Any idea what these garden cables are for?
- Thread starter loply
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I think you'll probably find that 'squad' is 'star quad' (Google it).
Very dusty memories but, as you suggest, IIRC the maths of a parallel-wire (including twisted pair) transmission lines is pretty analogous to that for coax. Unless you know something that I don't, it might, of course, not be 50Ω, although I think that is generally about the optimum for low loss (again IIRC, I think it's closer to 75Ω with a pure air dielectric, but that's not very practical).
Kind Regards, John
Just found a site which shows a Rediffusion distribution box and has has some very similar cables (albeit different core colours), even shows them going into what looks like a clay pipe out to the properties.
http://offog.org/articles/rediffusion/mandeville.html
http://offog.org/articles/rediffusion/mandeville.html
Thanks folks, I'm fairly convinced they are rediffusion cables now, seems to all make sense and certainly looks like they use that exact cable in some of those photos.
The land they're on used to be a 'spare plot' owned by the council so maybe it had the distribution cabinet on it at some point... The age/timing is right, it explains why there's two cables with twisted cores, and why nobody has come complaining that their phone is off!
Won't be worried about burying the remainder of them now... Thanks everyone.
The land they're on used to be a 'spare plot' owned by the council so maybe it had the distribution cabinet on it at some point... The age/timing is right, it explains why there's two cables with twisted cores, and why nobody has come complaining that their phone is off!
Won't be worried about burying the remainder of them now... Thanks everyone.
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I would make a note of where these cables enter and leave your property just in case the owner turns up and wants them restored.
It is very unlikely that will happen but if it was to happen then a few minutes spent now drawing a plan would save a lot of effort digging up the garden to find them.
I note you have a thread about sewers following the same line across your building area where you also mention a possibility of a pumping station nearby. That opens up two more possible uses for the cables.
[1] the cables may be connected with remote telemetry of the status of the pumping station.
[2] they may be connected with an alarm system to warn people that the pumping station has problems and sewage is backing up. ( a friend has such an alarm and has to close a sewer valve when the village pumping station fails or is over loaded. )
It is very unlikely that will happen but if it was to happen then a few minutes spent now drawing a plan would save a lot of effort digging up the garden to find them.
I note you have a thread about sewers following the same line across your building area where you also mention a possibility of a pumping station nearby. That opens up two more possible uses for the cables.
[1] the cables may be connected with remote telemetry of the status of the pumping station.
[2] they may be connected with an alarm system to warn people that the pumping station has problems and sewage is backing up. ( a friend has such an alarm and has to close a sewer valve when the village pumping station fails or is over loaded. )
We do have a sewer but it turns out there's no pumping station involved, the water board are in contact with the builder and have approved the plans/spec/etc without any mention of such things.
I've made a note of their location in case anybody does turn up saying that such-n-such has gone offline, but I'm fairly sure they're not going to. Touch wood!
I've made a note of their location in case anybody does turn up saying that such-n-such has gone offline, but I'm fairly sure they're not going to. Touch wood!
Hope you're not assuming that they would of course know about such cables....
It could be early closed circuit TV cable - the twisted pair carry the signal and the other 2 the power. I have seen similar in early rediffusion type systems for public address and CCTV in factories, but never underground.
The other option is of course to keep digging and see where they go!
Well I got talking to a neighbour over the road who has lived here since the dinosaurs and he confirmed there used to be Rediffusion cables all over the street... and pointed out an overhead one, made from the exact same stuff that I dug up, which still hasn't been removed.
I guess that settles it! Thanks for the help folks.
I guess that settles it! Thanks for the help folks.
Or megger it and listen for cries?
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