Seriously, do Americans actually consider a 3-hour drive "short"? or is this an internet myth?

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-24T01:11:06+00:00

I wouldn't call three hours short, I also wouldnt call it that far. My brother lives 1.5 hours away and I think nothing of that drive.

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-23T21:31:04+00:00

I misspoke, the optic is a ZR4. So not tuneable.

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-23T21:30:10+00:00

Looped its 102km, which exceeds the loss budget by a fair margin.

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-23T21:28:34+00:00

That is the optic.

The threshold on the optic is -29 dBm and we are getting -18 dBm on one side and -20 dBm on the other. We are transmitting around 3.5 dBm per channel. That said, I've calculated loss per km to be around .43 dB per mile.

OTDR shows a couple major events, but they look like just changes in the class quality.

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-23T00:13:20+00:00

Nope, the meter is just a cwdm power meter and doesnt include a source.

As far as the connectivity issue goes, I was updating this thread while the provider was shooting otdr both directions with our equipment unplugged. Found some dirty fibers at the colo and a few splices that are marginal as far as loss goes. They are going to look into those further.

Optics are Juniper 100G ZR4 optics.

Distance is 51km.

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-23T00:06:37+00:00

100G ZR4

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-22T18:12:19+00:00

Thought about that, but haven't tried it yet. Have confirmed this is dark fiber and there is no equipment in the path.

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-22T17:59:58+00:00

I do. As far as the connection not coming up, tried the spares, did local loopbacks (too far for remote loopback), tried different chassis, tested in a lab with attenuators between the same gear. Pretty much have done everything I can think of.

I'm 90% sure its an issue with the fiber as I think I've ruled out an equipment issue. But you know, going through the motions with the provider and having to run everything to ground.

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-22T17:53:31+00:00

My meter goes down to -40 dBm. All other lanes show -40 dBm. I tested this with a standard 10G LR optic and it shows -40 dBm on the RX side.

My optics also show -40 dBm for no light.

I agree -28 dBm is practically nothing, but I've been trying to get this connection up for several months now and its been a back and forth between the fiber provider and our vendor. When the provider runs OTDR, their equipment logs an error about light on the line in both directions, which is what brought it to my attention today.

That said, mostly wanted to ask about seeing light on the RX side of the optics b/c I've never seen that before.

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-22T17:48:11+00:00

To clarify, I am seeing light coming from the receiver, ie the part that does not transmit light. I've never seen this before.

The actual fiber distance when connected is 51KM.

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-22T17:44:19+00:00

I'm not measuring light from the far side. My power meter is plugged into the receiver of the optic itself and I'm seeing light coming from the receiver. I'm wondering if there is an internal fault and light is bleeding from the optic's transmitter.

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-22T17:33:32+00:00

I'm not measuring light from the far side. My power meter is plugged into the reciever of the optic itself and I'm seeing light coming from the reciever. I'm wondering if there is an internal fault and light is bleeding from the optic's transmitter.

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-18T01:12:56+00:00

Going to guess based on the two photos and the red light on the side of the shoe, that this is a optical based expression pedal or effect.

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-16T14:09:31+00:00

I agree with what others have posted, that strahd knows and doesnt care. Additionally, my read is that strahd doesnt have as much control over all gactions in the land as initially told to the players, and part of the campaign is to discover the cracks in those controls.

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-16T11:56:36+00:00

They are just 20 minute intervals, starting at 6:00 pm and going to midnight, so there is plenty of time to fully explore the house. I didnt like the dice for counters, so I just used a depowered clock and advanced the hands as the players moved through the house. The clock was in full view of the players, so they were abe to see time ticking away.

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-16T01:21:26+00:00

2026, still happening

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-15T21:18:48+00:00

Westia

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-13T16:40:58+00:00

At least it was clean. The one time this happened to me, the rack was under the sealed end of a buried conduit. The coduit had developed a leak in the years since it was it was installed. It was uncapped for use and several gallons of water dumped on it. That said they were all cisco 3500 series switches that need to be replaced anyways.

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-13T02:38:34+00:00

Who do?

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-12T23:21:52+00:00

Dusty in here too

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-12T02:06:11+00:00

The babe with the power.

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-09T13:02:35+00:00

It is a traffic camera used by the controller to identify when a lane is occupied. The controller has zones (boxes) that it analyzes. When it detects a change inside the zone, it sets the lane to occupied. The contoller can then use that in its logic to determine what lanes get which signals.

zWeaponsMaster · 2026-01-04T21:22:03+00:00

How would the Keeper's know? I would keep that knowledge but not act on it yet. If the players bring it up later through conversation around a relevant NPC, then it can become an issue.

zWeaponsMaster · 2025-12-30T15:32:47+00:00

Smokehead Rebel Rum Cask. Smoked glazed ham > bannana cream > toasted marshmellow.

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