| ==Phrack Inc.== | |
| Volume Three, Issue Thirty-Three, File 9 of 13 | |
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| || A Real Functioning RED BOX Schematic || | |
| || || | |
| || Written by: R.J. "BoB" Dobbs || | |
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| ::What is a Red Box?:: | |
| Essentially, the Red Box is a device used to fool the phone company's | |
| computer into thinking coins are deposited into a payphone. Every time you | |
| drop a coin into a payphone, the phone signals the type of coin inserted with | |
| one or more bursts of a combination of 1700hz and 2200hz. The tone bursts are | |
| coded as follows: | |
| Nickel : One 60 millisecond pulse | |
| Dime : Two 60 millisecond pulses separated by 60 milliseconds | |
| Quarter: Five 35 millisecond pulses separated by 35 milliseconds | |
| ::How to use it:: | |
| Simply dial a long distance number (some areas require you to stick in | |
| a genuine nickel first), wait for the ACTS computer to demand your cash, and | |
| press the "deposit" button on the red box for each coin you want to simulate. | |
| The coin signals are coupled from the red box into the phone with a small | |
| speaker held to the mouthpiece. For local calls, either you must first deposit | |
| a genuine nickle before simulating more coins or place your call through the | |
| operator with 0+xxx+yyyy. Use some care when the operator is on the line - | |
| sometimes they catch on to your beeper ploy. | |
| ::Circuit Operation:: | |
| Each time the pushbutton is pressed, it triggers half of IC1, configured | |
| as a monostable multivibrator to energize the rest of the circuit for a length | |
| of time determined by the setting of the coin selector switch. This in turn | |
| starts the other half of IC1, configured as an astable multivibrator, pulsing | |
| on and off at regular intervals at a rate determined by the 100k pot between | |
| pins 12 and 13. The output of the astable thus alternately powers of IC2, | |
| configured as a square wave oscillator, providing the required 1700hz and | |
| 2200hz to the op amp which acts as a buffer to drive the speaker. | |
| ::Alignment & Testing:: | |
| When you are making this thing by no means should you use a 9v AC to DC | |
| adapter! I also suggest not using a bread board. So be careful with that | |
| sodering iron. Both of these things will cause you problems. | |
| For alignment, a frequency counter is desired but you can use a good | |
| oscilloscope as well. (These are not ABSOLUTELY necessary, but to help.) In | |
| order to figure frequency in Hz with your scope you can use the following | |
| formula. | |
| 1 S = The measurement of the wave that is on the display | |
| Hz = ----------- | |
| S*(T*10^-6) T = The setting of the time selector (milliseconds) | |
| 1 | |
| Hz = ------------------ Hz = 2198 | |
| 9.1 * 50ms * 10^-6 | |
| Carefully remove IC1 from it's socket. Install a temporary jumper from | |
| +9v supply to pin 14 of IC2 and temporarily disconnect the 0.01uF capacitors | |
| from pins 5 and 9 of IC2. Power up the circuit. Measuring the output from pin | |
| 5 of IC2 with the frequency counter or scope, adjust the 50k pot between pins 1 | |
| and 6 for an output of 1700hz. Now adjust the 50k pot between pins 8 and 13 | |
| for an output of 2200hz from pin 9 of IC2. Remove the temporary jumper and | |
| re-attach the capacitors to pins 5 and 9 of IC2, and re-insert IC1. (Note: if | |
| no frequency counter is available, the outputs can be adjusted by ear one at a | |
| time by zero-beating the output tone with a computer generated tone of known | |
| precision.) | |
| Next, using a multimeter, adjust the 10K pot at the cathode of the | |
| "quarter" diode for resistance of approximately 8K ohms. (This sets the | |
| difference between the duration of the quarter pulses and those of the | |
| nickel/dime -- fine tuning of this ratio may be necessary durring the latter | |
| stages of alignment; this can be done by ear.) | |
| Now, temporarily disconnect the wire between pins 5 and 10 of IC1. Set | |
| coin selector switch in the "N" (nickel) position. With the oscilloscope | |
| measuring the output from pin 9 of IC1, adjust the 100k pot between pins 12 and | |
| 13 of IC1 for output pulses of 60 millisecond duration. Reconnect the wire | |
| between pins 5 and 10. (Note: If no scope is available, adjust the pulse rate | |
| by ear using computer generated tones for comparison.) | |
| Leave the selector switch in the "N" position. Adjust the 50K pot | |
| labeled "Nickel" for a single beep each time the deposit pushbutton is pressed. | |
| Next set the coin selector switch to "Dime". Adjust the 50k pot labelled | |
| "Dime" for a quick double beep each time the pushbutton is pressed. | |
| Finally, set the selector to "Quarter". Adjust the 50k pot labelled | |
| "Quarter" until exactly 5 very quick beeps are heard for each button | |
| press. Don't worry if the quarter beeps sound shorter and faster than | |
| the nickel and dime ones. They should be. | |
| ::Conclusion:: | |
| If all went well to this point, your red box should be completely | |
| aligned and functional. A final test should now be conducted from a payphone | |
| using the DATL (Dial Access Test Line) coin test. Dial 09591230 and follow the | |
| computer instructions using the red box at the proper prompts. The computer | |
| should correctly identify all coins "simulated" and flag any anomalies. With a | |
| little discretion, your red box should bring you many years of use. Remember, | |
| there is no such thing as spare change! | |
| ::Parts list for Red Box:: | |
| 2 556 Dual Timer IC's 8 0.01uF Caps | |
| 1 741 Op Amp IC 2 0.1uF Cap | |
| 2 1N914 Diodes 1 1.0uF Electrolytic Cap | |
| 5 10k Resistors 2 10uF Electrolytic Caps | |
| 1 4.7k Resistor 1 3 Position Rotary Switch | |
| 2 100k Resistors 1 SPST Toggle Switch | |
| 1 100k PC Mount Pots 1 Momentary Push Button Switch (n/o) | |
| 3 50k PC Mount Pot 1 9v Battery Clip | |
| 1 10k PC Mount Pot 2 14 Pin Dip Socket | |
| 2 50k Multi-Turn Pots 1 8 Pin Dip Socket | |
| ::Schematic:: | |
| _ | |
| +9__S1/ _____________________________________________________________ | |
| | | | | | S3 | | |
| R1 R2 | R3 o @ o | | |
| |___C1___| _____| |_________|/___ / o \___ | | |
| | ____|_____|_____|____ | | |\ | | _| | | |
| _| o | 6 4 14 | R4 R5 D1 | | R9< | | |
| S2 | o _|5 13|_____| | | |__ | | | |
| | | | | |__ g | _| | | | |
| g |_|10 IC1 8|_ _| | R8< | | | |
| | 556 | |__R6< |__ | | | | |
| _|9 12|_| _| | | | | |
| | | | |__C2__g R7< | | | | |
| | |_11___3___7___2___1__| | | | | | |
| | | | | |___|_______________________|____|____| | | |
| | | C3 | | | | |
| |__|/| | | C4 | | |
| | |\ | | | | | |
| | D2 g g g | | |
| |_____________________ | | |
| | | | | | |
| ___ R10 | R11 ___ | | |
| v | | | | | v | | |
| __R12 |__| ___|___ |__| R13__ | | |
| | _|___|___|___|____|_ | | | |
| | | 1 4 14 10 13 | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| |_______|6 8|_______| | | |
| | | | IC2 | | | | | |
| C5 |__|2 556 12|__| C6 | | |
| | | | | | | |
| g __|3 11|__ g | | |
| | |_____7___5___9______| | | | |
| C7 | | | C8 | | |
| | | C9 C10 | | | |
| | | |___| | | | |
| g g | g | | |
| | | | |
| | ________________________________| | |
| | | | | |
| | R14 | | |
| | | |\ | | |
| | | | \ | | |
| |___________|___________|3 \| | |
| | | | 7 \ | |
| C11 R15 |IC3 \ | |
| | | |741 6/___ | |
| g g | 4 / | | |
| | /| | | |
| g_[speaker]___C12______|2 / | | | |
| | |/ g | | |
| |_______________| | |
| ::Schematic Parts Code:: | |
| R1:10K R4:10K R7:50K pot R10:10K R13:50K pot | |
| R2:10K R5:10K R8:50K pot R11:10K R14:100K | |
| R3:4.7K R6:100K pot R9:50K pot R12:50K pot R15:100K | |
| C1:0.01uf C4:10uf C7:0.01uf C10:0.01uf | |
| C2:1.00uf C5:0.01uf C8:0.01uf C11:0.10uf D1 :1N914 | |
| C3:0.01uf C6:0.01uf C9:0.01uf C12:10uf D2 :1N914 | |
| S1 - SPST toggle | |
| S2 - Momentary push button Normally Open | |
| S3 - 3-position rotary switch g - Ground | |
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