It is OK to bump topics but in the future you should have something to add to it other than just saying you are bumping it. 
My Current school has a Telecor XL bell and intercom with a Mitel IP paging unit bridge and a Telecor MCC-4.
The Clocks are controlled by a Standard 1463. Both in the Front office. School was Built in 1998
My old school has a Simplex 5120 bell and intercom with a Mitel IP paging unit bridge and no intercom console (They just used the Mitel IP Phones). It is in the LMC (School is Open Concept)(LMC in the center of the ‘Learning Center’
The Clocks are controlled by a Simplex 6400 Master Clock. It is in the Art Room (Old Office) (Office and Art Room were switched in 2012 due to security) That school was built in 1975
[quote=Simplex4Life post_id=46583 time=1329355281 user_id=368]
1st ES - I have no clue about what kind of bell system they had, but it used vibrating bells, I think 6" ones behind grilles. They were definitely loud though. They were probably either Edwards or Simplex, and they rang for either 3 or 5 seconds. The school was built in the mid-70s and had a more open architecture; the classrooms were open to the hallway and the walls were movable. I’ve never seen that kind of setup anywhere else. Therefore, I don’t think they had a clock system. I’m not sure about the PA system.
2nd ES - Simplex clocks and time system with tones over the PA system (which was most likely Simplex, since the fire alarms were also Simplex). The class tone only rang when school started and ended. The tone was a 500 Hz chime with 3 dings that lasted about 1.5 to 2 seconds, and then a ding that was cut off after about a half-second. The announcement tone was about 700 Hz (not sure of the exact frequency, but it was an F note) and lasted either .5 or 1 second.
MS - the middle school used to be 2 separate schools, but they were connected around 1970. Some of the rooms had Standard clock/speaker units, and the rest of them had separate clocks and speakers. They originally used bells - half of the school had grey IBM 6" bells, and the other half had black Autocall bells, mostly 4" but some were 6". Actually, there was one tan 8" bell like the one in SimplexTech’s vid when he was testing that old IBM/Simplex system. When I went there, they had a class tone over the PA that sounded the same as my ES except there were 4 dings. The clock system was most likely Standard, but I’m not sure about the PA system. The announcement tone was a half-second 500 Hz tone, but it sounded a bit buzzier than the class tone. Half of that building was renovated in '99, and I don’t know what companies they use now.
HS - the original high school had Edwards clock/speaker/phone units, and I think the bell system was Edwards. They had Edwards 4" adaptabels, and buzzers in the rooms, behind the clocks. They rang for 3 seconds. I thought the bells were loud, but not as loud as my first ES. Some of the buzzers didn’t sound though. A few of the ones that did were loud, and others were quiet. That school was renovated in 2000, and they now have Simplex clock/speaker units, and they use the exact same tones that my second ES uses. I’m pretty sure their time system is Simplex. The PA might be Simplex also.
[/quote]
Open Concept- kind of a 70s concept that didn’t quite work
1 Like
I am now working at my old elementary school in the office and it is very exciting and fun for me and I still am able to recognize some of my old teachers and they recognize me. The school was completely renovated which happened when it changed from a K–6 school to a PK–5 school so its all new. Almost like a new building. Anyway they said they have a new bell but in the office I can’t here it go off. I assume they are in the classrooms.
2 Likes
First ES: Unknown bell system, used National Time bell tone
Second ES: No bell system, phones controlled bells. Speakers were Enforcer
Third ES: Simplex 6400, tone went through speakers (brand unknown)
First MS: Dukane system
Second MS: Simplex 6400, Enforcer speakers
Third MS: No system, phones controlled
HS: No bells at all! Principal dismisses classes
1 Like
So I realized that there is a bell but the bell is only used for a warning bell and a late bell. I am still not sure what kind it is but its a tone generator and it sounds kind of like a xylophone. As far as I know, it only goes off twice. Maybe a third time for dismissal.
1 Like
I was in private schooling until freshmen year and we didn’t have bells.
I should explain my high school has 2 buildings. Each has a separate bell PA system. The PA parts of the systems are linked from one to the other but not the other way round.
Freshmen year the main campus had an unknown bell system with a bell tone that sounded like a clearer version of the telecor 580 HZ. And a 1 time a day bell that sounded like a doorbell for the first shuttle between the buildings. Over the summer of 2018 this system was replaced with a telecor XL which I will talk about in a moment.
The South Wing has only had a telecor XL in my time at this school. My freshmen and sophomore years there was only the 580hz tone for 2 seconds for all bells. This year the shuttle bells are 200 HZ pulse 6 times.
From the 2018-2019 school year the main campus has a telecor xl. Most bells are 580 Hz 3 seconds. The 9:19 shuttle and 5:25 sports buses are 5 seconds of 300hz pulsed. And the 3:55 after school buses are unknown, I will find the video I have.
Pa can be made from main campus to both buildings, but only to south wing from south wing
For example my first class is in the south wing and one day Main campus had an active fire alarm (faulty sensor) when our principal made the pa to enter the main campus we got it at south wing even though we were still in class. But when I did a special PA at south wing at the request of the 9th grade assistant principal it was only sent out there and not both buildings.
1 Like
[quote=Ejssx2003 post_id=86787 time=1586349738 user_id=6010]
Freshmen year the main campus had an unknown bell system with a bell tone that sounded like a clearer version of the telecor 580 HZ. And a 1 time a day bell that sounded like a doorbell for the first shuttle between the buildings. Over the summer of 2018 this system was replaced with a telecor XL which I will talk about in a moment.
[/quote]
My assumption that it was an older version Telecor system possibly? My last year of high school I did morning announcements and such, so I got to know the PA systems very well. In fact, I ended up writing a directory of each room and each PA inside it, as well as a programming guide for the secretaries to use once I left, as I was the one programming the schedules in. Anyways, the system was a Telecor 2, from the mid 80s. Here’s a video of me using it. Sometime in December of said school year the system fried, and was temporarily replaced. During March break, they replaced the old Telecor 2 with the new Telecor XL. Funny thing about the two is there’s really no difference, besides a few programming features and updated equipment. The tones were the exact same, as we used the same tone from the old system.
1 Like
My school has a PA system only. No clock in the school shows the same time, either. The system uses an internal clock to run the class bell (~400hz, sawtooth, for 3 seconds), pre-school day bell (stuttering, ~400hz, sine, for 3 seconds), and 5-minute warning (3 90bpm pulses, ~300hz, square). There are strobes in the gym, multi-purpose room (a mini-gym), and music rooms that activate as soon as audio is played. The ones in the gym and mini-gym deactivate as soon as the message or tone ends, but the music room strobes flash for about 10 seconds after any message or tone ends. The PA system is also tied in with the AED’s relay, to sound a stuttering tone not unlike the pre-school day bell, and authorities are notified. There are 3 cameras around the AED to see what happened, and they review the footage after any incident.
TL;DR PA system with strobes, tied into AED.
1 Like
cooooooooooolllllneeeessssssssssssssssssss
I’m not sure on alarms and stuff that my school owns, however my school band has 3 portable PAs.
Here is the early 1970s Rauland PA system at St. Vincent-St. Mary HS in Akron, Ohio!
This system was upgraded and replaced with an Atlas/Soundolier system during the 1st semester of the 2021-22 school year! I’ll have more photos on the way once I get an opportunity to photograph the new PA system.
this is all subject to change, as my school system is doing mass overhauls all over the county of PA, bell, and fire alarm systems.
elementary school: mostly gutted, but one lone edwards adaptabell remains. i do not believe it is connected, and the current system is a rauland PA system, which is very new and is used in all the nearby schools, except for a straggling few.
middle school: just the rauland system, but i may have had enough influence to make it very modified.
high school: 80s STR system with assorted AC bells, and some generic PA system. i think it may be run off of the FACP.
Elementary school:
Unknown brand 100-volt PA system. Plastic wall-mounted speaker boxes in classrooms and dorms, ceiling speakers in aisles and several aluminum weatherproof speaker columns for sports field.
Middle+high school:
100-volt PA system consists of devices with different brands.
Microphone: PC-K220 cardioid condenser mike;
Mixing console: Yamaha MG10XU analogue mixer;
coaxial RF transmission system: Raison CFM-681C transmitter & RFM-401K receivers w/auto power on/off control for amplifiers;
Preamps & power amplifiers: JNC/TAC
Speakers: JNC/TAC aluminum weatherproof speaker columns in classrooms (quite weird)，ceiling speakers in aisles, and A FULL SET OF LINE ARRAY SPEAKER SYSTEM with twelve 212’’ full-range cabinets and two 215’’ subwoofers for sports field !!（The array system is separated from main PA. It uses another set of wireless microphones (fake Sennheiser), mixer(Soundcraft LX9-24), reverberator(TC Electronic 350), processor(LAX DSP3000?) and amplifiers(branded ORLE, kinda like fake Crest Audio amps)
Also, there are some 230-volt generic vibrating bells in main buildings as backup in case of a failur e in PA systems.
My school district uses a Rauland Telecenter U system that is centrally controlled by a Windows Server, and depending on the school the system is an older system, like a Telecenter IV with a TCU zone page Module to control the bells, as well as the TCU site controller, and then there are other buildings that have a full TCU system, for example my school they ripped out the old Telecenter, and rerouted the cables for the speakers in the classrooms to a bunch of 66 blocks, and those are attached to TCU analog gateways. The common area paging is handled by zone paging modules, and are connected to either TOA, Dukane, or Atlas Sound amps. The system that my building had before the Telecenters was a dukane star call.
I don’t remember having more than one account, but this could be another SSO provider that I used or something. Anyway an update to this is that the Cisco phone system that is used by our district is also able to access the paging systems.
Looks like you have a telecor! I love telecors!
Does anybody have a drive with Rauland ICS tones?
Sorry that this is a long time after the last post.
Almost all of the schools in my district have Audio Enhancement “Epic” ip paging and bell systems with Audio Enhancement sound systems in each classroom tied into the paging system.
The only schools that do not have this system are the Middle School (my current school), which was built in 2008 with a Dukane StarCall system, and the current high school.
The current high school was built in 1957 and has an unknown paging system. They have upgraded the system to a phone based system but are still using the original Stromburg Carlson speakers and mechanical bells. This school is set to be demolished in the fall when it is replaced. The new high school will also have an Audio Enhancement “Epic” system with “Setinal” sound systems in the classrooms.
As a side note, around 10 years ago, they added an American Time clock system with wireless synchronized analog clocks in the classrooms and EverAlert displays in the hallways at the middle school. Interestingly, the middle school stopped using bells a few years ago. They now rely on a “soft bell system” in which teachers just tell you when to leave. I don’t like this because it is very unreliable.
My current school (made 1997) has a Bosch PRAESENSA or PAVIRO PA/PAVA (voice alarm system for voice evac) which replaced an old philips system original to the school. The bosch seems like it replaced the Philips in the 2010’s. It is also a PAVA system which means it does voice evacuation. It is tied to the Esser fire panel for fire and also surprisingly the Galaxy system for intruder alarm. The original part of the building has mostly philips speakers not wired in FP so it doesnt confine to the PAVA regulations of EN54. The renovated parts in the original building has bosch speakers which replaced the old philips speakers. The fully renovated parts have FP but still dont confine as other areas in the same zone are not in FP. Bosch speakers also replace failed Philips speakers or renovated classrooms. These arent wired in FP. The extended building and the Outside speakers are all bosch and wired in FP so it confines to PAVA EN54 even though it has regular sounders. They do have bells and its on the Bosch system. On 8:20 and 8:30 they play some bad quality bell for school to start and close to start and on 17:00, an announcement is played to leave as the school is closing fully soon. The bells dont seem like its on a timer or the clock on the system is behind. The security and managment sometimes have trouble with paging.