Telephones

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Telephones and Modem

Phones = Security at Mountain Cabin

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Telephones and Modem
© Copyright 1991 By Charlie Collins From "Ask Mr. Solar" Column Published 12/29/91 Daily Spectrum

Question:We are 20 miles from the nearest telephone line how can I get a telephone which I can use a modem with?

George Fischer, D.K. Ranch, Sedonia, Az.

Mr. Solar: George, thanks to the FCC you can now have the same telephone service that your friends in town enjoy. We are not talking about the cellular type phone, but the BERTS type, which is actually a special F.M. frequency set aside for telephone communications for ranchers like your self. We use this F. M. Opta type of phone here on the Do It Homestead. It works on a direct line of sight, just like your F. M. radio stations do, with a range up to 50 miles. If you don't have a direct line of sight or you don't receive F.M. radio then you would need a repeater, which actually receives your signal and then sends it on to town. The repeater would be placed atop a mountain which you could see from your home in one direction and from that point you could see town.

We use this state of the art equipment daily as a normal telephone for voice communication as well as using our computer and modem we are able to send faxes or direct electronic mail and conduct a business as our friends in town do. There are bulletin boards that we now use that we can down load a daily national newspaper and read it at home as well as make travel reservations, use a encyclopedia, get instant stock quotes, take courses, and many other services. Using the Opta Phone is like the normal phone with lines, in that you only pay a one time hook up charge with your local phone company and they bill you for monthly usage with no line time for local calls, only a monthly charge and of course long distance charges.

As you can see we now have the best of both world as we are away from the noise and pollution of the cities but have what those people take for granted and you can also.

George if you would send us a sketch of your location in relation to town stating if you have a direct line of sight to the phone company or you feel you would need a repeator.

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Phones = Security at Mountain Cabin
© Copyright 1992 By Charlie Collins From "Ask Mr. Solar" Column Published 10/11/92 Daily Spectrum

Question: I recently had my cabin broken into at Kolob. Can I have a security system installed at my cabin that would be reliable?

Roger Taylor, Las Vegas NV

Mr. Solar: Roger, you can now have a small or very elaborate security system at your cabin at Kolob, if phone service is provided there. This is a major advantage in having phone service at your cabin in that with a security set up the sheriff will be contacted automatically and all he will have to do is to have a car waiting at both of two roads leaving Kolob. As you recall about a year ago there were a group of men from out of state that entered a cabin at Kamas and were surprised by a couple of cabin owners and it resulted in murder as well as rape.

We talked with several security system installers here in southern Utah and found out the following information. They now told us that a cabin owner can have a simple alarm system for less than $500.00, which will alert the sheriff in case of fire or a break in. Of course the home owner will need to supply a reliable electrical system to their equipment making sure that their batteries will not freeze. They also told us that with a hard phone line such as Beehive Telephone Company is planning to install it will be possible with their ultra modern technology to actually take a picture of an intruder and transmit it over the phone lines so that there will be a hard copy of the intruder on file. In addition the cabin owner will also be able to make his home a "smart cabin", which means that with special enviormental controls the homeowner can be advised of frozen pipes, or when his frig stops working.

There are also a couple of other very important reasons for the residents of Kolob to have phone service. One being is that there have been times that a relative of a Kolob resident has been in an accident, or other mishap and the sheriff has to drive up there to inform them. This happened to me when there was a unexpected death in my family, the sheriff had to drive up to inform me. Now we have phone service and it will not be necessary to spend the county money for this expense. In other words all the friends and relatives of the residents of kolob can be in contact with their families immediately.

Another important reason to have phone service there is that the couple hundred thousand visitors yearly to that part of Zion National Park will be able to contact their family or friends via pay phones, which will be installed at Kolob.

Also you and your friends should consider that they may need phone service to contact a doctor when needed. In talking with Joe Priest of kolob, last year he had a accident and without a phone was driven to the hospital and had to wait nine hours for a plastic surgeon to re-join his severed finger, had he had a phone then he could of made arrangements with the surgeon before leaving Kolob and therefore not had that long wait. Naturally it goes without saying in the event of a life emergency then a helicopter could be called in and the persons life may be saved.

You see Roger we certainly are moving into the 21st century even here atop a mountain in southern Utah. Of course this will all happen early next year providing that Beehive gets the go ahead from the Utah Public Service Commission. As pointed out to you about a month ago they now have the funds to supply phones to each cabin there, but they are held up by another company that has the franchise and doesn't wish to provide the service or release the franchise. Weather or not they go ahead with their plans depends on you and the other residences at kolob. If you want the security as well as the other advantages of phone service then you must either advise me or Beehive Telephone Company of your interest. If there is enough interest to warrant phones the UPSC will grant a Franchises to Beehive Telephone Company.

We are planning a solar workshop in the near future to help you understand the use of solar electricity and how you can apply it to your home or cabin. If you are interested in attending this workshop, please send us a SASE along with your phone number and we will send you the information.