The 90,000-mile-long phone line

Well, darn close to 90,000 miles (145,000 km), give or take. We used our Skype service for the first time today between the High Ranch and the Low Ranch. It worked like a charm once you get used to the delay since the signal was going between two computers that are connected by satellites 22,300 miles up. It’s kind of like using two-way radios;
“Yammer yammer, over.”
“Yak yak, over.”
“Yak butter. Out.”
The ranch opening crew had a problem getting power from our hydro plant to feed all the way to the ranch facilities. I suspected a switch or line fault. Turns out, that’s what it was—a switch that didn’t close completely. But first we examined the DC exciter, the carbon pile, the knife switch, the 2400 volt meter, the hydraulic solenoid, the current transformer, and other nifty stuff. No problems there. Consider: This is the 50th anniversary of the hydro installation, so it certainly wouldn’t let us down. I hope the ranch celebrates with a candle on a cake to say THANK YOU to the Pelton wheel and General Electric generator and all the other good stuff that has given such reliable service for half a century.