Re: Just for discussion.

[RTS <gafa@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 7/21/2020 11:01 AM, ABLE1 wrote:
> On 7/21/2020 11:18 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
>> On 7/20/2020 4:06 PM, ABLE1 wrote:
>>> On 7/20/2020 12:12 PM, RTS wrote:
>>>> On 7/20/2020 7:19 AM, ABLE1 wrote:
>>>>> On 7/20/2020 12:51 AM, Jim Davis wrote:
>>>>>> On Sunday, July 19, 2020 at 1:20:58 PM UTC-4, ABLE1 wrote:
>>>>>>> Hello all, no matter how few!!  :-)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The other day I received a call from a customer that said that
>>>>>>> morning a police officer showed up and asked if there was a problem.
>>>>>>> The office manager said; "No, I just got here at the office 20
>>>>>>> minutes
>>>>>>> ago.  The officer said; "County Control received a call from a phone
>>>>>>> number here with no one on the other end when answered."
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Turns out the number that called 911 was their Fax number.  I was
>>>>>>> called
>>>>>>> to investigate what may have happened.  The Fax number is also
>>>>>>> used for
>>>>>>> the Line #2 to the Fire Panel.  The line used is a POTS line and
>>>>>>> there
>>>>>>> is an outside Demarc.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> After it was determined that it was the Fax the Office Manager
>>>>>>> turned
>>>>>>> the machine off.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> When I arrived I checked the line and all was as it should be.  Only
>>>>>>> two devices connected to the line, Fax and Fire Panel.  I tested
>>>>>>> the line to my cell to verify the number.  I checked the Demarc and
>>>>>>> all looked and worked as it should.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I connected my Butt Set at the Fax Machine and put on speaker.
>>>>>>> Turned
>>>>>>> it on and nothing.  Then sent a Fax to my office, Ok.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I called the County Control Center and talked to a Supervisor who
>>>>>>> verified just one call at 7:51am.  He had their Tech Guy call me
>>>>>>> later.  Basically we determined it to be an unsolved mystery.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Although I did express a theory that would fit the scenario.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> ===============================================================
>>>>>>> A teenage snot that just wanted to have fun took a old corded
>>>>>>> phone and opened up the Demarc box and plugged into the first
>>>>>>> port.  Dialed 911 and after the first ring hung up. Closed
>>>>>>> the box and hid behind a bush snickering.
>>>>>>> ==============================================================
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The Tech Guy liked that 'maybe' but then told me a true story about
>>>>>>> a tomato.  Officer was dispatched a house with a active number that
>>>>>>> called 911.  Approached and asked the lady of the house who was out
>>>>>>> in her garden if everything was ok??  She said yes, why??
>>>>>>> Officer explained and they went into the house to check the phone.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> What was found was a tomato sitting on the window sill far to long,
>>>>>>> had started to leak juice.  The juice trail went down the wall and
>>>>>>> onto the phone sitting below.  Juice got into the phone and shorted
>>>>>>> out the 9 & 1 on the DTMF pad and made the call.  WOW!!!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Tomato and phone were placed in the trash bin.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Ok, that is the start of the discussion.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Anyone care to contribute??
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Les
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> One question leading to one very remote possibility is:
>>>>>> Does the CS telephone number have nines and or ones in it?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Another question leading to another remote possibility is"
>>>>>> I'm thinking that if it's a DTMF line that it probably also has
>>>>>> rotary dial capability.
>>>>>> Land lines are becoming more and more of a problem as the telcos
>>>>>> ignore them and as they try to switch everyone to fiber or cellular.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Maybe an intermittent connection (?) coincedently and ultimately
>>>>>> dialed 911. Any crackling or static on the line?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> And ya know?  I've always had this bad feeling about tomatoes. Ya
>>>>>> know?
>>>>>> Just something about them -------
>>>>>>
>>>>>> But celery on the other hand -------
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Hi Jim,
>>>>> I did not hear any crackling or static on the line.
>>>>> But, then again I am on the deaf side of things with high frequency
>>>>> hearing loss.  However, it is something I should check with a
>>>>> different ear sometime.
>>>>>
>>>>> I did ask the question about the back numbers to 911.  Was told that
>>>>> there were at least 10 or so that would get there.  Was not told
>>>>> what they were.  Either way with just a Fax and the Fire panel
>>>>> connected to the line it does seem a bit odd for a 3 digit or a
>>>>> 10 digit number to be dialed in some way to get through.
>>>>> Tomato or no tomato.  ;-)
>>>>>
>>>>> Les
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> I'd blame the local telco,
>>>> I had one here which cross connected over a hundred lines from 2
>>>> different towns.
>>>> Talk about old style party lines......
>>>> It seemed that the 2 towns were serviced by the same telco switch
>>>> house..
>>>> An in-house cable upgrade was the cause,  they had cross connected the
>>>> lines when changing out the old cable and the tech "forgot" to remove
>>>> the old cable from the ckts..  (or so they said)    LOL
>>>>
>>>> RTS
>>>
>>> Yes, good point Rocky,
>>> I have been in buildings that have had phone company punch down blocks
>>> with Teclo lines there that were for another building.  The numbers were
>>> totally unrelated to the in house business.  Telco just used it as a
>>> splice block for the area.
>>
>> I've been in a lot of businesses like that.  Where the entire cable
>> down an alley is brought into every building on that street.  Its
>> annoying as hell, but it does allow for easier redistribution of
>> resources as businesses change.  It also allows for savy people to
>> eavesdrop on conversations and/or steal service with little effort.  I
>> don't recall the details, but some couple decades ago there was a
>> federal regulation change that phone companies had to make it easier
>> for fed to execute wiretaps.  I don't recall all the details, but that
>> was around the same time I stared seeing a lot of 50 and 100 pair
>> cables looped into new buildings and new plant improvements projects.
>> I always thought the two were connected.  With the newer digital CO
>> switches I always wondered why they just didn't have a data link into
>> the COs.  Some rural exchanges still had mechanical switches at the
>> time though.
>>
>>
>
> Hi Bob,
> Thanks for the extra Tidd Bits, I just knew you would contribute
> some good stuff!!  It would seem that we ALL have seen the loop holes.
> I had a day "waaaaay back" that I was out in the country and no
> payphones around and I needed to make a phone call.  I was soooooo
> tempted to pop open Demarc on the nearest house, hook up my Butt Set and
> make the call.  BUT, I controlled myself!!!!  I am sure I wasn't the
> first to have the thought.  I am sure it has happened..... somewhere!!
>
> Les

(( gonna let the cat out of the bag,  yes you are... ))   LOL
HeHe,  Les,  I always carry a butt set..
((and I'm suppose to be retired)))



--

*Rocky T. Squirrel, esq.*