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What strange calls or odd phone behavior have you had happen?

Started by Cole, August 11, 2019, 10:23:39 AM

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Cole

I've had a couple of odd calls.

About 10 years ago when we were still on POTS, the phone rang. When I answered I could hear two or three other phone calls fading in and out, but they couldn't hear me.

Another time, around then, I answered a call and it was ringing as if I had called someone else. When they picked up they were speaking really fast in some language I didn't know. When they stopped I just said "huh?" and they said something else and the call disconnected.

Dan/Panther

Never personally, but I love the Twilight episode where the Lady gets calls from her dead husband, and at the end the phone line is down, and laying across his grave.
That being said, I have however heard some real;ly odd phone calls on our old party line. LOL :o ;D

D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

twocvbloke

Back in the 90s when we had a BT Tribune phone outfitted with a bell ringer, it would ping the bell during thunderstorms every time a lightning strike happened, no idea why it was just that phone given the others in the house weren't affected, but it was amusing, and a good reminder to not use the landline when lightning is nearby...  :o

Cole

Quote from: Dan/Panther on August 11, 2019, 11:25:50 AM
Never personally, but I love the Twilight episode where the Lady gets calls from her dead husband, and at the end the phone line is down, and laying across his grave.
That being said, I have however heard some real;ly odd phone calls on our old party line. LOL :o ;D

D/P

LOL My dad used to talk about as a kid picking up the phone and certain ladies would constantly be talking on it. They'd say "I know somebody's on this phone, you stop listening to my conversations!"

Cole

Quote from: twocvbloke on August 11, 2019, 11:39:50 AM
Back in the 90s when we had a BT Tribune phone outfitted with a bell ringer, it would ping the bell during thunderstorms every time a lightning strike happened, no idea why it was just that phone given the others in the house weren't affected, but it was amusing, and a good reminder to not use the landline when lightning is nearby...  :o

I remember this happening too with my parents rotary phone during thunderstorms. I don't recall any cordless phones or anything else with electronic ringers doing it though. Is that possible? Also I'm not sure if it's ever done it after they got on Comcast VoIP, but I'm guessing it probably couldn't.

Could particular phone have been the first one on the line? Perhaps the spike in voltage was just enough to get that one to ping, but not enough to cause it on others.

That really is a testament to the durability of the older phones. You'd hear often of imported phones or cordless phones getting cooked by a lightning strike, but you never heard of it with the old antique phones. They could probably take a near direct strike and still work.

Dan/Panther

Quote from: Cole on August 11, 2019, 12:29:50 PM
LOL My dad used to talk about as a kid picking up the phone and certain ladies would constantly be talking on it. They'd say "I know somebody's on this phone, you stop listening to my conversations!"
Yup, very common. I'll tell your Dad if you don't hang that phone up.

D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

andre_janew

I answered the phone and just as I was about to say hello, someone said, "Oh I know what I'm doing.  I make over 200 phone calls a day!"  I hung up without saying a word.  My dad chewed me out for not saying hello to the person who called.  I tried to explain what happened, but he didn't want to hear it.  However, I was able to tell my mom what happened.  She said, "I don't blame you.  I would've hung up, too!"

19and41

Last week, I got a telemarketer call to my home phone from my home phone number and name.  I actually had to put my home phone number on my block list.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

Key2871

I get calls frequently from the same exchange as my own number, I just ignore them if it's a legit call they leave a voicemail and I add the number to my list. Other wise telemarketers fishing for a bite.
KEN

Pourme

Quote from: 19and41 on August 12, 2019, 03:47:40 PM
Last week, I got a telemarketer call to my home phone from my home phone number and name.  I actually had to put my home phone number on my block list.

My wife got the same type of phone call. She too had to block her own number.
Benny

Panasonic 308/616 Magicjack service

FABphones

One number I had used to get a lot of calls from someone who must have done a lot of exercise as they were always out of breath and unable to speak.

So I got a Policeman's whistle. The next time they rang I whispered 'schhh, listen carefully'.
Then I blew that whistle long and hard right down the transmitter.

The dog leapt up and scarpered out of the room.

And whoever it was never rang again.
A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************

Key2871

KEN

F. J.

Quote from: Dan/Panther on August 11, 2019, 11:25:50 AM
Never personally, but I love the Twilight episode where the Lady gets calls from her dead husband, and at the end the phone line is down, and laying across his grave.
That being said, I have however heard some real;ly odd phone calls on our old party line. LOL :o ;D

D/P

That would be "Night Call", episode nineteen of season five of The Twilight Zone, broadcast February 7, 1964.

19and41

About 25 years ago,  I used to be able to pick up cordless telephone traffic on my police radio scanner.  There were quite a few times folks would hang around the bench listening to all the hot action.  It'd make your hair curl.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

Dan/Panther

Quote from: F. J. on August 13, 2019, 12:17:01 PM
That would be "Night Call", episode nineteen of season five of The Twilight Zone, broadcast February 7, 1964.
One of my favorites, do you also recall the series One Step Beyond ? I recently was able to obtain a compete set of all 90 episodes.

D?P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson