>Now I'm having flashbacks of having to maintain a token-ring network! Aarrrghhh! :o) (I'm feeling old)

OK... did you take care to always have a 50 Ω terminator in the bag, plus a spare in the car? I did... and it saved me an unknown amount of expense in either gasoline or pedaling, depending on what was I driving that day (in case Terry wakes up, we drive bicycles; riding is just a method of driving).