Originally Posted by
NightTrain
Yep, there was red Belden cable back in the day, both Cat3 and Cat5e. Belden was harder to terminate because of the bonded pairs, but it was very high quality. They had some of that in the mix for ordinary data runs, along with every other color... there was no rhyme or reason to it, just whatever the contractor decided to put in over the years. If I had not seen red ethernet prior, I wouldn't have cut it. It's funny now, but it sure as hell wasn't at the time!
That one's easy. Here's the "rhyme n reason": "SSgt, we're moving across the hall. You need to run cable for all these computers." I was a grunt. What do you think I knew about running coax? The Marine Corps doesn't have a problem with what you aren't qualified to do.
Now, here's a "war story" for you. We had to remodel the Burger King on Lackland AFB. Can you spell "fiasco"? Apparently, on military bases, the NEC rules don't apply. I opened up the main and every color in the spectrum of wire was all over the inside that panel. My jaw dropped. Literally. I was like just get one of those bombers over here and we'll start over.
Add to that, the HMFIC was an Air Force MSgt. He found out I was a retired Gunny. My boss got SO butt hurt over the fact that once he found out I was a retired Gunny he (the MSgt) wouldn't talk to anyone else. So I was taking incoming from both sides.
“When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.” Edumnd Burke