Last Sunday I was rummaging through the doings (stored in the what-not) when I came across a small brass cylinder which had an electrical connector at one end and what looked like a small ruby embedded in the other end. There was a transparent label bearing blue lettering affixed to the cylinder. With the aid of a magnifying glass I managed to read --
BT TESTER 430B
I/C 005435
UEO/ 0802After a spot of on-line searching I found a number of references and one useful page describing an item manufactured by
Uplec Industries Ltd, Model No. 5701A. That page reads --
DESCRIPTION
The Tester detects the presence of digital encoded signals between 2 and 155 Mbit/s.
Operating in a 75ohm Digital Line System this signal will be available at a Type 43 connector point. The presence of the signal will cause an LED in the Tester to illuminate.
The Tester is not calibrated to any standard and is used only to indicate the presence of the specified signal.
USE
The Tester is used to establish signal presence on a particular Type 43 connector i.e. for continuity checks or location.
SIGNAL
HDB3 encoded 2048 kbit/s or 8448 kbit/s or 34368 kbit/s to CCITT G703.
CMI encoded 139264 kbit/s to CCITT G703.
STMI 155 Mbit/s.
CONNECTOR
Type 43 female -- push on.
WEIGHT
26g
SIZE
Body 38mm long by 12mm diameter.Having read that information, I proceeded to research the Type 43 connector and discovered it was originally created by BT.
Continuing my rummage, I came across a BNC male connector back-to-back with what looked like a male Type 43 connector. Carefully aligning both Type 43 connectors, they mated perfectly -- so I was then holding a Tester 430B with a male BNC connector.
Looking around for some means of testing the Tester, I suddenly thought of the
IFR 2843. Connecting the Tester 430B to the female BNC connector of the IFR 2843's Tx output and powering on the latter caused the red LED to illuminate. By adjusting the Tx power output it was seen that the LED's intensity then varied in step.
Memories, anyone?