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Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Leo Simpson, B.Bus., FAICD Editor Greg Swain, B.Sc.(Hons.) Technical Staff John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.) Robert Flynn Rick Walters Reader Services Ann Jenkinson Advertising Manager Christopher Wilson Phone (02) 9979 5644 Mobile 0419 23 9375 Regular Contributors Brendan Akhurst Garry Cratt, VK2YBX Julian Edgar, Dip.T.(Sec.), B.Ed John Hill Mike Sheriff, B.Sc, VK2YFK Philip Watson, MIREE, VK2ZPW Bob Young Photography Stuart Bryce SILICON CHIP is published 12 times a year by Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd. A.C.N. 003 205 490. All material copyright ©. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Printing: Macquarie Print, Dubbo, NSW. Distribution: Network Distribution Company. Subscription rates: $54 per year in Australia. For overseas rates, see the subscription page in this issue. Editorial & advertising offices: Unit 34, 1-3 Jubilee Avenue, Warrie­ wood, NSW 2102. Postal address: PO Box 139, Collaroy Beach, NSW 2097. Phone (02) 9979 5644. Fax (02) 9979 6503. PUBLISHER'S LETTER Pay TV cables are not a pretty sight By now, Pay TV is available to several hundred thousand people in the major capital cities via the cables of Optus and Telstra. For the most part, Telstra cable is undergound in exist­ing ducts while Optus cable is being strung from power poles. The latter process is currently under legal challenge by a number of municipal councils in Melbourne. I can well understand why. When cables are strung from power poles, they are about 1.5 metres below the existing mains supply wires. As well, they are quite thick, about 16mm in diameter by my estimation. To make matters worse, they are black (naturally) rather than the soft weathered green of the copper mains wires. In some streets, two or more cables may be bundled together, making a very substantial rope which sticks out like a sore thumb. So far I have just described Telstra cables. “What’s that?” you say, “aren’t Telstra cables underground?”. Well, they are but in hilly rocky areas where existing telephone services are strung from pole to pole, the Pay TV cables go up there too. Optus cables are worse. While Telstra cables are self-supporting, strung at high tension, Optus cables are supported from a steel catenary and have a stress loop at each pole, so they are even uglier. In the often scenic areas I am referring too, you have telephone and power wires plus Optus and Telstra cables all strung from the same poles. It can make an otherwise pleasant suburb look like a hick town in a third world country. What I have just described is the cabling as it is now being strung. When there are lots of customers, there will natu­rally be even more cables in the streets; each customer will have a cable from the closest power pole to their residence. Frankly, in view of the visual mess of these cables, it is surprising that there has been so little public outcry. These cables are far uglier than mobile tele­phone transmitting towers and ultimately, Optus cables will be seen in virtually every subur­ban street that has power poles. Under existing legislation, it appears than municipal councils are virtually powerless to stop their suburbs from being cabled. Is this for the good of the community? As cabling becomes more widespread (and more dense) I pre­dict that some residents could eventually become so annoyed with the ugliness of it that they will take matters into their own hands and attempt sabotage. It is stating the obvious but all these cables must ul­timately be placed underground. If the companies and their cus­tomers cannot afford this condition, then clearly Pay TV from two competing suppliers is not viable. Leo Simpson ISSN 1030-2662 WARNING! SILICON CHIP magazine regularly describes projects which employ a mains power supply or produce high voltage. All such projects should be considered dangerous or even lethal if not used safely. Readers are warned that high voltage wiring should be carried out according to the instructions in the articles. When working on these projects use extreme care to ensure that you do not accidentally come into contact with mains AC voltages or high voltage DC. If you are not confident about working with projects employing mains voltages or other high voltages, you are advised not to attempt work on them. Silicon Chip Publications Pty Ltd disclaims any liability for damages should anyone be killed or injured while working on a project or circuit described in any issue of SILICON CHIP magazine. Devices or circuits described in SILICON CHIP may be covered by patents. SILICON CHIP disclaims any liability for the infringement of such patents by the manufacturing or selling of any such equipment. SILICON CHIP also disclaims any liability for projects which are used in such a way as to infringe relevant government regulations and by-laws. Advertisers are warned that they are responsible for the content of all advertisements and that they must conform to the Trade Practices Act 1974 or as subsequently amended and to any governmental regulations which are applicable. 2  Silicon Chip