NPSTN Time Capsule

The NPSTN Time Capsule is a collection of messages left by members of NPSTN between 02/27/2021 and 03/17/2021, accessed by dialing 248-5090.

The purpose was to leave messages for future NPSTN members to listen to, the tape will be released again on 03/01/2031, 10 years from the start date. Assuming the mailing list still exists by then it will be released there, otherwise I will release it on my YouTube channel. Side B of the tape contains a recording of the conference on 640-4143. This was done for two purposes, one being to get a cultural snapshot of how we interact on the conference, and two being to record the T1 crosstalk situation that was happening at the time. I can overwrite it if need be.

Here's a little information about the setup:

• The introduction message is played by a GE dual microcassette telephone answering system set in announcement only mode.
• Then a Duofone AFX-200 fax switch transfers the call to a Duofone TAD-450 dual cassette telephone answering system where the message is left.

The entire process is completely analog and sounds amazing on the phone line. Something else I should mention, the answering machine that recorded the messages put a time/date stamp after each one so we will be able to tell when each message was recorded.

Go ahead and check out NPSTN here.

I will also include a countdown timer to the tape's release below.