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This is a set of cards from SARTS, or the Switched Automated Remote Test System. SARTS was a craft access (telephone repairman) system that allowed the tech to do various line and service tests. It could make and receive calls, measure signal levels, perform quality checks - all kinds of interesting things. While I pulled the SARTS tag from the set we had as it was being wheeled out to scrap, I wasn't able to grab any cards.

Fast forward a few years later to a hamfest. Some guy has a lot of old WE equipment, including a lot of SID-tag (Service ID) labelled test equipment, indicating it came from certain locations. He also had a whole stack of these ED-type circuit packs. (Ma liked to call things odd names.) I'm like yeah where did these come from? Don't worry about it. Probably a dumpster dive...

Regardless, I negotiated for a set of these that I knew were the actual computer, and not switching/measurement access. This set uses an 8080 card with a lot of AMD parts, a EPROM program card full of old Intel EPROMS, and a lovely 4K RAM card with Western Electric RAM chips and a lot of 41-series (WE Internal) glue.

I could probably make them work, but just never had the desire. It's just a neat collectible.

This is a set of cards from SARTS, or the Switched Automated Remote Test System. SARTS was a craft access (telephone repairman) system that allowed the tech to do various line and service tests. It could make and receive calls, measure signal levels, perform quality checks - all kinds of interesting things. While I pulled the SARTS tag from the set we had as it was being wheeled out to scrap, I wasn't able to grab any cards. Fast forward a few years later to a hamfest. Some guy has a lot of old WE equipment, including a lot of SID-tag (Service ID) labelled test equipment, indicating it came from certain locations. He also had a whole stack of these ED-type circuit packs. (Ma liked to call things odd names.) I'm like yeah where did these come from? Don't worry about it. Probably a dumpster dive... Regardless, I negotiated for a set of these that I knew were the actual computer, and not switching/measurement access. This set uses an 8080 card with a lot of AMD parts, a EPROM program card full of old Intel EPROMS, and a lovely 4K RAM card with Western Electric RAM chips and a lot of 41-series (WE Internal) glue. I could probably make them work, but just never had the desire. It's just a neat collectible.
[–] 1 pt

I'm a decade or two young for this stuff, but kudos to the bird on the find.

[–] 1 pt

Chances are, this stuff came from SARTS-1, and I would have used it when it was in operation.

We had SARTS-2 as well, but it was flaky and it was mostly parts to keep -1 running.