How do I stay 'in touch' from the darkroom?

[Loose Gravel]

I recently moved my darkroom from the house to the 'studio', which is a detached building in the front of my house. Everything is working out fine, but when I'm in the darkroom, I'm detached from all mankind. This is good except that I have a couple of young kids and sometimes it would be nice to hear what is going on. Now, if I'm in the darkroom and they are out playing, a bomb could go off in the front yard and I wouldn't know. Or they could be burning the house down, or someone could come visit (rare since I live in the sticks) and I would never know. You get the idea. I have a phone connection, but no intercom.

Do any of you have similar setups? How did you solve the problem? Thoughts?

 

[harveyje]

Radio Shack has some inexpensive audio monitors/intercoms which may be of benefit. I have used them in previous locations so my family could at least summon me to dinner (call me what you want but be sure to call me to dinner!)

 

[happysnapper]

You can get baby room monitors that are one way transmitters. You hear them but they don't hear you. They are available at most Wal-Mart/Target kinds of stores and for sure they could be found online. Under $20 too, what a deal! Just pick the place for the transmitter that will be the most advantageous for you to listen to while you print.

 

[Robert Kennedy]

Teach your kids who do process film and make them do it for you!

 

[Sean]

you can get some cheap closed circuit tv's with audio now. then you could see and hear them.

 

[bmac]

You can get baby room monitors that are one way transmitters. You hear them but they don't hear you. They are available at most Wal-Mart/Target kinds of stores and for sure they could be found online. Under $20 too, what a deal! Just pick the place for the transmitter that will be the most advantageous for you to listen to while you print.

We actually have a two way baby monitor. We can hear whats going on in the room, and also use the walkie talkie function to talk back.

 

[Loose Gravel]

The thing I thought so wonderful about the baby monitors we did have was that sometimes I could here the neighbors and no doubt they could hear us.

Wonder what they heard?

 

[RogerBird]

I purchased a pair of FRS 2-way radios for CAD$75/pr from RadioShack. Great for camping to or going to a fair/amusement park to keep in touch with family members.

As a bonus, I take one down to my darkroom while my wife has the other. It doubles as our furnace/laundry room. If the furnace kicks in while my tray washer is running while my exhaust fan is blowing, I can't hear a thing from outside the darkroom door. At least this way my wife can get a hold of me if she needs to.

Roger