Emergency services - some kind of clicky switches

[CX23882]

Due to a disturbance with youths launching fireworks up the street last night, I found myself calling the emergency services. When I got through the local police control room I was telling them the details and could hear the operator typing, and it was very loud. It was certainly not "banging on a rubber dome" loud and it wasn't "ticky Cherry blue" loud.

It sounded like they were using either buckling springs or white Alps. I guess they're looking for reliability and there's also the added benefit of the caller being able to hear that the operator is doing something.

[microsoft windows]

Many people use clicky keyboards in public places. In a farm equipment store, I saw a 122 key bs keyboard in use. In the public library, there are a bunch of Model M's.

[ch_123]

It sounded like they were using either buckling springs or white Alps. I guess they're looking for reliability and there's also the added benefit of the caller being able to hear that the operator is doing something.

Either that, or they haven't replaced their equipment in 20 years...

[timw4mail]

Either that, or they haven't replaced their equipment in 20 years...

That wouldn't surprise me very much.

[alpslover]

It was certainly not "banging on a rubber dome" loud and it wasn't "ticky Cherry blue" loud.

cherry blues will sound different over the phone than in real life.  phone systems are optimized for voice transmission, so higher frequency sounds like the ticking of cherry blues will be severely attenuated or completely absent.  not saying it was a cherry blue keyboard, just that identifying sounds accurately over the phone isn't straightforward because phones aren't high fidelity.

I guess they're looking for reliability

that's pretty much it.  if they're using a 20 year old keyboard, it's because it still works and there's no real reason to replace it.

[rdh]

The Positron Express is a popular keyboard for 911 operators. I know nothing about it except it is made for that purpose alone.

Apparently it can be used as a TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf), and it has a built-in printer.
A keyboard layout for KeyTest is available, but I suspect 'Geekhack.org member "kishy"' might be aware of that already.
I haven't turned up any manufacturer pages specifically about the keyboard, but I suspect it's normally only sold as part of systems, not by itself.

You can buy one used without manuals or cables for $50, or new in box for $45 (reduced from $55).
If you do, let us know what you find out.  :-)

[ch_123]

I can just imagine someone ringing 999 (or 911 for you Americans) and asking "Quick! I need you to pull a keycap off your keyboard and send me a pic of the switch!"