Author	[Modern View]
awlknottedup 01-31-2013 06:09:02 69.35.168.120 Report to Moderator	I am looking for a communications link between three buildings. The first building is a double wide trailer. The garage with the wife"s sewing room is twenty feet from the house. It is a pole building with tin siding. The shop is about a hundred feet away and is another tin covered pole building. Electricity for the garage is a single 30A 120V circuit from a breaker in the house load panel. Shop power is a 240A 100A line from the meter on the utility pole. I have phone and WiFi into the sewing room with repeaters. I want to set up some sort of intercom between the three buildings. Looking for ideas. [Reply]   [No Email]
GeneMO 02-04-2013 16:04:16 71.1.106.8 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to awlknottedup, 01-31-2013 06:09:02   Our phone company will install "extensions" of the house phone if the buildings are within a certain distance. We have always had our farm shop on an extension. Then if the main number rings, we can pick it up at the shop. when my dad passed away, I wanted to put the shop as an extension of my house. But my house was a quarter of a mile up the road, so no go. So, I put in a complete separate number for the shop. Till I got the bill. Bill itself was fine. The charge for the phone service was around $18. (6 years ago). But the fees, taxes, Federal taxes, Al Gores tax to give poor people internet service, End use service charge, etc. added up to more than the cost of the service. I kid you not. Taxes and fees were more than the service for the phone. I sent a copy of the bill to my congressman and sent a letter. then dropped the phone. Gene   [Reply]  [No Email]
Richard from SE AZ 02-01-2013 21:11:06 206.169.89.203 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to awlknottedup, 01-31-2013 06:09:02   I picked up some battery powered mine phones which are named FEMCO when we finished a job in Wisconsin years ago. All that is needed is a wire connecting them together. They have a PAGE button that pages pretty loudly. Work great.   [Reply]  [No Email]
ldj 02-02-2013 18:21:34 69.154.54.35 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to Richard from SE AZ, 02-01-2013 21:11:06   I bought some old magneto phones and connected then together. Not only works but is a good conversation piece. Most people today have never saw the crank phones work   [Reply]  [No Email]
MarkB_MI 01-31-2013 17:49:34 75.219.27.75 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to awlknottedup, 01-31-2013 06:09:02   I put in a pair of line carrier intercoms in my kitchen and shop so my wife could call me for supper and so I could call her if I needed a beer. (For some reason the latter never worked well.) These are Westinghouse brand intercoms, available at the time from Lowe's. They worked well for several years, but eventually the switches corroded to the point they wouldn't work. Lowe's no longer carries them, although you can get them online from Radio Shack.   [Reply]  [No Email]
cd1 01-31-2013 16:01:54 67.234.196.64 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to awlknottedup, 01-31-2013 06:09:02   just get some old CB base units or get a/c adapters for 12 volt units.   [Reply]  [No Email]
mss3020 01-31-2013 14:31:38 209.50.27.166 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to awlknottedup, 01-31-2013 06:09:02   DONT DO IT!!! :) When I built my shed had the same thought...notice the word HAD... We had battery phones back then and you could add to the multiple phones by just buying a charger and phone. SOOOOOOO I put one in my shed/shop.. Never again.. HOney this.. honey that...could ya...would ya... Cell phones now...But i usually dont HEAR it ring..   [Reply]  [No Email]
Brad Gyde 01-31-2013 12:12:09 50.33.194.83 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to awlknottedup, 01-31-2013 06:09:02   Do you have "land line" phones in all 3 places? When I was in my teens (before cell phones were what they are now) the neighbor fella taught me how to call my own number from my own number.. But I can't remember how we did it now.. His barn was a good distance from the house, so when I'd stop there, he'd ring his house to tell his boy I was there to visit.. Sometimes you'd have to talk over the dial tone, and sometimes not.. (it was all in the timing of button pushing I guess).. I got my first cell phone about 12 years ago, so it's been that long since I've done it to ring mom/dad to tell them I was leaving for town did they need anything blah blah blah.. If I sit here and think long enough, I may remember how we used to do it.. Brad   [Reply]  [No Email]
Chuck NH 02-01-2013 08:36:03 71.161.105.106 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to Brad Gyde, 01-31-2013 12:12:09   Funny... When I started reading this post, I remembered a way of calling yourself from my younger days while watching a telephone repairman. I think it was a two digit number to call yourself back. LOL   [Reply]  [No Email]
GordoSD 02-01-2013 06:10:59 216.106.241.129 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to Brad Gyde, 01-31-2013 12:12:09   You would dial 1191, hang up. About 4 seconds pass and then your phones ring.   [Reply]  [No Email]
JMS/.MN 01-31-2013 18:39:52 50.73.159.110 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to Brad Gyde, 01-31-2013 12:12:09   With the land line, I had phones in the house, dairy barn, and shop. To call within the system, I"d dial our number and hang up. The other phones would ring, in an uneven pattern, indicating that the call was within the system. If it was meal time, I"d just lift the receiver to stop the ringing, and head for the house. No need to wait for the better half to lift the receiver. Still have that system in the house and shop.   [Reply]  [No Email]
LA in WI 01-31-2013 10:02:35 64.251.222.158 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to awlknottedup, 01-31-2013 06:09:02   Go to Radio Shack and they have what you need. We have 3 buildings and we use an intercom setup. Just plug them into the 110 outlet and ready to talk or listen. Have worked for at least 14 years. LA in WI   [Reply]  [No Email]
RayP(MI) 01-31-2013 14:36:59 207.241.137.116 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to LA in WI, 01-31-2013 10:02:35   I used one of those plug-in-intercoms for a number of years, communicating over a hundred yards from house to barn. Worked OK until one of the units crapped out.   [Reply]  [No Email]
D beatty 01-31-2013 08:33:06 50.151.124.6 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to awlknottedup, 01-31-2013 06:09:02   I use the old fashion way my feet and walk to house and if I fell lazy I use cell phone.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Mike Kork 01-31-2013 08:09:44 70.48.72.12 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to awlknottedup, 01-31-2013 06:09:02   All of these ideas are great but my experience with house to shop interruptions (communications) was not a positive one, I even removed the shoppe telephone and I am much happier now. Your results might be different, I wish you luck.   [Reply]  [No Email]
matt p 01-31-2013 07:42:39 69.31.197.148 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to awlknottedup, 01-31-2013 06:09:02   We use cordless phones made by panasonic it has a intercom feature that works really well,they came in a set with base station and four handsets,they also have signal boost repeater for extra long range. We bought them at radio shack model #kx-tga652c for around $130.00. We are about 350 feet between buildings and no problem with reception   [Reply]  [No Email]
ss55 01-31-2013 10:30:42 173.31.19.80 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to matt p, 01-31-2013 07:42:39   The Panasonic phones work well for us too. Used sets are available for low cost on ebay. People upgrade their phones when the batteries need replacing. Throw in a new set of rechargable Amazon Basics batteries for about $6/phone and you're good to go.   [Reply]  [No Email]
jack345 01-31-2013 09:07:43 72.160.55.189 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to matt p, 01-31-2013 07:42:39   Same as what I use works great   [Reply]  [No Email]
Stephen Newell 01-31-2013 07:14:30 66.53.82.72 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to awlknottedup, 01-31-2013 06:09:02   I use a Radio Shack intercom for three buildings. One is more than 100 yards from the house. As long as the intercoms are plugged into the same leg of the electrical system it will work.   [Reply]  [No Email]
MFPoor 01-31-2013 07:12:50 72.4.0.230 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to awlknottedup, 01-31-2013 06:09:02   Sprint cell phones are free from Sprint customer to Sprint customer. We use 'em shop to house, tractor to tractor, etc. No need to have other communications devices.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Butch(OH) 01-31-2013 08:33:19 70.62.13.146 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to MFPoor, 01-31-2013 07:12:50   Yup, that would be our place too. And when I dont want to play 20 questions with her on the phone I TEXT, LOL   [Reply]  [No Email]
GUIDO 01-31-2013 07:08:34 71.168.254.186 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to awlknottedup, 01-31-2013 06:09:02   Hello awlknottedup, How about walkie talkies?. Not very expensive and with at least 1/2 mile range Guido.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Ralph, Ohio 01-31-2013 06:29:47 70.228.85.10 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to awlknottedup, 01-31-2013 06:09:02   It sounds as though all buildings have electric outlets served by the same transformer. If that's true you might try some of the wireless intercoms that plug in to an outlet & communicate over the power wiring. That's probably the simplest solution but it won"t be perfect. Expect to hear some constant hum & other noise when electrical devices turn on or off. Be sure to buy the units some place where they can be easily returned if not satisfactory. You might need to try different outlets in each building to find the ones that work the best. One advantage of these intercoms is that the steel siding has no effect. Another option might be CB radios in each building with mobile antennas mounted in a good location inside the buildings. At that close range the radios would probably work OK through the steel siding and you would not likely get much interference from the rest of the world.   [Reply]  [No Email]
awlknottedup 01-31-2013 06:59:20 69.35.168.121 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to Ralph, Ohio, 01-31-2013 06:29:47   I had thought of using those. Finding which phase the garage is on is a minor problem. I have also thought of GMRS with external antennas. I have those already for when I am in the woods. I also have amateur radio stations in the computer room and shop but the wife is not licensed.   [Reply]  [No Email]
Ralph, Ohio 01-31-2013 15:55:46 70.228.85.10 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to awlknottedup, 01-31-2013 06:59:20   Amateur licenses are pretty easy to get these days with no Morse code requirements. Or how about an unlicensed QRP rig with a good outside antenna?   [Reply]  [No Email]
Dusty MI 01-31-2013 09:27:18 76.250.62.134 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to awlknottedup, 01-31-2013 06:59:20   Quoting Removed, click Modern View to see It doesn't matter which leg, just the same transformer. Dusty   [Reply]  [No Email]
Dusty MI 01-31-2013 06:48:11 76.250.62.134 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to Ralph, Ohio, 01-31-2013 06:29:47   I have 4 of this type. They are 3 channel. And sometimes do give trouble, when they do you can just switch channels. Dusty   [Reply]  [No Email]
Glenn F. 01-31-2013 06:28:17 166.181.3.91 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to awlknottedup, 01-31-2013 06:09:02   Not to sound insulting, but do you have cell phones? Cell-to-cell calling has eliminated the need for most residential intercom systems. Not being sassy. Glenn   [Reply]  [No Email]
awlknottedup 01-31-2013 09:21:52 69.35.168.59 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to Glenn F., 01-31-2013 06:28:17   If we had reception a cell would work but here in the boonies the nearest reception from any carrier is about a mile.   [Reply]  [No Email]
don t-9n180179 01-31-2013 07:04:06 63.73.199.69 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to Glenn F., 01-31-2013 06:28:17   I thought the same. Wife and I have Verison. Calls to other Verison users are free calls. FWIW...don t. ...   [Reply]  [No Email]
Dick2 01-31-2013 06:27:34 174.19.205.113 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to awlknottedup, 01-31-2013 06:09:02   We bought an intercom system from Radio Shack back in the late 50's? (maybe early 60's) that just plugged in to an outlet. As long as both units were on the same side of the electrical panel, it worked great. Mom could talk to whoever was in the shop if there was anything important - like announcing that lunch was ready. Don't know if anyone makes those anymore; if they do you could buy the number of stations that you need.   [Reply]  [No Email]
awlknottedup 01-31-2013 07:05:37 69.35.168.121 Report to Moderator	Re: House to shop communications in reply to Dick2, 01-31-2013 06:27:34   Those would wrok fine if the sewing room and computer room were on the same phase. I am tempted to get a couple of cheap sets to see if they are usable.   [Reply]  [No Email]