Batboard

I am trying to look at all possible options for a new phone system, and in-house radio system for our new rescue squad headquarters and was wondering if anyone has any ideas on what's out there. I know a couple firehouses that have old integrated radio/phone systems, but I dont know if there made anymore, and if they will accomodate multiple tel. lines. Is there anything out there?

PriorityOne wrote:I am trying to look at all possible options for a new phone system, and in-house radio system for our new rescue squad headquarters and was wondering if anyone has any ideas on what's out there. I know a couple firehouses that have old integrated radio/phone systems, but I dont know if there made anymore, and if they will accomodate multiple tel. lines. Is there anything out there?

It's questions like yours that make me wonder why the various phone companies were in such an all-fired hurry to discontinue (and, in AT&T's case, outright destroy) all traces of the once-popular 1A2 key telephone systems.

You could do ANYthing with those systems. Modules and modifications abounded to directly interface them to radio systems. They were (and still are, where they still exist) the system of choice for radio stations who took on-air phone calls.

I know ITT still makes some 1A2 gear. You may want to look into it, if you don't mind running a 25-pair cable for each station.

Happy hunting.

Do you have an idea of how many lines you will need and how many phone sets you need? It will give us a idea of what will fit your needs.
Are you thinking of using a cordless phone system or tying the phone to the radios?
As fair as using 1A2 KTS for your project, I have installed KTS in fire dispatch and stations. But the only time I came close to tying it to a radio was to put a monitor speaker in the station so when the dispatcher had a hot call he could hit a switch and broadcast the call in the station.

Realistically I only need 2 lines, and maybe 5 or so extentions. I might just have to go with a plain old phone system, and separatley wire multiple speakers in rooms coming from a base station. I was just hoping some big old communications company out there might still make this simple technology!

I have a WECO 4 LINE KSU you can have for free. You pay actual shipping cost. PM me with a ship-to address.

A major issue that most people forget about is power for operating the phone system. Remember that if the lights go out, so does the phone system.

You need to think of a backup power source for the phone system. You may also want to look into placing some jacks in the dispatch area that the incoming lines are connected to. If you loose the whole system, you can always plug a regular phone into these jacks and still have a limited use of the telephone line. Not too many locations even think about the old single line set as a backup.

Jim

Actually a lot of the ksu's even the older ones, had a Power Failure Phone jack on the bus on the side for just that reason. It was relay-controlled, so dead unless the power went out. Some, by programming, even let you tell WHICH of your lines goes to that jack when the power goes out.

Still not clear on the radio part... do you just want to be able to hear the air in the different rooms thru the phone speakers? There are some systems out there that have Room Music; they play soft music (or whatever source is plugged in at the ksu) thru the phone's speaker. when a phone call comes in, or you lift the handset, it shuts off until done.

Won't everyone be wearing a minitor, and/or portable? wouldn't hallway speakers suffice?

OR...are you actually trying to interface 2-way comm on the radio system thru the phone?

The idea is this: The new building is a reception void. The Minitor's will not trip inside the building. I was initially going to slightly amplify the audio out from a Plectron or a radio and split it to multiple speakers. Then I was put in charge of picking the telephone system, so I thought of combining the two needs. I only NEED to recieve or hear my dispatch channel, so having a intercom/monitor feature on a phone until in use would be ideal. Talking back is optional but won't be neccessary because I will have a few base radios. To have a system, whether combined or not, that could listen to my main channel and grab attention when my tones are dropped (i.e. like a Minitor in open mode) would be ideal. Having a complete integrated system would however be nice

OK, now Im understanding totally. Been there, am actually there right now in a slightly different way...

a few options : Install a PA/Overhead paging system along with your phone system. Put a plectron somewhere, with an antenna mounted on the roof or outside of bldg, via mast, glass-mount antenna, etc. Route audio from plectron into your PA/overhead system. Poof, you're done, and very simply.

If you go with just regular phones and no "system" which includes intercom, etc. RS makes a device (or made, I have 2, would sell 1) that connects to any regular phone, and interfaces with any PA amp, which allows overhead paging by picking up any handset, and pushing * and talking. Neat, clean, cheap. you could pick up a PA deck, on ebay, cheap speakers, and have overhead paging, and building-wide plectron receive for a couple hundred. Music too!

HTH

Tom

[quote="Big Blue TO/\/\"]RS makes a device (or made, I have 2, would sell 1) that connects to any regular phone, and interfaces with any PA amp, which allows overhead paging by picking up any handset, and pushing * and talking.
Tom[/quote]

Interesting - would you happen to have the RS part number for this device?
Sounds like just the thing I'm looking for on an upcoming project...

It's the 430-0183

Below is a link to the text only product manual from RS online

http://tinyurl.com/24de3

I searched and didn't find it. I am certain it's no longer available thru the stores. There's a market somewhere for all their disco stuff, but seems to be a bigger secret than the Colonel's 7 secret herbs and spices

Tom

Hello.

1a2 key telephones need no power faiure feature, it is part of the design.
A 1a2 telephone set actually connects to the pair in question, the KSU provides signalling and lamp, a talk path for intercom, if provided, and nothing more.
The AT&T partner and partner plus systems can do just about anything a 1a2 can do, and work with standard single line telephones as well as the partner keysets.
2-way radio interface is done with little trouble, provided you can find the interface.
Most of the later stuff was not intended for use with 2-way radios.

Most new phone systems have a BackGround Music (BGM) feature but this feature would automatically switch off when the phone rings---even if this was during an alarm. And it would remain off until the ringing stops, so it would be possible to miss an alarm because of an unimportant phone call.

A small PA system is quite inexpensive and more reliable for dispatch. There are two types of speaker systems. The first is the central amplifier system. As the number of speakers increases this type becomes more efficient. The second type is is the self-amplified system. This is easy to install and is more cost effective on smaller numbers of speakers (<5 speakers).

Nearly all phone systems have a connection for external paging. This would allow messages to be broadcast from any phone in the complex. Some phone systems would also use this port to supply ringing tones on outside calls and could also control the priority of which source uses the paging system.

My personal brand of choice would be Panasonic for many reasons, but I am kind of biased. Their KX-TD digital product is the best.

Randy