GEC 706 CB telephone

[Sparks]

This telephone arrived this morning. It works ok but I've noticed a few oddities:

- Foam rubber lining inside the case;
- A mesh grille where the blanking button would otherwise be;
- Also just noticed very fine mesh around the insides of the bell gongs.

I assume all these are tropicalisation devices. The phone also came supplied with a very long PO420 line cord, I guess either for a British Plan system or perhaps for use in India ? I know the PO420 was once used in that country as well as the UK.

The GEC name for the phone is GECOPHONE, part number TEL2K/CTT.

[russell_w_b]

Originally Posted by Sparks

This telephone arrived this morning. It works ok but I've noticed a few oddities:

- Foam rubber lining inside the case;
- A mesh grille where the blanking button would otherwise be;
- Also just noticed very fine mesh around the insides of the bell gongs.

'I assume all these are tropicalisation devices....
The GEC name for the phone is GECOPHONE, part number TEL2K/CTT.'

It looks very similar, cradle-wise, to my 1961 Ericsson auto N1901A-43 (which actually has a tiny GEC handset logo at the cable entry). Same shiny chrome handle and paster diagram. But I can't imagine why it has a mesh blanking plate instead of a plastic blank in there! Unless it was in a humid place where moisture might accumulate in the void. Or perhaps a DFA made later if the plastic blank went missing?

Other than that, it sounds like a tropicalised version.

[Sparks]

Thanks Russell. I don't know what DFA means but the grille over the button hole is the exact size with retaining tabs so it must have been made for that purpose.

[russell_w_b]

Originally Posted by Sparks

Thanks Russell. I don't know what DFA means but the grille over the button hole is the exact size with retaining tabs so it must have been made for that purpose.

Must be something to do with the tropicalisation, I guess. Never seen one like that before. Maybe to let air pass freely through it? I can never understand whether 'tropicalisation' is to do with insects or humidity. Maybe both?

DFA is an expression we use at work. It stands for 'Different Flippin' Arrangement'.



Or something like that.

[Sparks]

Now I know!

[Sparks]

Further research has concluded it IS a tropicalised telephone, as are all of that particular GECOPHONE range. Mine must be quite old, probably about 1960. It has the original top hat carbon microphone.