How the internet spans the globe

[k4kyv]

Check out this interactive map that shows the approximate location of each of the undersea fibre-optic cables that link the continents. Something just as interesting as where there are cables is where there aren't any.

The Submarine Cable Map is a free resource from TeleGeography. Data contained in this map is drawn from Global Bandwidth Research Service and is updated on a regular basis.

http://www.submarinecablemap.com/

[WA2TTP Steve]

I saw a neat show on one of cable channels, maybe TLC or NGEO, about splicing a tap into the PAC cable that runs along Mexico's west coast. I think the tap went into Costa Rica. They had to hook the cable with a grappling hook type thing and haul it up on a work boat to cut in the T tap. The tap ran something like 20 miles to land. Very interesting and very high stress for crew doing it.

Steve

[flintstone mop]

That would be interesting to see. Fiber is good stuff. I guess to much delay and too much data to go over satellite links.

[k4kyv]

Something most people don't  realise is that transcontinental telephone cable wasn't put into service until some time in the mid 50s. Until then, undersea cables worked for telegraphy only.  Voice communication was carried out via HF radio. The attenuation in the undersea cables was too great for telephony.  They required repeaters every few miles.  Don't ask me how they powered and maintained several dozen repeaters along a cable lying across the floor of the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean. Of course, to-day, everything is fibre-optic.

[KA0HCP]

They used repeaters every dozen or so miles, powered by high voltage AC.

In one of my naval tours we had departments that both used and maintained underwater cables for oceanographic research (cough).  There is a whole variety of cables used, some of which have many layers of conductors and armor.

 At one time I had quite a variety of cable samples, but after the Cold War ended nobody was interested in displaying them so they got trashed.  The largest was  about 6 inches dia. and about foot long and weighed around 30lbs.  That is 'armored cable"!

One of the amusing incidents occurred when some fisherman snagged one our cables in their net and cut it loose using a axe.  They had quite a fire works show.  The Navy paid a few thousand dollars for their new net, and spent millions to repair the cut.

A fabulous photo was of a shark attacking a active cable while being hauled aboard a ship, while the seaman are reacting in horror.  Speculation was the electrical fields attracted the shark.

ATT had an amazing textbook on how to perform cable laying and maintenance.  It's incredible to realize that all this was first done in the 1800's with telegraph cables and paddle wheel steam ships!

[W5COA]

I helped install, test, and commission Australia's first Intelsat qualified satellite station back in 1968. This satellite station provided Australians with their first real-time video link with the rest of the world.

Up until that time, video tapes of events around the world had to be flown into the country before they could be broadcast on television. The undersea cables they had could only handle low speed data and voice.

It was a really big deal for the Aussies. One of the first live broadcasts we put through was of the Indy 500 race. Had to get up at 1am to watch it.

73,

Jim W5COA
 

[W2PFY]

Don't ask me how they powered and maintained several dozen repeaters along a cable lying across the floor of the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean.

They had a special tube made by Bell Labs for the job.

[Steve - K4HX]

And the Internet is just a series of tube, so it all makes sense.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

They had a special tube made by Bell Labs for the job.

We had a number of "special tubes" for "special jobs".

Here's some info:
AT&T Archives: Submarine Cable Systems Development - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVRL4UcT1sQ

AT&T Archives: Voices From the Deep - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ_pWvv8Lik

And a funny one: AT&T Archives: Telephone Courtesy - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UudfzQRN3GQ&feature=related

[WBear2GCR]

 At one time I had quite a variety of cable samples, but after the Cold War ended nobody was interested in displaying them so they got trashed.  The largest was  about 6 inches dia. and about foot long and weighed around 30lbs.  That is 'armored cable"!

Did you contact any museums or the Smithsonian before jettisoning?

Seems like a shame.

            _-_-bear

[W2VW]

I see there are no undersea cables inside Poland.

[WA3VJB]

When Mary Ann and I were stuck on the Island, we tried to tap an underwater telephone cable that washed up one day.

According to accounts of the day (Jan. 13, 1966 episode), Professor builds a pedal-operated power saw (with diamond necklace as the blade), fashions a blow-torch out of a glass bottle filled with natural gas, and makes a telephone to attach to the cable.

Unfortunately, we hooked into a call between a guy in the UK and his wife, and the wife thought the poor bloke had another woman in the room with him. Everyone hung up on us.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Gilligan%27s_Island_episodes