437 lines
20 KiB
Plaintext
437 lines
20 KiB
Plaintext
I N V A D I N G T H E B E L L S Y S T E M
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Bridging heads, residential and business multiline distribution boxes, line
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and trunk splitters, and other Bell system wire terminations.
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- How to use, and/or abuse them -
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(including a tutorial on basic telephone eavesdropping techniques.)
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***************************************
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written by : Phucked
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Agent 07/29/84
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04
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***************************************
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In this article, I will first bescribe the termination, wiring, and terminal
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hardware most commonly used in the Bell System, and I will include a section on
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methods of using them.
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***************************************
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-------------
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Local Network
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-------------
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The local telephone network between the central office/exchange and the
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telephone subscribers can be breifly described as follows:
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From the central office (or(lncal exchange) of a certain prefix(es),
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underground area trunks go to each area that has that prefix. (usually more
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than one prefix per area) at every few streets or tract areas, the underground
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cables surface. they then go to the telephone pole (or back underground,
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depending on the area) and then to the subsribers house (or in the case of an
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apartment building or mutliline business, to a splitter or distribution
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box/panel).
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****************************************
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Now that we have the basics, I'll try and go in-depth on the subject.
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------------------
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Underground cables
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------------------
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These are sometimes inter-office trunks, but usually in a resid- ential area
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they are trunk lines that go oto bridging heads or distribution cases. the
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cables are about 2-3 inches thick (varies), and are either in a metal or
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pvc-type pipe (or similar). Rarely (maybe not in some remote rural areas) are
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the cables just 'alone' in the ground. Instead, they are usually in an
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underground cement tunnel (resembles a small sewer or stormdrain). The manholes
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are >heavy< and will say 'bell system' on them. They can be opened with a 1/2
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inch wide crowbar (hook side) inserted in the top rectangular hole. If you get
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it open, go inside!! There are ladder rungs to help you climb down. You will
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see the cable pipes on the wall, with the blue and white striped one being the
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inter-office trunk (at least in my area). The others are local lines, and are
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usually marked or color coded. There is almost always a posted color code chart
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on the wall, not to mention telco manuals describing the cables and terminals,
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so I need not get into detail. Again: >if you can get into a bell manhole, do
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it!, It will pay off <. Also, there is usually some kind of test equipment, and
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often bell test sets are left in there. So get your crowbars!
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****************************************
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--------------
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Bridging Heads
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--------------
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The innocent-looking grayish-green boxes. These can be either trunk bridges
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or bridging for residences. The major trunk bridging heads are usually larger,
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and they have the 'western electric' logo at the bottom, whereas the normal
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bridging heads (which may be different in some areas- depending on the company
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you are served by. Gte b.h.'s look slightly different. Also, do not be fooled
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by sprinkler boxes!) can be found in just about every city.
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To open a bridging head: If it is locked (and you're feeling destructive),
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put a hammer or crowbar (the same one you used on the manhole) in the slot above
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the top hinge of the right door. Pull hard, and the dorr will rip off. Very
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effective!
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If it isn't locked (as usual), take a 7/16 inch hex socket and with it, turn
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the bolt about 1/8 of a turn to the right (you should hear a spring release
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inside). holding the bolt, turn the handle all the way to the left and pull
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out.
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Now inside, first check for a test-set (which are often left by bell
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employees). There should be a panel of terminals and wires. Push the panel
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back about an inch or so, and rotate the top latch (round with a flat section)
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downward. Release the panel and it will fall all the way forward. There is
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usually a large amount of wire and extra terminals. The test-sets are often
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hidden here, so dont overlook it (manuals, as well, are sometimes placed in the
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head). On the right door is a metal box of alligator clips. Take a few
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(compliments of bell...). On each door is a useful little round metal device.
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(Says 'insert gently' or 'clamp gently - do not overtighten' etc..) On the front
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of the disc, you should find two terminals. These are for your test set. (If
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you dont have one, dont depair - I'll show you ways to make basic test sets
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later in this article). Hooking the ring (-) wire to the 'r' terminal; and the
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tip (+) wire to the other. (By the way, an easy way to determine the correct
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polarity is with a 1.5v led. Tap it to the term. pair, if i doesnt light,
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switch the poles until it does. When it lights, find the longer of the two led
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poles. This one will be on the tip wire (+)) Behind the disc is a coiled up
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cord. This should have two alligator clips on it..its very useful, because you
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don't have to keep connecting and disconnecting the fone (test set) itself, and
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the clips work nicely.
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On the terminal board, there should be about 10 screw terminals per side.
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Follow the wires, and you can see which cable pairs are active. Hook the clips
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to the terminal pair, and you're set! Dial out if you want, or just listen (if
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someone's on the line). Later, I'll show you a way to set up a true 'tap' that
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you can set up, and will let the person dial out on his line and receive calls
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as normal, and you can listen in the whole time. More about this later...
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On major prefix-area bridging heads, you can see 'local loops', which are two
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cable pairs (cable pair = ring+tip, a fone line) that are directly connected to
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each other on the terminal board. These 'cheap loops' as they are called, do
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not work nearly as well as the existing ones set up in the switching hardware at
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the exchange office. (Try scanning your prefixes' 00xx or 99xx #'s. The tone
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sides will announce themselves with the 1000 hz loop tone, and the hang side
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will give no response. The first person should dial the 'hang' side, and the
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other person dial the tone side, and the tone should stop if you have got the
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right loop)
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If you want to find the number of the line that you're on, you can either try
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to decipher the 'bridging log' (or whatever), which is on the left door. if
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that doesnt work, you can use the follwing:
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---
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ANI # (Automatic Number Indentication)
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---
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This is a telco test number that reports to you the number that youre calling
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from (it's the same, choppy 'bell bitch' voice that you get when you reach a
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disconnected #)
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For the 213 NPA - dial 1223
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408 NPA - dial 760
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914 NPA - dial 990
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These are extremely useful when messing with any kind of line terminals, house
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boxes, etc.
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Now that we have bridging heads wired, we can go on... (dont forget to close
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and latch the box after..wouldnt want to get and telco people mad, now, would
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we?)
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***************************************
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------
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"CANS" - Telephone pole distribution
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------ boxes
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Basically, two types:
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1> Large, rectangular silver box at the end of each street.
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2> Black, round or rectangular thing at every telephone pole.
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Type 1 - This is the case that takes the underground cable from the bridger
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and runs it to the telephone pole cable (the lowest, largest wire on the
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telephone pole). The box is always on the pole nearest the briging head, where
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the line comes up. Look for the 'call before you dig - Underground cable'
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stickers..
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The case box is hinged, so if you want to climb the pole, you can open it with
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no problems. These usually have 2 rows of terminal sets. These are all the
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cable pairs for your street. (Its similar to a miniature bridging head).
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Use/abuse it in the same manner as we did before. (Note: all the active lines
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carry from 15 to 48 vdc, and even 90vac (when ringing), so be careful - It's not
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going to hurt you, but it can surprise you (and if you're hanging by one hand
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from a tel. pole, it >can< be harmful!))
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Oh, by the way, if you use ANI on every pair and you find one that isnt in use
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on your street, you can hook it up for yourself (almost). Also, you have to be
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able to impersonate a telco technician and report the number as 'new active'
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(giving a fake name and fake report, etc) I don't recommend this and it probably
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won't (almost positively won't) work, but this is basically what telco linemen
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do).
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Type 2 - This is the splitter box for the group of houses around the pole.
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(usually 4 or 5 houses). Use it like I mentioned before. The terminals (8 or
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so) will be in 2 horizontal rows of sets. The extra wires that are just
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'hanging there' are provisions for extra lines to residences (1 extra line per
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house, thats why the insane charge for line #3!) If its the box for your house
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also, have fun and swap lines with your neighbor! 'piggyback' them and wreak
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havoc on the neighborhood (it's eavesdropping time...) again, I dont recommend
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this, and it's difficult to do it correctly. Moving right along..
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***************************************
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------------------------------
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Apartment / Business Multiline
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Distribution Boxes
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------------------------------
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Found outside the buliding (most often on the right side, but not always..
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just follow the wire from the telephone pole) or in the basement. It has the
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terminals for all the lines in the building. Use it just like any other
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termination box as before. Usually says 'bell system' or similar. Has up to 20
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terminals on it (usually) the middle ones are grounds (forget these). The wires
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come from the cable to one row (usually the left one) , with the other row of
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terminals for the building fone wire pairs. The ring (-) wire is usually the
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top terminal if the set in the row (1 of 10 or more), and the tip is in the
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clamp/screw below it. This can be reversed, but the cable pair is always
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terminated one-on-top-of-each-other, not on the one next to it. (Im not sure
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why the other one is there, probably as a provision for extra lines) dont use it
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though, it is usually to close to the other terminals, and in my experiences you
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get a noisy connection.
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Final note: Almost every apartment, business, hotel, or anywhere there is
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more than 2 lines this termination method is used. If you can master this type,
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you can be in control of many things... Look around in your area for a building
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that uses this type, and practice hooking up to the line, etc.
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As an added help, here is the basic 'standard' color-code for multiline
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terminals/wiring/etc...
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Single line: red = ring
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green = tip
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yellow = ground (connected to l1 ringer coil in individual and
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bridged ringer phones (bell only)) usually connected to the green (tip)
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Ring (-) = red
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white/red stripe
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brown
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white/orange stripe
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black/yellow stripe
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Tip (+) = green (sometimes yellow, see above ^)
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white/green stripe
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white/blue stripe
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blue
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black/white stripe
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Ground = black
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yellow
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***************************************
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----------------------
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Residence terminal box
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----------------------
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Small, gray (can be either a rubber (Pacific Telephone) or hard plastic (AT &
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T) housing) deal that connects the cable pair from the splitter box (see type 2,
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above) on the pole to your house wiring. Only 2 (or 4, the 2 top terminals are
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hooked in parallel with the same line) terminals, and is very easy to use. This
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can be used to add more lines to your house or add an external line outside the
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house.
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***************************************
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Well, now you can consider yourself a minor expert on the terminals and wiring
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of the local telephone network. Now you can apply it to whatever you want to
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do.. heres another helpful item-
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How to make a basic test-set and how to use it to dial out, eavsdrop, or
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seriously tap and record line activity.
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---------
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TEST-SETS
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---------
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These are the (usually) orange hand set fones used by telco technicians to
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test lines. To make a very simple one, take any bell (or other, but i recom-
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mend a good bell fone like a princess or a trimline. GTE flip fones work
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excellently, though..) Fone and cut off all the wires (including the modular
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jack , if any) except the red (ring - ) and the green (tip +). If they arent
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color-coded, they are usually the inner most two in the 4 con ductor cable (the
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fone cord). Put alligator clips on it and use it as described earlier. This
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will enable you to dial out and listen, but no extra abilities.( You are in
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effect just an extension of their line). If you want to get more technical, or
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you just want to listen without being heard (or detected in any normal way) you
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can use one of the following test-set/tap fone designs, or make your own..
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Test Set Version # 1
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---------------- - -
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A 'black box' type fone mod will let you tap into their line, and with the box
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on, it's as if you werent there. They can recieve calls and dial out, and you
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can be listening the whole time! very useful. With the box off, you have a
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normal fone test set. Instructions: Basic black box. Works well with good
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results. Take the cover off the fone to expose the network box (Bell type fones
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only). The <rr> terminal should have a green wire going to it (orange or
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different if touch tone - doesnt matter, its the same thing). Disconnect the
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wire and connect it to one pole of an SPST switch. Connect a piece of wire to
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the other pole of the switch and connect it to the <rr> terminal. Now take a
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10k ohm 1/2 watt 10% resistor and put it between the <rr> terminal and the <f>
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terminal, which should have a blue and a white wire going to it (different for
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touch tone). It should look like this:
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-----BLUE WIRE-----<F>
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---WHITE WIRE-----/ !
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!
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10K RESISTOR
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!
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--GREEN WIRE- -<RR>
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! !
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! !
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SPST
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What this does in effect is keep the hookswitch / dial pulse switch ( f to rr
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loop) open while holding the line high with the resistor. This gives the same
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voltage effect as if the fone was 'on-hook', while the 10k ohms holds the
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voltage right above the 'off hook' threshold (around 22 volts or so, as compared
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to 15-17 for normal off hook, 48 volts for normal 'on-hook'), giving the best
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line volume and signal strength attainable without an external amplifier.
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Test-set version # 2
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---------------- - -
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Another design (which I use on a GTE flip phone II with good res- ults), is
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similar to the 'type 1' test set (above), but has some added features:
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FROM >-----------------TIP---<TO TEST
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ALLIGATOR SET
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CLIP >------ ----------RING--<PHONE
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! !
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X ^
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! ! !
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O < !
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! > !
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! > !
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! ! !
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! X--------- !
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! X !
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!----X !
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X----0-----!
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X= SPST SWITCH
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O= RED LED 0=GREEN LED
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\/\/\=1.8K 1/2 watt resistor XXXX= DPST switch
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When the spst switch in on, the led will light, and the fone will become
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active. The green light should be on. If it isn't, switch the dpst. If it
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still isnt, check the polarity of the line and the leds. With both lights on,
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hang up the fone. They should all be off now. Now flip the dpst and pick up
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the fone. The red should be on, but the green shouldnt. If it is, something is
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wrong with the circuit. You wont get a dial tone if all is correct. When you
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hook up to the line with the alligator clips (assuming you have put this circuit
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inside your fone and have put alligator clips on the ring and tip wires (as we
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did before)) you should have the spst #1 in the off posistion. This will greaty
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reduce the static noise involved in hooking up to a line. the red led can also
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be used to check if you have the correct polarity.
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With this fone you will have the ability to listen in on >all< audible line
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activity, and the people (the 'eavesdropees') can use their fone as normal.
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Note that test sets #1 and #2 have true 'black boxes', and can be used for
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free calls (see an article about black boxes).
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Test Set version # 3
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---------------- - -
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(Courtesy of Lex Luthor ,Sysop of Plover Net)
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Using a trimline (or similar) phone, remove the base and cut all of the wire
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leads off except for the red (ring -) and the green (tip +). Solder alligator
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clips to the lugs. The wire itself is 'tinsel' wrapped on rayon, and doesnt
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solder well. Inside the fone handset, remove the night light socket (if it has
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one) and install a small slide or toggle switch (radio shack's microminiature
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spst works well). Locate the connect- ion of the ring and the tip wires on the
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pc board near where the jack is located at the bottom of the handset. (The
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wires are sometimes black or brown Instead of red and green, respectively). Cut
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the foil and run 2 pieces of wire to your switch. In parallel with the switch
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add a .25 mf 200 vdc capacitor (mylar, silvered mica, ceramic, not an
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electrolytic). When the switch is closed, the handset functions normally. With
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the switch in the other position, you can listen with out being heard. (I
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would, once again, like to give credit to Lex Luthor for this simple and
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effective design).
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NOTE: To reduce the noise involved in connecting the clips to a line, add a
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switch selectable 1000 ohm 1/2 watt resistor in series with the tip wire. Flip
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it in circuit when connecting, and once on the line, flip it off again. (Or
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just use the 'line disconnect' type switch as in the type2 test set (above)).
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Also avoid touching the alligator clips to any metal parts or other terminals,
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for It causes static on the line and raises poeple's suspicions.
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Recording
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---------
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If you would like to record any activity, use test set 1 or 2 above (for
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unattended recording of >all< line activity), or just any test set if you are
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going to be there to monitor when they are dialing, talking, etc.
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Place a telephone pickup coil (I recommend the recoton t-5 tp coil or
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equivalent) onto the test set, and put the tp plug into the mic. Jack of any
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standard tape recorder. Hit play, rec, and pause. Alternate pause when you
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want to record (I dont think anyone should have any difficulty with this at
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all...)
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**************************************
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Well, if you still can't make a test set or you don't have the parts, there's
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still hope. Alternate methods:
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1> Find a bell test set in a manhole or a bridging head and
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'borrow it indefinately'...
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2> According to Sir Francis Drake, Test sets can be purchased from:
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Techni-Tool
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5 APOLLO ROAD
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BOX 368
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Plymouth Meeting
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PA., 19462
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ASK FOR CATALOG #28
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They are usually $300 - $600, and are supposed to have mf dialing
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capability as well as tt dialing. They are also of much higher quality
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than the standard bell test sets.
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***************************************
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If you would like to learn more about the subjects covered here, I suggest:
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1> Follow bell trucks and linemen or technicians and ask subtle questions.
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Also try 611 (repair service) and ask questions..
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2> Explore your area for any Bell hardware, and expirament with it.
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Don't try something if you are not sure what youre doing, because you
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wouldnt want to cause problems, Would you?
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I hope the article was informative. Be looking for
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'Invading the Bell System - Part II'
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***************************************
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WRITTEN BY:
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PHUCKED
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*** AGENT ***
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04
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A.K.A.
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PHREAK ADVISOR
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> THE C.O.R.E. DELTA
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> SPINOFF MASTER PVPC INNER CORE
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***************************************
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Call The Works BBS - 1600+ Textfiles! - [914]/238-8195 - 300/1200 - Always Open
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