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- =========================================================================
- Another original file presented by Sine Wave.
- Sysop of The Grey Zone BBS xxx-xxx-xxxx
- =========================================================================
-
-
- BUILDING A RED BOX
- by JR "Bob" Dobbs
-
-
- Essentially,the red box is a device used to fool the phone company
- into thinking you are depositing coins into a payphone. Every time you
- drop a coin into a payphone, the phone signals the type of coin inserted
- with one or more bursts of a combination of 1700hz and 2200hz. The tone
- bursts are coded as follows:
- Nickel:One 60 millisecond pulse
- Dime :Two 60 millisecond pulses separated by 60 milliseconds
- Quarter:Five 35 millisecond pulses separated by 35 milliseconds
-
-
- HOW TO USE IT
- -------------
-
- Operation is simple. Simply dial a long distance number (some areas
- require you to stick in a genuine nickel first), wait for the ACTS
- computer to demand your cash, and press the "deposit" button on the red
- box for each coin you want to simulate. The coin signals are coupled
- from the red box into the phone with a small speaker held to the
- mouthpiece. For local calls, either you must first deposit a genuine
- nickel before "simulating" more coins or place your call through the
- operator with 0 + 7d. Use some care when the operator is on the
- line--sometimes they catch on to your beeper ploy.
-
-
- CIRCUIT OPERATION
- -----------------
-
- Each time the pushbutton is pressed, it triggers half of IC1,
- configured as a monostable multivibrator to energize the rest of the
- circuit for a length of time determined by the setting of the coin
- selector switch. This in turn starts the other half of IC1, configured
- as an astable multivibrator, pulsing on and off at regular intervals at
- a rate determined by the 50k pot between pins 12 and 13. The output of
- the astable thus alternately powers of IC2, configured as a square wave
- oscillator, providing the required 1700hz and 2200hz to the op amp which
- acts as a buffer to drive the speaker.
-
-
- CONSTRUCTION
- ------------
-
- Assemble the circuit as you wish. Component placement is not
- critical. I found the easiest method was to use point-to-point wiring
- on a "universal" PC grid board with solder ringed holes. Use sockets if
- you aren't a whiz with a soldering iron. Be sure to leave easy access
- to the potentiometers for alignment.
-
-
- ALIGNMENT AND TESTING
- ---------------------
-
- For alignment, a frequency counter and tiggered sweep oscilloscope
- are extremely handy (but not absolutely necessary.)
-
- Install a temporary jumper from +9v supply to pin 14 of IC2 and
- temporarily disconnect the 0.01uF capacitors from pins 5 and 9 of IC2.
- Power up the circuit. Measuring the output from pin 5 of IC2 with the
- frequency counter, adjust the 20k pot between pins 1 and 6 for an output
- of 1700hz. Now adjust the 20k pot between pins 8 and 13 for an output
- of 2200hz from pin 9 of IC2. Remove the temporary jumper and re-attach
- the capacitors to pins 5 and 9. (Note: if no frequency counter is
- available, the outputs can be adjusted by ear one at a time by
- zero-beating the output tone with a computer generated tone of known
- precision.)
-
- Next, temporarily disconnect the wire between pins 5 and 10 of IC1.
- Set coin selector switch in the "N" (nickel) position. With the
- oscilloscope measuring the output from pin 9 of IC1, adjust the 50k pot
- between pins 12 and 13 of IC1 for output pulses of 60 millisecond
- duration. Reconnect the wire between pins 5 and 10. (Note: If no scope
- is available, adjust the pulse rate by ear using computer generated
- tones for comparison.)
-
- The remaining adjustments are made by ear.
-
- Leave the selector switch in the "N" position. Adjust the 50k pot
- labelled "Dime" for a quick double beep each time the pushbutton is
- pressed.
-
- Finally, set the selector to "Quarter". Adjust the 50k pot labelled
- "Quarter" until exactly 5 very quick beeps are heard for each button
- press. Don't worry if the quarter beeps sound shorter and faster than
- the nickel and dime ones. They should be.
-
-
-
- CONCLUSION
- ----------
-
- If all went well to this point, your red box should be completely
- aligned and functional. A final test should now be conducted from a
- payphone using the DATL (dial access test line) coin test. Dial
- 09591230 and follow the computer instructions using the red box at the
- proper prompts. The computer should correctly identify all coins
- "simulated" and flag any anomalies. With a little discretion, your red
- box should bring you many years of use. Remember, there's no such thing
- as spare change.!
-
-
- Parts list for Red Box
- ----------------------
-
-
- Semiconductors
- --------------
-
- (2)556 dual timer
- (1)741 Op Amp
- (1)1N914 Switching Diode
-
-
-
- Resistors
- ---------
-
- (6)10k (1)4.7k
- (2)100k
- (4)50k PC Mount Potentiometer
- (2)20k Multi-Turn Potentiometer
-
-
-
- Capacitors
- ----------
-
- (10)0.01uF (1)1.0uF
- (2)10.0uF Electrolytic
-
-
-
- Miscellaneous
- -------------
-
- (2)14 Pin Dip Socket
- (1)8 Pin Dip Socket
- (1)3-position Rotary Switch
- (1)Momentary Push-Button Switch(normally open)
- (1)SPST Toggle Switch
- (1)Speaker or Telephone Earpiece Circuit Board
- (1) Box
- (1) 9v Battery Clip
- Mounting Hardware
-
-
- SCHEMATIC DRAWING
- -----------------
- /
- ÚÄÄS1Ù ÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿
- +9v R1 R2 ³ ³ ³ ³
- ÃÄÄÄC1ÄÄÄÄ´ ³ R3 ³ ³
- ³ ³ ÚÄÄÄ´ ÃÄÄÄÄÂÄC2Ä@q S3 @n ³
- o ÚÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÁÄÄÄ¿ ³ R5 ³ @d ³ ³
- oÄ´ ³ 6 4 14 ³ R4 ³ ³ ³ ÃÄÄ¿ ³
- S2 o ÚÄ´5 13ÃÄÄÄÄ´ g ³ ÃÄÄÄ¿ ³ ³ ³
- ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ R9<ÄÙ ³
- g ÀÄ´10 (IC1556) 8ÃÄ¿ R6<Ä¿ ³ R8<ÄÄÙ ³ ³
- ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³
- ÚÄÄÄÄ´9 12ÃÄÁÄÄÅÄÄÙ ÃÄÄ¿ ³ ³ ³
- ³ ³ 3 11 7 2 1 ³ C3 ³ ³ ³ ³ ³
- ³ ÀÄÂÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÂÄÄÂÄÙ ³ R7<ÄÙ ³ ³ ³
- ³ ³ ³ ³ ÀÄÄ´ g ³ ³ ³ ³
- ³ C4 C5 ³ ÃÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ ³
- ³ ³ ³ ³ C6 ³
- ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³
- ³ g g g g ³
- ³ ³
- ÀÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³
- R11 ³ R12 ÚÄÄÄ¿ ³
- ÚÄÄ¿ ³ ³ ³ ³ v ³
- v ³ ³ ÚÄÄÅÄÄ¿ ÃÄÄÄÄÁÄÄR13ÄÄ¿ ³
- ÚÄÄÄR10ÄÁÄÄ´ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³ ³
- ³ ÚÄÁÄÄÁÄÄÁÄÄÁÄÄÄÄÁÄÄÄÄ¿ ³ ³
- ³ ³ 1 4 14 10 13 ³ ³ ³
- ³ ³ 8ÃÄÄÂÄÄÄÄ´ ³
- ÃÄÄÄÄÄÄÂÄ´6 ³ ³ C12 ³
- ³ ³ ³ 12ÃÄÄÙ ³ ³
- ³ ÀÄ´2 IC2 556 ³ ³ ³
- C7 ³ ³ g ³
- ³ ÚÄÄ´3 11ÃÄÄÄÄÄ¿ ³
- ³ ³ ³ 7 5 9 ³ ³ ³
- g C8 ÀÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ C11 ³
- ³ ³ C9 C10 ³ ³
- ³ ³ ³ ³ g ³
- g ³ ÀÄÂÄÙ ³
- g ³ ³
- ³ ÚÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÂÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÙ
- ³ ³ ³
- ³ R14 ³
- ³ ³ ³\ ³
- ³ ³ ³ \ ³
- ÃÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÅÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄij3 \³
- ³ ³ ³ 7 \
- C13 R15 ³IC3 \
- ³ ³ ³741 6/ÄÄÄÄÄÄ¿
- ³ ³ ³ 4 / ³
- ³ ³ ³ / ³
- g g ÚÄÄ´2 / ³ ³
- ³ ³/ ³ ³
- ³ g ³
- ÀÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ´
- C14
- ³
- Speaker
- ³
- g
-
-
-
- Schematic part variables list.
- ------------------------------
-
- Resistors
- ---------
- R1 - 10k R2 - 10k R3 -4.7k R4 - 10k R5 - 10k R6 - 50k
- R7 - 50k R8 - 50k R9 - 50k R10- 20k R11- 10k R12- 10k
- R13- 20k R14-100k R15-100k
-
-
- Capacitors
- ----------
- C1 - 0.01uf C2 - 1N914 switching Diode C3 - 1.0uf C4 - 0.01uf
- C5 - 0.01uf C6 - 10uf C7 - 0.01uf C8 - 0.01uf C9 - 0.01uf
- C10 - 0.01uf C11 - 0.01uf C12 - 0.01uf C13 - 0.01uf C14 - 10uf
-
- Switches
- --------
- S1 - SPST toggle
- S2 - Momentary push button N.O. labeled "Deposit"
- S3 - 3-position rotary switch
-
-
- Miscellaneous
- -------------
- g - Ground
- @q - Label "quarter"
- @d - Label "dime"
- @n - Label "nickle"
-
-
- Typed up by Sine Wave from an article which originally appeared in 2600
- magazine. The original contained several mistakes in the schematic
- drawing which i've corrected. Hope this information enlightens you to
- new and exciting possibilities via your local phone booth.
-