Phone/Distance and Station to Station Lines

cloth squares for daytime use and red flashlights for

generator rooms, central control stations, firerooms,

nighttime use.

auxiliary machinery rooms, and IC rooms.

The station-to-station line is used for

The jackbox outlets in each four-gang jackbox are

communications between the delivery and receiving

connected in parallel, and each box contains a nameplate

cargo transfer stations on each ship. This line is also

that identifies the associated below-deck station and

made up and kept by the ship's deck division. The line

circuit identification X40J.

is identical to the bridge-to-bridge line, except it doesn't

On aircraft carriers, four-gang jackboxes are

have any distance markers attached to it.

installed port and starboard on the forward and after

After the ship's deck division makes up a new line,

sides at each hangar division door. The respective

the IC Electricians make the sound-powered telephone

forward and after jackboxes are permanently connected

connections, which must be as secure as possible and

and are used to facilitate patching when the doors are

watertight.

closed.

Each repair party locker on the ship is equipped with

MAINTENANCE OF CIRCUITS

four 200-foot lengths of type MRID-1 (commonly

called salt and pepper) portable cable. Each cable has a

Preventive maintenance for sound-powered

telephone jackplug fitted at both ends and is stowed on

telephone circuits consists of routine tests, inspections,

a reel. Each repair locker also contains two

and cleaning, which should be conducted according to

sound-powered telephone headset-chestsets and eight

current PMS requirements. Cleanliness is essential to

double-gang jackboxes (with jackbox outlets connected

the proper operation of sound-powered equipment

in parallel).

because of the low voltages and currents involved. Dirt

Some ships have portable cables with jackbox

and dust between closely spaced contacts in the

outlets built into the cable ends. On these ships, the eight

sound-powered switchboards and switchboxes can

double-gang jackboxes are not provided in each repair

cause cross talk.

locker.

When conducting insulation tests on sound-

If normal sound-powered telephone service is

powered circuits, open all tie switches connected to the

disrupted, the permanently installed jackboxes and

circuit. Close all line cutout switches on associated

risers, portable patching cables, jackboxes, and

switchboards or switchboxes. Disconnect all

headset-chestsets maybe used to connect the casualty

sound-powered telephone headsets from the circuit. Be

communication circuit over a wide variety of routes to

sure the push button on all handsets connected to the

suit any casualty condition that may occur.

circuit are open. Remove all sound-powered telephone

amplifiers associated with the circuit from their cases.

PHONE/DISTANCE AND

Insulation tests should be made using an approved

STATION-TO-STATION LINES

megohmmeter. You should measure from each

conductor to ground and between each pair of

IC Electricians are responsible for maintaining the

conductors. Each reading should be a minimum of

sound-powered telephone portion of the bridge-

50,000 ohms of resistance; lower readings indicate a

to-bridge phone/distance and station-to-station lines.

potential source of failure. Short cable runs should have

The lines are made of 1 1/2-inch round, 3-strand,

a minimum resistance well above 50,000 ohms. A

lightweight polypropylene. Each strand of the line has

separate insulation test should be made for each circuit.

one electrical wire interwoven in it. Sound-powered

telephone jackboxes are attached to both ends of each

SOUND-POWERED TELEPHONE

line; the boxes are labeled either BRIDGE-TO-

EQUIPMENT

BRIDGE or STA.-TO-STA.

In addition to switchboards, switchboxes, and

The bridge-to-bridge phone/distance line is used

jackboxes, sound-powered telephone equipment

between the delivery and receiving ships for

includes telephone handsets and headset-chestsets,

ship-to-ship coordination during replenishment-at-sea

telephone amplifiers, amplifier control switches,

operations. The line is made up and kept by the ship's

selector switches, soundproof booths, and a plotter's

deck division. Distance markers are attached to the line

transfer switchboard.

at 20-foot intervals. These markers consist of colored

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