Have heard and read conflicting info about what is 'safest'
type of telephone to use during lightning storm. I know the
general statement is *don't do it*, but if one must...

corded or cordless? does it matter if the telephone also has
an integrated answering machine?

I know it's basic, but I need to replace my very old
telephone(s) and want to make the *best* choice.

TIA
--

Rex's Mom

In article ,
Rex's Mom wrote:

- Have heard and read conflicting info about what is 'safest'
- type of telephone to use during lightning storm. I know the
- general statement is *don't do it*, but if one must...
-
- corded or cordless? does it matter if the telephone also has
- an integrated answering machine?
-
- I know it's basic, but I need to replace my very old
- telephone(s) and want to make the *best* choice.
-
- TIA

Of course, it's safer to use a cordless phone during a
storm. However, during a power outage you'll want to have
a cheap corded phone around because the cordless won't
work.
--
8^)~~~ Sue (remove the x to e-mail)
~~~~~~
"I reserve the absolute right to be smarter
today than I was yesterday." -Adlai Stevenson

http://www.suzanne-eckhardt.com/
http://www.intergnat.com/malebashing/
http://www.intergnat.com/pussygames/

Suzie-Q wrote:

In article ,
Rex's Mom wrote:

- Have heard and read conflicting info about what is 'safest'
- type of telephone to use during lightning storm. I know the
- general statement is *don't do it*, but if one must...
-
- corded or cordless? does it matter if the telephone also has
- an integrated answering machine?
-
- I know it's basic, but I need to replace my very old
- telephone(s) and want to make the *best* choice.
-
- TIA

Of course, it's safer to use a cordless phone during a
storm. However, during a power outage you'll want to have
a cheap corded phone around because the cordless won't
work.
thanks and also thanks for the reminder about corded in case
of power failure. Must admit that if we have a particularly
bad storm there is usually (even if brief) power outage
along with the lightning.



--

Rex's Mom

Rex's Mom wrote:
Suzie-Q wrote:

In article ,
Rex's Mom wrote:

- Have heard and read conflicting info about what is 'safest' - type
of telephone to use during lightning storm. I know the - general
statement is *don't do it*, but if one must...
- - corded or cordless? does it matter if the telephone also has -
an integrated answering machine?
- - I know it's basic, but I need to replace my very old -
telephone(s) and want to make the *best* choice.
- - TIA

Of course, it's safer to use a cordless phone during a
storm. However, during a power outage you'll want to have
a cheap corded phone around because the cordless won't
work.

thanks and also thanks for the reminder about corded in case of power
failure. Must admit that if we have a particularly bad storm there is
usually (even if brief) power outage along with the lightning.

You can always take your cell phone out to your car to recharge it when
the power fails.

Rex's Mom wrote:
Suzie-Q wrote:

In article ,
Rex's Mom wrote:

- Have heard and read conflicting info about what is 'safest'
- type of telephone to use during lightning storm. I know the
- general statement is *don't do it*, but if one must...
-
- corded or cordless? does it matter if the telephone also has
- an integrated answering machine?
-
- I know it's basic, but I need to replace my very old
- telephone(s) and want to make the *best* choice.
-
- TIA

Of course, it's safer to use a cordless phone during a
storm. However, during a power outage you'll want to have
a cheap corded phone around because the cordless won't
work.
thanks and also thanks for the reminder about corded in case
of power failure. Must admit that if we have a particularly
bad storm there is usually (even if brief) power outage
along with the lightning.


Besides being the only phone that will work during a power outage, you
should also have at least one corded phone in your house when making
information-sensitive phone calls (i.e. calling credit card companies,
banks, etc.). With a corded phone your neighbour or that van parked on
the street can't listen in to your phone calls without having a
physical wiretap on your phone line. With cordless, your broadcasting
your phone conversation to your surroundings.

Although I'm sure things have improved (to a certain degree), I
remember my first cordless phone (Sony) would always pick up other
people's phone conversations. I could even take the phone with me a
few miles away from my house, and pick up other people's phone
conversations. That was probably before they started using thousands
of different channels for the phone transmitter / receiver.

Notice in movies how the president always calls the Pentagon with a
CORDED phone?

On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 12:41:07 -0500, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 16:13:21 GMT, Rex's Mom
wrote:

Have heard and read conflicting info about what is 'safest'
type of telephone to use during lightning storm. I know the
general statement is *don't do it*, but if one must...

corded or cordless? does it matter if the telephone also has
an integrated answering machine?

I know it's basic, but I need to replace my very old
telephone(s) and want to make the *best* choice.

TIA

Did you all watch the mythbusters lightning show. They had to remove
the ground from the Dmark to have problems with the phone. Then it was
spectacular. If you do have a bad grounding system everything
electrical in your house can kill you.
I also dissagree with the idea of a "cheap" corded phone. Scour the
garage sales and get a real Western Electric or Stromberg Carlson
phone. (hint, it should weigh a pound or more) Those are bullet proof
and you can still get one for the price of some chinese piece of crap
that blows up the first time you have a thunderstorm.

Lots of cordless phones have a battery in the base unit too so they
will work during a power outage, at least for a while.

Most of the older cordless phones operated on frequencies that were
easily programmed into modified Radio Shack scanners, even though it
is illegal. There is a whole group of hobbyists out there that get
their kicks by listening in to police and fire calls, cordless phones
and cellular calls.

Getting a digital phone provides better security, scrambled is best of
all.

Beachcomber

On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 16:13:21 GMT, Rex's Mom
wrote:

Have heard and read conflicting info about what is 'safest'
type of telephone to use during lightning storm. I know the
general statement is *don't do it*, but if one must...

corded or cordless? does it matter if the telephone also has
an integrated answering machine?

It matters in that if lightening ruins your phone, it will ruin your
phone machine too. And you don't have to be on the phone for all
this to happen, but what are you going to do, not buy anything because
lightening might ruin it?. It can ruin your stove and refrigerator
too.

Definitely the cordless is safer, and also when you are in the
bathtub. They are totally safe. Although if you drop it into the
water, you may ruin the phone, but not yourself.

Like the ohter post, I have one friend I've tried to convince to keep
a corded phone. He says he'll borrow one if there is a power failure.
!!

I know it's basic, but I need to replace my very old
telephone(s) and want to make the *best* choice.

TIA


Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

Rex's Mom wrote:
Have heard and read conflicting info about what is 'safest' type of
telephone to use during lightning storm. I know the general statement is
*don't do it*, but if one must...

corded or cordless? does it matter if the telephone also has an
integrated answering machine?

I know it's basic, but I need to replace my very old telephone(s) and
want to make the *best* choice.

TIA

Do keep in mind that only a traditional copper telephone line can be
powered from the central office of the carrier. Telephone service over
cable, Internet, and similar piggyback services require public utility
power to the amplifiers along the lines between you and the carriers
central office. If you live in an apartment building you may loose your
phone service when the batteries in the concentrator / identifier device
in the building run down. Such devices use two to four traditional
telephone lines to carry dozens of conversations were there is a
shortage of cable pairs to serve that building. No attempt is made to
power such devices during an extended power outage. Similar devices in
telephone company owned Controlled Environment Vaults have better
batteries and an outside connection for a mobile generator.
--
Tom Horne

Well we aren't no thin blue heroes and yet we aren't no blackguards to.
We're just working men and woman most remarkable like you.

Rex's Mom wrote:
Have heard and read conflicting info about what is 'safest' type of
telephone to use during lightning storm. I know the general statement is
*don't do it*, but if one must...

corded or cordless? does it matter if the telephone also has an
integrated answering machine?

I know it's basic, but I need to replace my very old telephone(s) and
want to make the *best* choice.

TIA

Cell phone. Next safest is the cordless.


They are so cheap, buy two. Some phones will buzz
or hum no matter what you do, so buy from a place
you can return the phone if you don't like it.
The problem with cordless phones is that the base
can pick up a hum from other electronics. Can
usually fix it by moving it away from other
electronics, e.g., microwave.

Rex's Mom wrote in
:

Have heard and read conflicting info about what is 'safest'
type of telephone to use during lightning storm. I know the
general statement is *don't do it*, but if one must...

corded or cordless? does it matter if the telephone also has
an integrated answering machine?

I know it's basic, but I need to replace my very old
telephone(s) and want to make the *best* choice.

TIA

A cordless phone will not conduct lightning while in use,but during power
outages,becomes useless.

Corded phones can conduct lightning into a home and possibly kill a person
using it during a storm.



Perhaps a cellphone might suit best,although they often don't work or have
limited coverage after severe weather.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 19:19:56 GMT, (Beachcomber)
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 12:41:07 -0500, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 16:13:21 GMT, Rex's Mom
wrote:

Have heard and read conflicting info about what is 'safest'
type of telephone to use during lightning storm. I know the
general statement is *don't do it*, but if one must...

corded or cordless? does it matter if the telephone also has
an integrated answering machine?

I know it's basic, but I need to replace my very old
telephone(s) and want to make the *best* choice.

TIA

Did you all watch the mythbusters lightning show. They had to remove
the ground from the Dmark to have problems with the phone. Then it was
spectacular. If you do have a bad grounding system everything
electrical in your house can kill you.
I also dissagree with the idea of a "cheap" corded phone. Scour the
garage sales and get a real Western Electric or Stromberg Carlson
phone. (hint, it should weigh a pound or more) Those are bullet proof
and you can still get one for the price of some chinese piece of crap
that blows up the first time you have a thunderstorm.

Lots of cordless phones have a battery in the base unit too so they
will work during a power outage, at least for a while.


I don't have one of those, but my cordless phone base is plugged into
the same UPS as my main computer. It won't work for very long, but it
does provide enough time to switch to a corded phone (in a long power
outage).

Most of the older cordless phones operated on frequencies that were
easily programmed into modified Radio Shack scanners, even though it
is illegal. There is a whole group of hobbyists out there that get
their kicks by listening in to police and fire calls, cordless phones
and cellular calls.

Getting a digital phone provides better security, scrambled is best of
all.

Beachcomber
--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what
to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb
contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin