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 ;-)