Tone Applier explained DSCN0461

In the old long distance network there were Tone Appliers.
The idea for them was due to the fact that most busy signals in earlier times
flashed supervision. Tone Appliers were added in some tandem switches
because it was thought that should there be a call that goes through many
long distance links, possibly the sound of a busy signal could get lost in the noise. So they added the tone applier that put on the lowtone burst
on the originating end so that a clear and loud busy could be heard. Often times on the old 2600 Hz controlled long-distance microwave trunks of the early and mid-1970sm when your called party answered, quite often could be heard this burst of lowtone, even though by then, the old flashing busy signals were long gone. The tone appliers were left in.

[@AlexisKasperavicius]

I could be mistaken, but seem to recall some training film from the forties that indicated this tone on answer was to alert a long distance operator of pick-up of the called party. I suppose helpful if answer supervision on a multiple tandem call was not present, similar to this recording: ruclips.net/video/_KUwH2BrMf0/видео.htmlsi=Xo4PCY-eCgnnT1mJ&t=36

[@leroyjones6958]

Yes that is likely true too. Back in those days, some long distance trunks were fairly faint, rather noisy, and low in level. Then after a few of them would be stacked end-to-end
as was done quite frequently, the transmission was not only low in level, but quite flat in frequency response as well. It then amounted to a very tinny sounding, far away, noisy
connection that sometimes was difficult to talk through. Operators in those days were required to pronounce numbers in a very specific way to be understood through such
connections. Instead of just saying "nine" she would say "NYE---Uhhn". Not unlike the phonetic alphabet and numbers used by pilots and military. (they say nine-er).
But that ubiquitous "BAWWWWP" of old city-dialtone burst when a long distance call picked up was a big part of my boyhood telephone memories.
So I brought it back on my private exchange, so that we can continue to enjoy it! ⚔⚡⚡

[@AlexisKasperavicius]

@@leroyjones6958 I was an AT&T TSPS operator in summer 1987 and there were a few old biddies in the office who had stories! Apparently they used to "accidentally" brush a colleague with ringing current on a cord when bored! (I then moved on to 1A2 installation, and eventually PBX's like Horizon and Dimension - all gone now!) Love your setup!

[@leroyjones6958]

@@AlexisKasperavicius Oh yes. I remember when TSPS was brand new! We phone phreaks called it "tiss-piss" because it thwarted many good old hacks
such as down-upping the hookswitch at just the right time to interrupt the ANI MF spill that the 4A machine downtown issued out to the CAMA equipment.
We called this humble procedure "CAMA Fraud" and here is how it worked: After down-upping the hookswitch just as the 4A was about to go "ka-BEEP-click", there would be
a long delay, a ring, and then a CAMA operator would come on and ask for the originating number because ANI failed so now they must ask. Well it turns out that in
a crossbar #1 office such as my phone at the time was in, those CAMA operators could accept anything in the local marker group of the originating exchange.
In my case the local marker group consisted of (4) prefixes so that amounted to my choice of 40,000 numbers to give her. As long as it was in this group, the call
would go through after she entered it. I'd usually give her a test number such as a sweep tone or loop-around or something.
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TSPS put an abrupt end to that. But then a few months later after high school a girl I knew from school hired on as a TSPS operator.
I would dial 411 and play operator roulette until she answered and I'd say hello to her using her name and she'd freak out until she realized it was me!
Because back at that time they routed directory assistance out to the then brand new TSPS center. Good times.
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It all went away. So I have had to build my own. I do also have a little 1A2 that works in a 5 member hunt group in the stepper.