KT is extremely simple to use. In its main window you enter the phone number to dial, as well as the time delay you would like in the event of a busy signal or no answer. You can enter the number by typing, pasting, or by dragging text from any Drag & Drop capable application. Then click the “Dial” button, and KT will dial your number. When (and if) the party you’re calling answers, you will hear them through your modem’s speaker. You then pick up your phone’s receiver and click the “Use Phone” button; this disconnects the modem and lets you use the phone. (The Use Phone button appears after you click the Dial button.)
 
If you don’t get through on the first try, KT starts counting down the delay you specified, and when it’s time, dials the number again. While this is happening you can leave KT running in the background. When it dials the number again, you will hear the process through your modem’s speaker, and if the party answers you can pick up the phone, switch KT to the front to click the Use Phone button.
While KT is counting down the time to its next dialing attempt, the buttons “Pause” and “Cancel” are available to you. You would click Cancel if you want to give up on dialing that number. The Pause button will pause KT’s countdown to its next attempt. You will want to click this if you are going to be away from your computer while KT is trying to get through to a number. You wouldn’t want KT to dial a number and have the party answer when you’re not there to pick up the phone at your end.
If you accidentally enter an incorrect phone number or want to abort the dialing for any other reason, the Use Phone button also serves as a “Cancel” button. It interrupts the dialing attempt in progress and hangs up the modem.
The “Text” popup menu:
Below the “Number to dial” box is a popup menu that controls how KT deals with alphabetic characters included in the phone number. The options are:
“Filter Out Text”:
This removes any alphabetic characters. Certain characters, such as the hyphen, comma, space, etc. are allowed, as you may want or need to include these in a phone number. With this option, you could paste in the text: “call Bob at 555 1234”, and only the phone number would appear in KT’s Number to dial box.
“Translate Text”:
This is for those situations where a phone number is given to you in the form of a word or words, such as “1-800-SOS-APPL”. With this option selected, KT will translate the letters into the correct digits for you. If you type letters into the Number to dial box, they won’t be translated into digits until you click the Dial button, or click the popup menu without changing its selected item. If you paste or drag a phone number containing letters, it will be translated immediately.
“Leave Text As Is”:
You would use this to include some sort of alphabetic modem command within or after the phone number.
The “Listen In” Feature:
It’s often the case that getting through to a number is only part of the problem; once you get through, you may find yourself on hold for a considerable length of time. And if you want to get some work done at the computer while you wait, you’ll probably wedge the phone receiver between your shoulder and ear while you try to work. This is hardly a healthy and ergonomic work posture! Keep Trying! has a solution for this situation too. After you pick up the phone and click the Use Phone button, if you find that you’re being put on hold (“Your call is important to us...”), you can select “Listen In (On Hold)” under the Special menu, or click the “Listen In” button. The phone line will then “play” through your modem’s speaker again, allowing you to monitor it. When you hear a (non-recorded) person come on the line, you will again pick up the receiver and click the Use Phone button.
