Tischfernsprecher 38 Operation

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Rotwang M
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Tischfernsprecher 38 Operation

#1

Post by Rotwang M » 28 Apr 2022, 16:38

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Tischfernsprecher 38 and Beikasten

The Tischfernsprecher 38 (Desk Telephone 38) is a desk version of the FF33 field telephone. It consists of a crank magneto phone and a battery/terminal box (Beikasten). The Tischfernsprecher 38 was typically used in an office environment by higher ranking German officers.

To explain how the Tischfernsprecher 38 works… The telephone can be hooked up to a ZB (Zetralbatterie Betrieb) system or OB (Ortsbatterie Betrieb)/SB (Schlusszeichen Betrieb) systems.

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The Beikasten contains terminals and the microphone battery.

ZB is compatible with the modern automatic central battery civilian telephone system. During WW2, the La/ZB and Lb/E terminals were to connect the phone to the ZB Selbstanschlußanlagen (SA) telephone network. When connected to the SA network, the Tischfernsprecher 38 had no rotary dial, so it could only receive incoming calls.

In OB operation, the La/OB/SB and Lb/E terminals were used to connect the phone to an OB switchboard like the small switchboard for 10 lines. The terminals could also be used to connect the phone to an SB switchboard like the Grosser Fieldklappenshrank with an Untersatz C base unit, The SB system was abandoned mid-war.

Referring to the electrical schematic below… The Tischfernsprecher 38 automatically switches between ZB and OB/SB connections when the handset is place in or removed from the cradle. This is accomplished by switch U, contacts IV and V. When the handset is in place, and the ZB connection is used, ringer voltage is directed through capacitor C1 before going to the the bells W. When the OB/SB connection is used, C1 does not tie in and the ringer voltage a passes directly to the bells W. When the handset is lifted from the cradle, the voice signal passes directly through to the the handset, when the ZB connection is used. When the OB/SB connection is used, and the handset is lifted, the voice signal is passed though capacitor C1 on the way to the handset. The handset microphone is powered by a 1.5 volt battery MB and the speaker is powered by the phone system. Power is supplied via switch U contacts I, II, and III. In other words, when the handset is lifted from the cradle, it turns on. To talk, the handset switch SpT must still be depressed.

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Tischfernsprecher 38 electrical schematic

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kabel
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Re: Tischfernsprecher 38 Operation

#2

Post by kabel » 26 Sep 2022, 14:13

Thank you for good information. I have 3 of these, one (my first) was missing the original ringer (Wechselstromwecker) so I replaced it with one from an FF33, and it works great in ea field telephone system, but I wanted to use it on my desk to answer CB calls (OB) from my regular telephone line, and then the problems started. Nothing could hold the line, the FF-33 ringer had to high resistance to hold the DC current high enough, and it was no other way without modifying further. I did some testing on my phone line and I had to go down to a resistance less than 600 ohms to hold the line,
tischfernsprecher_ob38_dc_path.jpg
I did some asking around and looking at pictures, and the 2 coils was in parallel, not series as I have seen on all other phones. Some documents I found stated 1400 ohms, and that would be so if we had 2x 700 ohms in series, but if we took it in parallel we got 350, and that worked, I just had not the right ringer. Later I got 2 others, and yes it was 350 ohms, and I have asked others, and all I have asked has 350 ohms. Some of these documents are old so the error may be from the wartime.

I could not resist to use one on my desk at job with a direct line to the computer specialist. So when everything else fails, I have the direct connection, even at a power-out.


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