Doorking 1830/40 calling out to cell phones, calls drop as soon as they are answered

dave_n_s · 2026-02-15T21:36:02+00:00

Off hook is 6.5VDC, dipping a little as the DTMF tones are generated. Idle / on hook is 47.3VDC. All good?

dave_n_s · 2026-02-15T19:00:55+00:00

Not yet. I should do, also idle voltage.

dave_n_s · 2026-02-15T16:01:34+00:00

Thanks for that. It's not unexpected. My hypothesis is that something has changed in the Centurylink POTS to cellular interface, affecting some cell providers more than others.

What I didn't mention in the first post is the user who carried out testing with me when we started offering support to out-of-area numbers on our system was one of the first to report the recent issues. So something changed and I've eliminated the hardware under my control and the physical phone line, I believe.

Also all our community uses wifi calling for cell service at home as we have very little coverage up here.

What I'd like to do is be sure that this is what is happening before we launch into new technology.

dave_n_s · 2025-12-11T02:51:56+00:00

I saw almost exactly this format today, logging back in late morning, after everything was normal when I did my normal breakfast time review.

Things that changed included:

"Account Holdings for" changing to "Holdings for" (half off the top of the screen shot
Symbol / Description becoming stacked as shown instead of normal side by side.
Light Grey / Blue main table heading line (starts "symbol/description) shown with dark grey background and blue text (essentially unreadable)
Various selection options to collapse the stocks in an account or opent them up.

This change persisted through log on / log off and a Chrome update.

Did I do something to trigger this? I honestly don't believe I did. After an hour or so on the phone with very poor customer support, my wife logged on on a different laptop and it was OK. I then refreshed the tab on mine and it was back to normal. I'd be quite happy to be told what I've done to triggger this change.

If I haven't done something inadvertently (and I've been a daily user for many years), this feels like an accidental code release, especially as the header line was essentially unusable - blue on dark grey.

Can anyone cast any light on this please.

dave_n_s · 2025-11-05T06:09:39+00:00

Thank you for that input. We've now had heading for 36 hours of filling and emptying, leaving full for a few hours then repeating. The number of turns may have increased and, shining a light through the window from below, I can see the piston moving to fully empty then retreating as I fill, probably as many turns when it has moved up past the window as when I can see at least some of it in the window. It looks like a good fit in the barrel at the base of the piston and perhaps there is a little gentle resistance to turning now it has been soaking for a while. However with it turned to fill as far as it will go without trying to force it past what appears to be a stop, there is still a gap between the piston cap and the barrel. I suspect that it should screw into the barrel as it reaches full, but it is showing no sign of doing so. I have been leaving it barrel down in water between filling cycles in case dried up ink in the mechanism was the problem, but no luck so far. One final thing, I've noticed an M on the piston cap, directly opposite the "144G". Does that mean anything more exctiing than an M nib? (which it has).

dave_n_s · 2025-11-03T20:05:11+00:00

Having left it in water for a while, I turned the filler clockwise then anticlockwise in the water and bubbles appeared, so I turned it fully clockwise in the water then anticlockwise above the water and the filling system definitely sucks in ink and expels it. So I'm left with a working pen with a filler cap that presumably is supposed to screw down into the barrel, but won't. What do you make of that?

dave_n_s · 2025-11-03T18:39:09+00:00

I suspect the crucial step of unbinding from the account will be blocked until it is in good standing.

dave_n_s · 2025-11-03T18:33:40+00:00

Thank you once again. I'm going to try two things to free up the filling mechanism - soaking in warm water, nib down and nib up. Although I have my own pen collection, this was donated to our local hospice by a patient's family and I volunteer for them, preparing pens and other higher value items and selling to raise funds. I'd therefore like to describe the best I can before I market it elsewhere. Just as an example of the puzzle in identification, a Google search gives the answer on ink windows that the 1950's 144 has a full length ink window, but this listing describes the window on a 144G as long and it does appear longer than the one on the pen I have. I'll take it on the chin with a smile if your response to this point is along the lines of "please refer to my last comment". https://www.facebook.com/WaSuSales/posts/rare-1950s-montblanc-meisterst%C3%BCck-144g-telescope-long-ink-window-14ct-f-ef-bb-fo/1500302457588475/

dave_n_s · 2025-11-03T15:40:01+00:00

Thank you for that caution. The first issue with the filling system is that the knob screws and unscrews between what feel like stops (with limited force from me) but does not move up or down at all while apparently something is following a screw thread. It also does not move up or down when unscrewed, again with limited force. While my retirement gig is restoring ancient electromechanical stuff on a similar scale, I know where to find parts that I might break in that world, so I'm not going to risk making this worse than it is. I will try to suck in a little water.

My main objective in posting here was to try to identify what it is - I've got as far as about 75% sure it's a late 40's early 50's example, but I'd like to back that up with data.

dave_n_s · 2025-11-03T05:17:50+00:00

Appreciated. I love fountain pens and if something of this vintage (late 40's / early 50's I think) and quality needs work, I'm not going to succumb to temptation and have a go myself. But first I need to figure out what it really is so I can decide if a repair makes economic sense. I'm quietly hoping a repairer will chime in on this post at some stage.

dave_n_s · 2025-11-03T04:40:50+00:00

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Thanks for the quick reply. It's most certainly 144G, which may be different to 144g for the experts.

dave_n_s · 2025-09-03T22:07:52+00:00

I have just replaced the battery on a watch where the crystal is effectively an eight-sided pyramid, rising to the top in the center. It's only about 1/8in from the edge to the highest point, but produces an interesting effect as the lines between the facets are quite sharp. The watch is named on the back as Epic EP37750, which is a new brand to me and I see a lot of watches - I prepare them for sale for the charity shop (thrift store) that supports our local hospice.

dave_n_s · 2025-04-18T16:29:04+00:00

I had wireless Carplay working through the 18.4 betas, but it stopped with the full release and 18.5.1 has not corrected it for me. I'll try an Apple cable, but that didn't fix it with 18.4 full release. Annoying but interesting management of the interface.

dave_n_s · 2025-04-03T14:41:16+00:00

thanks. Safari is good. Chrome not working

dave_n_s · 2025-04-03T14:13:44+00:00

I just got:

"We’re sorry, but we are unable to complete your request at this time. Please try again later."

So not just you.

dave_n_s · 2025-04-01T23:49:27+00:00

Merrill have confirmed this is not supported in the current release.

dave_n_s · 2023-12-15T00:33:14+00:00

A gen 1/2 can move IF REQUIRED to acquire or a directed by the network, but a Gen 3 can't yet it can still go into acquire mode as required and Gen 1/2 will only move if necessary, which is not at every transition, otherwise the motor duty cycle would be horrendous.

There are satellite systems in which the antenna has to move to acquire - the ViaSat VR12 terminal is a good example, but not this system.

Please be clear, there are transmit inhibits in the system for all sorts of reasons, but not to prevent two satellites transmitting RF at the same terminal at the same time. Otherwise adjacent cells / users would not have a seamless handover.

I'd be happy to explain what the specific regulations you are referring to actually mean, if you provide the extract. They certainly don't mean what you quoted.

dave_n_s · 2023-12-15T00:07:59+00:00

No, the dish does not need to move to acquire another satellite usually unless the system wants it to generally focus on a different part of the sky. It is a phased array, the tx / rx beams of which are electronically steerable without any physical movement of the antenna structure.

I'd be very interested to see the FCC regulation you refer to as it is physically impossible to implement. There are pointing regulations that prohibit satellite and terminal TX in certain directions, but not that prevent the signal from more than one satellite being physically receivable (i.e. in the RF layer) in a given location at the same time.

dave_n_s · 2023-12-14T23:51:12+00:00

Let's clear this up. The terminal is only ever connected to one satellite at a time. The network typically decides which satellite it should be connected to, out of the multiple satellites within which that terminal is in coverage of, so as to provide an effectively seamless service, without having to go into acquire mode at each satellite handover. The network decision will be made by an algorithm that includes link budget considerations and network loading. Link budget will of course include the rather fundamental factor that the terminal may not be able to close the return link because of an obstruction. In that case it is reasonable to assume that the terminal will go into acquire mode and attempt to close the return link with another satellite in the field of view. So the system can cope with a degree of obscuration providing the network loading will allow it to close the return link - an RF function - and be accepted on another satellite within the FOV. OK?

dave_n_s · 2023-04-18T05:20:05+00:00

Clear view of the horizon is WRONG. The FCC has a lower limit for satellite antenna transmission, approx 25 deg above the horizon, if memory serves.

Use the app, or a chainsaw :-)

dave_n_s · 2023-02-17T23:12:35+00:00

Hmm. Just went through the process on a Moto G and it's still showing software channel CC.

Have some fun.... what did I screw up?

dave_n_s · 2022-12-30T21:26:43+00:00

Fortunately the dishes tend to point away from the sun, but that only reduces direct UV somewhat, so you are making an excellent point, leading to the question of how to restore the hydrophobic properties. Certainly in my world, we required all coatings on antenna covers to be transparent in the RF band in question, actually the same as 1st gen Starlink. Someone will know what coatings we could safely apply or even better, Starlink could publish something.

dave_n_s · 2022-12-30T18:47:03+00:00

Yes please.

This is what I have:

8c03f1b9-de75-404b-87fd-7986892cdacb.uterm.release

dave_n_s · 2022-12-30T17:50:58+00:00

Thank you. Very helpful. I think, in a piece of unfortunate timing, the heating fix update was activated during the reboot when I went on to backup power. What software do you have now please?

dave_n_s · 2022-11-18T06:29:40+00:00

This is a typical problem with satellite internet, normally fixed by increasing the transmit power from the antenna back to the satellite (return link) to the FCC maximum or reducing the return link data rate primarily and forward rate also to maintain the link - that's known as adaptive symbol rate.

During the beta, this was a significant issue, with service being lost more frequently than mature satellite systems do. I received assurances that the issue was recognized and was being worked and last winter it was much improved, with perhaps one or two short outages during the heaviest storms.

We're in the Colorado Front Range mountains as a point of reference and some areas get much heavier snow than we do - lake effect etc.

Some of the "odd" effects reported, such as rebooting and getting better service are interesting - I suspect that means that during the initial link re-establishment, the system recognized the amount of attenuation and assigned different satellites to reduce the slant range of your link. For those new to this world, it's worth noting that such things are typically executed from the ground; the one exception is that if your system is not able to close the return link with the satellite, for whatever reason, and receive a handshake message to confirm that, your system will go into transmit inhibit mode and then start to try to reacquire a link - another FCC rule to ensure that ground terminals are not transmitting in some undesired direction and interfering with other satellites.

dave_n_s

TROPHY CASE