Another great SYSOP file from !PSYCHOBABBLE! BBS...in the Heart of the
Mississippi Delta...at 601-332-9453. Sysop: Doug Cole.


If you're looking for a truly inexpesive way to add a Node to your board,
then you have downloaded the right text file. 

You may already know that in most U.S. locales, Ma Bell charges between
$23 and $35 for a basic phone line service. That's with no frills. If you
are already running a dedicated line to your board, this text file tells
how you can use your dedicated VOICE line to add another Node without 
greatly interferring with your use of that line for out-going calls AND
without interferring with the use of your answering machine, if you have one.

There is a small investment of money for this technique, but it is a fraction
of the cost of adding another complete line into your home. Remember, if
you add a completely new line, it will cost between $250 and $400 per year.
The method I will describe here costs about $48 a year with an additional
$80 ONE TIME cost for a specific device which it requires.

Ok, here's the scoop:

First, you will need to add ONE feature to your current VOICE phone line.
It is a Ma Bell service available in most calling locations, referred to
by a variety of names. It adds a second line to your existing phone line 
which, when called in on produces a distinctly different RING sound. In
various areas across the U.S. it is referred to as "RingMaster," "Custom
Ringing," "RingMate," "SmartRing," etc. Ma Bell in your area can tell you
what it's called. Check it out. It costs about $3.50 per month!

Second, you'll need to purchase a device known as RING DETECTOR, made by
Lynx Automation, Inc. at 2100 196th St. Suite 144, Lynwood, Washington,
98036. Telephone: (206)-744-1582. This device costs about $80.00. What it
does is accept incoming calls and then direct them to one of 2 devices
depending on the type of RING that the call produces in your phone. SO,
your VOICE line might be a RING consisting of one long RING, while the new
"RingMaster" (Your BBS Node 2) number would be two short RINGS. The RING
DETECTOR figures out which direction to send the incomming call, to your 
VOICE PHONE or to your NODE 2 MODEM.  

That's it...a tremendous savings, but a new Node.

Now, the drawback to this is that you won't be able to talk on the phone 
and answer a BBS call at the same time. Obviously that would require two 
dedicated lines. You can always let your callers know that if they use 
NODE 2 there will be times when you'll need to use it for VOICE. If your
callers are like mine, they won't object. After all, when your not using 
the VOICE line they get to use your board...they'll like that. If you add
CALL WAITING to your VOICE line (another Ma Bell service) then the board
caller will be automatically disconnected if a VOICE call comes in while 
they are on the board. That's really not that big a deal!

The beauty of this cheap way of adding a Node is that during the day time,
particularly if you and family are going to be away from the house, the 
RING DETECTOR will direct BBS calls to the board and VOICE calls to your
answering machine. Neither the BOARD nor your important MESSAGES get
disrupted!!

Give this a try. We use it here at !PSYCHOBABBLE! BBS and find it quite
effective! While your at it, give us a call. We specialize in Game files,
Medical and Health Files, Many Doors, and International Echo Mail. We can
be reached at 601-332-WILD (which is 601-332-9453). We accept up to v.32
9600 baud and you'll get full access on your first call. If Node 1 is busy,
you'll be rotated to NODE 2.