Daniel A Margolis <dam@mtqua.att.com> (05/01/91)
Where will our future telecomers come from? Well maybe, we can help a few kids get started early. We have a program where we bring a few eighth-graders into our labs during the summer. Last year, I was in charge of finding a project for them. I wanted them to build something that had to do with telephones, but I couldn't find a telephone kit. So, I took apart some 2500 sets and made my own "kit." I would like to do a similar project this year, but unfortunately, I don't have any more of those phones. The "modern" phones are just a circuit board inside a rectangular box. There just isn't that much to take apart. I'm looking for ideas. What kind of project can I give the students that will involve telecom? I have approximatly two hours per day for five days. They are not old enough to understand electronics, so they need things that are mechanical and pretty intuitive, but give them a sense of accomplishment. Is there a build-a-phone kit on the market? Thanks, Dan Margolis
payne@theory.tn.cornell.edu (Andrew Payne) (05/05/91)
In article <telecom11.327.2@eecs.nwu.edu> dam@mtqua.att.com (Daniel A Margolis) writes: > We have a program where we bring a few eighth-graders into our labs > during the summer. Last year, I was in charge of finding a project > What kind of project can I give the students that will involve > telecom? Try building a network. Have the students bring an extra phone from home, or pick up a bunch of cheapies at K-mart. Add 48V and off you go ... Next, build a "switchboard" with a bunch of jacks so you can have operators manually route calls. Then, build another switchboard and set up "long distance" links between them. Set up a connection to one of your lab's extensions so they can make "international" calls home. Have the students run the wire, set up the extensions, and operate the switchboards. I doubt you'll have time to build all of this stuff in a week, but a little pre-fabrication combined with on-site assembly by the students and you should have something appropriate for the time you have. Andrew C. Payne, N8KEI UUCP: ...!cornell!batcomputer!payne INTERNET: payne@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu
Daniel Jacobson <danj1@ihlpz.att.com> (05/07/91)
In article <telecom11.327.2@eecs.nwu.edu> dam@mtqua.att.com (Daniel A Margolis) writes: > We have a program where we bring a few eighth-graders into our labs > during the summer. Last year, I was in charge of finding a project > What kind of project can I give the students that will involve > telecom? Have 'em electronically thumb thru TELECOM Digest! Then the rest of USENET netnews. It should leave them with the tele]communications itch for good.