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Tag Archives: communications
The Victorians were Rocked to their Socks
Methods of communicating over long distances advanced surprisingly little from the days of the Roman Empire to the start of the nineteenth century. Although beacons and semaphores were occasionally used, the speed at which information could be transmitted was typically … Continue reading
Posted in Telecom Ramblings
Tagged 19th century, communications, DOT-DASH TO DOT.COM, electric telegraph, history, telegraph
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Concerns about Copper
The high price of copper on world markets has led to a spate of cable thefts, and this has provided telephone companies with a strong incentive to find cost-effective ways of replacing copper telephone wire with optical fibre. However, this is … Continue reading
Posted in Telecom Ramblings
Tagged 19th century, cable, communications, copper, telecoms, telegraph, telephone
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The Strange Story of Phone Phreaking
During the 1960’s, the use of analogue signalling tones between telephone exchanges gave rise to a new phenomenon called “Phone Phreaking”. The word “phreak” is apparently a combination of “phone”, “free” and “freak”, so it’s rather a good name. Phone … Continue reading
Posted in Telecom Ramblings
Tagged Cap'n Crunch, communications, Joe Engressia, network, phone, phreak, signalling, telecoms, telephone, telephone exchange
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Are Radio Waves Bad for Your Health?
The health risks associated with radioactivity have been recognized for many years. Alpha, beta and gamma emissions from radioactive sources can ionize atoms or molecules that they encounter by detaching electrons from them. People exposed to high levels of ionizing … Continue reading
Posted in Telecom Ramblings
Tagged cellular, communications, health risks, ionising radiation, microwave, mobile, network, radio, telecoms, WiFi
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Let’s Hear It for the Bad Boys of Physics!
Surprising as it may seem, there are still some major barriers that are holding back the march of telecommunications. One of these barriers is Einstein’s universal speed limit – the speed of light – which applies to electrical currents in … Continue reading
Posted in Telecom Ramblings
Tagged communications, fibre optic, microwave, network, neutrino, radio, speed of light, telecoms, transmission
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