When I was a VFF, 30 years ago, we'd all often hang out at the main station...
have movie nights, etc.

The weird thing was, after you'd been around a while you developed an ability to know when we were about to get paged out. Everyone would suddenly sit up, look at each other then jump up and walk towards the bay.

Then the tones would start.

First time it happened to me I got up and started walking. One of the older VFFs looked at me and said "now you've got it too".

Then the tones went off.

Minitors were good for scaring the hell out of little old ladies in line at the grocery store also. And if you were in a store and heard the stereo effect you knew someone else from your department was also there.