Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!uwvax!daffy!rt19.cs.wisc.edu!heins
From: heins@rt19.cs.wisc.edu (Scott Heins)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Phantom 911 Dialer??
Keywords: phone weirdness
Message-ID: <4469@daffy.cs.wisc.edu>
Date: 15 Mar 90 03:50:51 GMT
Sender: news@daffy.cs.wisc.edu
Organization: UW-Madison Enginerds
Lines: 37


Something very strange happened to me last night, and I'm
wondering if any of you netlanders have any ideas as to 
the cause.

While I was quietly sitting and studying for an upcoming
exam last night at about 1:00am I received a phone call.
The guy asked me "Did you dial 911??".  After a quick check
with my roommate (who was asleep in an adjacent room), I
confusingly told him "No".  

He went on to tell me that he had been trying to call back
for about 10 minutes, and couldn't get an answer.  Then he
asked if we had a cordless telephone, and I said "Yes". 
He mentioned something about cordless phones that are low
on battery power dialing "911".  (!!)

I checked on the phone, and there it was, innocently
hanging on the wall, *charging up* (the LED indicator
was on).  About a minute later, he called back to tell
me to step outside and tell the police officers that I
was OK.  Three cops were at the front door--I guess it's
reassuring to know that the "911" system works.

My question is this.  What the hell happened??  The story
he gave seems suspicious, especially since the phone was
on the hook and charging at the time.  There was a 
thunderstorm at the time--could this have had a factor, and
how??  Was it random noise??  How can a cordless phone low
on battery power dial "911", or anything??

Any input or ideas would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance.


--
___________
Scott Heins