Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-08-21

Local telephone men were interest
ed workers Saturday and Sunday i'll
the cutting in of a new telephone toll
circuit known as the Augusta Bangor
phantom circuit, which is being made
part of a through Bangor -Boste1
phantom circuit serving Bangor and
Eastern Maine. This is made possible
by the completion few weeks ago of
new copper circuit of two wires be-
tween Bangor and Portland which
taken in connection with a similar
pair of wires previously in use are
harnassed into what is termed a third
o. phantom circuit which carries con-
ve3sat;ons fully as well as though it
vas a real circuit of large guage cop
Per wire not in combina ton with any
thing else.
The phantom circuit is one Of the
most interesting things in telephony.
Generally speaking, the third or phan-
tom circuit is made by connecting in
to the center of the coil on each ac-
tual metallic circuit so that each in
dividual copper wire Of the actual cir
cult is equal in electrical resistance t.
its mate. The same is true of the 9th !.
er actual or physical circuit. The re-
suit is a third circuit made of a conf
bination Of the two actual or physi-
cal circuits which is so electrically
balanced that individual conversations
on each of the two actual or physical
circuits in no way interfere with
third conversation on the phantom
circuit.
The work of running the last pair
OF copper wires was completed a few
weeks ago and on Sunday the neces-
sary wire cuts were made all along
the line between the two cities, it be-
ing necessary to do the work almost
simultaneously at the various cutting
points to prevent serious interruption
to the toll service of which there is
particularly large amount during the
month of August.
The Boston Bangor toll circuits
technically known as long haul cir
cults are of the large guage No. s
hard drawn copper wire. In order that
the phantom circuit may work sue
cessfully it is necessary that the two
component physical circuits be in GER
tain positions on the pole line so that
the electrical balance may be main
tanned for the entire distance.
In connection with the Augusta
Bangor phantom circuit which Is a
part of the Bangor Boston phantom
circuit, is a rather unique arrange
ment on the junction pole on Cony
street by which two phantom coils
are operated to cut them into or out
of the circuit from the Central Of
flee on Winthrop street the ont -o1lt
being operated by the means of four
relays which operate from the CEN
trail office when the battery current is
put on the wire. Ordinarily the cir
cult would be brought into the CEN
trail Office but owing to unfavorable
action which would be due to putting
the circuits through the underground
cable from the top of Cony street hill
it was thought advisable to put the
coils at the junction pole thus OBJ
Waiting the necessity of the circuit
going through the underground cable
at all. Use Of this arrangement is
made only in few instances where
unfavorable circuit conditions exist.
The new Bangor Portland physical
circuit which has been In temporary
use for the past few weeks has re-
Gently been equipped with loading
coils, electrical devices placed at reg
ular intervals for the entire distance
which serve to make the transmission
of the voice waves easier and more
distinct in long distance conversa-
tions.
The work Of putting in the phantom