standard, stick, and rotary party lines
07-12-2011, 11:54 AM
#82
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Fairfield, OH
Posts: 3,694
When my kids were younger ( they are now in their 20"s) their friends couldn't use the old rotary dial phone I had in my basement. My elderly uncle still has a rotary dial phone. He is a major tightwad with his money. He had a party line for years. Phone company kept trying to get him to give it up, for years. They finally made him do it. He has some kind of weird deal with them now that he can only make a limited number of calls a month. Cheap!
07-12-2011, 12:28 PM
#83
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Wa
Posts: 937
Oh yes, I do remember. Our first phone # was UNiversity 4-8155. We had 4 on our party line and one was a woman who would tell my mom everything I said to a boy or girl friend.
And yes, rotary dial. I still keep a plug in phone for power outages.
Power windows???? Not till MUCH later.
:-D
And yes, rotary dial. I still keep a plug in phone for power outages.
Power windows???? Not till MUCH later.
:-D
07-12-2011, 12:30 PM
#84
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Vermont
Posts: 6,988
When we moved to NH in 1980 we could have got a party line if we wanted to.
I didn't learn how to drive a stick until I was 50 and wondered why I waited so long.
Everytime someone calls me on a cell phone and keeps breaking up, I feel like saying. "you ought to try one of these new phones with a wire, the call clarity is so much better."
I didn't learn how to drive a stick until I was 50 and wondered why I waited so long.
Everytime someone calls me on a cell phone and keeps breaking up, I feel like saying. "you ought to try one of these new phones with a wire, the call clarity is so much better."
07-12-2011, 12:35 PM
#85
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Vermont
Posts: 6,988
Originally Posted by mhansen6
I learned to drive on a standard. It was a 1959 Metropolitan convertible. My Dad still has that car.
I want one!!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]225413[/ATTACH]
07-12-2011, 01:00 PM
#87
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 1,465
Maybe 10 years ago, my parents phone was not working correctly so they called for service. The technician showed up, but did not know what to do: the phone was hard-wired into the wall as it had been installed 45 years previously! He, of course, had never seen such a thing! the problem was eventually solved, but they were told if they had trouble again, the house would have to be re-wired.
07-12-2011, 02:45 PM
#89
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Central Minnesota
Posts: 1,131
Originally Posted by earthwalker
It's amazing the changes we have all seen. I don't think we are dinosaurs, just technology changes and grows so quickly.
What about the old plug and cord switchboards, Does anyone remember them? When I was a teen I did work experience at a Forestry Department office out in the sticks. They had a small one, so I learned how to use it. Years later, in the '80s I worked for the Education Department in the city, our section was working out of an old building. As it was not to be a long term tenancy, no upgrades were done. They had a huge plug and cord switchboard on the bottom floor....I was the only one who knew how to use it, so I had to show the others.
What about the old plug and cord switchboards, Does anyone remember them? When I was a teen I did work experience at a Forestry Department office out in the sticks. They had a small one, so I learned how to use it. Years later, in the '80s I worked for the Education Department in the city, our section was working out of an old building. As it was not to be a long term tenancy, no upgrades were done. They had a huge plug and cord switchboard on the bottom floor....I was the only one who knew how to use it, so I had to show the others.
If I were only too young to remember switchboards.....I worked for "Ma Bell", a "few" yrs ago. Ha!! Maybe more than a few.....I grew up with phones without a dial! We had partylines...boy, this board is taking me back; a very long time down memory lane....
07-12-2011, 02:52 PM
#90
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 1,465
I forgot about the switchboard! I worked one through high school and college. Came in to work one Sat. and it wasn't working -- there had been an accident and a telephone pole had been hit. I was sitting casually with my hand resting on the metal ends of a cord pair when a call came in. The electrical impulse came through the cord. OUCH!!!!! Worse shock I ever got!
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