31 Oct
2001
31 Oct
'01
2:39 a.m.
On Wed, 31 Oct 2001, David Williams wrote:
It isn't. This modem was made in the days when you weren't allowed to
hook anything to the phone system unless it was Bell approved. This
particular box (called the "coupler") is an approved device for attaching
the modem to the phone network.
If I'm not mistaken, it contains the relays necessary for going on and off
"hook", among other circuitry that provides filtering and isolation. The
modem by itself cannot do this, and needs the coupler to fully function.
The Micromodem IIe (my first modem) had all this circuitry on-board. The
end of the modem had an RJ-14 jack that you mounted onto the back of the
computer.
I run across the couplers occasionally. The next time I see one I'll grab
it for you.
Sellam Ismail Vintage Computer Festival
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International Man of Intrigue and Danger http://www.vintage.org
You need the
coupler box for this, which isn't easy to find. It's a
black plastic box that plugs into the card, and has a phone jack on
the front.
I hoped to maybe make a new one, assuming it was just a pass
through connection of some sort.