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Old 7th Apr 2011, 10:48 pm   #21
Dave Moll
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Default Re: BT Herald PABX

Thank you for finding that. At least my telephone system now knows the correct time and date - or at least I assume that it does, as I have not yet found a way of getting it to tell me what it has stored. I also find myself wondering what functions use that information.

I wonder what other gems there are hidden within Bob Freshwater's site.
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Old 7th Apr 2011, 10:56 pm   #22
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Default Re: BT Herald PABX

Hi,
The time on most fully featured PBXs of this type is used for things such as reminder calls and differing incoming ringing options during day (office hours for example) and night.

Andrew
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Old 20th Jun 2011, 1:30 pm   #23
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Default Re: BT Herald PABX

I've just found this site, which I've not seen before. Apologies if it'a already been mentioned.

https://sites.google.com/site/heraldpentara/home
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Old 21st Jun 2011, 2:51 pm   #24
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Default Re: BT Herald PABX

Many thanks for that link. I wasn't aware of it, and it appears to have some of the documents I have been seeking for some time.

That's my bedtime reading for tonight sorted!
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Old 21st Jun 2011, 6:24 pm   #25
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Default Re: BT Herald PABX

Incidentally, I notice in the Document Library section of the site the statement: "If you have some documents, stories or Pictures that I don't please get in touch !"

Unfortunately, I cannot find any contact details for me to do that. As mentioned earlier in the thread, I have a copy of the Pentara Documentation System manual - which doesn't appear on the site.
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Old 22nd Jun 2011, 9:15 am   #26
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Default Re: BT Herald PABX

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Moll View Post
Incidentally, I notice in the Document Library section of the site the statement: "If you have some documents, stories or Pictures that I don't please get in touch !"

Unfortunately, I cannot find any contact details for me to do that.
I'm PM'd you with a suggestion
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Old 23rd Jun 2011, 3:49 pm   #27
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Default Re: BT Herald PABX

Thanks to the programming guide from Hywel Clatworthy's site I have identified that a gap in the list of extension numbers and a powered but otherwise dead circuit were the result of extension 130 being "busied out" - so I now have one more usable extension.

I have now established contact with Hywel.
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Old 28th Oct 2011, 10:26 pm   #28
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Default Re: BT Herald PABX

Good news, everybody...

With thanks to a forum member for pointing me in the right direction, I have now purchased a set of course notes for GPO telephone engineers installing Herald PBX systems. Although the details are for an earlier version of the Herald, it was straightforward to work out the differences for the Pentara Plus.

Amongst other things, I have now finally managed to identify the connections for the two exchange lines, including how to connect power-fail arrangements - as well as explaining why the connections I had identified are where they are.

The really useful section of the notes explains how the connections on the cables map to the Auxiliary Slide-in Units (ASUs) containing the various function cards. Relating this to the unit I have gives the following:

Code:
         ASU slots 1-4 – power supply and processor
Z1-Z4    TEst Access Modem (TEAM)
Z5-Z8    spare
Z9-Z16   ASU 5 – 4-wire extension x4 (2 pairs per extension)
Z17-Z24  ASU 6 – 2-wire entensions x8 (1 pair per extension)
Z25      unused
A1-A8    ASU 7 – 2-wire entensions x8 (1 pair per extension)
A9-A16   ASU 8 – inter-PBX x1 (4 pairs + 4 spare?)
A17-A24  ASU 9 – MF dialling option (no external connections)
A25      unused
B1-B8    ASU 10 – exchange line x2 (4 pairs per line*)
B9-B16   ASU 11 – spare
B17-B24  ASU 12 – spare
B25      unused

*pair 1 – line
 pair 2 – signal earth x2
 pair 3 – extension circuit (for power-fail arrangements)
 pair 4 – telephone extension (for power-fail)
I quite like the flexibility in the power-fail arrangements - in that any extension can be designated as a power-fail terminal by diverting its connection via the power-fail input and output pairs associated with the exchange line i.e. the connection goes from the extension slot to pair 3, then from pair 4 to the external wiring. In normal (powered) state this is a straight-through connection not associated with the exchange line, but in power fail the output is switched across to a direct connection to the line.

The one minor problem I have is that I have to bring the (otherwise unused) third cable into use for access to the exchange lines. As I cannot see myself making use of the inter-PBX function, I am considering swapping the final three ASUs round so that the inter-PBX card comes last. I wonder, however, whether that will cause problems with the stored database - which I have no means of updating. Probably a case of "suck it and see" so to speak.
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Old 31st Oct 2011, 11:23 am   #29
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Default Re: BT Herald PABX

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Moll View Post
a case of "suck it and see"...
I sucked it, but didn't like the taste. Unfortunately, it would appear that the database is aware which slots the ASUs are in and objects to them being elsewhere. It seems I am therefore stuck with bringing cable "B" into use for the exchange lines.
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Old 29th Nov 2012, 5:22 pm   #30
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Default Re: BT Herald PABX

I don't have a Pentara, but I've got a couple of Pentara terminals cleaned up and on display with a couple of Ambassador phones.
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Old 1st Jul 2016, 6:45 pm   #31
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Default Re: BT Herald PABX

I was a subscribers apparatus and line engineer and worked on the Herald along with a few other key switch systems; Optera, klinsman and Monarch.

I cant even remember how I would take the cover off now though lol
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Old 2nd Jul 2016, 12:24 am   #32
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Default Re: BT Herald PABX

Wow, what a trip down memory lane!

We couldnt fit these things quickly enough, back in the day. I lived and breathed most of the Merlin stuff; 6022 (Tie) (yuk!), 2616 (yuk!), Senator, Ambassador, EKLU, but more usually the bigger stuff; (they changed the branding from 'Merlin' to 'large switch' for some bizarre reason) Herald, Herald B8 (A Herald upgraded to a Pentara, by changing the proc Board) plus Pentara, Octara, Viceroy, Kinsman, TSX50. I liked the Mitel stuff best, esp the TSX50, and Kinsman.

On the original Herald, the operator terminal was X23. This changed to X123 on the Pentara, or Herald B8 upgrade. Power fail arrangements were freely selectable, by jumpering, in the Box Conn 331A(?) later BC334(?)
IIRC, the cards were inserted, starting from the RHS (obviuosly after the PSU, and Proc, etc) with the Exchange lines first, then PWs (if any), then the extensions; this would then tally up with the 50w cables, connected to the backplane.

Oh wow, take me back to the days of the 9-day fortnight, 14-day three week, SDO days, NTA allowances, Bedford HAs, unlimited o/t, licence-to-print IMAP codes, and no dress code.......

Its all go, on the GPO........!

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Old 2nd Jul 2016, 2:57 pm   #33
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Default Re: BT Herald PABX

Thyristor- or the Heady days of the "THREE DAY WEEK", where one of our transmission mobile blokes was head to say "I'm quite happy with my one day week".
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Old 11th Aug 2016, 9:42 pm   #34
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Default Re: BT Herald PABX

I visited Monument TE for a meeting today and look what I found in the corner of the room...
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Old 12th Aug 2016, 7:20 am   #35
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Default Re: BT Herald PABX

I see it appears to have a small number of its connecting cables (a three-shelf unit has eleven RJ21 cables!) plugged into a distribution box on the wall behind it. Do they have it up and running?
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Old 13th Aug 2016, 1:57 pm   #36
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Default Re: BT Herald PABX

The DP is installed on the wall behind it but it isn't plugged in.
The shelves look well populated too.
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