included with the LiGo?

Have you got a spare broadband microfilter lying around?
You can use it as an adapter to connect the phone to the LiGo like this,

Attachment 219135

The filter also contains a ringing capacitor, simulating a master socket, so the phone should ring on incoming calls.

Mine a different gateway device but the principle is the same.


You will not be able to dial outgoing calls on that phone as things stand, because it's most unlikely the Ligo will support pulse dialling. There are ways around this, but one thing at a time.

<<Edit>>, seems I may be wrong about that last point, I've just seen reviews saying they have used rotary dial phones with success, I must say I am both surprised and impressed.

£22.98 including shipping, not bad.

LTTGSecretary 29th Oct 2020 3:25 am
Re: A GPO 746 and a liGo Bluewave; Struggling to get them to work together.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by rambo1152 (Post 1304755)
Hi Dan and welcome.
So the 746 has been "converted" to use a modern BT plug?
I'm not sure whether it was converted or was issued with one. It's in a chocolate brown colour, which I gather is post-1980 issue.

Quote:
And there was a linecord with an RJ11 on each end included with the LiGo?
Well... There was... Managed to wreck one of the connectors.

Quote:
Have you got a spare broadband microfilter lying around?
No, unfortunately.

Quote:
You can use it as an adapter to connect the phone to the LiGo like this,

Attachment 219135

The filter also contains a ringing capacitor, simulating a master socket, so the phone should ring on incoming calls.
Might have to look at getting one of those; I simply ordered a BT Female - RJ11 Male adaptor.

Quote:
Mine a different gateway device but the principle is the same.


You will not be able to dial outgoing calls on that phone as things stand, because it's most unlikely the Ligo will support pulse dialling. There are ways around this, but one thing at a time.

<<Edit>>, seems I may be wrong about that last point, I've just seen reviews saying they have used rotary dial phones with success, I must say I am both surprised and impressed.

£22.98 including shipping, not bad.
That's why I chose it; I gather that it is possible to configure it for pulse dialling.

Dave Moll 29th Oct 2020 9:27 am
Re: A GPO 746 and a liGo Bluewave; Struggling to get them to work together.
 
It may be just a case of them covering their backsides, but I do notice the sentence "Please note that some older corded and cordless phones may not be able to make outgoing calls through the Bluewave." in the product description.

Pellseinydd 29th Oct 2020 4:12 pm
Re: A GPO 746 and a liGo Bluewave; Struggling to get them to work together.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Moll (Post 1304789)
It may be just a case of them covering their backsides, but I do notice the sentence "Please note that some older corded and cordless phones may not be able to make outgoing calls through the Bluewave." in the product description.
The Ligo 'box' is just a rebadged X-Link BTTN adapter which Ligo no longer support hence the reduction in price.

From memory, the X-Link worked with pulse dialling telephones. I have an X-Link somewhere but not used it for many years. I worked with X-Link in the early days of the unit on adding the UK tones and cadences not long after it came out twelve to 15 years ago. Up until then it only had the US ones. They then added various countries with a bit of 'pushing'. If you look carefully in the Ligo info you'll come across reference to downloading firmware from the X-Link website.

I bought a few Ligo boxes when they were first reduced but not got around playing with the yet. Mine came as a 'GB' version with GB PSU - not sure about the cords but I believe now you get the 'EU' version. Something else to play with while we are locked down.

They are good way of using up a unused 'free' minutes on your mobile from extensions on a phone system.

Graham G3ZVT 29th Oct 2020 4:25 pm
Re: A GPO 746 and a liGo Bluewave; Struggling to get them to work together.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by LTTGSecretary (Post 1304766)
I simply ordered a BT Female - RJ11 Male adaptor.
There are two types
This one has a built in ringing capacitor like a master socket
https://www.amazon.co.uk/RJ11-Teleph.../dp/B000Q4X9PS

but most don't
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rhinocables...ET538WPRAZVEN6

If your phone doesn't ring you can make a small modification to the internal wiring to use the internal capacitor in the phone.

LTTGSecretary 29th Oct 2020 4:32 pm
Re: A GPO 746 and a liGo Bluewave; Struggling to get them to work together.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Moll (Post 1304789)

The Ligo 'box' is just a rebadged X-Link BTTN adapter which Ligo no longer support hence the reduction in price.


From memory, the X-Link worked with pulse dialling telephones. I have an X-Link somewhere but not used it for many years. I worked with X-Link in the early days of the unit on adding the UK tones and cadences not long after it came out twelve to 15 years ago. Up until then it only had the US ones. They then added various countries with a bit of 'pushing'. If you look carefully in the Ligo info you'll come across reference to downloading firmware from the X-Link website.

I bought a few Ligo boxes when they were first reduced but not got around playing with the yet. Mine came as a 'GB' version with GB PSU - not sure about the cords but I believe now you get the 'EU' version. Something else to play with while we are locked down.

They are good way of using up a unused 'free' minutes on your mobile from extensions on a phone system.
That sounds encouraging; I'm a bit more hopeful now!

As for adaptors I ordered the first one in Rambo1152's post so that's useful!

AndiiT 29th Oct 2020 7:21 pm
Re: A GPO 746 and a liGo Bluewave; Struggling to get them to work together.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by rambo1152 (Post 1304969)
.... If your phone doesn't ring you can make a small modification to the internal wiring to use the internal capacitor in the phone....
The modification from "Three wire" to "Two wire" is as follows -

Strap T8 - T9
Strap T4 - T5 - T6 - T7
Strap T16 - T17 - T18 - T19

Some straps may already be present in the above positions, you also need to ensure that there is an internal capacitor fitted in C1/2 position on the circuit board (some later phones didn't have these fitted.)

Red of line cord to T8
White of line cord to T18

Park Green and Blue of line cord on one of spare Terminals T11, 12, 13, 14 or 15.

Regards

Andrew

Nickthedentist 29th Oct 2020 9:09 pm
Re: A GPO 746 and a liGo Bluewave; Struggling to get them to work together.
 
Very useful post Andrew.

Worth making “sticky” IMHO, mods.

LTTGSecretary 29th Oct 2020 10:35 pm
Re: A GPO 746 and a liGo Bluewave; Struggling to get them to work together.
 
I'm guessing that I won't be needing to make this alteration, given the adaptor I've ordered appears to have a ringing capacitor?

LTTGSecretary 30th Oct 2020 4:13 pm
Re: A GPO 746 and a liGo Bluewave; Struggling to get them to work together.
 
Adaptor arrived today, plugged it in, works a treat!

Now to get UK-Style ringing...


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