# telcom boards



## dvdczar (Nov 22, 2011)

Does anyone have suggestions on where to find telcom boards or what types of companys to talk with?


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## silversaddle1 (Nov 22, 2011)

Sure. You really think anybody is going to tell you that info? I'm pretty sure that anyone who knows where to get them is gonna go get them for themselves. 

I could be wrong. :lol:


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## glondor (Nov 22, 2011)

Silversaddle you are too much. :lol: Of course everyone knows where to get that stuff. Communication companies of course.


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## kdaddy (Nov 22, 2011)

I work in the cell tower industry and have access to tons and tons of scrap from obsolete base stations that we remove or upgrade.
At first I would take full cellular base stations home and try to get everything that has visible gold and scrap the rest. These things weigh about 3000lbs each with built in HVAC unit and battery backups along with the RF equipment, needless to say it took about four days to dismantle, cherry pick, sort metal, and sell scrap per unit. After unloading five units and filling the entire back yard with scrap metal my wife almost had a stroke. I was making loads of money on scrap but it quickly became overwhelming as I get very little time off from work. So, what I do now is remove the radio cards and everything else goes as is to the scrap yard. Most people in my line of work have no idea that this stuff has gold and PM's inside and they just scrap the whole thing as is for a quick $800 or so. Unless you know someone in the business you are basically S.O.L. because most of this equipment never makes it back to the warehouse unless its going to be reused.


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## glorycloud (Nov 24, 2011)

Hey Silversaddle,

Everyone wants to know where the "golden goose" lives.
No one in their right mind would divulge that information
but it ALWAYS makes me laugh out loud when the question
gets posed here on the forum. 8) 

What an entitlement society we have become. :roll:


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## goldsilverpro (Nov 24, 2011)

Sprint, AT&T, etc., etc., etc.


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## kdaddy (Nov 28, 2011)

I was asked for some photos, here are a few. I will take some close ups when I get a few minutes.


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## glorycloud (Nov 28, 2011)

Those are low end copper plated boards. Not much money there.

Send them to me and I will recycle them for you.

8)


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## glondor (Nov 28, 2011)

I can recycle those very low value processors and chips for you. I have a buyer for recycled plastic and ceramics. 8)


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## kdaddy (Nov 28, 2011)

I will be listing a few lots on feebay in the very near future. I can post a link if you like. :mrgreen:


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## Ocean (Nov 28, 2011)

please post the link when you list.

I need to watch these as I get some similar ones.


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## glondor (Nov 29, 2011)

For what it is worth. The last lot of boards like these shown I sold I received $20 per lb for populated and$ 25 per lb for un-populated. 8)


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## Acid_Bath76 (Nov 29, 2011)

forget the boards.... I'm waiting for someone to tell me where this golden goose is located. How to pluck it, stuff it, cook it, denox it.... . .. :lol:


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## Oz (Nov 30, 2011)

Acid_Bath76 said:


> I'm waiting for someone to tell me where this golden goose is located.


You have found it, it is called the Gold Refining Forum.


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## dvdczar (Nov 30, 2011)

Oz said:


> Acid_Bath76 said:
> 
> 
> > I'm waiting for someone to tell me where this golden goose is located.
> ...


 I agree with you Oz 110% Im not the guy with any entitlement issues as some may have interpeted by the question I posed, I am merely trying to learn everything I can that members will freely share as it is I believe in the mission of the forum , the question posed did not demand difinitive answers it only hoped for a scent in which to follow, which was gracefully obliged by some members and I thank them for it .


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## robust57 (Dec 28, 2011)

New to the forum here. To the OP, I work for an IT department of a law firm. We just PAID a company to come take our old computers, switch gear, and telco equipment. Mostly we just wanted it of our space which is why we paid someone to take it. Due to this I have begun my own collecting of parts. I would suggest looking into law firms, banks, and hospitals. Reason being is that most of the large companys in these fields used Nortel phones. Nortel is no more, Avaya bought them up. So either these companies are ditching their Nortel gear for VoIP or will be ditching it for the latest Avaya gear. Some of this Nortel stuff appears to have a bit of gold on the board, the older the better. The backplane of Nortel Option 11c cabinets has 12 rows of 148 gold plated pins about an inch tall. I just decommissioned our Option 61c which has been running for over 20 years, can't wait to see what's all in there from the copper and aluminum and hopefully gold.

Also some of the older Cisco chasis switch gear contains gold, mostly on the supervisor modules.

Hope that helps. Happy hunting.


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## MMFJ (Dec 29, 2011)

robust57 said:


> New to the forum here. To the OP, I work for an IT department of a law firm. We just PAID a company to come take our old computers, switch gear, and telco equipment. Mostly we just wanted it of our space which is why we paid someone to take it. Due to this I have begun my own collecting of parts. I would suggest looking into law firms, banks, and hospitals. Reason being is that most of the large companys in these fields used Nortel phones. Nortel is no more, Avaya bought them up. So either these companies are ditching their Nortel gear for VoIP or will be ditching it for the latest Avaya gear. Some of this Nortel stuff appears to have a bit of gold on the board, the older the better. The backplane of Nortel Option 11c cabinets has 12 rows of 148 gold plated pins about an inch tall. I just decommissioned our Option 61c which has been running for over 20 years, can't wait to see what's all in there from the copper and aluminum and hopefully gold.
> 
> Also some of the older Cisco chasis switch gear contains gold, mostly on the supervisor modules.
> 
> Hope that helps. Happy hunting.


This is EXACTLY how I started and have made a nice living from it for years (only, sadly, we used to TOSS computers by the pallet load because we thought them to be "worthless".....  

Not to blatantly advertise, but for newbies, there are many other details of who to talk to at various companies, which companies to start with, etc. in my ebook (link below my message) - my apologies for any feeling of 'sales pitch' - just too much to list here, that's why I put it there in the first place (long before I found this forum or I would be doing a lot of things differently over the years!)

Start just like robust57 states - there are a LOT of companies that will GIVE you more stuff than you could ever hope to take. Be nice to them and even sweep the floor when you are through (little things mean a lot....), etc. You won't be disappointed if you just keep at it and keep moving!


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## reelman65 (Jan 30, 2012)

glondor said:


> For what it is worth. The last lot of boards like these shown I sold I received $20 per lb for populated and$ 25 per lb for un-populated. 8)



Hi, I have about 250lbs of those boards I would love to know where to get that kind of money, my channel will only pay high grade telecom prices for them. $5.00/pound-ish

thanks

this is what I got:


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## reelman65 (Jan 30, 2012)

glondor said:


> For what it is worth. The last lot of boards like these shown I sold I received $20 per lb for populated and$ 25 per lb for un-populated. 8)



Hi, I have about 250lbs of those boards I would love to know where to get that kind of money, my channel will only pay high grade telecom prices for them. $5.00/pound-ish

thanks

this is what I got:


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## kdaddy (Jan 31, 2012)

Ebay! Remove the RF power transistors before you sell them, thats the best part of the board.
I will be listing some tonight and will post a link.

K.


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## kdaddy (Jan 31, 2012)

Also, only the radio cards with gold plating will bring $20 lb. The other cards pictured will not but they may have some resale value
to overseas cellular carriers that use Ericsson 884 or TDMA.


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## kdaddy (Jan 31, 2012)

Also, only the radio cards with gold plating will bring $20 lb. The other cards pictured will not but they may have some resale value
to overseas cellular carriers that use Ericsson 884 or TDMA.


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## kdaddy (Jan 31, 2012)

Sorry it took so long but here you go. Ebay Item number: 200708251597. I have 4 auctions going so check em out.
If any of these auctions go to a GRF member please let me know and I'll throw in some freebies.
,Keith


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## reelman65 (Jan 31, 2012)

kdaddy said:


> Ebay! Remove the RF power transistors before you sell them, thats the best part of the board.
> I will be listing some tonight and will post a link.
> 
> K.



Hi what part is the RF power transistors? do you do anything about the BeO?

thanks!!


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## kdaddy (Feb 1, 2012)

:roll: Google search is your friend. Don't worry about BeO just don't crush the ceramics. I remove the tops with heat, this gives access to fine gold wires, then I scrape the wires onto a sheet of paper. The real payoff is when you deplate the body. 
,K


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## publius (Feb 1, 2012)

kdaddy said:


> Sorry it took so long but here you go. Ebay Item number: 200708251597. I have 4 auctions going so check em out.
> If any of these auctions go to a GRF member please let me know and I'll throw in some freebies.
> ,Keith


Keith,

Those are some good looking boards! Did you list them in the for sale section on GRF? That is the first place I look in the morning!

Robert


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## kdaddy (Feb 1, 2012)

I did not list them here because most members wouldn't pay ebay prices and I don't blame them. I have sold these for as much as $27lb on ebay.


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