>connections. The total cable length is probably 400 to 500 meters
>(1,300 to 1,600 ft. for you gringos). The cable we're using is the
>black two strand copper telephone wire and there are a number of
>telephones (4 I think) sharing this connection.

That is a long run, about a quarter of a mile. What is the gauge of the wire?
If you can identify the manufacturer ask them what kind of voltage drop
you are getting per hundred feet of run.

be able to dial at all. The whole thing has been rather mysterious in
>that sometimes it acts up and other times is doesn't. The phone has
>always worked fine though.

Intermittent failure like this suggests a periodic power drop from the
phone company.
Which to a reasonable extent is normal.

>Could we be having a problem with low voltage as a result of the
>distance or perhaps there's a loose connection somewhere along
>the line?

more then likely it is a combination of the distance and the signal provider.
Ask the telephone company what kind of voltage they are providing.

Rode
The NOSPIN Group

            Do you want to signoff PCBUILD or just change to
                    Digest mode - visit our web site:
                   http://freepctech.com/pcbuild.shtml