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Old 6th Sep 2021, 9:31 pm   #1
19Seventy7
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Default BT Freeway handset

Hi all

I bought a BT freeway some time ago and it's never worked, apparently the fault is because of an IC in the handset.

I was going to test and replace this if necessary now I have some better equipment to deal with ICs.

That and it's battery pack needs replacement

How do you get the back off the handset? I've managed to unclip the bottom section but the top seems stuck fast, and no matter what I do it doesn't loosen.

Any one got any ideas?

Thanks
'77
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Old 7th Sep 2021, 8:59 am   #2
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Default Re: BT Freeway handset

isn't there a screw under the plastic part that houses the phone number label?

I've replaced that IC in the past but I can't even remember what happened to the phone.
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Old 7th Sep 2021, 1:07 pm   #3
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Default Re: BT Freeway handset

I did think that myself actually, but could never get the plastic to come out so I assumed it was fixed in from the underside so didn’t mess with it too much. I’ll give it another go.

Thanks

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Old 7th Sep 2021, 1:32 pm   #4
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Default Re: BT Freeway handset

I'd have said a plastic cover over a phone label must be removable, in order to write on the label. No?
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Old 7th Sep 2021, 1:40 pm   #5
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Default Re: BT Freeway handset

Ah, I presume this the mid-1980s Uniden-based analogue cordless phone, as opposed to the current-ish walkie-talkie of the same name.

In which case, yes, there's a single screw under the label, and yes, the label can be removed by flexing it, e.g. with the tip of a Stanley knife blade.

N.
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Old 7th Sep 2021, 1:47 pm   #6
Dave Moll
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Default Re: BT Freeway handset

Thanks for the clarification, Nick. I was a little confused that this thread seemed to be describing something different from what Google thinks a BT Freeway is.
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Old 7th Sep 2021, 2:26 pm   #7
19Seventy7
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Default Re: BT Freeway handset

Sorry for the confusion, I didn't realise there were walkie talkies with the same name. It is the cordless phone.

I've managed to get the back off which is great. Looks a little confusing inside in terms of construction but I'll get there

Thanks for the help
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Old 7th Sep 2021, 4:00 pm   #8
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Default Re: BT Freeway handset

Quote:
Originally Posted by 19Seventy7 View Post
I didn't realise there were walkie talkies with the same name.
Nor did I until I googled to see what a BT freeway looked like - and all I got were the walkie-talkies.

Of course, I should have gone to Bob Freshwater's site first!
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Old 7th Sep 2021, 5:40 pm   #9
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Default Re: BT Freeway handset

I think they're interesting looking phones - as far as phones go that is

Thats a great site, lots of useful information

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Old 7th Sep 2021, 7:16 pm   #10
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Default Re: BT Freeway handset

These were also sold by Tandy under the Radio Shack brand, with beige rather than grey accents. In fact that's where I bought my replacement IC from, the tandy service centre in Birmingham. In that case the phone would begin dialling random numbers when you went off-hook.
Seems weird to talk about fixing phones (before they had collectable value) but the chip was from memory about £18 including carriage and VAT, a replacement phone being around the £100 mark.
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Old 7th Sep 2021, 7:24 pm   #11
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Default Re: BT Freeway handset

Quote:
Originally Posted by McMurdo View Post
Seems weird to talk about fixing phones (before they had collectable value) but the chip was from memory about £18 including carriage and VAT, a replacement phone being around the £100 mark.
I agree. Had an Audioline cordless (analogue with TAM). Overhead BT line. Early one Saturday morning there was a thunderstorm and there was a flash by the bedroom window where the overhead line was fastened. Next was the 'typical' (only according to films) Buzz Buzzzz noise that dead electricals do. But it really did. Basically the uC had been killed and was doing nasty things to the supply rail that also fed the analogue stages. It was actually worthwile getting and replacing the 40(?) pin uC and said phone lasted many years after that until I went DECT in the late 90s or early noughties.
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Old 7th Sep 2021, 7:33 pm   #12
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Default Re: BT Freeway handset

Originally a Uniden EX3000, circa 1983-4 (thanks, google)
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