228 lines
12 KiB
Plaintext
228 lines
12 KiB
Plaintext
Phone Systems Tutorial III by The Jolly Roger
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PREFACE:
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THIS ARTICLE WILL FOCUS PRIMARILY ON THE STANDARD WESTERN ELECTRIC SINGLE-
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SLOT COIN TELEPHONE (AKA FORTRESS FONE) WHICH CAN BE DIVIDED INTO 3 TYPES:
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- DIAL-TONE FIRST (DTF)
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- COIN-FIRST (CF): (IE, IT WANTS YOUR $ BEFORE YOU RECEIVE A DIAL TONE)
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- DIAL POST-PAY SERVICE (PP): YOU PAYAFTER THE PARTY ANSWERS
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DEPOSITING COINS (SLUGS):
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-------------------------
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ONCE YOU HAVE DEPOSITED YOUR SLUG INTO A FORTRESS, IT IS SUBJECTED TO A
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GAMUT OF TESTS. THE FIRST OBSTACAL FOR A SLUG IS THE
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MAGNETIC TRAP. THIS WILL STOP ANY LIGHT-WEIGHT MAGNETIC SLUGS AND COINS.
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IF IT PASSES THIS, THE SLUG IS THEN CLASSIFIED AS A NICKEL, DIME, OR
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QUARTER. EACH SLUG IS THEN CHECKED FOR APPROPRIATE SIZE AND WEIGHT. IF THESE
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TESTS ARE PASSED, IT WILL THEN TRAVEL THROUGH A NICKEL, DIME, OR QUARTER
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MAGNET AS APPROPRIATE. THESE MAGNETS SET UP AN EDDY CURRENT EFFECT WHICH
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CAUSES COINS OF THE APPROPRIATE CHARACTERISTICS TO SLOW DOWN SO THEY
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WILL FOLLOW THE CORRECT TRAJECTORY. IF ALL GOES WELL, THE COIN WILL FOLLOW THE
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CORRECT PATH (SUCH AS BOUNCING OFF OF THE NICKEL ANVIL) WHERE IT WILL
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HOPEFULLY FALL INTO THE NARROW ACCEPTED COIN CHANNEL.
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THE RATHER ELABORATE TESTS THAT ARE PERFORMED AS THE COIN TRAVELS DOWN THE
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COIN CHUTE WILL STOP MOST SLUGS AND OTHER UNDESIRABLE COINS, SUCH AS
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PENNIES, WHICH MUST THEN BE RETRIEVED USING THE COIN RELEASE LEVER.
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IF THE SLUG MIRACULOUSLY SURVIVES THE GAMUT, IT WILL THEN STRIKE THE
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APPROPRIATE TOTALIZER ARM CAUSING A RATCHET WHEEL TO ROTATE ONCE FOR EVERY
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5-CENT INCREMENT (EG, A QUARTER WILL CAUSE IT TO ROTATE 5 TIMES).
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THE TOTALIZER THEN CAUSES THE COIN SIGNAL OSCILLATOR TO READOUT A DUAL-
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FREQUENCY SIGNAL INDICATING THE VALUE DEPOSITED TO ACTS (A COMPUTER) OR THE
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TSPS OPERATOR. THESE ARE THE SAME TONES USED BY PHREAKS IN THE INFAMOUS RED
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BOXES. FOR A QUARTER, 5 BEEP TONES ARE
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OUTPULSED AT 12-17 PULSES PER SECOND (PPS). A DIME CAUSES 2 BEEP TONES AT
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5 - 8.5 PPS WHILE A NICKEL CAUSES ONE BEEP TONE AT 5 - 8.5 PPS. A BEEP
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CONSISTS OF 2 TONES: 2200 + 1700 HZ. A RELAY IN THE FORTRESS CALLED THE "B
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RELAY" (YES, THERE IS ALSO AN 'A RELAY') PLACES A CAPACITOR ACROSS THE
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SPEECH CIRCUIT DURING TOTALIZER READOUT TO PREVENT THE "CUSTOMER" FROM
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HEARING THE RED BOX TONES. IN OLDER 3 SLOT PHONES: ONE BELL
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(1050-1100 HZ) FOR A NICKEL, TWO BELLS FOR A DIME, AND ONE GONG (800 HZ) FOR A
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QUARTER ARE USED INSTEAD OF THE MODERN DUAL-FREQUENCY TONES.
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=============
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=TSPS & ACTS=
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=============
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WHILE FORTRESSES ARE CONNECTED TO THE CO OF THE AREA, ALL TRANSACTIONS ARE
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HANDLED VIA THE TRAFFIC SERVICE POSITION SYSTEM (TSPS). IN AREAS THAT
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DO NOT HAVE ACTS, ALL CALLS THAT REQUIRE OPERATOR ASSISTANCE, SUCH AS
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CALLING CARD AND COLLECT, ARE AUTOMATICALLY ROUTED TO A TSPS OPERATOR
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POSITION. IN AN EFFORT TO AUTOMATE FORTRESS
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SERVICE, A COMPUTER SYSTEM KNOWN AS AUTOMATED COIN TOLL SERVICE (ACTS) HAS
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BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN MANY AREAS. ACTS LISTENS TO THE RED BOX SIGNALS FROM THE
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FONES AND TAKES APPROPRIATE ACTION. IT IS ACTS WHICH SAYS, "TWO DOLLARS PLEASE
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(PAUSE) PLEASE DEPOSIT TWO DOLLARS FOR THE NEXT TEN SECONDS" (AND OTHER
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VARIATIONS). ALSO, IF YOU TALK FOR MORE THAN THREE MINUTES AND THEN HANG-UP,
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ACTS WILL CALL BACK AND DEMAND YOUR MONEY. ACTS IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR
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AUTOMATED CALLING CARD SERVICE. ACTS ALSO PROVIDE TROUBLE DIAGNOSIS FOR
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CRAFTSPEOPLE (REPAIRMEN SPECIALIZING IN FORTRESSES). FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS A
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COIN TEST WHICH IS GREAT FOR TUNING UP RED BOXES. IN MANY AREAS THIS TEST CAN
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BE ACTIVATED BY DIALING 09591230 AT A FORTRESS (THANKS TO KARL MARX FOR THIS
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INFORMATION). ONCE ACTIVATED IT WILL REQUEST THAT YOU DEPOSIT VARIOUS COINS.
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IT WILL THEN IDENTIFY THE COIN AND OUTPULSE THE APPROPRIATE RED BOX
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SIGNAL. THE COINS ARE USUALLY RETURNED WHEN YOU HANG UP.
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TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS ACTUALLY MONEY IN THE FONE, THE CO INITIATES A
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"GROUND TEST" AT VARIOUS TIMES TO DETERMINE IF A COIN IS ACTUALLY IN THE
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FONE. THIS IS WHY YOU MUST DEPOSIT AT LEAST A NICKEL IN ORDER TO USE A RED
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BOX!
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GREEN BOXES:
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------------
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PAYING THE INITIAL RATE IN ORDER TO USE A RED BOX (ON CERTAIN FORTRESSES)
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LEFT A SOUR TASTE IN MANY RED BOXER'S MOUTHS THUS THE GREEN BOX WAS INVENTED.
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THE GREEN BOX GENERATES USEFUL TONES SUCH AS COIN COLLECT, COIN RETURN, AND
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RINGBACK. THESE ARE THE TONES THAT ACTS OR THE TSPS OPERATOR WOULD SEND TO
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THE CO WHEN APPROPRIATE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE GREEN BOX CANNOT BE USED AT A
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FORTRESS STATION BUT IT MUST BE USED BY THE CALLED PARTY.
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HERE ARE THE TONES:
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COIN COLLECT 700 + 1100 HZ
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COIN RETURN 1100 + 1700 HZ
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RINGBACK 700 + 1700 HZ
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BEFORE THE CALLED PARTY SENDS ANY OF THESE TONES, AN OPERATOR RELEASED
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SIGNAL SHOULD BE SENT TO ALERT THE MF DETECTORS AT THE CO. THIS CAN BE
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ACCOMPLISHED BY SENDING 900 + 1500 HZ OR A SINGLE 2600 HZ WINK (90 MS)
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FOLLOWED BY A 60 MS GAP AND THEN THE APPROPRIATE SIGNAL FOR AT LEAST 900 MS.
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ALSO, DO NOT FORGET THAT THE INITIAL RATE IS COLLECTED SHORTLY BEFORE THE 3
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MINUTE PERIOD IS UP. INCIDENTALLY, ONCE THE ABOVE MF TONES
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FOR COLLECTING AND RETURNING COINS REACH THE CO, THEY ARE CONVERTED INTO
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AN APPROPRIATE DC PULSE (-130 VOLTS FOR RETURN & +130 VOLTS FOR COLLECT). THIS
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PULSE IS THEN SENT DOWN THE TIP TO THE FORTRESS. THIS CAUSES THE COIN RELAY
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TO EITHER RETURN OR COLLECT THE COINS. THE ALLEGED "T-NETWORK" TAKES ADVANTAGE
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OF THIS INFORMATION. WHEN A PULSE FOR COIN COLLECT (+130 VDC) IS SENT DOWN
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THE LINE, IT MUST BE GROUNDED SOMEWHERE. THIS IS USUALLY EITHER THE
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YELLOW OR BLACK WIRE. THUS, IF THE WIRES ARE EXPOSED, THESE WIRES CAN BE
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CUT TO PREVENT THE PULSE FROM BEING GROUNDED. WHEN THE THREE MINUTE
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INITIAL PERIOD IS ALMOST UP, MAKE SURE THAT THE BLACK & YELLOW WIRES ARE
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SEVERED; THEN HANG UP, WAIT ABOUT 15 SECONDS IN CASE OF A SECOND PULSE,
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RECONNECT THE WIRES, PICK UP THE FONE, HANG UP AGAIN, AND IF ALL GOES WELL IT
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SHOULD BE "JACKPOT" TIME.
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PHYSICAL ATTACK:
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----------------
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A TYPICAL FORTRESS WEIGHS ROUGHLY 50 LBS. WITH AN EMPTY COIN BOX. MOST OF
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THIS IS ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE ARMOR PLATING. WHY ALL THE SECURITY? WELL,
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BELL CONTRIBUTES IT TO THE FOLLOWING: "SOCIAL CHANGES DURING THE 1960'S
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MADE THE MULTISLOT COIN STATION A PRIME TARGET FOR: VANDALISM, STRONG ARM
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ROBBERY, FRAUD, AND THEFT OF SERVICE. THIS BROUGHT ABOUT THE INTRODUCTION OF
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THE MORE RUGGED SINGLE SLOT COIN STATION AND A NEW ENVIRONMENT FOR COIN
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SERVICE." AS FOR PICKING THE LOCK, I WILL QUOTE MR. PHELPS:
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"WE OFTEN FANTASIZE ABOUT 'PICKING THE LOCK' OR 'GETTING A MASTER
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KEY.' WELL, YOU CAN FORGET ABOUT IT. I DON'T LIKE TO DISCOURAGE PEOPLE, BUT
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IT WILL SAVE YOU FROM WASTING ALOT OF OUR TIME--TIME WHICH CAN BE PUT TO
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BETTER USE (HEH, HEH)." AS FOR PHYSICAL ATTACK, THE COIN PLATE
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IS SECURED ON ALL FOUR SIDE BY HARDENED STEEL BOLTS WHICH PASS THROUGH TWO
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SLOTS EACH. THESE BOLTS ARE IN TURN INTERLOCKED BY THE MAIN LOCK.
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ONE PHREAK I KNOW DID MANAGE TO TAKE ONE OF THE 'MOTHERS' HOME (WHICH WAS
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ATTACHED TO A PIECE OF PLYWOOD AT A CONSTRUCTION SITE; OTHERWISE, THE
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PERMANENT ONES ARE A BITCH TO DETACH FROM THE WALL!). IT TOOK HIM ALMOST
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TEN HOURS TO OPEN THE COIN BOX USING A POWER DRILL, SLEDGE HAMMERS, AND CROW
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BARS (WHICH WAS EMPTY -- PERHAPS NEXT TIME, HE WILL DEPOSIT A COIN FIRST TO
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HEAR IF IT SLUSHES DOWN NICELY OR HITS THE EMPTY BOTTOM WITH A CLUNK.)
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TAKING THE FONE OFFERS A HIGHER MARGIN OF SUCCESS. ALTHOUGH THIS MAY BE
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DIFFICULT OFTEN REQUIRING BRUTE FORCE AND THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL CASES OF
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BACK AXLES BEING LOST TRYING TO TAKE DOWN A FONE! A QUICK AND DIRTY WAY TO
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OPEN THE COIN BOX IS BY USING A SHOTGUN. IN DETROIT, AFTER ECOLOGISTS
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CLEANED OUT A MUNICIPAL POND, THEY FOUND 168 COIN PHONE RIFLED.
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IN COLDER AREAS, SUCH AS CANADA, SOME SHREWD PEOPLE TAPE UP THE FONES USING
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DUCT TAPE, POUR IN WATER, AND COME BACK THE NEXT DAY WHEN THE WATER WILL HAVE
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FROZE THUS EXPANDING AND CRACKING THE FONE OPEN.
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IN ONE CASE, "UNAUTHORIZED COIN COLLECTORS" WHERE CAUGHT WHEN THEY
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BROUGHT $6,000 IN CHANGE TO A BANK AND THE BANK BECAME SUSPICIOUS...
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AT ANY RATE, THE MAIN LOCK IS AN EIGHT LEVEL TUMBLER LOCATED ON THE RIGHT SIDE
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OF THE COIN BOX. THIS LOCK HAS 390,625 POSSIBLE POSITIONS (5 ^ 8, SINCE THERE
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ARE 8 TUMBLERS EACH WITH 5 POSSIBLE POSITIONS) THUS IT IS HIGHLY PICK
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RESISTANT! THE LOCK IS HELD IN PLACE BY 4 SCREWS. IF THERE IS SUFFICIENT
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CLEARANCE TO THE RIGHT OF THE FONE, IT IS CONCEIVABLE TO PUNCH OUT THE SCREWS
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USING THE DRILLING PATTERN BELOW (PROVIDED BY ALEXANDER MUNDY IN TAP #32):
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====================================
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!! ^
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!! !
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! 1- 3/16 " !! !
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!<--- --->!! 1-1/2"
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-------------------- !
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! ! !! ! !
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! (+) (+)-! -----------
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---! !! ! ^
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! ! !! ! !
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! ! (Z) !! ! !
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! ! !! ! 2-3/16"
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---! !! ! !
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! (+) (+) ! !
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! !! ! !
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-------------------- -----------
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!!
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!!
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(Z) KEYHOLE (+) SCREWS
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!!
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===================================
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AFTER THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED, THE LOCK CAN BE PUSHED BACKWARDS DISENGAGING
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THE LOCK FROM THE COVER PLATE. THE FOUR BOLTS OF THE COVER PLATE CAN THEN
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BE RETRACTED BY TURNING THE BOLTWORKS WITH A SIMPLE KEY IN THE SHAPE OF THE
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HOLE ON THE COIN PLATE (SEE DIAGRAM BELOW). OF COURSE, THERE ARE OTHER
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METHODS AND DRILLING PATTERNS.
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:-------------------------------------:
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_
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! !
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( )
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!_!
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[ROUGHLY]
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DIAGRAM OF COVER PLATE KEYHOLE
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:-------------------------------------:
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THE TOP COVER USES A SIMILAR (BUT NOT AS STRONG) LOCKING METHOD WITH THE
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KEYHOLE DEPICTED ABOVE ON THE TOP LEFT HIDE AND A REGULAR LOCK (PROBABLY
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TUMBLER ALSO) ON THE TOP RIGHT-HAND SIDE. IT IS INTERESTING TO EXPERIMENT
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WITH THE COIN SHUTE AND THE FORTRESSES OWN "RED BOX" (WHICH BELL DIDN'T HAVE
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THE 'BALLS' TO COLOR RED).
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MISCELLANEOUS:
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--------------
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IN A FEW AREAS (RURAL & CANADA), POST-PAY SERVICE EXISTS. WITH THIS TYPE OF
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SERVICE, THE MOUTHPIECE IS CUT OFF UNTIL THE CALLER DEPOSITS MONEY WHEN
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THE CALLED PARTY ANSWERS. THIS ALSO ALLOWS FOR FREE CALLS TO WEATHER AND
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OTHER DIAL-IT SERVICES! RECENTLY, 2600 MAGAZINE ANNOUNCED THE CLEAR BOX WHICH
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CONSISTS OF A TELEPHONE PICKUP COIL AND A SMALL AMP. IT IS BASED ON THE<48>
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RINCIPAL THAT THE RECEIVER IS ALSO A WEAK TRANSMITTER AND THAT BY AMPLIFYING
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YOUR SIGNAL YOU CAN TALK VIA THE TRANSMITTER THUS AVOIDING COSTLY
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TELEPHONE CHARGES! MOST FORTRESSES ARE FOUND IN THE 9XXX
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AREA. UNDER FORMER BELL AREAS, THEY USUALLY START AT 98XX (RIGHT BELOW THE
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99XX OFFICIAL SERIES) AND MOVE DOWNWARD.
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SINCE THE LINE, NOT THE FONE, DETERMINES WHETHER OR NOT A DEPOSIT
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MUST BE MADE, DTF & CHARGE-A-CALL FONES MAKE GREAT EXTENSIONS!
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FINALLY, FORTRESS FONES ALLOW FOR A NEW HOBBY--INSTRUCTION PLATE COLLECTING.
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ALL THAT IS REQUIRED IS A FLAT-HEAD SCREWDRIVER AND A PAIR OF NEEDLE-NOSE
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PLIERS. SIMPLY USE THE SCREWDRIVER TO LIFT UNDERNEATH THE PLATE SO THAT YOU
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CAN GRAB IT WITH THE PLIERS AND YANK DOWNWARDS. I WOULD SUGGEST COVERING THE
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TIPS OF THE PLIERS WITH ELECTRICAL TAPE TO PREVENT SCRATCHING. TEN CENT PLATES
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ARE DEFINITELY BECOMING A "RARITY!"
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FORTRESS SECURITY:
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------------------
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WHILE A LONELY FORTRESS MAY SEEM THE PERFECT TARGET, BEWARE! THE GESTAPO
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HAS BEEN KNOWN TO STAKE OUT FORTRESSES FOR AS LONG AS 6 YEARS ACCORDING TO THE
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GRASS ROOTS QUARTERLY. TO AVOID ANY PROBLEMS, DO NOT USE THE SAME FONES
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REPEATEDLY FOR BOXING, CALLING CARDS, & OTHER EXPERIMENTS. THE TELCO KNOWS HOW
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MUCH MONEY SHOULD BE IN THE COIN BOX AND WHEN ITS NOT THERE THEY TEND TO GET
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PERTURBED (READ: PISSED OFF).
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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--------Jolly Roger
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p.s. This was originally written back in my old Apple ][ days,
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hence the upper case. I just did not think I should waste the
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little time I have to work on this shit converting it to lower-
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case. Hell, I thought 80-columns was pretty nice of me.. heh heh.
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Well, enjoy this and the rest of this Cookbook! ---------JR
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