Seek device to close switch when phone line in use

[Paul B]

I'm in the UK.

---------------------

Can anyone help? I'm looking for a device I can attach to my ordinary
landline (Virgin Media) which closes a switch when the line is in use.

Has anyone seen such a device on sale?
Alternativly, maybe someone knows a circuit to make one?

 

[_]

Do you guys still have analog service, or is it ISDN?

And what you suggest may be illegal from several aspects, and may not
be nice. Who are you proposing to snoop?

UK law permits the recording of a telephone call without notification of
the other party by individuals. There are some restrictions on the use of
such recordings, but the making of them, as described, is not per se
illegal.

 

[krw]

UK law permits the recording of a telephone call without notification of
the other party by individuals. There are some restrictions on the use of
such recordings, but the making of them, as described, is not per se
illegal.

Better check applicable STATE laws (re: Linda Tripp). Illegal
wiretaps are legal only for DemonicRats.

 

[_]

Better check applicable STATE laws (re: Linda Tripp). Illegal
wiretaps are legal only for DemonicRats.

You seemd to have missed this part:

 

[_]

How about not notifying either party?

John

Perhaps you missed this part:

 

[krw]

You seemd to have missed this part:

I did indeed.

 

[Mike Barnes]

I'm in the UK.

---------------------

Can anyone help? I'm looking for a device I can attach to my ordinary
landline (Virgin Media) which closes a switch when the line is in use.

Has anyone seen such a device on sale?
Alternativly, maybe someone knows a circuit to make one?

Yes, I've made a couple of devices to simply light a LED showing when
another extension is in use. It would be very easy to modify the circuit
to operate a relay, but think carefully about the safety and regulatory
issues, which should be obvious. My device is self-contained and battery
powered - perfectly safe.

Circuit diagram:
http://thedowerhouse.com/pics/piu-cct.jpg
Board (sorry it's out of focus but it's the only photo I've got):
http://thedowerhouse.com/pics/piu-pcb.jpg
Whole thing:
http://thedowerhouse.com/pics/piu-box.jpg

I can't remember exactly where I got the circuit diagram from. I
modified it slightly for my own purposes and my modifications are shown
in italics. As you can see it's pretty simple. I used semiconductors
that I had lying around rather than those specified. The same battery
has been in use for six years now and it's still going strong.

 

[Hammy]

Yes, I've made a couple of devices to simply light a LED showing when
another extension is in use. It would be very easy to modify the circuit
to operate a relay, but think carefully about the safety and regulatory
issues, which should be obvious. My device is self-contained and battery
powered - perfectly safe.

Circuit diagram:
http://thedowerhouse.com/pics/piu-cct.jpg
Board (sorry it's out of focus but it's the only photo I've got):
http://thedowerhouse.com/pics/piu-pcb.jpg
Whole thing:
http://thedowerhouse.com/pics/piu-box.jpg

I can't remember exactly where I got the circuit diagram from. I
modified it slightly for my own purposes and my modifications are shown
in italics. As you can see it's pretty simple. I used semiconductors
that I had lying around rather than those specified. The same battery
has been in use for six years now and it's still going strong.

We arent going to read about an IED detonated in the UK by a phone
using a similiar circuit are we.

I never trust anyone looking to activate a device by phone.To many
crazies out there.

 

[Ivor Jones]

In Hammy <[email protected]> typed, for some strange, unexplained reason:

[snip]

: We arent going to read about an IED detonated in the UK by a phone
: using a similiar circuit are we.
:
: I never trust anyone looking to activate a device by phone.To many
: crazies out there.

Most of them spouting crap on usenet.

Ivor

 

[Graham.]

Do you guys still have analog service, or is it ISDN?

Domestic lines in the UK are almost always analogue, many
of the ones that were ISDN have been converted to POTS so
they can carry DSL. We use Annex A ADSL which is not
compatable with BRI

 

[Martin Brown]

Do you guys still have analog service, or is it ISDN?

Analogue. And some of them may be DACSd which pretty much destroys all
HF bandwidth to get two voice grade signals down one piece of copper.
This is increasingly common in rural areas. New copper is not cheap to
install. Basic analogue modems struggle on DACSd lines.

I can't imagine going back to ISDN with a poxy 128kb on a bonded line at
twice the price per minute after multimegabits per second fixed price.

A fair number of the cognescenti are on VOIP via cable or ADSL on real
copper these days. There are even consumer grade packages for it.

And what you suggest may be illegal from several aspects, and may not
be nice. Who are you proposing to snoop?

Maplin probably has something off the shelf to meet the OPs needs.

Just about every "customer care" ""service"" I call these days has a
"your calls may be recorded for training porpoises" in the annoying
Dalek preamble long before you get to talk to a human.

Regards,
Martin Brown

 

[Mike Barnes]

We arent going to read about an IED detonated in the UK by a phone
using a similiar circuit are we.

I never trust anyone looking to activate a device by phone.To many
crazies out there.

I think you miss the point. This device is activated by someone locally
picking up a phone, not by someone dialling in remotely. I guess it
could be used as a pointless embellishment to the detonation of a
suicide bomb, but that's about it.

 

[tony sayer]

Just about every "customer care" ""service"" I call these days has a

"your calls may be recorded for training porpoises" in the annoying
Dalek preamble long before you get to talk to a human.

Sometimes the other way around)

Enjoy!....

 

[Soruk]

Yeah, right. If one is recording ones own calls, why use an automatic
system? Why not hit the "record" button for those calls you really
want to record?

Because you can then just pick up the phone when it rings, without
having to arse around with a tape recorder. Especially if the phone is a
cordless and the tape recorder is at the other end of the house to the
phone.

 

[Ross Herbert]

:On Fri, 20 Feb 2009 10:27:03 -0800, John Larkin wrote:
:
:> On Fri, 20 Feb 2009 17:23:46 GMT, _
:>
:>>On Fri, 20 Feb 2009 09:16:33 -0800, John Larkin wrote:
:>>
:>>>
:>>>>I'm in the UK.
:>>>>
:>>>>---------------------
:>>>>
:>>>>Can anyone help? I'm looking for a device I can attach to my ordinary
:>>>>landline (Virgin Media) which closes a switch when the line is in use.
:>>>>
:>>>>Has anyone seen such a device on sale?
:>>>>Alternativly, maybe someone knows a circuit to make one?
:>>>>
:>>>>---------------------
:>>>>
:>>>>This is to activate a tape recorder when I make or receive calls.
:>>>
:>>> Do you guys still have analog service, or is it ISDN?
:>>>
:>>> And what you suggest may be illegal from several aspects, and may not
:>>> be nice. Who are you proposing to snoop?
:>>>
:>>
:>>UK law permits the recording of a telephone call without notification of
:>>the other party by individuals.
:>
:>
:> How about not notifying either party?
:>
:> John
:
erhaps you missed this part:
:
:>>>>...when I make or receive calls.


This ofcom FAQ outolines the general rules applying in the UK.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/oftel/consumer/advice/faqs/prvfaq3.htm

 

[Phil Allison]

"Paul B"

I'm in the UK.

---------------------

Can anyone help? I'm looking for a device I can attach to my ordinary
landline (Virgin Media) which closes a switch when the line is in use.

Has anyone seen such a device on sale?
Alternativly, maybe someone knows a circuit to make one?

** One problem - how do you prevent it from also recording phone calls
made to from or to others with access to the same phone ??

Cos that is a serious offence.



....... Phil

 

[IanM]

"Paul B"


** One problem - how do you prevent it from also recording phone calls
made to from or to others with access to the same phone ??

Cos that is a serious offence.

IANAL but you don't need to. Just put a LARGE notice on the phone:

"By using this telephone you agree that your conversation will be
recorded by the owner of this equipment. Your permission and that of
the other party in your call will be sought before the recording is made
available to third parties. If you do not agree, you are committing a
theft of service if you use this telephone."

This needs to be duplicated in Braille on the grip of the handset and
also in foreign languages if there is a reasonable expectation that
Non-English speakers are likely to use that phone.

 

[Phil Allison]

"IanM"

IANAL but you don't need to. Just put a LARGE notice on the phone:

"By using this telephone you agree that your conversation will be recorded
by the owner of this equipment. Your permission and that of the other
party in your call will be sought before the recording is made available
to third parties. If you do not agree, you are committing a theft of
service if you use this telephone."

** That is utterly INSANE CRAP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**** the hell off - you ASININE TROLL





...... Phil

 

[Bob Eager]

IANAL but you don't need to. Just put a LARGE notice on the phone:

"By using this telephone you agree that your conversation will be
recorded by the owner of this equipment. Your permission and that of
the other party in your call will be sought before the recording is made
available to third parties. If you do not agree, you are committing a
theft of service if you use this telephone."

This needs to be duplicated in Braille on the grip of the handset and
also in foreign languages if there is a reasonable expectation that
Non-English speakers are likely to use that phone.

You forgot the audio announcement for those who can't read!

 

[Ivor Jones]

In Phil Allison <[email protected]> typed, for some strange, unexplained
reason:

[snip]

: ** That is utterly INSANE CRAP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:
: **** the hell off - you ASININE TROLL

Ah. Reasoned argument. One of the cornerstones of Usenet..!