The Vintage Technology Association - Communication Equipment

Communication Equipment

This section includes non-domestic communication equipment, including telegraph, telephone and radio systems.

This section is currently in development. Please check back for future updates.

Gardiner & Co. Papertape Keyer

The Gardinier papertape keyer was designed to read Morse code off of a series of holes punched in a roll of double-sided paper tape, and transmit the data down a pair of wires. Since this device uses papertape that is almost identical to that of the Instructograph (pictured below), it was probably intended to be used as a Morse code practice device instead of for transmitting Morse code messages to far-off places.

The papertape is fed by an electric motor, and a small knurled knob on the front of the machine can be turned to control the speed. There is also a small plastic lever in the contact gap at the top of the machine that can be used to adjust the gap's width. At this time, this unit has not yet been restored and has never been powered up.

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'Instructograph' Code Trainer

The Instructograph is designed for teaching Morse code, and includes coursework in the form of double-sided punched papertape reels. The reels are fed through a set of contacts, which are connected to binding posts where the user can connect a code oscillator or similar device. The motive power to pull the reels through the contacts is provided by a clockwork mechanism. There is a large crank on the side of the device to wind the machine, as well as a speed control lever on the top, which allows the user to select a narrow range of speeds for the device. The speed control is hooked up to a governor, similar to the kind used in rotary phone dials. The contact gap at the point where the papertape is read is adjustable by means of a small thumbscrew.

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Western Electric 50A1 Conference Set

Also known as the Portable Conference Telephone, the 50A1 is a large system with a Trimline rotary handset and a card-cage internal construction. The 50A1 includes two high-quality color-coded microphones, manufactured by Shure.

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Western Electric 50A1 Conference Set
	Also known as the Portable Conference Telephone, the 50A1 is a large system with a Trimline rotary handset and a card-cage internal construction. The 50A1 includes two high-quality color-coded microphones, manufactured by Shure. [View Detail]