Line Powered Corded Phone - again

[David L. Jones]

In addition to the thread not so long ago on line powered corded phones, now
I happen to be after one.
Plenty available of course, but I've been asked to source one that
specifically has an off-hook audible warning beeper.
All the phones I've looked at online don't have it listed in the specs, so
if they do have it it's buried away in the manual which is next to
impossible to find online.

Any leads?

Thanks
Dave.

 

[Lord Garth]

In addition to the thread not so long ago on line powered corded phones,
now I happen to be after one.
Plenty available of course, but I've been asked to source one that
specifically has an off-hook audible warning beeper.
All the phones I've looked at online don't have it listed in the specs, so
if they do have it it's buried away in the manual which is next to
impossible to find online.

Any leads?

Why would the off hook signal from the telco not be sufficient noise?

 

[Phil Allison]

"Lord Garth"

"David L. Jones"


Why would the off hook signal from the telco not be sufficient noise?

** Nope.

That can only be heard from less than 1 metre even in a very quiet room.




...... Phil

 

[David L. Jones]

Why would the off hook signal from the telco not be sufficient noise?

It's obviously not sufficient for my mother to hear it.

Dave.

 

[Mr.T]

It's obviously not sufficient for my mother to hear it.

What makes you think any other phone would have a louder off hook signal
though?
I'm amazed the phones they supply for the hearing impaired don't even have a
decent ring volume, unless you also pay for an extension bell. That's what
happens when the government mandates something for the disabled, without
actually knowing (or caring) what is really needed.

MrT.

 

[Lord Garth]

"Lord Garth"


** Nope.

That can only be heard from less than 1 metre even in a very quiet room.

I can here my bedroom phone in my kitchen some 20 feet away.
Seems the cat kicked the phone off hook. The receiver was aimed
upwards however.

 

[Lord Garth]

It's obviously not sufficient for my mother to hear it.

Dave.

Ah! Mine is 84 and has a similar problem.

 

[F Murtz]

Why would the off hook signal from the telco not be sufficient noise?

Off on a tangent would any one have a circuit or way to fit a strobe
light on phone for deaf people (like those blue lights on house alarms)

 

[John G.]

Why would the off hook signal from the telco not be sufficient noise?

A phone left off hook after a call makes very little noise unless the
exchange sends a warning which some have but I dont think all do.

Even Dial Tone is not loud enough to attract attention.

John G.

 

[MoiInAust]

A phone left off hook after a call makes very little noise unless the
exchange sends a warning which some have but I dont think all do.

Even Dial Tone is not loud enough to attract attention.

John G.

In the UK they used to have a 'howler', where if a phone was left off the
hook the operator could sreate a howl and increase it in volume until there
was a response from the subscriber. In Aust now you get a short period of
alteranate loud and soft beats and then the phone is disconnected
automatically, although it can be reconnected by clearing down and then
starting again.

 

[KR]

In addition to the thread not so long ago on line powered corded phones, now
I happen to be after one.
Plenty available of course, but I've been asked to source one that
specifically has an off-hook audible warning beeper.
All the phones I've looked at online don't have it listed in the specs, so
if they do have it it's buried away in the manual which is next to
impossible to find online.

Any leads?

Thanks
Dave.

I think you will have to "roll your own".

there have been various "off hook indicator" circuits published over
the years.
here is the first one I found that
http://home.att.net/~theremin1/Circuit_Library/line_in_use.htm

Vaguely remember SC did one in recent years that might be approved too
as a bonus.

here is another that seems to specialise in ready built units - that
are also likely to be approved
http://www.spence-electronics.com.au/pdf/SE-Ring Indicatoers.pdf
No prices though.

Since they dare to mention the use of incandescent lamps, the "Green
bulb Gestapo" might put them out of business, so better grab one while
you can


I have never heard of that feature on any consumer phone.

Another alternative is to possibly have the phone wall mounted, and
get one that the handset wont sit anywhere unless its properly hung up

 

[Phil Allison]

"Lord Garth"

"Phil Allison"

I can here my bedroom phone in my kitchen some 20 feet away.

** Then you obviously do not live in Australia.

What planet is it that you do ?

Seems the cat kicked the phone off hook.

** Musta thought that purring noise was some extra-terrestrial feline
trying to make contact ......





...... Phil

 

[David L. Jones]

What makes you think any other phone would have a louder off hook signal
though?

I'm thinking perhaps there is a phone out there that has its own off-hook
beeper or something. Many have an off-hook visual indicator.

Dave.

 

[David L. Jones]

"Lord Garth"


** Nope.

That can only be heard from less than 1 metre even in a very quiet room.

I just plugged in an old Optus phone I found, and I could barely hear it
half a meter away in a very quiet room.
Also, the off-hook signal only goes for about a minute and then switches off
to just an even quieter static. Do others get the same thing?

Dave.

 

[MoiInAust]

I just plugged in an old Optus phone I found, and I could barely hear it
half a meter away in a very quiet room.
Also, the off-hook signal only goes for about a minute and then switches
off to just an even quieter static. Do others get the same thing?

Dave.

Yes that's the standard action from exchanges like Ericcson and the like.
Prevents tying up exchange equipment. Used to be called 'permanent glow' and
was the bugbear of systems running in 1900 or so! That's one of the reasons
why switchboards were centrally mounted with milliameters, to keep an eye on
the PG status.

 

[Franc Zabkar]

In addition to the thread not so long ago on line powered corded phones, now
I happen to be after one.
Plenty available of course, but I've been asked to source one that
specifically has an off-hook audible warning beeper.
All the phones I've looked at online don't have it listed in the specs, so
if they do have it it's buried away in the manual which is next to
impossible to find online.

Any leads?

Thanks
Dave.

You wouldn't want a beeper going off when you are talking or dialling,
so the phone would need to be able to distinguish between a
conversation and an accidental off-hook condition, and it would need
to be able to recognise a dialtone. If the phone were to base its
off-hook detection on line current and an absence of sound, then any
background noise such as the TV could defeat it. Therefore it seems to
me that an audible warning would be difficult to implement. However,
one possible way of implementing such a feature might be to sense
whether or not the handset is being held in a person's hand, but this
may run into isolation problems in the case of a line powered phone.
You would also have the beeper going off if you put the phone down in
the middle of a conversation, although in this case the phone could
automatically go on-hold.

- Franc Zabkar

 

[Lord Garth]

Where do you live?
What phone do you have?
Does it switch off after a minute or two?

Dave.

Hi Dave,

I'm in Dallas Texas. I have a Panasonic corded desk phone.
Yes, the telco switch will kill the circuit after some time.

I suppose I should tell you that I have exceptional high frequency
hearing. Though I haven't been tested recently, at age 28, I was
hearing far higher than average. Seems my ear drums are both
larger than average and tight. The down shot is that loud is painful
to me.

I probably should go get tested again to see how time has altered
my range.

 

[David L. Jones]

I can here my bedroom phone in my kitchen some 20 feet away.
Seems the cat kicked the phone off hook. The receiver was aimed
upwards however.

Where do you live?
What phone do you have?
Does it switch off after a minute or two?

Dave.

 

[John G.]

You wouldn't want a beeper going off when you are talking or dialling,
so the phone would need to be able to distinguish between a
conversation and an accidental off-hook condition, and it would need
to be able to recognise a dialtone. If the phone were to base its
off-hook detection on line current and an absence of sound, then any
background noise such as the TV could defeat it. Therefore it seems to
me that an audible warning would be difficult to implement. However,
one possible way of implementing such a feature might be to sense
whether or not the handset is being held in a person's hand, but this
may run into isolation problems in the case of a line powered phone.
You would also have the beeper going off if you put the phone down in
the middle of a conversation, although in this case the phone could
automatically go on-hold.

- Franc Zabkar

A beeper with a fairly long quiet space like a houshold fire alarm "flat
battery" beeper might work as it would eventually alert the user.
I was about to build such a thing for a blind person a few years ago but he
died and I dropped the project.
John G.

 

[Mr.T]

I'm thinking perhaps there is a phone out there that has its own off-hook
beeper or something. Many have an off-hook visual indicator.

Sure, and that's usually enough.
I can't recall ever seeing a phone with it's own off hook beeper though, or
anybody else that wants one for that matter.

MrT.