HISTORY:
At the beginning of my career in electronics, many moons ago, I worked in the telephony industry in NZ. After a few years in the tech side (Fault Control Centre & Exchange techie) I could see the rapid advancement of technology would mean the end of my job as I knew it and left that industry.
However the flame has always burned for all things relating to telephones, both at the subscriber, exchange and all things in between (two tone (not DMTF) AC trunk signalling systems used between exchanges) So whenever I crossed paths with some telephone equipment, I 'collected' it.
The last few years have been cleanup time with a LOT of the gear finding new owners and now I am approaching the end of my telephone gear collection but I still find some 'dribs n drabs' of equipment - this tweety bird transmitter is one of those items.
Widely used on the analog wired network in the 'old days' but no so much now that fibre/digital are all the 'go' HOWEVER still very useful (if you also have the receiver or sniffer!) for cable pair identification in multiple pair cabling situations. We actually used the F-set (when it was complete) for our studio analog cabling pair identification work during installation.
Enough of the background to this component, time to tell you all about it ...
This is one part of the CZ1000 F-Set from Aegis ... Australian designed and manufactured
Considered to be one of the best cable pair identifiers available (in it's day!) - thousands of linesman can't be wrong!
SPECIAL NOTE:
Alas, I am offering ONLY the transmitter unit "the stick" and without the plug/alligator clips
This component of the F-Set is shown in the photograph highlighted in a Mustard Yellow colour.
It seems the case and receiver (with the test lead still in it) have gone missing in action - I ONLY have the TX left - useless by itself, you need the receiver as well (or some sort of receiver to listen for the distinctive warbling tone on the pair under test) - I even used this transmitter to test the 4T receiver capsule from a 746 telephone, it has plenty of 'drive' and could easily be heard on the 4T
Great if you have lost your transmitter in an existing F-Set but otherwise, pretty useless!
Here are the details of this transmitter ...
AEGIS - F-Set Component (NOT the complete kit)
Part #: CZ1000 Transmitter
Transmitter ONLY
NO test lead - uses a standard 6.35mm TRS male plug with your own choice of plug or alligator clips at the distance end of the flying leads ... e.g coloured alligator clips, Telco wall socket, RJ11 or even the special plugs that were used at the exchange to insert test signals into the main distribution frame blocks.
Flashback! talking about MDF's takes me back, way back ... of course we used soldering irons but they ran on 50V not 240V AC - 50V being the primary exchange DC battery supply.
This transmitter is connected to the cable to be traced, providing a tracing signal (warble tone) which the probe or sniffer (NOT supplied) can detect. There is a "tone-on-short" feature gives confirmation of the identified pair by triggering an audible buzzer at this transmitter when the detected pair of wires are shorted together.
As these were intended for use in the telephony industry, there is also a line polarity (A & B) indicator (Red LED) on this transmitter but once again, probably of not much use these days. Of course this transmitter works fine on either 'live' or dead audio circuits.
This is NOT designed to be used for DC or AC power testing - do not use it for this purpose!
TECHNICAL INFORMATION:
Transmits 1.5 KHz to 2.1 KHz warble tone
Output: > 400 mV RMS into 600 Ω
Protection: 240V AC or up to 350V DC
Continuity: < 35 kΩ
Power requirements: 2x AA 1.5V batteries
Reliable cable pair testing is possible to at least 100m and often out to 200m
TESTING:
While I have no doubts about the functioning of this transmitter (they are very reliable), I undertook a basic test just to be sure ...
Fitted the batteries, bronze/copper contacts at each end are clean and not damaged. Using a standard TRS plug, I checked for the warbling tone output on the Tip and Sleeve, all fine here.
Short circuit indication (tone) also works (continuous tone when the pair resistance drops below 35K Ohm)
COSMETIC CONDITION:
USED
CLEAN
Minor useage scratching or marks, nothing serious.
Battery compartment slide n clip cover is not damaged and fits well.
Spring contacts for the battery are also fine.
NOTE: I will NOT be supplying the AA 1.5V Alkaline batteries, these are very commonly available and to send them with the transmitter using Australia Post is fraught with difficulties as Australia Post considers all batteries as dangerous goods.
This CZ1000 transmitter 'stick' has now been placed in a sealed clear plastic packet, awaiting a new purpose in life!
