The internet isn't as fast as it used to be

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0:00 Introduction
0:52 Connecting America
1:54 Antenna design
3:10 Multiplexing
4:53 Inside the bunker
5:27 Building the network
6:22 The end of Long Lines (welcome to the internet)
7:59 Finance bros to the rescue
10:42 Outroduction
11:13 Captain Sailout

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Hi, I'm James. I explore the world looking for interesting engineering stories which explore complex issues in interesting ways. I hold a Honors in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Western Australia and a Master's in Space Systems Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. I'm one year into a PhD on space robotics at MIT.

[AtomicFrontier]

Not a great time to be afraid of heights.

[victorviereck]

Tom Scott's designated sucessor is doing well.

[lawrencejob]

As an engineer I have never ever ever seen visualisations this good

[nasonguy]

That final shot of him sitting in front of the horn gave me a bit of a heart attack. I KNOW it’s powered off, but still…

[RandomGuy-nmbm]

Video is so good people didn't realize the danger of climbing that tower especially sitting on the dish at the end

[shockinglybright]

Not even making this up, today, the day this was released, I was on a road trip and I also photographed some long lines towers we drove by, and I thought to myself “it would have been cool for Tom Scott to do a video on long lines towers” and then I got home and found this video. I know no one will believe me and that’s ok, but I thought it was a funny coincidence.

[andresotondo]

"Basically like a prism that can turn with light into a rainbow and a rainbow back into white light" It must be the best way to describe multiplexing that I've heard.

[TheClumsyFairy]

4:51 Sir, please tell me why your pigeon sounds like a chicken?

[feldamar]

Once again. You make the video come together SO smoothly. The next Tom Scott! Only I like your editing better. The floating info panels behind you are so good.

[weevilsnitz]

To me the most amazing part is that the waveguide effectively worked exactly like fiber optic does now, working on internal reflection through bends and kinks to get the signal all the way down the path, but decades earlier.

[robotslug]

Dude, that ending shot was incredible.

The rest was clear, concise and never boring. You're crushing it. Well done Sir.

[PC]

I live next to a Long Lines tower known as Lillyville (L5). It has a bunker, ventilation, water systems, and more.

It's the main station of the Pittsburgh area, and no one knows what it is. It's a shame.

[humphet]

Hey, I have to say you're one of the most confident presenters ever. You truly "know" what you're talking about, and not just reading off a script. It really shows that you're showing us the knowledge, and not just telling it to us. Cheers

[jswrenn]

The production quality of this video is really phenomenal.

[adambahe]

I worked for a few low latency/HFT firms back when the Spread networks line was built. A few months afterwards, the microwave link was quietly established. Making Spread networks almost irrelevant. Now I work at CME. It’s honestly been a blast. Exhausting, but a blast.

[robonator]

4:45 I know there is that meme about the rat that fried itself, but this is yet another example of eldritch horror from the perspective of the horror. Imagine just being a human, tucking into bed, and then whoops, you detonate, turns out you thought about something wrong and stepped into an eldritch laser-conveyorbelt.

I mean, imagine being a pigeon, then suddenly the dude in front of you vaporizes.

[tamnker]

That makes so much sense. I always wondered what these are and my parents were always just like "Antennaes"
My kid brain was like "yeah of course, they're on a radio tower. Why do they look so weird tho"

[YohannYKP]

Ive been a Tom Scott viewer for quite sometime and I have to say youre the most worthy on youtube rn to be his successor you have a bright future

[bryandraughn]

I met a guy named Bill Tripp who pioneered a bunch of microwave broadcast systems in the 70's.
He built a recording studio in Sanford NC and I was working on a project there.
I don't think he's still alive but he had all kinds of interesting stories about the good ole days. Quite a character.

[sirorange]

Yoo, 10/10. Love your vids from Australia. Just awake enough to catch this one.