Wang 725-7231-US Tempest keyboard

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maxgpdx

30 Dec 2022, 12:50

Hi everyone, I came across a really cool board on eBay recently: a modified version of the Wang 725-3770 with Tempest shielding. There have been a couple Tempest boards found over the years, but this is the first Alps Wang to my knowledge.
wang_top.jpg
wang_top.jpg (1.8 MiB) Viewed 5283 times

From the top it looks pretty normal, but things get crazy when you open it up:
wang_top_plate.jpg
wang_top_plate.jpg (1.56 MiB) Viewed 5283 times

The keyboard has 2 plates that sandwich the switches, as well as a completely different PCB with electromagnetic shielding on the components, and a different cable. To accommodate all the extra height, risers are placed between the keycaps and the switches, and there is an additional plastic piece between the top and bottom case shells. Sadly the switches are Bamboo Blacks and in weirdly poor condition despite the board itself being spotless, but I might swap them to pine blacks.
wang_keycaps.jpg
wang_keycaps.jpg (474.82 KiB) Viewed 5283 times
wang_side.jpg
wang_side.jpg (1.32 MiB) Viewed 5283 times

Finally, there is an interesting back label that sheds some light on what this board was used for. It reads "Wang 7500T Series Products are controlled by the office of Munitions Control, U.S. Department of State." There's also a label dating this board to April of 1997, which is quite late.
wang_back.jpg
wang_back.jpg (1.88 MiB) Viewed 5283 times

I made a full wiki page for the board here with more details and pictures. Interestingly this is not the first Tempest Wang spotted, a Keytronic F&F Wang has been on the wiki for some time. It also has the DB-9 plug, extra plating, and warning label on the back that also mentions the Wang 7500T Series. If anyone has more info on these boards or other Tempest boards in general I'd love to hear about it.

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paperWasp

02 Jan 2023, 19:29

Nice. Wonder what does the "GL" key (just above arrow up) do?
I would guess the L stands for a lock but standard three locks are already present.

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JP!

03 Jan 2023, 16:37

Such a beautiful keyboard. Thanks for sharing it.

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doomsday_device

03 Jan 2023, 18:44

the thickest wang!

how does it feel with the risers on the switches?

User avatar
maxgpdx

06 Jan 2023, 11:00

doomsday_device wrote:
03 Jan 2023, 18:44
the thickest wang!

how does it feel with the risers on the switches?
If the switches were in good shape I don't think it would change much, but since they are dirty it makes them bind more. I still need to take the time to restore them.

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