SADARS

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14 April 2016 - Telecommunications by Ian Rainbow-Wood

Posted: 15 Apr 2016 06:54 AM PDT
http://www.sadars.co.uk/archives/1211


The Museum at Milton Keynes is almost an unknown treasure. Their latest
addition tells the story of communications from signal fires to
electronics. Visitors can learn to send and receive Morse code, practice
sending signals up the railway line 19th century style, visit a police
phone box, and play at being a switchboard operator at a fully working
telephone exchange.

Ian displayed some early telephone equipment including the Strowger switch
which led to the first commercially successful electromechanical stepping
switch telephone exchange system eliminating the need for a telephone
operator to connect callers. It was invented by Almon Brown Strowger, and
first patented in the United States in 1891. Because of its operational
characteristics it is also known as a step-by-step (SXS) switch. Other
items of early telephone equipment were displayed for members to examine.

A Strowger Switch