O-T ... This is off topic and weird .....

[Potomac Yank]

It never fails to amaze me how this community comes up with an answer to whatever topic is thrown at them from left field.
Here's one that was just pulled on me, and I was wondering if any of you guys ever heard of it, or experienced it yourself.
I'm interested in hearing your take on it.

I have a regular phone, no cell, or anything like that.
I also have an answering maching hooked up to it.
I had a recorded message geared towards telemarketers, and surveyors.
If I didn't recognize the voice, I didn't answer the phone. ... It worked very well, for a long time.
All of a sudden, it appears like my message was hijacked, and replaced by a simplistic ... "Please leave a message after the tone."

My nutty side saw some humor in it ... BUT my street side says some one went accross the line.

First of all, I never heard of this sort of thing, but the fact is, someone hijacked my message, and replaced it with theirs.

What is your take, and thoughts.

Thank you.
Joe

[ibuysportsephemera]

Did you have a power surge to your house or lose power to the machine? Our old machine reset the message every time the power went out and defaulted to the factory message.

[iwantitiwinit]

I agree you probably lost power at some point.

[chiprop]

This thread must be a joke. No cell phone and an old answering machine? Someone needs to help this guy get into the 21st century, or at least the 90's.

[rc4157]

Come on Chiprop, this is a "vintage" site.

Seriously though, I agree with the power outage or surge theory.

RC

[barrysloate]

I don't have a cell phone...never did.

[FrankWakefield]

1- Leave a fellow with no cell phone alone. If an 18 year old kid took money he'd otherwise spend on a cell phone and put that into an IRA, every month, year after year, think about what he'd have upon retirement. Imagine it as a huge stack of $20 bills. If I leave a $20 bill in my pants and it gets washed, it still spends; same for a cell phone? If I drop a $20 bill to the floor, it still works; same for a cell phone? I've never had a $20 bill with a wrong number on it; same for a cell phone? A $20 bill has never started ringing and interrupted something I was doing; same for a cell phone? Us old guys don't need reading glasses to use a $20 bill. A $20 bill has never started ringing and woken me up...


2- Power interruption is likely. Rerecord that message!

3- A default pin # could have still been in the answering machine, and it is possible that someone annoyed with that message, or a prankster, called you back, entered the code, and reset your message. I still think #2 is much more likely, but this is possible. Either way, rerecord and move on.

Frank W.

[barrysloate]

Frank- excellent point about saving for the future. Thank you.

[D. Broughman]

No cell phone and an answering machine. Now there is a diehard collector. All his money goes for cards.

[Jim VB]

Originally Posted by Potomac Yank

It never fails to amaze me how this community comes up with an answer to whatever topic is thrown at them from left field.
Here's one that was just pulled on me, and I was wondering if any of you guys ever heard of it, or experienced it yourself.
I'm interested in hearing your take on it.

I have a regular phone, no cell, or anything like that.
I also have an answering maching hooked up to it.
I had a recorded message geared towards telemarketers, and surveyors.
If I didn't recognize the voice, I didn't answer the phone. ... It worked very well, for a long time.
All of a sudden, it appears like my message was hijacked, and replaced by a simplistic ... "Please leave a message after the tone."

My nutty side saw some humor in it ... BUT my street side says some one went accross the line.

First of all, I never heard of this sort of thing, but the fact is, someone hijacked my message, and replaced it with theirs.

What is your take, and thoughts.

Thank you.
Joe

Interesting question Joe. But why count on the people on the board to do your legwork for you?

Get out your instruction book and read it!

Look up your answering machine on the internet. Look for a Troubleshooting or FAQ section and see what they say!

Experiment by rerecording your message and then simulating a power outage and see what happens!

I think you'll find half the joy in these things comes from doing the research yourself. Have fun with the situation.





Edited to add - I think it's the power outage thing too.

[Rob D.]

Great topic, Joe.

Back in the day a friend of mine made pretty good money flipping answering machines. He had no interest in collecting them, but a cousin of his was an assistant manager at a Radio Shack who would call him when the new answering machines were due to arrive. My friend would buy unopened cases of them (at cost!) and then set up at electronic shows and flea markets and just make a killing.

Then, as most of you remember, the answering-machine companies killed the market by manufacturing machines just for Target or Walmart or other big-box retailers. Then they started requiring the smaller dealers and "weekend warriors" to buy a certain number of limited-edition machines. Finally collectors just decided they weren't going to pay $1,000 for an answering machine. It's too bad, too, because when I mention answering machines to my 8-year-old, she has absolutely no interest.

I've still got 20 or 30 in the basement and probably should do something with them, but I just don't think it's worth the trouble. I'll probably just donate them to the local boys or girls club and take the tax write-off.

But, hey, if anyone's interested in a couple of old Radio Shack Duofones that are in mint condition, let me know. (Leon, feel free to move this to the B/S/T if it's inappropriate for this side of the board.)

Thanks for posting about this, Joe. Brought back some really good memories.

[slidekellyslide]

Rob, the corporate big wigs at THE SHACK would appreciate it if you stopped referring to THE SHACK with that old outdated and unhip name.

Thanks in advance.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by slidekellyslide

Rob, the corporate big wigs at THE SHACK would appreciate it if you stopped referring to THE SHACK with that old outdated and unhip name.

Thanks in advance.

They apparently need new marketing people if they think calling it "the shack" is a good idea.

Shack
–noun
1. a rough cabin; shanty.

Then again I've always wanted to buy my electronics from a rough cabin or shanty...

[Potomac Yank]

I luved every single one of your answers.

Please permit me to add, I'm from the era close to when one would turn the crank handle on the public phone, and ask the operator for the party line.

I may know a few things about cards, and I'm still learning, but I'm challenged in many other areas ... especially the technical ones.

As for the outage theory ... I would go with that BUT, I've had outages before, and it would sometimes erase the message ... no default message.

Er, uh ... maybe I should fill in the hijacked message, and maybe that'll help.

The message:

"On January 20th, we got rid of the disaster from Crawford, Texas ... now let's get rid of the surveyors." ...

Therefore ..... Elimentary Dr Watson, I'm leaning towards the Great Wake's theory #3 ..... The default pin non appreciator of the message.

I didn't know that could be done, and somehow I feel that's crossing the legal line somwhat? ... What say you?

Thanks again, I loved your takes, and you didn't disappoint me.

[GoldenAge50s]

Just want to make note, as Barry & a couple of others did, that I have a land line, an answering machine that works perfectly well and NO cell phone to bother me at the golf course, local watering hole or anywhere else I choose to be w/out a rude intrusion!

[barrysloate]

Fred- I thought I was the last guy on earth without a cellphone. Glad to know there are others.

[GoldenAge50s]

Not for sure Barry, but I'll bet there are a few others on this Board that will be in our camp!

[drc]

As noted, the "You have reached (insert phone number here). Leave a message at the tone" is the standard default message on many message machines. If buy a new machine and don't make your own message, that message is automatically used. You message must have been accidentally reset to it. Especially with age and use, message machines can wear out and act goofy-- cut messages short, etc.

[Cat]

My message was once changed from my self recorded message. Ultimately I determined that it was the jack-boot thugs that hover over my house in their stealth helicopter. I don't know why they changed it, but they did.

[packs]

Aliens

[Jay Wolt]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

Fred- I thought I was the last guy on earth without a cellphone. Glad to know there are others.

None for me either, though the wife has one and every time it goes off when we are out driving.
I feel like tossing it out of the window.

[E93]

If that 20 year old does not keep up with technology, it won't matter if he put $20 away each month.
JimB

[slidekellyslide]

Believe it or not, George isn't at home.
Please leave a message at the beep.
I must be out, or I'd pick up the phone.
Where could I be?
Believe it or not, I'm not home!

[PGACPA]

Several years ago, all of the garage door openers on my street just died. Yep. Not the openers themselves, but the "clickers". This lasted about three days then they started working again. Called repair men. Everything appeared in order. It was very strange. There are some really computer savy kids in my neighborhood who could have somehow been responsible who knows. The joke was that the mothership just moved on...

[Rob D.]

Originally Posted by PGACPA

Several years ago, all of the garage door openers on my street just died. Yep. Not the openers themselves, but the "clickers". This lasted about three days then they started working again. Called repair men. Everything appeared in order. It was very strange. There are some really computer savy kids in my neighborhood who could have somehow been responsible who knows. The joke was that the mothership just moved on...

You don't by chance happen to live on Maple Street, do you?

[brickyardkennedy]

And have Claude Akins and Jack Weston as neighbors?

[Rob D.]

Thanks for getting that, Bob.

[Jim VB]

Originally Posted by Rob D.

Thanks for getting that, Bob.

What Rob means is that not every day does he make a joke referencing an episode of a 40 year TV show and have anyone know what he's talking about.

Today was that day.


(On a side note, I went to college with Rod S.'s daughter, way back when. Very nice girl, but... a little different.)

[PGACPA]

not maple street but i have a judge, an fbi agent, and about four cops who live on my street. makes me feel protected but garsh don it they could not open their garage doors either!

[baseballart]

Originally Posted by Jay Wolt

None for me either, though the wife has one and every time it goes off when we are out driving.
I feel like tossing it out of the window.

Jay

A wonderful feature of a cell phone is that you can turn it off when you leave the house with it. It's then just like a land line....

M

[tothrk]

There's a lot to be said for living simply. I'm actually in the process of getting rid of everything I have so I can move to a little shack in the middle of nowhere and not be bothered, like the Unabomber. Except I'm not gonna blow things up.

[GoldenAge50s]

Originally Posted by tothrk

There's a lot to be said for living simply. I'm actually in the process of getting rid of everything I have so I can move to a little shack in the middle of nowhere and not be bothered, like the Unabomber. Except I'm not gonna blow things up.

I guess that means you won't even be taking an inflatable doll for company???

[iggyman]

I don't think this topic is weird. I have two words for you...."tin foil". Just wrap it around the answering machine and the aliens will leave you alone. I would further suggest a properly worn tin foil hat which will combat any mind control rays (just in case you upset them). If you don't know how to make one, just send me a private email (you never know who or what might be reading this board) and I will send you instructions.

Lovely Day Live Long and Prosper...