Matt, you said:

>     I became aware of a small part of conversation
>     you participated in with Terry Davey.  In your reply to a question
>     (s)he had, you referred to several technical reports:
>                        TR-NWT-000078
>                        TR-NWT-001217
>
>     How could I get my hands on those reports?  Would I need to contact
>     Bellcore directly, or are they part of some MIL spec?  We have a
>     pretty good research library here at HP, but I think they need some
>     more hints.

Hmmm. Makes my head fairly spin to think _I_ could help the Hewlett Packard
Corporate Research Li-berry. You will need some $$$ and this info, here
goes:

These are "Technical Reference" documents, published by Bellcore.
Absolutely nothing to do with MIL specs (happily). They _both_ mention and
cover connector lubrication (pretty much the same stuff), but the
TR-NWT-001217 is much more detailed covering el mundo de connectors. TR78
is much broader and covers hardware of all types.

If you are selling products to a BOC, you will probably be required to know
about these documents. If not, you might like to have them as a reference,
as they are generally well written and backed by the research and
experience of AT&T, Bell Labs, and Bellcore.

TR-NWT-001217 Issue 1 (9/92) Generic Requirements for Separable Electrical
Connectors Used in Telecommunications Hardware - $115

quoting:

ABSTRACT: Defines Bellcore's view of proposed generic requirements for
separable electrical connectors for use in telecommunications by BCCs. This
includes both printed wiring board (PWB) connectors and cable connectors of
various types with both noble metal and base metal contact finishes. The
pin and socket connectors widely used to interface printed wiring boards to
backplanes in most current telecommunications systems are the most critical
application within this scope. There is a special emphasis here on
alternate qualification testing procedures for those pin and socket
connectors which do not satisfy long-standing design requirements."

see:
http://www.bellcore.com/cgi-bin/cat10.cgi?20903D2883


TR-NWT-000078 Issue 3 (12/91) Generic Physical Design Requirements for
Telecommunications Products and Equipment $130

quoting:
ABSTRACT: Documents Bellcore's view of minimum generic physical design
requirements that are currently appropriate for products and equipment used
in the network of a typical divested BCC. Requirements have been updated to
reflect maturing technologies; to address concerns about the widespread use
of low solids ("no clean") fluxes; and to refine other requirements as a
result of ongoing industry interactions. In addition, the format has been
changed to reflect new Bellcore standards."

see:
http://www.bellcore.com/cgi-bin/cat10.cgi?20903D1797
(note: this document contains the stuff most people refer to regarding PWB's)

phone:
Bellcore customer service hotline: 800-521-2673 US/Canada
                                   908 699-5800 for all others
(call and they will send you a complete catalog free)


WWW homepage:  http://www.bellcore.com/
(searchable index of all public documents, abstracts online)


E-Mail to: [log in to unmask]

U.S. Mail:

Bellcore Information Exchange Management
445 South St. Rm 2J-125
P.O. Box 1910
Morristown, NJ 07962-1910

>     Thanks in advance for your help.

You bet. Did I hayulp?


cheers,


Jerry Cupples
Interphase Corporation
Dallas, TX USA
214-919-9150

p.s. calling 411 will not get you this much info ;-)