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Connecting an antique phone to a "modern" network.

N

Njord Noatun

Super Member
Banned
I have an old rotary (bakelite) telephone I would like to put back into service. There is no plug on it at the moment, just the four bare wires, as a former owner just patched the two (?) active wires into the matching spots inside the wall phone jack.

I use DSL at my house, which requires filters applied to each phone, so I will need to connect this phone using a modern-day phone plug (AKA "RJ-11"). So what I am looking for is some way to convert the phone to RJ-11, such as:

1) An adapter with a male RJ-11 adapter at one end and connectors (ideally, color coded) at the other end.

2) I have an RJ crimping tool, but don't know what color wire goes where inside the RJ-11: Does anyone know how to best identify how to wire an old phone for RJ-11?

Thanks for any ideas.

Best regards,
 
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The wires coming out of the phone should be red, green, yellow + black.

You probably want a 6 position plug to crimp on the end. The outer 2 positions aren't used, though, so a 4 position plug would probably work, but it'd be best to get the 6 position kind.

Looking from the top of the plug, here's the wiring order to crimp them in:

rj11_crimp.png


In the majority of cases, you _really_ only need the inner two (red and green), but do all 4 just in case. Also remember you'll need to plug it into a DSL filter.

If the wires from the phone aren't red/green/yellow/black, then it's a bit harder :-P
 
What kind of phone, and what age? Depends on what the phone was originally (or last) used for, some were set up dual for home or for office/intercom use. You're likely looking for whatever colors were hooked up to L1 and L2 inside.

Another issue you're up against if it's not likely to be solid core wire, probably stranded/rubberized jacket/silk or rubberized wrap. You won't be able to crimp directly to a modular plug, you'll need an adapter...which is why I suggested the link I suggested...have you called them to see what they say?

je
 
Fred Sanford said:
What kind of phone, and what age? Have you called them to see what they say?
Click to expand...
The phone looks a lot like the one in the attached photo, and is marked "PTT" (believed to be the Dutch state-owned phone company) on one side and "Standard" on the other. Anno ca. 1960.

I will call PhoneCoInc. Thanks.
 

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Pretty sure that red and green would be the first line; those are probably the ones you want. If you can get a model number off the phone, you might be able to get more info.
 
I was able to connect it:banana::banana::banana:!

My son called his friend on it, who said it sounded like he was on a really great phone! Could this be just another piece of evidence that vintage beats the new stuff?:yes:

For the eventuality that someone will need directions for this, here is how I did it: I took a regular phone cord (with an RJ-11 plug in each end), cut it in two, and stripped the four wires. I also stripped the four wires coming out of the phone (colored yellow, red, blue, and green).

With the RJ-11 in your hand, with the tab down, and the opening towards you, the order of the wires from the phone is, from left to right:
  1. Yellow
  2. Red
  3. Blue
  4. Green
I found the correct order by trial and error: Only wire 2) and 3) (red and blue) are significant for getting the phone to work, but I connected, by soldering, all four just in case. Once soldered, I just covered each connection up with electrician's tape.

When you think about it, it is amazing that this technology still works: After all, it has been several decades since rotary phones were manufactured. Don't ask me what I intend to do if I need to call one of those corporate lines with automated push button selection menus, though!

Thanks for everyone's advice!:thmbsp:
 
Great news! So glad you made it work! :thmbsp:
Njord Noatun said:
I was able to connect it:banana::banana::banana:!

My son called his friend on it, who said it sounded like he was on a really great phone! Could this be just another piece of evidence that vintage beats the new stuff?:yes:
Click to expand...
Yes, my favorite "headset" for my cellphone is an old 500 series handset. :D I get some looks when I pull it out of my briefcase to answer the phone... :smoke:

Njord Noatun said:
Don't ask me what I intend to do if I need to call one of those corporate lines with automated push button selection menus, though!
Click to expand...
Just keep dialing zero, You should eventually get a human. :stupid:
 
It's just that the phone company HATES the old pulse dialing equipment, because they have to keep and maintain the converters. There is probably a line item in the phone bill or plan that includes a pulse to tt converter fee, and people can request to get it removed if it is a line item on the bill.

Back in the 80's I and others where I worked were pretty good at switch hook dialling, slamming that switch hook up and down the requisite number of times at about the right speed.
 
markthefixer said:
Back in the 80's I and others where I worked were pretty good at switch hook dialling, slamming that switch hook up and down the requisite number of times at about the right speed.
Click to expand...
I was in the military in the second half of the 1970's: The barracks had phones without dialers - they were intended for incoming calls, only, from the soldier who was operating the switchboard. By "clicking" the hook a certain pattern ("9" was one click, "8" was two, etc., and with proper spacing), we were able to reverse the direction of the calls, and dial the switchboard from the barrack: Once there, it was simple for the operator soldier to connect us to the outside world. In fact, I think we were able to dial directly outside the base by simply "clicking" "0", and then clicking the external number.

Worked like a charm - Markthefixer, thanks for bringing back that memory!
 
My grandparents used to have a wall hanging phone like that in their shop. They could dial the phone in house and get it to ring in the shop somehow and tell us dinner was ready. I even won a couple tickets to a Styx / Kansas concert on that phone. I used to be pretty good at the "fast dial".
 
Njord Noatun said:
I was in the military in the second half of the 1970's: The barracks had phones without dialers - they were intended for incoming calls, only, from the soldier who was operating the switchboard. By "clicking" the hook a certain pattern ("9" was one click, "8" was two, etc., and with proper spacing), we were able to reverse the direction of the calls, and dial the switchboard from the barrack: Once there, it was simple for the operator soldier to connect us to the outside world. In fact, I think we were able to dial directly outside the base by simply "clicking" "0", and then clicking the external number.

Worked like a charm - Markthefixer, thanks for bringing back that memory!
Click to expand...

You're welcome, from an old phone phreak, who stopped just before he could be persecuted as an adult, and it no longer was a career path into phone company engineering. (oooooh... I think I just "outed myself" and my age...)
 
Njord Noatun said:
The phone looks a lot like the one in the attached photo, and is marked "PTT" (believed to be the Dutch state-owned phone company) on one side and "Standard" on the other. Anno ca. 1960.

I will call PhoneCoInc. Thanks.
Click to expand...


That is a very interesting looking phone, glad you got it working. I worked in the cell-phone industry for 11 years, coming home to real bells and rotary dials kept me sane.

je

Automatic Electric 40s, 50s, Space Savers...
Western Electric 300s, Hotel phones...
 
Njord Noatun said:
I was able to connect it:banana::banana::banana:!

When you think about it, it is amazing that this technology still works: After all, it has been several decades since rotary phones were manufactured. Don't ask me what I intend to do if I need to call one of those corporate lines with automated push button selection menus, though!

Thanks for everyone's advice!:thmbsp:
Click to expand...

That phone may survive a nuclear detonation or even a lightning strike when more modern electronic phones fail. It could be the only one left working after a catastrophic event. I'm not so sure about the wires between you and the central station, or the central station itself, but that phone and others like it can take a real beating. And, of course, unlike cordless telephones (not to be confused with cellular), your phone will work when the AC power goes out. What a concept!
 
DENNYDOG said:
My grandparents used to have a wall hanging phone like that in their shop. They could dial the phone in house and get it to ring in the shop somehow and tell us dinner was ready. I even won a couple tickets to a Styx / Kansas concert on that phone. I used to be pretty good at the "fast dial".
Click to expand...

I used to know a number to dial that would cause your number to ring. It was one of the ways service techs used to check the line.
 
Celt said:
I used to know a number to dial that would cause your number to ring. It was one of the ways service techs used to check the line.
Click to expand...

I used to know that number too. It's nice that we've forgotten the same thing.

I've got a similar black rotary phone from the early 60s in my house. My sister (yeah, sister) did the conversion.

My father-in-law has an old princess phone that I covet.
 
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