UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Dial-up bulletin boards

TonyDuell · 16th Oct 2019, 3:55 pm

On the WS2000, autoanswer (and autodial) were optional plug-in boards. I have neither in my WS2000, so I can't give any more details.

There was another option to allow control from a BBC Micro's user port (the 20 pin header on the back). This was 3 ICs to plug into the modem board (and links to cut). The ICs, I am told, came with the numbers sanded off and blobs of coloured paint on them with instructions like 'put the green dot IC in socket IC7'. That option wasn't in mine either but I trivially worked out how to do it (before I was told that having an official kit wouldn't help much).

The other thing is that the mode switch has a pin that prevents you selecting the US Bell modes (which can cause problems on the UK network). If you remove the knob (the largest knob on the panel) and the nut and washer under it, it is trivial to remove said pin. I did this to mine as I only ever use it on the line simulator and often need to test US modems.

I can send you a reverse-engineered circuit of the basic WS2000 (without autodial and autoanswer as I don't have said boards to draw out) if you want it.

16th Oct 2019, 3:55 pm	#11
TonyDuell Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK. Posts: 5,208	Re: Dial-up bulletin boards On the WS2000, autoanswer (and autodial) were optional plug-in boards. I have neither in my WS2000, so I can't give any more details. There was another option to allow control from a BBC Micro's user port (the 20 pin header on the back). This was 3 ICs to plug into the modem board (and links to cut). The ICs, I am told, came with the numbers sanded off and blobs of coloured paint on them with instructions like 'put the green dot IC in socket IC7'. That option wasn't in mine either but I trivially worked out how to do it (before I was told that having an official kit wouldn't help much). The other thing is that the mode switch has a pin that prevents you selecting the US Bell modes (which can cause problems on the UK network). If you remove the knob (the largest knob on the panel) and the nut and washer under it, it is trivial to remove said pin. I did this to mine as I only ever use it on the line simulator and often need to test US modems. I can send you a reverse-engineered circuit of the basic WS2000 (without autodial and autoanswer as I don't have said boards to draw out) if you want it.