DIY
TELEPHONY
RETRO WIRELESS HANDSET
Adding Bluetooth to an old phone.
By Jeff Keyzer
Like it or not, Bluetooth headsets have become
a part of our lives. Formerly worn only by stuffy
corporate execs and the social elite, these devices
have become ubiquitous, thanks to dropping
prices and hands-free driving laws. A quick search
online shows that a new Bluetooth headset can be
purchased for less than $20. This is great news for
makers because now we can use them in all sorts
of projects!
Photography by Jeff Keyzer
My wife gave me her old Motorola HS820
Bluetooth headset when she upgraded to a newer
model. Of course, I immediately tore it open. Inside,
I found a small printed circuit board, a lithium
polymer (LiPo) battery, an electret microphone,
and a tiny speaker.
I came across a vintage ITT telephone handset on
a recent trip to Weird Stuff Warehouse in Sunnyvale,
Calif. The instant I saw it, I knew exactly what to do:
MATERIALS AND TOOLS
Bluetooth headset An older, larger model is better
since it will likely be easier to hack.
Vintage telephone handset The kind with round,
removable ear and mouthpieces.
Superbright 5mm blue LED All Electronics part
#LED- 122, allelectronics.com
Panel-mount LED holder All Electronics #HLED- 3
Normally open panel-mount push-button switch
All Electronics #MPB- 1
Coaxial panel-mount DC power jack; matching plug
Fine-gauge insulated stranded wire
1kΩ resistor You might need some other value,
so have an assortment on hand.
Soldering iron
Hot glue gun
Multimeter with continuity tester
Wire cutter/stripper
Handheld drill and drill bits
Small screwdriver
151 Make:
