Elk Phone Connection

[jbauer]

Hey Guys,

I added an Elk M1 Gold to my home about a year ago and changed out my phone system at the same time. Ever since, I have had callers randomly telling me that my phone "beeps 3 times" and then sometimes it disconnects them, and sometimes waits until I pick up and say hello. I have heard this myself, so I know my friends are not crazy. It is not consistent and repeatable as far as I can tell.

My question is, is there any chance that the Elk is making these beeps on the phone line? I have it setup where it can seize control of the telco, but I seriously doubt that it is the Elk that is making the beeps. I suspect my phone system, but just wanted to check here with you guys first.

If you have an Elk on your phone system and have never heard of this, please reply with "Mine doesn't do that," or something of that nature.

thanks,

- jason

 

[CollinR]

Does your phone plan from the CO include voicemail? Are you using it? Do you have any msg?

 

[jbauer]

Does your phone plan from the CO include voicemail? Are you using it? Do you have any msg?

Hey,

I like the way you think. I had to scratch my head for a second and then make sure that we do not have voicemail. We do not, so I don't think that is it.

I check my phone bill, we have "Verizon Freedom Essentials", which lists unlimited local, unlimited long distance, call waiting, and caller ID, but nothing about voicemail. I have also never gotten any voice mail information in the mail from them. I'm pretty confident this isn't it.

- jason

 

[nov0798]

Disconnect the M1 from the telco and see if the problem goes away, this wil help narrow it down to the M1 or the telco.

 

[dfleig]

Jason,

I've been chasing this exact problem for the past few months. It only happens once a week, if that, it's been a low priority which accounts for the "...past few months" part of my last sentence. Do you happen to have the listen in interface installed and configured?

David

 

[jbauer]

Jason,

I've been chasing this exact problem for the past few months. It only happens once a week, if that, it's been a low priority which accounts for the "...past few months" part of my last sentence. Do you happen to have the listen in interface installed and configured?

David

I do not, so rule that one out.

I will disconnect the Elk, I guess I'll have to jumpter Ring to R1 and Tip to T1.

- jason

 

[briankelly63]

Jason,

I've been chasing this exact problem for the past few months. It only happens once a week, if that, it's been a low priority which accounts for the "...past few months" part of my last sentence. Do you happen to have the listen in interface installed and configured?

David

I do not, so rule that one out.

I will disconnect the Elk, I guess I'll have to jumpter Ring to R1 and Tip to T1.

- jason

I suspect you have the M1 configured for Ring Hangup Answer... check the g29-g42 (special) tab within the globals menu if you are using elkRP otherwise you can get to it fom menu's on the keypad also. The setting is designed so that someone can call, ring a couple of times, hangup and callback.. the m1 will then answer with 3 beeps. If you have a lot of stuff on the line its possible that the M1 sees the initial rings, misses a few, sees them again and views that as the second call. The timing of ans machines and voicemail can mess this up also.

 

[jbauer]

I suspect you have the M1 configured for Ring Hangup Answer... check the g29-g42 (special) tab within the globals menu if you are using elkRP otherwise you can get to it fom menu's on the keypad also. The setting is designed so that someone can call, ring a couple of times, hangup and callback.. the m1 will then answer with 3 beeps. If you have a lot of stuff on the line its possible that the M1 sees the initial rings, misses a few, sees them again and views that as the second call. The timing of ans machines and voicemail can mess this up also.

Man, that sounds like the exact answer, but it is not configured that way. I do have ElkRP. I attached a screenshot of my G29-G42 page for you to look at.

Perhaps there is some other setting that is making these beeps happen?

- jason

 

[jbauer]

BTW, I did have "Local Telephone Control" enabled. Could this be causing the beeps?

- jason

 

[briankelly63]

BTW, I did have "Local Telephone Control" enabled. Could this be causing the beeps?

- jason

no it shouldn't, that just lets you enter *** on the line and use the phone like a keypad.

hmmmm... anything else on the line? Also try setting, saving, unchecking, saving the ring hangup answer option we discussed...

 

[jbauer]

hmmmm... anything else on the line? Also try setting, saving, unchecking, saving the ring hangup answer option we discussed...

The only other thing on the line is a Panasonic DECT 6.0 answering machine/cordless phone. No tivo, no modems... nothing else.

I tried what you suggested... setting, saving, unchecking, saving the ring hangup answer option and we'll see if the problem goes away. Possibly I had a sticky bit in the Elk?

- jason

 

[Steve]

Jason,

I've been chasing this exact problem for the past few months. It only happens once a week, if that, it's been a low priority which accounts for the "...past few months" part of my last sentence. Do you happen to have the listen in interface installed and configured?

David

I do not, so rule that one out.

I will disconnect the Elk, I guess I'll have to jumpter Ring to R1 and Tip to T1.

- jason

Did you ever disconnect the Elk just to rule it out completely? Is it plugged into an RJ31x? If it is just simply unplug it.

 

[briankelly63]

Jason,

I've been chasing this exact problem for the past few months. It only happens once a week, if that, it's been a low priority which accounts for the "...past few months" part of my last sentence. Do you happen to have the listen in interface installed and configured?

David

I do not, so rule that one out.

I will disconnect the Elk, I guess I'll have to jumpter Ring to R1 and Tip to T1.

- jason

Did you ever disconnect the Elk just to rule it out completely? Is it plugged into an RJ31x? If it is just simply unplug it.

Some answering macjhines when off will allow a user to call in, ring the phone a bunch of times and turn the machine on... sometimes they answer with beeps. Several callers in a row can produce the same effect with fewer rings...

 

[Spanky]

The three beeps could be coming from the M1 as the auto answer signal. To access the M1's telephone remote control, enter *** after you hear the beeps. The voice will come on with instructions.

Receive the Global programming data into ELKRP to make sure ELKRP is updated.
To disable the beeps, 1. turn off the telephone remote control, or 2. adjust the number of rings before auto answer to 0. Raise the number of rings to 6 - 10 for more rings before auto answer.

You can also use Ring-Hangup-Ring to further limit the auto answer pickup or to get around answering machines.

 

[jbauer]

Did you ever disconnect the Elk just to rule it out completely? Is it plugged into an RJ31x? If it is just simply unplug it.

I have not because it is setup so that it can seize control of the phone system. Phone comes into the premise and goes straight to the Elk on Ring and Tip. Then the Elk uses (what I presume is) a relay to connect those to R1 and T1, respectively. If I unplug the green phoenix connector then the rest of the house has no phone. That is why I said I would have to jumper Ring to R1 and Tip to T1. I mean on the green phoenix connector and not on the elk.

- jason