UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > Specific Vintage Equipment > Vintage Telephony and Telecomms

Notices

Vintage Telephony and Telecomms Vintage Telephones, Telephony and Telecomms Equipment

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 13th Mar 2019, 9:58 am   #1
Sparks
Heptode
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 593
Default Air Traffic Control telephone systems.

Until relatively recently, control tower telephones usually consisted of a bank of push button or toggle switches for accessing direct lines and a keypad or old rotary dial for other numbers. Does anyone know which telecom companies, if any, made these items or were they generally made in-house by airport tels departments ? I have seen GPO/BT key and lamp units being used but I don't think they were that common in control towers.

Modern systems tend to be off the shelf products by the likes of Frequentis and Drake and they've largely seen off the older equipment.

The sort of thing I mean are the blue push button switches in this picture. The lever keys are for RT frequencies.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	20190313_090457.jpg
Views:	168
Size:	29.5 KB
ID:	179843  
Sparks is offline  
Old 13th Mar 2019, 11:25 am   #2
Dave Moll
Dekatron
 
Dave Moll's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: West Cumbria (CA13), UK
Posts: 6,118
Default Re: Air Traffic Control telephone systems.

I'm not sure, but I believe that the BT Pentara PABX I was originally decommissioned from ATC at Heathrow, judging by the labels on some of the buttons on the operator's 'phone. If so, that probably gives some idea of what they had at one time.
__________________
Mending is better than Ending (cf Brave New World by Aldous Huxley)
Dave Moll is offline  
Old 13th Mar 2019, 12:41 pm   #3
Sparks
Heptode
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 593
Default Re: Air Traffic Control telephone systems.

That's a possibility Dave. There used to be a Pentara in the control tower at Blackpool airport about twenty five years ago. Perhaps the internal gubbins of Pentara and other PABXs provided the basis of what was used. Generally speaking, however, there are no obvious telephone instruments in ATC towers but rather keypads and push buttons with handsets and headsets plugged into a console.
Sparks is offline  
Old 13th Mar 2019, 12:52 pm   #4
Dave Moll
Dekatron
 
Dave Moll's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: West Cumbria (CA13), UK
Posts: 6,118
Default Re: Air Traffic Control telephone systems.

Maybe the Pentara was used in the administrative offices rather than on the "front line" of ATC. What I have is an unadulterated CCU and featurephones - albeit with some interesting programming.

Certainly, headsets for ATCs would make sense to keep their hands free.
__________________
Mending is better than Ending (cf Brave New World by Aldous Huxley)
Dave Moll is offline  
Old 13th Mar 2019, 1:21 pm   #5
nutteronthebus
Hexode
 
nutteronthebus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Glossop, Derbyshire, UK.
Posts: 487
Default Re: Air Traffic Control telephone systems.

A lot of the ATC now run on Meridian /Avaya systems now I fitted one to the Tower in Manchester 3 years ago
__________________
Any tool can be used as a hammer but a screwdriver makes the best chisel
nutteronthebus is offline  
Old 13th Mar 2019, 1:33 pm   #6
Sparks
Heptode
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 593
Default Re: Air Traffic Control telephone systems.

My guess is that OEM systems like Pentara and Meridian are installed in control towers as part of the airport's general telephone network. The ATC specific network is what is likely to use the customised equipment with the separate handsets, headsets and keypads. I may be wrong but I think I have heard the Fujitsu name mentioned in this regard. Possibly Pye TMC as well but many years ago.
Sparks is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 1:17 am.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.