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Old 05-02-2019, 12:48 PM
Olefin Olefin is offline
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Default Telephone Networks (and alternate uses for them)

One thing that is mentioned repeatedly in the modules is the breakdown of communications that would occur in T2K after the war went nuclear. One thing that has been overlooked is the fact that the telegraph network in the US and elsewhere would have still been in existence and could be used, at least domestically, to maintain communications between various areas.

There would be breakages in the network of course - the biggest issue would be the lack of trained operators. However there were a lot of people who still knew Morse alive in the 1995-2001 time period. Heck I learned it when I was a Boy Scout. I could see how it could be used in the game to try to relay orders, report scouting, even where a GM has the players sent out to repair a break in the lines.

Not sure if any discussion of if the telegraph system is being used was ever brought up here. I do know that there were still telegraphs being sent in the real timeline up until the mid 2000's
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Old 05-02-2019, 01:30 PM
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Raellus Raellus is offline
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It's an interesting concept, one that I haven't ever considered- because I didn't think the telegraph was in use in the 1990's (or '80's even). How realistic is it, though?

How extensive was the pre-2000 telegraph network? Who used it, how often, and what for?

Even if a widespread telegraph network existed c. 1997, or could be brought up and running after the TDM, it would still be very vulnerable to disruption. During the American Civil War, both sides routinely cut telegraph cables and/or cut down telegraph poles. All you need is an axe.
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Old 05-02-2019, 01:37 PM
Olefin Olefin is offline
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Western Union was still using it for wire transfers up until the late 2000's and the as late as 2006 they were still sending 20,000 actual telegrams a year in the US. India still had an extensive network as late as 2013.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/last-te...-sent-july-14/

The wires are still there for sure in the mid-90's to 2000 time frame for the V1 and V2.2 - they were never taken down in many places. The question is how many breaks would there be and getting trained operators. Its actually one thing that the producers of Independence Day were surprised to find out - i.e. that the idea of the military communicating by telegraph in the movie was actually factual.
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Old 05-02-2019, 01:52 PM
Olefin Olefin is offline
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most likely the network would have gaps in it for sure - i.e. there is no way the wires that were still standing survived nukes going off and the general lack of maintenance that happened after the TDM would have not helped the situation - but there would still be remaining wires that could be used, especially in areas that didnt have a lot of damage from nukes - plus of all the things that you would think people would loot old phone wire and ceramic insulators arent very high on that list

FYI I havent looked at other countries - does anyone know the status of any networks in Australia or the UK for instance in the mid to late 90's?

Last edited by Olefin; 05-02-2019 at 02:15 PM.
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Old 05-02-2019, 02:35 PM
swaghauler swaghauler is offline
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We need to be clear here, there are NO telegraph lines in America in 2000. Western Union (and everyone else) are sending those telegrams over the ANALOG phone lines. The important thing to remember about Analog Phone Systems is that they carry a small electric charge to power the various analog phones tied to the system. This is why analog phones still work when the power goes out. Those phones WOULD BE DAMAGED by an EMP effect because of the large surge of power that came through the lines. Other analog phones could easily escape that damage if they weren't physically connected to the grid when the EMP hit. Thousands of phones sitting on store shelves would be perfectly serviceable. In addition, FIELD TELEPHONES are also analog and are DESIGNED to be used with the civilian telephone grid. Since a field phone has batteries to generate the small electric charge needed to carry the signal, you could hook one straight to a "dead" (ie unpowered) phone line and STILL USE IT. Once you fixed the line's surge protection that was damaged by EMP (much easier than laying telegraph lines), there is NOTHING stopping you from powering the lines with a portable generator (the system requires a very small amount of voltage) and using civilian phones just like normal. It may take a while to get the civilian grid running again but it is NOT a very difficult proposition at all.
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Old 05-02-2019, 02:43 PM
swaghauler swaghauler is offline
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Here's a little info PA puts out in defense of the tax they put on phone companies to subsidize rural phone networks.

75% of PA's rural communities still have analog phone lines. These systems are integrated into the digital phone grid using digital converters housed in the old "switch houses" located in small towns and rural areas.

Our "switch house" (owned by AT&T) is a 20ft square block building located near the town of Conneaut Lake. This is also the source of power for the analog lines as there is 220 coming into the building and you can hear the step-down converter's fan running all of the time (cooling the whole system no doubt).
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