GeneralMichaelXT
New Member
Hi Everyone, First time posting. I am hoping someone here can help me out. Im quite a young vintage computer collector and never got to experience the era of BBS. Upon looking through the internet I found that there are a few BBS's left that can be dialed into with an acoustic coupler.
However, When trying to connect to a BBS, the monitor doesn't respond even though the Acoustic coupler is still able to maintain the call with the number I am connecting to. I can hear a continuous tone from the coupler as well as random noise data coming from the phone handset. I am assuming this random noise coming from the listening end of the telephone handset is data coming in. Both the 'Transmit Data', 'Receive Data' and the 'Carrier Ready' lights are stationary and do NOT flicker. The Receive lightone may occasionary go off and on but only briefly, the majority of the time it's on while the call is ongoing. Keep in mind the call does not drop for over 5 minutes but nothing shows up on the screen except what is shown in the photo at the bottom. Transmit Data = XMT, Receive Data = RCV, Carrier Ready = CRX for photo reference. More details of the system below.
I am using an Apple IIe with a Super Serial Card which connects to a 300 baud Star Modem (I believe it's 103-232 compatible) The Super Serial Card connects to the acoustic coupler through via a Male DB25 to Female DB9 Stright Through Cable to a DB9 Male to Male Connector to a Female DB9 to Male DB25 Stright Through Cable which connects to the Acoustic Coupler. I am not sure if it's the cable configuration/type? Maybe I should be using Null Modem instead of stright through. Will this make a difference with the type of issue I am describing? I am using a terminal emulator for the Apple II called proTERM. This program initially requests a type of modem that is installed into the Apple II. I wasn't sure what to select but the most relvant options avaliable are; Null Modem Driver - I chose this one. Null Modem Driver RTS/CTS There were some other options but they included Vendors that I didn't have.
3. The parameters used in proTERM 300 Baud, 8N1 and Full Duplex. I am not sure if these settings need to match those on the DIP switches of the Apple Super Serial Card. There are many Variables that could be causing this issue. The photo below illustrates the online parameters used. The BBS I found called Level 29: The BBS is located at https://bbs.retrobattlestations.com/" and allows modems of 300 Baud to connect to it. For the Telephone handset I am using a Western Electric Model 2500 DMG which connects to my router with Voip Capability.
IMPORTANT CONTEXT I live in Australia where most of the analog POTS/PSTN has been phased out. The infrastructure has been replaced with HFC in my area and as a result, I am using VOIP. I have heard about the issues when using an acoustic coupler with VOIP but have also heard that if the speed is low enough, there shouldn't be any issues. I figure 300 Baud is slow enough for it not to drop the call. (I hope dialing an american number isn't part of the problem.)PHOTOS:
I posted this same query in the forum linked below over a year ago. I got quite a few similar responses on what the issue could possibly be. See link below I tried created my own cable but this did not seem to work. I will re-attempt the suggestions from scratch. I am for a second opinion or if i am missing something.
https://www.applefritter.com/content/issues-connecting-bbs-using-apple-ii-and-acoustic-coupler
However, When trying to connect to a BBS, the monitor doesn't respond even though the Acoustic coupler is still able to maintain the call with the number I am connecting to. I can hear a continuous tone from the coupler as well as random noise data coming from the phone handset. I am assuming this random noise coming from the listening end of the telephone handset is data coming in. Both the 'Transmit Data', 'Receive Data' and the 'Carrier Ready' lights are stationary and do NOT flicker. The Receive lightone may occasionary go off and on but only briefly, the majority of the time it's on while the call is ongoing. Keep in mind the call does not drop for over 5 minutes but nothing shows up on the screen except what is shown in the photo at the bottom. Transmit Data = XMT, Receive Data = RCV, Carrier Ready = CRX for photo reference. More details of the system below.
I am using an Apple IIe with a Super Serial Card which connects to a 300 baud Star Modem (I believe it's 103-232 compatible) The Super Serial Card connects to the acoustic coupler through via a Male DB25 to Female DB9 Stright Through Cable to a DB9 Male to Male Connector to a Female DB9 to Male DB25 Stright Through Cable which connects to the Acoustic Coupler. I am not sure if it's the cable configuration/type? Maybe I should be using Null Modem instead of stright through. Will this make a difference with the type of issue I am describing? I am using a terminal emulator for the Apple II called proTERM. This program initially requests a type of modem that is installed into the Apple II. I wasn't sure what to select but the most relvant options avaliable are; Null Modem Driver - I chose this one. Null Modem Driver RTS/CTS There were some other options but they included Vendors that I didn't have.
3. The parameters used in proTERM 300 Baud, 8N1 and Full Duplex. I am not sure if these settings need to match those on the DIP switches of the Apple Super Serial Card. There are many Variables that could be causing this issue. The photo below illustrates the online parameters used. The BBS I found called Level 29: The BBS is located at https://bbs.retrobattlestations.com/" and allows modems of 300 Baud to connect to it. For the Telephone handset I am using a Western Electric Model 2500 DMG which connects to my router with Voip Capability.
IMPORTANT CONTEXT I live in Australia where most of the analog POTS/PSTN has been phased out. The infrastructure has been replaced with HFC in my area and as a result, I am using VOIP. I have heard about the issues when using an acoustic coupler with VOIP but have also heard that if the speed is low enough, there shouldn't be any issues. I figure 300 Baud is slow enough for it not to drop the call. (I hope dialing an american number isn't part of the problem.)PHOTOS:
I posted this same query in the forum linked below over a year ago. I got quite a few similar responses on what the issue could possibly be. See link below I tried created my own cable but this did not seem to work. I will re-attempt the suggestions from scratch. I am for a second opinion or if i am missing something.
https://www.applefritter.com/content/issues-connecting-bbs-using-apple-ii-and-acoustic-coupler
