Incoming call problem

[bsers]

Recently I have been unable to receive calls in most cases. The phone gives a short half ring or two and then a busy signal to the caller. I was able to receive one call where I picked up immediately, but other times, no luck. I am able to call out with no problem. I have unpluged all phones, regular and cordless, and tried connecting one phone in various outlets. So far no luck. The phone works when plugged in outside at the box so the problem is in my wiring. There are several places where multiple wires are twisted together. I'll try to reconnect them. There are lots of hidden wires I won't be able to reach. Any suggestions on trying something else? Am I looking for a short or loose connection with these symptoms?

[suemarkp]

I think you're looking for a short, probably one that shorts during the higher voltage ringing signal which may not short during the normal off hook condition. This could happen from a kinked or damaged phone wire.

Sometimes, phone wiring is so bad it should just be cut out and done over. You could just run one new line to a cordless phone base station and be done.

[dkerr]

Check the basement to see if someone hasn't used a telephone wire as a clothes line. Don't laugh, I had this happen to me once, the telephone wire ran close to the furance duct, and when a couple pieces of clothes was hung on the phone line, it was enough to rub the wire against the furance duct, grounding out a wire.

Also think about any work that may have been done in the house very recently.

Most telephone wiring also have multiple pairs, worse comes to worse you can always switch to another pair, but would have to do it all jacks and at the entrance jack to the house.

[joed]

Disconnect sections of the inside wiring until you find the section with the problem.

[TraderDen]

the very first thing you should do is to throughly inspect the actual pins of each jack plugin. if you look in the end, you will see four wires. the inside two wires carry your main line. if any of the wires are dark, or have any discoloration(usually green), then that is where your short is coming from, cut it out and replace it. 90% of the time, its usually a jack that is near a vent, or a plant, aquarium, or in the garage or something. worst case scenario, the problem is actually in the wire itself, then sectionalizing is your best option like mentioned above.

on hook, youve got around 50 Volts DC runnin through there, which is why you can make a call out. when it rings, youve got 100-115 AC runnin through those two lil wires! the short is almost always caused by one bad piece of telephone equipment, but if youve unplugged them all, then moisture would be my 2nd guess... one of your wires may be layin in some dirt under your home.

[bsers]

Where the phone wire came in the house there were 3 branch circuits twisted together and covered with electrical tape. I removed all the branches from the connection. I purchased a heavy duty terminal strip because the connection was up in the ceiling between joists and I couldn't reach and see and twist very well. I connected one branch at a time and checked all the outlets to be sure I had a dial tone and could identify which outlets were on which branch. I called my number with my cell phone to be sure I could get an incoming call on each branch I connected. Everything is working now so I figure the twisted connection wasn't making good contact.

[TraderDen]

not good contact? hmm, more than likely the trouble has temporarily dried out, or you may have knocked the trouble off when you were rearranging the wires in the interface. when there is a trip/ring problem, its just about always a short or ground on the line, not an open. the difference? when you call a line that is cut clean, it will just ring and ring, like no phone is plugged into it. when its shorted or grounded, it makes a connection like when you go off hook = a short. i hope you solved your problem, but im guessing it will return in static or trip/ring form again later.