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robatman
20th July 2006, 04:15 PM
Hi all,
My current workshop is under the house and when SHMBO wants me she justs jumps up and down in the room above, but sometimes with tools running I dont hear (and pretend not to at other times).

Wondering how other people do it. i'm open to anything, baby monitors, small handheld CB's, intercom etc...
Robert

PS- not a reno question but couldnt think of a better category.

Ashore
20th July 2006, 04:20 PM
I use a cordless phone , one that has 3 handsets , keep one handset and charger in the shed and she can page me on it, and if I'm the only one home I can still hear the phone , though as you say sometimes with tools running :rolleyes:

JDub
20th July 2006, 05:42 PM
Allowing easy communication between the house and the shed is just asking for trouble if you ask me :cool:

Pat
20th July 2006, 06:02 PM
MBGitW comes to the door of my shed, but if I am using power tools she waits to I turn them off. I may take my mobile with me, rarely the home phone (Cordless) and even more rarely the door bell reception unit. The dogs get the run of the yard so no one is game to enter it to suprise me :D

Isn't your shed your sanctuary:confused: :p :D ;) :rolleyes:

Rowan
20th July 2006, 06:28 PM
I grew up with the sam situation. Dad had his pottery under the house. We started with mum jumping on the floor but he used ball mills and the like so that failed. They then installed a battery operated intercom but once again the noise was an issue. Eventaully the ran an extension cord thru the floor, plugged it into a power point upstairs and put a red globe on the other end. If mum wanted dad she turned on the light!! Simple but when they finally got it in the right spot it worded well

Iain
20th July 2006, 11:20 PM
I am the same as Ashore, 3 digital cordless phones that act as an intercom, and can transfer calls, range of 1km so I can be discovered when hiding down the back paddock.
All have their own charger with one base station and each unit acts as a relay/repeater between the base and the furthest phone if neccessary.

Wild Dingo
20th July 2006, 11:56 PM
Im with Pat... the sheds the sanctuary!! They can wait till the machine stops or knock on the walls and WAIT!!... when I stop and aknowledge them they can enter... strewth there is NOTHING more important that cant wait then what Im doin in the shed even if Im just sitting in the moanin chair congitating!

Ive on rare occasions taken the hand held out there but ended up turnin it off since no one bothered to ring me so nothng important was happening then I decided that was a waste of time so I leave it at the house... Ive also taken the mobile out there but seem to turn it off as I walk through the door so dont bother any more.

There are strict entry proceedures to enter the shed by gar!! ;)

Shed = Man Dad MY Sanctuary!!! :cool:

cals
21st July 2006, 10:52 AM
Ashore is right on the money with the cordless phone idea. I mucked around for ages looking for "intercoms" and such.

They used to sell corded intercoms at the usual electrical retailers but they seems to have been phased out over the years and now its more common to find "wireless intercoms". The only problem is that most of these are not wireless at all :mad: (they use FM modulation on the electrical circuit of your home which means both recievers need to be on the same circuit to work properly).

I went back to the cordless phone idea (most have an intercom feature) - and the one i bought works great from the shed...as a bonus you can anwer the phone from the shed.

-Cal:)

havenoideaatall
24th July 2006, 01:43 PM
I am the same as Ashore, 3 digital cordless phones that act as an intercom, and can transfer calls, range of 1km so I can be discovered when hiding down the back paddock.
All have their own charger with one base station and each unit acts as a relay/repeater between the base and the furthest phone if neccessary.

When we first bought our 'big block', not as big admitedly as my esteemed mucker Iain, I thought it was dead cute (oops code violation Driver) that we could even entertain the idea of 'remote comms' for when I was away from Chief.

Now I do wonder. It's why I still choose to push rather than get a rideon.
A)excuse for solitude
B)excuse for fitness.

Can you buy a 2nd or 3rd generic handset for an existing handset/base stn combo?

Iain
24th July 2006, 01:47 PM
Can you buy a 2nd or 3rd generic handset for an existing handset/base stn combo?
You can for most, I might add that ours is a Panasonic DECT system that have dropped considerably in price since we bought them (doesn't everything:( )

Ashore
24th July 2006, 01:59 PM
Can you buy a 2nd or 3rd generic handset for an existing handset/base stn combo?
Ours is a telstra ( redeemed on fly buys , you gotta use them for something ) comes with base station with answering m/c second base has radio and 2 alarms for the bedroom & then you can get extra units with just charger up to 5 In total I think.
Prior to that I had an Audiophone with 3 , but grandson dropped one and broke arial:eek:
Rgds

keith53
24th July 2006, 03:06 PM
I remember seeing an intercom system years ago that worked over the electrical wiring. Worked OK too. I haven't ever seen them advertised or for sale but that's not to say they're not still around. I have a phone in the shed but its an extension from the house. Cordless phones don't work because my shed is down a rather steep hill from the house. If swmbo wants to talk she rings the home number on her mobile. I've sort of worked out that if she's home and the phone doesn't answer by the fourth ring, it must be a shed call. A bit messy, I know.

Iain
24th July 2006, 03:13 PM
Cordless phones don't work because my shed is down a rather steep hill from the house.
Sure a DECT wouldn't work, completely different from the short range types.
There are quite a few on the market.