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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

I like to have one telephone in my house that will work when the power
goes out.

I had an old push button phone that got a good dial tone, but wouldn't
dial out. I was told that in very old phones, polarity is an issue.

I bought a new phone today at Radio Shack, and it won't dial either!
The dial tone is fine.

I reversed the wires at the jack, but no help.

I tried the new phone at another jack, no help.

An AC powered phone works fine at the original jack.

I disconnected all my other phones and computers, no help.

Every other phone in my house has an AC power supply and works fine.
My computer modem works fine.

This is California, about 50 miles north of San Francisco, if that
provides any clues.

Can anyone help with this? Aside from not wanting to spend any money,
this is bugging me and i want to fix it myself!!!!

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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

On 22 Jan 2007 22:09:11 -0800, wrote:

I like to have one telephone in my house that will work when the power
goes out.




First, describe you're TELCO...

Are you using POTS (plain old telephone) or are you using VOIP from
another provider?
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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

On 22 Jan 2007 22:09:11 -0800, wrote:

I like to have one telephone in my house that will work when the power
goes out.

I had an old push button phone that got a good dial tone, but wouldn't
dial out. I was told that in very old phones, polarity is an issue.

I bought a new phone today at Radio Shack, and it won't dial either!
The dial tone is fine.

I reversed the wires at the jack, but no help.


Can you try other jacks?

I would take the phone to a neighbor and see if it works there. Then
I would take it back to the store and see if it works there. If not,
I'd get my money back.

If it does work at the neighorbs, I'd read Todd's post.

Not really relevant to you, but just this week I had a reallly old
phone that only made one tone for each row, no matter what column was
pressed. A different tone for each row. This was a Western Electric
multi-line phone, and I identified the problem, which was dirt. TWo
of the 5 cam axles were so dirty in their notches they didn't spring
back. Maybe I just should have sprayed something, but I took it
apart, and it was murder getting it back together. When new, it was
assembled in a different order. And even if fixed it was so heavy,
and I'll never have 5 lines, or whatever is needed to use the Hold
button. I ended up stripping it for parts and throwing much of it
away.

I tried the new phone at another jack, no help.

An AC powered phone works fine at the original jack.

I disconnected all my other phones and computers, no help.

Every other phone in my house has an AC power supply and works fine.
My computer modem works fine.

This is California, about 50 miles north of San Francisco, if that
provides any clues.


Can anyone help with this? Aside from not wanting to spend any money,
this is bugging me and i want to fix it myself!!!!




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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power


wrote in message
ups.com...
|I like to have one telephone in my house that will work when the power
| goes out.
|
| GET A CELL PHONE NUMBSKULL


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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power



On Jan 23, 1:09 am, wrote:
I like to have one telephone in my house that will work when the power
goes out.

I had an old push button phone that got a good dial tone, but wouldn't
dial out. I was told that in very old phones, polarity is an issue.

I bought a new phone today at Radio Shack, and it won't dial either!
The dial tone is fine.

I reversed the wires at the jack, but no help.

I tried the new phone at another jack, no help.

An AC powered phone works fine at the original jack.

I disconnected all my other phones and computers, no help.

Every other phone in my house has an AC power supply and works fine.
My computer modem works fine.

This is California, about 50 miles north of San Francisco, if that
provides any clues.

Can anyone help with this? Aside from not wanting to spend any money,
this is bugging me and i want to fix it myself!!!!


I agree with to one responder.
Rule out bad phone.
Often times other devices (aka cheap junk) can affect the working of
other devices.
Go through your house and disconnect all the other things plugged into
all of your other phone jacks checking your new phone as you go.
The same thing happened to me.
Once I unplugged the bad device everything was fine.
Good luck.

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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

| GET A CELL PHONE NUMBSKULL

this poor fellow isnt aware the wired system is much more reliable in a
emergency. every line has a dedicated path, power backup is by big
batteries and generators designed to run for weeks. specs designed
during the cold war, it is very reliable. with the exception of peoples
cheap phones that need power to operate

now cell phones dont meet the military reundant specs, have limited
capacity, during a real emergency only emergncy workers phones will
function, all others will go all circuits are busy try your call later.
when you need it the most know it wouldnt work.

this so the limited capacity bandwidth can be used by emergency
workers........

plus cell phone handsets need recharged frequently, in a power outage
that may be a issue too.

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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

if you have a NID try plugging phone in there, it disconnects your
entire home. proves one way or other if phone or internal wiring of
home has trouble

i would try first plugging the suspect phone in a different outlet



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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power


wrote in message
oups.com...
| GET A CELL PHONE NUMBSKULL


this poor fellow isnt aware the wired system is much more reliable in a
emergency. every line has a dedicated path, power backup is by big
batteries and generators designed to run for weeks. specs designed
during the cold war, it is very reliable. with the exception of peoples
cheap phones that need power to operate

now cell phones dont meet the military reundant specs, have limited
capacity, during a real emergency only emergncy workers phones will
function, all others will go all circuits are busy try your call later.
when you need it the most know it wouldnt work.


I was in Springfield last week where the power is STILL out. I had a cell
phone and my daughter had a cell phone, 2 different carriers. There were
plenty of times when only 1 had service and a few times when neither had
service. Cell phones are not that reliable. How about CB and a couple
extra batteries or a decent sized generator?

this so the limited capacity bandwidth can be used by emergency
workers........

plus cell phone handsets need recharged frequently, in a power outage
that may be a issue too.



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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power


Mike Dobony wrote:

I was in Springfield last week where the power is STILL out. I had a cell
phone and my daughter had a cell phone, 2 different carriers. There were
plenty of times when only 1 had service and a few times when neither had
service. Cell phones are not that reliable. How about CB and a couple
extra batteries or a decent sized generator?

this so the limited capacity bandwidth can be used by emergency
workers........

plus cell phone handsets need recharged frequently, in a power outage
that may be a issue too.

Exactly. Cell phone networks in addition to being radio (or wireless)
as we are now once again referring to it, are not designed to be cost
competitive AND as reliable as 'land lines'. Cell phone systems make a
lot of sense; fewer cables, portability of the handsets, can be
activated by building some towers and connecting them to the national
telephone network which was and still is, including the numbering
system, designed an built mainly by the traditional telephone
companies.

Also, these days, there is a lot more 'stuff' (junk if you like) being
transmitted via cell phones. When situation is normal that has good
aspects and bad. But one has visions of someone in an emergency
situation like the above (Springfield), calling up a relative in
another part of the world and saying "Hey, I'm in Springfield, look at
this picture of a tree which fell on a house in .....................
", blissfully unaware that the picture they are sending is using up
cell phone bandwidth and circuit time that could carry 100 'real
emergency' calls!!!!!!

Thirdly the old monopoly telephone networks which reported to various
regulatory commissions and had their rates approved, before the days of
'Competition', were, as somebody mentioned built to withstand various
emergencies. Standard were, huge banks of batteries good for at least
24 hours, diesel generators, extra circuits, 'thread of life' circuits
and procedures built into day to day operations that ensured what to do
if/when emergencies occurred.

Much of that 'extra' or overbuilding, which involved large capital
investments, has gone in the name of cost reductions in the face of
competition. Nowadays almost anybody can start a telephone company by
using a computer plugged into a bedroom electrical outlet. Not very
reliable, but cheap.

The telephone business is a different world today; the technology has
changed so rapidly, wider range of services available, lower price
competition for customers. So; in times of stress particularly, poorer
service and less reserve within the system/s to carry the
telecommunications through an emergency!

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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power


wrote:

I agree with to one responder.
Rule out bad phone.
Often times other devices (aka cheap junk) can affect the working of
other devices.
Go through your house and disconnect all the other things plugged into
all of your other phone jacks checking your new phone as you go.
The same thing happened to me.
Once I unplugged the bad device everything was fine.
Good luck..

..
Totally agree we once had a fireman complaining his phone would not
ring when he was called for emergencies.

The cause was two cheap phones that had been supplied as 'free gifts'
with magazine subscriptions by his two sons! Junk phones that damped
down the ringing on his line so badly that not only they but his
regular 'Telephone company' phone would not ring at all! Took them off
and everything went back to normal!

This not a criticism of the OPs 'good' phone but; 'Not all phones are
created equal' that's in quality or meeting reasonable standards of
ringing, dialling and transmission.

Also other gadgets such as FAX machines, voice announcers, certain
cheaply made (not always cheap to buy!) cordless phones, bedside radios
that incorporate a phone etc. There is a lot of junk out there that was
not manufactured to any particular standard. In most case the high
quality of the existing phone system manages to cope with them; but not
always.

Been there! Hard to tell some telephone customer that their fancy 'art
deco' whats-it phone bought on a back street in Istanbul or Paris is
terrible junk and not designed to suit North American standards
telephone network. The North American telephone system being for at
least the last 60 to 80 years the best in the world, so that we take it
for granted. But just try to make a phone call in some other countries;
or even get a phone installed etc. in less than months/years and
without paying a bribe!



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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

jart ames wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
|I like to have one telephone in my house that will work when the power
| goes out.
|
| GET A CELL PHONE NUMBSKULL



Our crews in New Orleans found that after the cell site batteries ran
down the only phones left working were the ones that were connected to
unflooded local exchanges. Not all cell sites have generators and their
battery reserves are only good for a day or two. All of the legacy bell
exchanges have engine alternator or generator sets.
--
Tom Horne
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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power


Thomas Horne wrote:

Tony Hwang wrote:

....
Tony
Wires don't break just because the utility power goes out but cell site
batteries don't last for ever without it. Point is that you don't
depend on just one means of communication. An exchange powered copper
pair line is an excellent means to keep a pathway open when the a power
outage is the problem.
--
Tom Horne

Some copper pair land lines depend upon power that does not come
from the central office. About a month ago, after less about a
day of power failure, the phone went out (but DSL kept working
for a while!!). It turns out that there is fiber optic from the
central office to an equipment shack in the field. Power comes
from the utility, then back up batteries, then a back up generator,
but someone has to go out into the field to start the generator.

What really matters for reliability is not the technology
(land line vs. cell), but the reliability expectations, and what
the service providers will do to meet those expectations.
Currently, we expect land lines to be there all the time and
get very upset if there is one outage a year. We expect cell
sites and entire network regions to go down frequently.
Consequently, land lines have back up batteries and generators
(usually automatic!), and cell sites might have a battery.



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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

On Jan 23, 11:47 am, "Mike Dobony" wrote:
I was in Springfield last week where the power is STILL out. I had a cell
phone and my daughter had a cell phone, 2 different carriers. There were
plenty of times when only 1 had service and a few times when neither had
service. Cell phones are not that reliable. How about CB and a couple
extra batteries or a decent sized generator?


Cell phone will not work, reliably, for voice. But text messaging
works even under worst conditions. Too many Americans, because they
don't use text messaging, do not understand why you set and
periodically text message - because it is the only reliable mobile
communication method during outages and crisis.

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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

OK everyone. Here's where I am so far. I didn't think I'd get any
response! I'm glad to see there is so much knowledge out there.

Bottom line is that I got the original phone working and now it dials
out fine. The next to the bottom line is that I don't know what I did.
The new Radio Shack phone still doesn't dial out on tone, but it works
OK on pulse.

I had already disconnected all the other devices in my house and I'm
pretty sure I reversed the correct wires. Last night the old phone
wouldn't dial out. Today I repeated all my efforts and the phone
worked! I assume there was a bad connection somewhere or maybe a
nicked wire or something. I don't know that I'll ever find the precise
problem.

I checked outside my 30-year-old house. There is an old junction box;
no modern plugs! It was getting dark so I just took a wrench and
tightened the nuts. Each nut tightened a little and I could see some
green corrosion on most of the metal parts. Next time the phone
doesn't work, I'll do a thorough cleaning of this box.

I tried the new Radio Shack phone with spade lugs at the junction box,
and the tone dial still doesn't work. I'll try it at a neighbor's
house when I get a chance.

For the record, the old phone is from Western Electric and the date on
its base is 11/80. There is a sticker on the bottom certifying that it
was properly sold (to me I guess, but I don't remember) on
such-and-such a date, but the date is unreadable.

The new Radio Shack phone cost $11. When you figure that Radio Shack
had to make a profit on it, the packaging had to be paid for, and it
had to be shipped from China; there can't be much quality to the guts
inside.

This brings up the issue of what the "phone company" used to be. If
you're old enough to remember it, then you know. The youngsters
wouldn't believe it anyway.

I remember in the early '60's touring a central office. I do remember
banks of batteries waiting for the day they'd power the system. Even
then, there was a crew of old timers who communicated with these
batteries and kept them charged. I doubt such skills exist today.

Lastly, when the earthquake comes, (and it will), if we lose power, it
will be out for months. During that time wouldn't it be silly to have
a live phone line into the house and not be able to use it because I
didn't have a phone that didn't need AC power?

I forget the name the gentleman called me, but it's a name his wife
might call him if he gets his family in that situation. A neighbor of
mine took some courses in emergency civilian response. They warned the
class about how many people would get themselves into situations from
which they would have to be rescued. I was afraid the warning was
exaggerated, but that cellphone comment removes my doubt.

Thanks everyone. I'll be back if the phone acts up again.

RC



On Jan 23, 4:45 pm, Mark Lloyd wrote:
On 23 Jan 2007 12:28:57 -0800, wrote:

[snip]



There is usually a box on the outside wall , its the demarcation point
between your hose wiring and the phone companies line.


In there is usually a test point that you can plug a phone into .On recent installations. Older ones just have a junction box with a

surge suppressor.

If it
works there the problem is in your house wiring.


I have actually never seen a domestic phone that required outside powerCordless phones always require outside power.


. The phone is powered via the phone line .


If you are reversing pairs make sure you are reversing the correct line.It's usually the wires connected to the center 2 pins of the phone

jack.
--
Mark Lloydhttp://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"Unlike biological evolution. 'intelligent design' is
not a genuine scientific theory and, therefore, has
no place in the curriculum of our nation's public
school classes." -- Ted Kennedy


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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

On Wed, 24 Jan 2007 00:40:24 GMT, Thomas Horne
wrote:

jart ames wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...
|I like to have one telephone in my house that will work when the power
| goes out.
|
| GET A CELL PHONE NUMBSKULL


What a child!

Our crews in New Orleans found that after the cell site batteries ran
down the only phones left working were the ones that were connected to
unflooded local exchanges. Not all cell sites have generators and their
battery reserves are only good for a day or two. All of the legacy bell
exchanges have engine alternator or generator sets.


I think these are the most reliable too, but feel compelled to give
one opposite example. AFter the World Trade Center was destroyed in
2001, much/most landline phone usage was impossible in NYC, but cell
phones continued to work, well in most cases.

I wasn't in NYC that day. G-d forbid more of us should learn such
things first hand. But like others have said, back-ups are good.
Back-ups of a different sort are even better. And everyone with a
landline should have at least one corded phone in the house, because
almost all will work without house power.
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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

On 23 Jan 2007 12:27:22 -0800, "terry"
wrote:


This not a criticism of the OPs 'good' phone but; 'Not all phones are
created equal'


Hey, that's unAmerican, or at least unTelphonian. In the United
States of Telephone, all phones are created equal.

that's in quality or meeting reasonable standards of
ringing, dialling and transmission.


Oh. OK.
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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

In article , mm wrote:

I think these are the most reliable too, but feel compelled to give
one opposite example. AFter the World Trade Center was destroyed in
2001, much/most landline phone usage was impossible in NYC, but cell
phones continued to work, well in most cases.


That's exactly backwards. The WTC was home to a number of cellular antennas,
and the cellular service obviously went down when the towers did. Landlines
that were not routed through the towers continued to work.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.


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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power



On Jan 23, 7:45 pm, Mark Lloyd wrote:
On 23 Jan 2007 12:28:57 -0800, wrote:

[snip]



There is usually a box on the outside wall , its the demarcation point
between your hose wiring and the phone companies line.


In there is usually a test point that you can plug a phone into .On recent installations. Older ones just have a junction box with a

surge suppressor.

If it
works there the problem is in your house wiring.


I have actually never seen a domestic phone that required outside powerCordless phones always require outside power.


Not only cordless phones, but also phones that have features like a
Speakerphone and speed dial. I have a 2 line Lucent phone here with
those features that requires batteries.





. The phone is powered via the phone line .


If you are reversing pairs make sure you are reversing the correct line.It's usually the wires connected to the center 2 pins of the phone

jack.
--
Mark Lloydhttp://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"Unlike biological evolution. 'intelligent design' is
not a genuine scientific theory and, therefore, has
no place in the curriculum of our nation's public
school classes." -- Ted Kennedy


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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

On 23 Jan 2007 20:27:22 -0800, wrote:

[snip]


I remember in the early '60's touring a central office. I do remember
banks of batteries waiting for the day they'd power the system. Even
then, there was a crew of old timers who communicated with these
batteries and kept them charged. I doubt such skills exist today.


I got to see a CO when I was in college. They said many of the
batteries came out of submarines.

[snip]
--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"Unlike biological evolution. 'intelligent design' is
not a genuine scientific theory and, therefore, has
no place in the curriculum of our nation's public
school classes." -- Ted Kennedy
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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

On 24 Jan 2007 05:19:35 -0800, wrote:



On Jan 23, 7:45 pm, Mark Lloyd wrote:
On 23 Jan 2007 12:28:57 -0800, wrote:

[snip]



There is usually a box on the outside wall , its the demarcation point
between your hose wiring and the phone companies line.


In there is usually a test point that you can plug a phone into .On recent installations. Older ones just have a junction box with a

surge suppressor.

If it
works there the problem is in your house wiring.


I have actually never seen a domestic phone that required outside powerCordless phones always require outside power.


Not only cordless phones, but also phones that have features like a
Speakerphone and speed dial. I have a 2 line Lucent phone here with
those features that requires batteries.


If it's just speakerphone, that can be line powered. Speed dial (and
caller ID) involve memory that has to be maintained all the time.
Batteries may be needed to provide power when the phone is "on hook",
since little current can be drawn from the line at that time.





. The phone is powered via the phone line .


If you are reversing pairs make sure you are reversing the correct line.It's usually the wires connected to the center 2 pins of the phone

jack.


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

"Unlike biological evolution. 'intelligent design' is
not a genuine scientific theory and, therefore, has
no place in the curriculum of our nation's public
school classes." -- Ted Kennedy
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On Jan 24, 11:30 am, Mark Lloyd wrote:
On 24 Jan 2007 05:19:35 -0800, wrote:







On Jan 23, 7:45 pm, Mark Lloyd wrote:
On 23 Jan 2007 12:28:57 -0800, wrote:


[snip]


There is usually a box on the outside wall , its the demarcation point
between your hose wiring and the phone companies line.


In there is usually a test point that you can plug a phone into .On recent installations. Older ones just have a junction box with a
surge suppressor.


If it
works there the problem is in your house wiring.


I have actually never seen a domestic phone that required outside powerCordless phones always require outside power.


Not only cordless phones, but also phones that have features like a
Speakerphone and speed dial. I have a 2 line Lucent phone here with
those features that requires batteries.If it's just speakerphone, that can be line powered. Speed dial (and

caller ID) involve memory that has to be maintained all the time.


Ever hear of Flash memory?


Batteries may be needed to provide power when the phone is "on hook",
since little current can be drawn from the line at that time.



. The phone is powered via the phone line .


If you are reversing pairs make sure you are reversing the correct line.It's usually the wires connected to the center 2 pins of the phone
jack.--

Mark Lloydhttp://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"Unlike biological evolution. 'intelligent design' is
not a genuine scientific theory and, therefore, has
no place in the curriculum of our nation's public
school classes." -- Ted Kennedy- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -


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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

On 23 Jan 2007 20:27:22 -0800, wrote:


For the record, the old phone is from Western Electric and the date on
its base is 11/80. There is a sticker on the bottom certifying that it


I didn't think they even had phones in 1180. Wasn't that just a
century after the Battle of Hastings?

was properly sold (to me I guess, but I don't remember) on
such-and-such a date, but the date is unreadable.


Western Electric phones are practically indestructable. I can believe
that one would last more than 800 years. I hated to throw the one
away that I mentioned, and I could have fixed it if I had tried
another one or two or three times, but no one would use it with the 4
inch metal connector on the end. But for example the small parts in
that silver box: I don't think I'd taken one apart before, but it was
like my friend said, some nameless parts in a clear semi-white jelly.
Sort of like silicone cement that never cures. One summer during
college my friend had a job at the end of a WEstern Electric phone
refurbishing lline, and he found a junk phone and spent all of his
lunches taking it apart, opening the silver box, and trying to get the
jelly off to identify the parts. Some you could tell what they are by
shape, but iirc NONE had values on them. He had asked his boss
for a schematic and was told there was none, that phone knowledge was
all transmitted by word of mouth. But the last day of his summer,
when he was quitting to go back to school, the boss gave him a
photocopy of the wiring for a dial and a touch-tone phone. I still
have a copy somewhere. From my pov, mostly useful for connecting
attachements**, not for fiddling inside the silver box. This was 1967
iirc.

For example, I was "press secretary" for a little-known political
candidate in 1970. He woudl record a radio press release, and one of
my jobs was to call each radio station in the district and play the
tape for them. He would hold the cassette player speaker up to the
mouthpiece of the phone. It worked pretty well. I put a simple
speaker mini-phone plug on a wire from the two speaker screws inside
the phone, and plugged it into the cassette recorderr, and the
fidelity was perfect. Plus we in the office (his living room) could
talk while it was being played. This was good because I had to call 4
places every morning, and it was hard to shut everyone up.

He also paid for unlimited calls to another campaign office 40 miles
away, but the phone line was at his office (not his living room.) I
just connected the red and green from one line to the red and green
from the other, so anyone in Racine could call the office and get
connected to Kenosha (if someone was there to dial and to trip the
DPDT slide switch. Volume was pretty low, and I don't think they did
this very often, because goind to the office in Racine wasn't hard.

Never had any electrical problems because of this, and when the
campaign was over, I'm sure the phones were taken out. We won by 3
votes out of 50,000 cast in the primary, and after the recount, we
lost by 4. And I was from out of town and knew no one outside the
campaign, but I still talked to 4 supposed supporters of his who told
me they didn't vote the previous day. One was the landlord of the
apartment they rented for out of town people, another ran the grocery
near the apartment where we bought food, etc. Because this was a
primary, I guess, it doesn't get mentioned afaik as a famous close
election, but it was a primary for Congress. We lost to Les Aspin,
who had pretty much the same views as my candidate, and who went on to
be Secretary of Defense, and then to die in his 40's or 50's.

The new Radio Shack phone cost $11. When you figure that Radio Shack
had to make a profit on it, the packaging had to be paid for, and it
had to be shipped from China; there can't be much quality to the guts
inside.


Once they've built the machinery to make IC's, it probably only costs
5 cents to make one. DEsigning a new one costs money too, but

This brings up the issue of what the "phone company" used to be. If
you're old enough to remember it, then you know. The youngsters
wouldn't believe it anyway.

I remember in the early '60's touring a central office. I do remember


I never got inside a central office. In 1967 I watched over the
shoulder as someone punched in his id code into a touchtone pad, and I
wanted to go back and let myself in, but I didn't have the nerve. This
wasn't a business office, only equipment, and I'm sure everyone there
knew everyone who might be there. Plus they probably changed the code
while I was thinking about it.

banks of batteries waiting for the day they'd power the system. Even
then, there was a crew of old timers who communicated with these
batteries and kept them charged. I doubt such skills exist today.


They still use batteries. I think. Pretty much like they have for
100 years, i thihk.

Lastly, when the earthquake comes, (and it will), if we lose power, it
will be out for months. During that time wouldn't it be silly to have
a live phone line into the house and not be able to use it because I
didn't have a phone that didn't need AC power?

I forget the name the gentleman called me, but it's a name his wife
might call him if he gets his family in that situation. A neighbor of
mine took some courses in emergency civilian response. They warned the


In 1954 my father had a crystal radio, with an eleastic cord to hold
it to one's ear. A tuning knob that enabled one to get ONE station
where we lived (probably only had 3 or 4 anyhow.) Eventually it
stopped working and I broke it open. Only 2 parts inside.

He also had a battery/AC powered tube radio made in about 1953 or 4.
The numbers at the start of the tube names were 1 and 2, and it had
two batteries, 6 volt and iirc 43 volts. In the 60's when I wanted to
replace them, one was 2 or 3 dollars but the 43 volt battery was about
45 dollars. I couldn't rationalize spending that amount.

With AC, it warmed up in a couple seconds.

class about how many people would get themselves into situations from
which they would have to be rescued. I was afraid the warning was
exaggerated, but that cellphone comment removes my doubt.

Thanks everyone. I'll be back if the phone acts up again.

RC





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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

On Wed, 24 Jan 2007 10:30:10 -0600, Mark Lloyd
wrote:



If it's just speakerphone, that can be line powered.


I have a speakerphone at my desk that is line powered. I have another
one in the kitchen that uses a small wall adapter. It doesn't seem
worth it to plug in the adapter 24/7/365 for maybe 10 minutes a year I
would use the speakerphone. I guess I won't.

Speed dial (and
caller ID) involve memory that has to be maintained all the time.


I know redial can work on line power. I can never remember how to
store things in memory.

Batteries may be needed to provide power when the phone is "on hook",
since little current can be drawn from the line at that time.


The corded phone that needed batteries had a bunch of features,
including a display of the time and date, and the number just dialed.
While it needed 4 AA to do this I don't know.

I have an early, 1971, GE FM radio with pushbutton numbers and digital
tuning that can run down 2 nine volt back up alkaline batteries in
about 5 hours. Yet I have a watch that can keep time for 5 years on a
much smaller battery. Strange.

And new cordless phones can't be turned off. They say better design
enables them to stay charged for what, 3 or 4 days, even when on.
Yeah, but if one could turn them off, so they didn't ring when the
phone rang, but I could place a call from one, they would last 20 or
30 days. That would be really good. Maybe I will have to take mine
apart and modify it.
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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

On 24 Jan 2007 08:35:09 -0800, wrote:



On Jan 24, 11:30 am, Mark Lloyd wrote:
On 24 Jan 2007 05:19:35 -0800, wrote:







On Jan 23, 7:45 pm, Mark Lloyd wrote:
On 23 Jan 2007 12:28:57 -0800, wrote:


[snip]


There is usually a box on the outside wall , its the demarcation point
between your hose wiring and the phone companies line.


In there is usually a test point that you can plug a phone into .On recent installations. Older ones just have a junction box with a
surge suppressor.


If it
works there the problem is in your house wiring.


I have actually never seen a domestic phone that required outside powerCordless phones always require outside power.


Not only cordless phones, but also phones that have features like a
Speakerphone and speed dial. I have a 2 line Lucent phone here with
those features that requires batteries.If it's just speakerphone, that can be line powered. Speed dial (and

caller ID) involve memory that has to be maintained all the time.


Ever hear of Flash memory?


Apparently the manufacturers of those phones were saving money (flash
memory would have been more expensive 10-20 years ago, and some of
those phones will still be around).


Batteries may be needed to provide power when the phone is "on hook",
since little current can be drawn from the line at that time.



. The phone is powered via the phone line .


If you are reversing pairs make sure you are reversing the correct line.It's usually the wires connected to the center 2 pins of the phone
jack.--

Mark Lloydhttp://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"Unlike biological evolution. 'intelligent design' is
not a genuine scientific theory and, therefore, has
no place in the curriculum of our nation's public
school classes." -- Ted Kennedy- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -

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

"Unlike biological evolution. 'intelligent design' is
not a genuine scientific theory and, therefore, has
no place in the curriculum of our nation's public
school classes." -- Ted Kennedy
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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

On Wed, 24 Jan 2007 12:18:51 -0500, mm
wrote:

On Wed, 24 Jan 2007 10:30:10 -0600, Mark Lloyd
wrote:



If it's just speakerphone, that can be line powered.


I have a speakerphone at my desk that is line powered. I have another
one in the kitchen that uses a small wall adapter. It doesn't seem
worth it to plug in the adapter 24/7/365 for maybe 10 minutes a year I
would use the speakerphone. I guess I won't.


I have a speakerphone that connects directly to the phone line. It
doesn't have a dial but could be used to answer calls. That thing is
completely line powered.

Speed dial (and
caller ID) involve memory that has to be maintained all the time.


I know redial can work on line power. I can never remember how to
store things in memory.


My father bought a s mall one-piece phone in about 1980. It had redial
(for some strange reason, that worked only when set to pulse dialing)
and 3 programmable buttons (supposed to be used as a substitute for
the nonexistent 911 service). It had a small backup battery. Maybe
just so it would retain memory while disconnected from the phoneline.

Batteries may be needed to provide power when the phone is "on hook",
since little current can be drawn from the line at that time.


The corded phone that needed batteries had a bunch of features,
including a display of the time and date, and the number just dialed.
While it needed 4 AA to do this I don't know.


Was the display lighted? That takes a lot of power.

I have an early, 1971, GE FM radio with pushbutton numbers and digital
tuning that can run down 2 nine volt back up alkaline batteries in
about 5 hours. Yet I have a watch that can keep time for 5 years on a
much smaller battery. Strange.

And new cordless phones can't be turned off. They say better design
enables them to stay charged for what, 3 or 4 days, even when on.
Yeah, but if one could turn them off, so they didn't ring when the
phone rang, but I could place a call from one, they would last 20 or
30 days. That would be really good. Maybe I will have to take mine
apart and modify it.


My current cordless phone has no on-off switch, but the ringer can be
disabled. However, it still lights up when it would otherwise be
ringing.
--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"Unlike biological evolution. 'intelligent design' is
not a genuine scientific theory and, therefore, has
no place in the curriculum of our nation's public
school classes." -- Ted Kennedy
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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

On Wed, 24 Jan 2007 12:38:50 -0600, Mark Lloyd
wrote:


The corded phone that needed batteries had a bunch of features,
including a display of the time and date, and the number just dialed.
While it needed 4 AA to do this I don't know.


Was the display lighted? That takes a lot of power.


No. It was an LCD display. It's broken now, can't hear anything,
and I haven't had time to look at it. But this was the one that
generated radio station interference in the phone, so it's not at the
top of my list.

I have an early, 1971, GE FM radio with pushbutton numbers and digital
tuning that can run down 2 nine volt back up alkaline batteries in
about 5 hours. Yet I have a watch that can keep time for 5 years on a
much smaller battery. Strange.

And new cordless phones can't be turned off. They say better design
enables them to stay charged for what, 3 or 4 days, even when on.
Yeah, but if one could turn them off, so they didn't ring when the
phone rang, but I could place a call from one, they would last 20 or
30 days. That would be really good. Maybe I will have to take mine
apart and modify it.


My current cordless phone has no on-off switch, but the ringer can be
disabled. However, it still lights up when it would otherwise be
ringing.


A good option. For a while I had a light in my bedroom so that when
the phone ringers were turned off, but I was awake, I could see the
light flashing. It's one of those that look like a plastic pointed
half-lemon, pointing up. With a neon light, had to add a resistor.
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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

In article , DK
wrote:

You do know that the phone company must supply power to the phone
lines for running the old phones don't you?


It's required for NEW phones, too. It's called "dial tone" or "battery".

It is obvious that you are suffering a
power shortage on your phone line


A "power shortage", eh? I knew it. We need a new government bureaucracy to
address our dependence on FOREIGN DIALTONE. sigh

you can ask the phone company to provide the
proper power to your phone lines.


Say what? ...as if there's a master potentiometer out there somewhere.

Some of your 'powered' phones are masking your line problem.


Who WAS that masked phone?
--

JR

Climb poles and dig holes
Have staplegun, will travel
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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

In article ,
Goedjn wrote:

Try dialing by banging on the switch-hook.


Use the new, $10 Radio Shaft phone for this exercise.

I suggest using a 16-lb sledgehammer.

FWIW, the correct term for "banging on the switch-hook" is "flashing the
switch-hook". Many modern phones have a "flash" key, but is usable only for a
SINGLE flash to switch between callers in Call Waiting mode.

Did you know you can "dial" and entire number by simply/quickly "flashing" the
switch-hook? It's called pulsing the line.

Flash the switch-hook, in rapid succession, 5 times for the number 5; 8 times
for the number 8; and so on. It really works but you have to be VERY nimble
with your finger on the switch-hook and ACCURATE with the short pause between
each pulsed number. Talk about worthless trivia...
--

JR

Mean Evil Bell System
Historical Society
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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

In article . com,
wrote:

I tried the new Radio Shack phone with spade lugs at the junction box,
and the tone dial still doesn't work.


The phone was probably defective right out of the box. It happens.

For the record, the old phone is from Western Electric
and the date on its base is 11/80.


You can be sure it has components MUCH older than that. It is indeed
"polarity sensitive" and requires the pair to be properly connected. If you
cannot "break dialtone" with the buttons, reversing the pair always fixes that
problem.

There is a sticker on the bottom certifying that it
was properly sold (to me I guess, but I don't remember) on
such-and-such a date, but the date is unreadable.


Ahhhhh, the Set Ownership Plan, circa 1984. The Good Old Daystm.

This brings up the issue of what the "phone company" used to be. If
you're old enough to remember it, then you know. The youngsters
wouldn't believe it anyway.


My telco career spans BOTH sides of The Big Breakup in 1984.

I remember in the early '60's touring a central office.
I do remember banks of batteries
waiting for the day they'd power the system.


They weren't "waiting" - they WERE (and still are) powering the system.
Today's modern telephone Central Office still uses a (very big) battery to
PRIMARILY power the system. The computers, switches, yadda, yadda - and even
emergency standby lighting in the office - are all DIRECTLY operated from the
battery. Grid power is rectified and is constantly recharging the battery.

Even then, there was a crew of old timers who communicated with these
batteries and kept them charged. I doubt such skills exist today.


You are mistaken. The power techs are alive and well, caring for the battery
that resides in EVERY Central Office. These same technicians are also
responsible for the "care and feeding" of the standby power plant found at
most C.O.s.

Lastly, when the earthquake comes, (and it will), if we lose power, it
will be out for months. During that time wouldn't it be silly to have
a live phone line into the house and not be able to use it because I
didn't have a phone that didn't need AC power?


This is the exact reason that my company chose two-line, LINE-POWERED phones
to hang on the distributing frame in "my" C.O. Also, "every" central office
has an "FX" line - a Foreign Exchange line. In the event of a total C.O.
failure, there is still one working line fed from another (nearest) C.O. (We
were using "FX lines" before Hollyweird ever thought of the term.)

I forget the name the gentleman called me, but it's a name his wife
might call him if he gets his family in that situation.


Survivalist. It's not a bad thing to be.
--

JR

Climb poles and dig holes
Have staplegun, will travel
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Default Telephone will not dial out--the kind of phone with no AC power

In article ,
Mark Lloyd wrote:

I got to see a CO when I was in college. They said many of the
batteries came out of submarines.


I'd never heard that but certainly believe it.

I wonder if we'll get their used nukes? bg
--

JR
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