If you have problems, you'll have to read your modem manual and either try and find an initialization string the manufacturers reccommend or make your own one from the information in the manual. This is always one of the first things to check if your modem is doing weird things. You can set up the initialization string in the comms program's setup menu. The obvious way to test it all out is to call up another computer and use it to talk to that computer with. These are mainly run by single individuals or small groups as a community service.
Access is generally free and various forms of participation are supported.
The main functions of BBSs are message exchange, file exchange and game playing. For a fuller description of BBSs check out the chapter on that subject in part two. Once you've found one, you can usually find all the rest in one way or another. In australia, there's a national BBS list which is circulated amongst BBSs, but i don't know how you'd get it without already knowing one. Also, most BBSs carry a few numbers of other BBSs of a similar mentality.