TELECOM Digest Thu, 10 Feb 94 09:11:00 CST Volume 14 : Issue 74 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Re: Info on Northridge, CA Switch After Earthquake? (Steven H. Lichter) Re: Info on Northridge, CA Switch After Earthquake? (Lauren Weinstein) Re: Clock Slip and { Once More (trent@netcom.com) Re: Time Domain Reflectometers (Alan Boritz) Re: Need Poisson Tables (Al Varney) Re: Info on Modems That Provide/Multiplex RS-422 and RS-366 (Rob Vietzke) Re: BBS Getting Internet Mail (Tony Zuccarino) Re: Egghead Software Sells Bogus Phone Directory Software (Stuart Whitmore) Re: Egghead Software Sells Bogus Phone Directory Software (Clarence Dold) Re: Increasing Cordless Range (Bill Pfeiffer) Re: DID Questions (David A. Kaye) Re: 20GHz Wireless is the Future? (kathy1310@delphi.com) Re: E-Mail Spying By Employers (Bill Tighe) AT&T's New 900 Mhz Cordless Phone (Alex Cena) New Hello Direct Catalog (Thomas Lapp) TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of public service systems and networks including Compuserve and GEnie. Subscriptions are available at no charge to qualified organizations and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify: * telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu * The Digest is compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson Associates of Skokie, Illinois USA. We provide telecom consultation services and long distance resale services including calling cards and 800 numbers. To reach us: Post Office Box 1570, Chicago, IL 60690 or by phone at 708-329-0571 and fax at 708-329-0572. Email: ptownson@townson.com. ** Article submission address only: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu ** Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu and are available by using anonymous ftp. The archives can also be accessed using our email information service. For a copy of a helpful file explaining how to use the information service, just ask. TELECOM Digest is gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom. It has no connection with the unmoderated Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom.tech whose mailing list "Telecom-Tech Digest" shares archives resources at lcs.mit.edu for the convenience of users. Please *DO NOT* cross post articles between the groups. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: co057@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Steven H. Lichter) Subject: Re: Info on Northridge, CA Switch After Earthquake? Date: 9 Feb 1994 21:46:04 GMT Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA) If you are talking about the PacBell switch, that would have to be the Shirley switch, at least that is what it was called when I work for the other company located in the SF Valley. The dial tone was back up in about an hour, at least that is what my parents said since they are about a block from that switch. I was able to reach my date on his cellular phone shortly after the quake. I'm sure that the switch was running on generator since there was a great amount of damage. They are within two blocks of the mall that was smashed and about three miles from the apartment that we all saw on television where all those people were killed. As to the GTE switch which is located in Granada Hills, it was up shortly and was operating on generator. Almost as soon as the quake happened ATT and others blocked all traffic into the area. The above have nothing to do with my employer whoever they may be and the information was gathered from public media. Sysop: Apple Elite II -=- an Ogg-Net Hub BBS (909) 359-5338 12/24/96/14.4 V32/V42bis Via PCP CACOL/12/24 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 Feb 1994 13:44:00 PST From: lauren@vortex.com (Lauren Weinstein) Subject: Re: Info on Northridge, CA Switch After Earthquake We're about five miles from the epicenter (a nice 5.2 aftershock last night, by the way -- keeps you on your toes ...) I didn't hear of any major CO damage in the area from the main quake, though there were scattered genuine outages. The vast majority of people who thought they couldn't get dial tone simply weren't waiting long enough, under extremely loaded conditions. --Lauren-- ------------------------------ From: trent@netcom.com Subject: Re: Clock Slip and { Once More Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest) Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 20:38:11 GMT > The clock slip inserts (or drops) a bit in this other, digitized, > bit stream. This causes a temporary difference in the pattern, which > causes a couple of bit errors on the receiving end. > Exactly what comes out depends on: > - which modulation is used (2400, 9600, 14400 ...); > - whether it's a bit insert or a bit delete, and whether the > channel bank dropped a whole frame; > But for a given trunk, these factors tends to be the same. You're forgetting that it will effect data transfer rates, I'm losing close to 20% on 'CLOCK SLIPS' though an RCF. I've been tryin gto get Pacific Bell to deal with it for a while now. ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Time Domain Reflectometers From: drharry!aboritz@uunet.UU.NET (Alan Boritz) Date: Wed, 09 Feb 1994 23:43:05 EST Organization: Harry's Place BBS - Mahwah NJ - +1 201 934 0861 mearle@cbi.tamucc.edu (Mark Earle) writes: > Last time I needed one of these, we called a company in Los Angeles, > LeaseMetric. They supply specialized test gear short term; will ship > second day or overnight, etc. Generally, you need a corporate P.O. or > a credit card with a pretty high limit/available credit line. Riser-Bond makes a couple of good cost-effective TDR's very competitive with the Tektronix and Scientific-Atlanta products. They're as accurate as the Tek boxes, but they're built in padded, and sealed, carrying cases, and designed so they can be operated with a minimum of instruction. The top-of-the-line box has a scope and thermal printer, and the economy model only has a digital readout. If you have the oscilloscope and time to play, you can hook it up to the digital model and make a TDR scope display, too. > Other uses of TDR's: On radio towers, to verify location of splices in > transmission line; to find bullet holes in feedlines. In underground > wires or cables, to find where they "turn" without digging up the > whole landscape, etc. Quite a handy device. I use them at work to check transmission lines and connectors. There's no substitute for them, as they're much more sensitive than network analyzers to locate problem line sections and bad connectors. aboritz%drharry@uunet.uu.net or uunet!drharry!aboritz Harry's Place BBS (drharry.UUCP) - Mahwah NJ USA - +1-201-934-0861 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 13:51:29 CST From: varney@ihlpe.att.com Subject: Re: Need Poisson Tables Organization: AT&T In article al.farnham%gtecn01@mailgw. er.doe.gov writes: > I am in need of Poisson tables (P.001, P.005, P.01, P.05) for trunk > groups with 200 to 500 trunks. > All the information I have stops at 200 trunks. A short table (minus the P.005 data) is available from AT&T CIC on 1-800-432-6600. Document 231-060-810, 8 pages, "Poisson Capacity Tables". But unless you are writing traffic software or otherwise need very accurate numbers, just use your 200 trunk numbers and add: P.001: 32.8 CCS/trunk for each added trunk P.01: 33.5 CCS/trunk ... P.05: 33.6 CCS/trunk ... For P.005, something around 33.1 CCS/added trunk should be close. You'll be off by only 1% or so, and most folks don't have traffic estimates that are THAT accurate. As a data check, here's some points: 300 trunks, P.001: 8978 CCS (29.9 CCS/trunk) P.01: 9404 CCS (31.4) 400 trunks, P.001: 12280 CCS (30.7) P.01: 12784 CCS (32.0) 500 trunks, P.001: 15617 CCS (31.2) P.01: 16182 CCS (32.4) For P.05, the highest entry is for 260 trunks, 8424 CCS (32.4 CCS/trunk) [You really want to offer this grade of service?] Al Varney - all errors are mine ------------------------------ From: Vietz@rm42.ucc.uconn.edu (Rob Vietzke) Subject: Re: Info on Modems That Provide/Multiplex RS-422 and RS-366 Organization: University of Connecticut Computing Center Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 19:33:04 GMT In article mike_foltz@sgate.com writes: > I am looking for vendor information on modems that provide and > multiplex both RS-422 and RS-366 interfaces. The interfaces provide > both data and dialing information to be transmitted. > I have video teleconferencing and Inverse mux equipment that have the > RS-422 and RS-366 interfaces. Our 4 building campus has both fiber > optic and copper in its distribution. The modems would be used to > remotely connect the video teleconferencing equipment over fiber or > copper to the Inverse mux equipment. You might be better off using a remote port module on copper. I don't know whose MUX you are using, but the Ascend RPM wokrs well here. Also, consider bringing the video and audio back from the classroom on fiber and locating the CODEC at the MUX. This allows full motion video/ audio to/from the location which better positions you for future teleconferencing technologies that may go full motion in a couple years. ------------------------------ From: tony.zuccarino@nb.rockwell.com (Tony Zuccarino) Subject: Re: BBS Getting Internet Mail Organization: Rockwell International Date: Tue, 8 Feb 1994 19:54:40 GMT In article , TELECOM Digest Editor noted in response to blankenm@seq.oit.osshe.edu: > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: No leased or other special lines are > needed. There are BBS software packages available -- many for free -- > which have a UUCP-style interface built into them which allows the > BBS to call and exchange mail/news with some other site. Waffle is > one such program, and there is a newsgroup devoted to it. PAT] PAT, Can you tell me where to find this newsgroup? Is waffle a public domain software or who has control of it? Thanks, Tony Zuccarino Internet: tony.zuccarino@nb.rockwell.com Product Marketing Rockwell International [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Yes, Waffle is public domain or shareware. I think the newsgroup is called 'alt.bbs.waffle' or something like that. Someone who knows for sure or reads it can write to you with the specifics. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 09 Feb 1994 13:09:40 -0800 From: whitmore@tahoma.cwu.edu (Rattlesnake Stu) Subject: Re: Egghead Software Sells Bogus Phone Directory Software Organization: Central Washington University Alan Boritz (drharry!aboritz@uunet.UU.NET) wrote: > To make matters worse, the documentation warns the buyer against using > the database for mailing lists, because they state that they've seeded > it with phony records! > I certainly hope that this doesn't represent how we can expect what we > previously considered "respectable" software dealers to market "cheap" > CD rom products for the masses. This kind of deceptive marketing > could kill CD roms before they really get rolling. I would guess that Egghead is as unaware as your friend was of the contents of the product; perhaps a complaint, logically and clearly presented, would convince the store to cease carrying the product. (This is assuming that it is not an Egghead-brand CD ...) If enough stores stop carrying the item, the publisher may shape up the product or simply discontinue the item. What is the actual name of the CD? Thanks, Stuart whitmore@tahoma.cwu.edu ------------------------------ From: dold@rahul.net (Clarence Dold) Subject: Re: Egghead Software Sells Bogus Phone Directory Software Organization: a2i network Date: Thu, 10 Feb 1994 03:24:24 GMT Alan Boritz (drharry!aboritz@uunet.UU.NET) wrote: > he brought it home, he found that the access program for the database > gave him an intriguing message about how he "bought" a record, after > viewing a full address and phone record. It seems that the > instructions INSIDE of the CD rom package explain that he didn't buy The outside of the box does give the same quote. But taken out of context, it looks like another marketing blip, not a warning. There is also text warning that the disc will expire in one year. I didn't worry about that, since I don't care when it "expires", but now that I've seen the counter counting down, I believe that the engine will stop working in one year. The counter is ludicrously easy to defeat. What can they possibly write to the CDROM as a check? Nothing. Obviously. They can write a counter to the directory on disk. This is an annoying trait in an otherwise delightful toy. Even if it does expire in a year, I've already had more than $17.95 of use from it. I also see that there is a program called "upgrade.exe" on the CDROM, so I suspect that if you hand over your VISA number, they will provide you with a passkey to another 5000 lookups. How many people do you know with the name "Dold"? You know how many businesses are listed with DOLD as part of the name? ;-) Clarence A Dold - dold@rahul.net - Milpitas (near San Jose) & Napa CA. ------------------------------ From: rrb@deja-vu.aiss.uiuc.edu (Bill Pfeiffer) Subject: Re: Increasing Cordless Range Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 21:24:23 CST > jzentvel@alsvid.scu.edu.au (John Zentveld) wrote: > I live out on a farm (ie no other houses for sevel hundred meters) and > would like to increase the range of a Panasonic KXT300 cordless phone > running on 30 - 39MHz, by putting an external antenna on the roof. > Does anyone have any ideas on the type and size of the antenna, what > type of cable I should use etc. It currently has one of those > telescopic type on the base unit. If indeed the frequencies you mention are accurate in Australia, you could easily use an inexpensive groundplane cut for the 11 meter band (CB in he USA). If that is not available, you can use a piece of aluminum or copper rod, between 90 and 100" long (sorry my metric is terrible). At 27 mhz the quarter wave is about 108", so trim it a bit shorter for the 30 mhz range. Be sure the rod is not mounted on a metal pole and that it does not touch any metal or come too close to any metal, or detuning will result. The rod should be attached to the inner conductor of the coax. You can fashion some groundplanes to the shield if you want, but it may not be necessary. Exact length is not critical, as long as it is close. Use RG-58 coaxial cable, or if you are a real fanatic, use RG-8, the thick stuff, for less loss. Attach the center conductor to the place on the board (inside the base station), where the whip antenna now clips on. Attach the shield to any ground pint. Usually the tuned cans are grounded. Sometimes there is a ground post next to the whip antenna lug. Place the antenna as high as is feasible, remembering that the longer the coax run the more you will lose getting to the antenna, so mount the base as high and close to the antenna as you can. Also remember that it may be illegal to do that in Australia; it sure is here in the USA. Also doing this will void any warranted you might have. Bill info@airwaves.chi.il.us Publishers of Internet E-Mail Digests AIRWAVES RADIO JOURNAL * LOOPLIST * KID MEDIA * BRANSON CHAT * William Pfeiffer (That's Me) ------------------------------ From: dk@crl.com (David A. Kaye) Subject: Re: DID Questions Date: 9 Feb 1994 20:20:21 -0800 Organization: CRL Dialup Internet Access (415) 705-6060 [login: guest] Tom Watson (tsw@cypher.apple.com) wrote: > guy calling in). Sometimes it takes frantic calls to repair droids to > re-activate the trunks. Usually the calls require such items as T&N > numbers, trunk group numbers, or other such data that you never have > in front of you, and is usually NOT supplied by the telephone company. Dealing with Pacific Bell I've had absolutely no problem whatsoever in getting the trunks reactivated after an outage (such as a local power failure). And if you don't have your trunk numbers handy, maybe you shouldn't be doing this kind of stuff for a living, eh? I had no problem getting the numbers, and PacBell was more than happy to accommodate us. One interesting note: on DID trunks passed to another central office (your site is located in a different CO from the place where the DIDs originate), their inter-office connection keeps the trunks from dropping out if you lose battery, since the originating office is still seeing constant battery. You don't have to call them! At least, I never did until we moved into the same CO. ------------------------------ From: KATHY1310@delphi.com Subject: Re: 20GHz Wireless is the Future? Date: Thu, 10 Feb 1994 00:37:00 -0500 Organization: Delphi (info@delphi.com email, 800-695-4005 voice) S. L. Lee writes: > I heard that a technology is available (or becoming available) that > can transmit voice, data, fax, video, two-way and simultaneous and > automatically routed. I posted a msg but might have misposted. Actually, a company called CellularVision (out of New York) has developed a multi-point service to provide wireless cable services at the 28Ghz band. Right now it is being tested in the New York City, Westchester County areas. It is not set up to do two-way. CellularVision has experimental licenses in this market. The FCC will probably auction off the bands in 1995-6 timeframe. You may want to contact them for more details. ------------------------------ From: bill@noller.com (Bill Tighe) Subject: Re: E-Mail Spying By Employers Date: 9 Feb 1994 19:35:49 GMT vantek@aol.com once wrote: > When You Use E-Mail at Work the Boss May Be Looking In > By James McNair, {The Miami Herald} > Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News > Sounds like an invitation to employee rebellion, but corporations > insist they restrain themselves from systematic E-mail peeping. When > they do play back the disks, it's for legitimate business reasons, > such as investigating crimes, tracing security breaches or intercepting > customer inquiries when an employee is absent. Email used as evidence!?* How do investigators verify the source of an email message? How do you know that this very post wasn't sent by my evil twin brother Fred? Pardon my paranoia but it seems that email messages are easy to fake. Even if you don't send incriminating messages yourself, somebody who wants your job or your head may do it for you. Perhaps it is better to avoid email until the security and privacy problems have been solved. Bill Tighe Noller Communications, Inc. Email: bill@noller.com 1250 Holm Road Phone: 707-778-0571 Petaluma, CA 94954-1172 FAX: 707-778-0235 Q: Which is worse, ignorance or apathy? A: I don't know and I don't care. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 10 Feb 1994 09:09:12 EST From: Alex Cena Subject: AT&T's New 900 Mhz Cordless Phone There's been quite a bit of disccusion regarding cordless phones so I thought it may be helpful to share my experience over the last month with my new cordless phone. I have had the opportunity to try AT&T's new Dragon, which is a 900 Mhz cordless phone with 1000mw of power. It uses spread spectrum technology based on frequency hopping. I placed it in the library of our house and here is what I found: 1) I can walk anywhere in my house and on my 1 1/2 acre densely wooded lot and still be able to use the phone with excellent clarity; 2) sound quality is excellent; 3) The sound volume is a bit low but that may be due to too much time spent on the rifle range; 4) the ringer is way too loud even in the lowest setting; and 5) Speakerphones go whacko when the Dragon's handset is within a foot or two of it during an incoming call. Since I've been lazy, I haven't walked until I got disconnected but I'll try that next. Otherwise, I was very happy with it relative to my old cordless phone. I can't wait until they have multi-line versions available. Alex M. Cena, Lehman Brothers, acena@lehman.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Feb 1994 19:16:25 EST From: Thomas Lapp Subject: New Hello Direct Catalog I received the Spring 1994 Hello Direct catalog in the mail today, (800-444-3556) and it has a bunch of interesting gadgets in it. Some of the ones that caught my eye that I either didn't know existed, or else have never seen in catalogs before: -> A two-line speakerphone that allows you to conference the two lines together (hey, I'm paying for two lines, why not get three-way without the charge!) -> A four mailbox voicemail system for less than I thought they would cost. -> A "personal pay phone" that takes quarters and looks a lot like the standard desk set. -> Callcost, a personal device for recording all calls and times out of your phone line. Can be hooked up to a computer and cost of calls calculated as well as sorted by "accounts". -> SelectPhone, 3 CDs with 73 million residential and 8 million business phone numbers and addresses. There is a lot more in there, and it really is a "Wish Book" for the person who loves telecom gadgets. I have yet to order, but it is fun to look for stuff. tom internet mvac23!thomas@udel.edu or thomas%mvac23@udel.edu (home) lapp@cdcmvx.dnet.dupont.com (work) OSI C=US/A=MCI/S=LAPP/D=ID=4398613 uucp {ucbvax,mcvax,uunet}!udel!mvac23!thomas Location Newark, DE, USA ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V14 #74 *****************************