Telephone Record Control

This circuit will allow you to connect any tape recorder that has a mic and remote input to a phone line and automatically record both sides of a conversation when ever the phone is in use.

You will need to take a couple of voltage readings before connecting the circuit. First determine the polarity of your phone line and connect it to the circuit as shown and then determine the polarity of the remote input and connect it to the circuit.

Circuit operation is as follows. When the phone is on hook the voltage across the phone line is about 48volts dc. When the phone is off hook the voltage will drop to below 10volts dc. When the line voltage is at 48volts the FET is off which causes Q2 and Q3 to be off. When the phone is picked up the FET turns on along with Q2 and Q3 which turns your recorder on. The tape recorder must be in the record mode at all times. As you can see the power source for the circuit is the phone line.

Source: http://www.home.maine.rr.com