195 lines
8.9 KiB
Plaintext
195 lines
8.9 KiB
Plaintext
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**************************BIOC AGENT 003'S COURSE IN**************************
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* *
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* ========================== *
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* =BASIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS= *
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* ========================== *
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* PART VI *
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******************************************************************************
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-=*> REFORMATTED TO 80 COLUMNS <*=-
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REVISED: 27-OCT-84
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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 PAY AFTER 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 GAMUT
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OF TESTS.
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THE FIRST OBSTACAL FOR A SLUG IS THE MAGNETIC TRAP. THIS WILL STOP ANY LIGHT
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-WEIGHT MAGNETIC SLUGS AND COINS. IF IT PASSES THIS, THE SLUG IS THEN
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CLASSIFIED AS A NICKEL, DIME, OR QUARTER. EACH SLUG IS THEN CHECKED FOR
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APPROPRIATE SIZE AND WEIGHT. IF THESE TESTS ARE PASSED, IT WILL THEN TRAVEL
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THROUGH A NICKEL, DIME, OR QUARTER MAGNET AS APPROPRIATE. THESE MAGNETS SET
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UP AN EDDY CURRENT EFFECT WHICH CAUSES COINS OF THE APPROPRIATE
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CHARACTERISTICS TO SLOW DOWN SO THEY WILL FOLLOW THE CORRECT TRAJECTORY. IF
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ALL GOES WELL, THE COIN WILL FOLLOW THE CORRECT PATH (SUCH AS BOUNCING OFF OF
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THE NICKEL ANVIL) WHERE IT WILL HOPEFULLY FALL INTO THE NARROW ACCEPTED COIN
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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 PENNIES,
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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 5
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-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.
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FOR A QUARTER, 5 BEEP TONES ARE OUTPULSED AT 12-17 PULSES PER SECOND (PPS).
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A DIME CAUSES 2 BEEP TONES AT 5 - 8.5 PPS WHILE A NICKEL CAUSES ONE BEEP TONE
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AT 5 - 8.5 PPS. A BEEP CONSISTS OF 2 TONES: 2200 + 1700 HZ.
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A RELAY IN THE FORTRESS CALLED THE "B RELAY" (YES, THERE IS ALSO AN 'A RELAY'
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) PLACES A CAPACITOR ACROSS THE SPEECH CIRCUIT DURING TOTALIZER READ- OUT TO
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PREVENT THE "CUSTOMER" FROM HEARING THE RED BOX TONES.
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IN OLDER 3 SLOT PHONES: ONE BELL (1050 -1100 HZ) FOR A NICKEL, TWO BELLS FOR
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A DIME, AND ONE GONG (800 HZ) FOR A QUARTER ARE USED INSTEAD OF THE MODERN
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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 DO NOT
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HAVE ACTS, ALL CALLS THAT REQUIRE OPERATOR ASSISTANCE, SUCH AS CALLING CARD
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AND COLLECT, ARE AUTOMATICALLY ROUTED TO A TSPS OPERATOR POSITION.
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IN AN EFFORT TO AUTOMATE FORTRESS SERVICE, A COMPUTER SYSTEM KNOWN AS
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AUTOMATED COIN TOLL SERVICE (ACTS) HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN MANY AREAS. ACTS
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LISTENS TO THE RED BOX SIGNALS FROM THE FONES AND TAKES APPROPRIATE ACTION.
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IT IS ACTS WHICH SAYS, "TWO DOLLARS PLEASE (PAUSE) PLEASE DEPOSIT TWO DOLLARS
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FOR THE NEXT TEN SECONDS" (AND OTHER VARIATIONS). ALSO, IF YOU TALK FOR MORE
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THAN THREE MINUTES AND THEN HANG-UP, ACTS WILL CALL BACK AND DEMAND YOUR
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MONEY. ACTS IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR AUTOMATED CALLING CARD SERVICE.
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ACTS ALSO PROVIDE TROUBLE DIAGNOSIS FOR CRAFTSPEOPLE (REPAIRMEN SPECIALIZING
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IN FORTRESSES). FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS A COIN TEST WHICH IS GREAT FOR TUNING
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UP RED BOXES. IN MANY AREAS THIS TEST CAN BE ACTIVATED BY DIALING 09591230
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AT A FORTRESS (THANKS TO KARL MARX FOR THIS INFORMATION). ONCE ACTIVATED IT
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WILL REQUEST THAT YOU DEPOSIT VARIOUS COINS. IT WILL THEN IDENTIFY THE COIN
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AND OUTPULSE THE APPROPRIATE RED BOX SIGNAL. THE COINS ARE USUALLY RETURNED
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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 FONE
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. THIS IS WHY YOU MUST DEPOSIT AT LEAST A NICKEL IN ORDER TO USE A RED 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 SIGNAL
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SHOULD BE SENT TO ALERT THE MF DETECTORS AT THE CO. THIS CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED
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BY SENDING 900 + 1500 HZ OR A SINGLE 2600 HZ WINK (90 MS) FOLLOWED BY A 60 MS
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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.
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INCIDENTALLY, ONCE THE ABOVE MF TONES FOR COLLECTING AND RETURNING COINS
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REACH THE CO, THEY ARE CONVERTED INTO AN APPROPRIATE DC PULSE (-130 VOLTS FOR
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RETURN & +130 VOLTS FOR COLLECT). THIS PULSE IS THEN SENT DOWN THE TIP TO
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THE FORTRESS. THIS CAUSES THE COIN RELAY TO EITHER RETURN OR COLLECT THE
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COINS.
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THE ALLEGED "T-NETWORK" TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THIS INFORMATION. WHEN A PULSE
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FOR COIN COLLECT (+130 VDC) IS SENT DOWN THE LINE, IT MUST BE GROUNDED
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SOMEWHERE. THIS IS USUALLY EITHER THE YELLOW OR BLACK WIRE. THUS, IF THE
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WIRES ARE EXPOSED, THESE WIRES CAN BE CUT TO PREVENT THE PULSE FROM BEING
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GROUNDED. WHEN THE THREE MINUTE INITIAL PERIOD IS ALMOST UP, MAKE SURE THAT
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THE BLACK & YELLOW WIRES ARE SEVERED; THEN HANG UP, WAIT ABOUT 15 SECONDS IN
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CASE OF A SECOND PULSE, RECONNECT THE WIRES, PICK UP THE FONE, HANG UP AGAIN,
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AND IF ALL GOES WELL IT 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:
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"SOCIAL CHANGES DURING THE 1960'S MADE THE MULTISLOT COIN STATION A PRIME
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TARGET FOR: VANDALISM, STRONG ARM ROBBERY, FRAUD, AND THEFT OF SERVICE.
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THIS BROUGHT ABOUT THE INTRODUCTION OF THE MORE RUGGED SINGLE SLOT COIN
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STATION AND A NEW ENVIRONMENT FOR COIN SERVICE."
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AS FOR PICKING THE LOCK, I WILL QUOTE MR. PHELPS: "WE OFTEN FANTASIZE ABOUT
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'PICKING THE LOCK' OR 'GETTING A MASTER KEY.' WELL, YOU CAN FORGET ABOUT IT.
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I DON'T LIKE TO DISCOURAGE PEOPLE, BUT IT WILL SAVE YOU FROM WASTING ALOT OF
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YOUR TIME--TIME WHICH CAN BE PUT TO BETTER USE (HEH, HEH)."
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AS FOR PHYSICAL ATTACK, THE COIN PLATE IS SECURED ON ALL FOUR SIDE BY
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HARDENED STEEL BOLTS WHICH PASS THROUGH TWO SLOTS EACH. THESE BOLTS ARE IN
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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 TEN
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HOURS TO OPEN THE COIN BOX USING A POWER DRILL, SLEDGE HAMMERS, AND CROW BARS
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(WHICH WAS EMPTY -- PERHAPS NEXT TIME, HE WILL DEPOSIT A COIN FIRST TO HEAR
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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 BROUGHT $6
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,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
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SIDE OF THE COIN BOX. THIS LOCK HAS 390, 625 POSSIBLE POSITIONS (5 ^ 8,
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SINCE THERE ARE 8 TUMBLERS EACH WITH 5 POSSIBLE POSITIONS) THUS IT IS HIGHLY
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PICK RESISTANT! THE LOCK IS HELD IN PLACE BY 4 SCREWS. IF THERE IS
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SUFFICIENT CLEARANCE TO THE RIGHT OF THE FONE, IT IS CONCEIVABLE TO PUNCTURE
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IT.
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HAVE MUCH PHUN,
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THERE IS MORE TO COME... IN CHAPTER #7...
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(COPYRIGHT, 1985)
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*** BIOC
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*** AGENT
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*** #003
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This phile was passed through Damage, Inc.
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