Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ukma!rutgers!att!homxb!fiesta
From: fiesta@homxb.ATT.COM (E.BECK)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Ringing currents, barking dogs
Message-ID: <3427@homxb.ATT.COM>
Date: 8 May 89 23:06:12 GMT
Organization: AT&T BL Holmdel NJ USA
Lines: 21


All this talk about ringing voltages has brought to mind
a yarn that one the "old timers" here used to spin ....

Many years ago in a rural part of the country there was a woman who 
just received her first telephone.  Now bear in mind that this
occured during the days when personalized
service meant the lineman would stop by a month or so after installation
to check if everything was working.  When asked how the telephone
worked she replied "I hear everyone fine, but it never rings".  The puzzled
lineman just had to inquire on how she knew when to answer the phone.
"Oh" she replied, "the dog always barks and jumps in the air until I answer
the thing".

Apparently the lineman had improperly grounded the phone - but did
wire the dog - via the outdoor faucet and chain that was used to keep
fido in place.

Eric Beck
AT&T Bell Labs
fiesta@homxb!att