DPD Tapes and a 6 Minute Discrepancy

[Chris Scally]

Good question, Steve - I believe you are probably correct, in that they were "sound" rather than "voice"activated. I guess that would probably make more sense, wouldn't it?

Chris

[Typo corrected]

[Dan O'meara]

Good question, Steve - I believe you are probably correct, in that they were "sound" rather than "voice"activated. I guess that would probably make more sense, wouldn't it?

Chris

[Typo corrected]

Great post Chris.
I'd kind of given up on this thread as my early ideas only revealed my total ignorance of this aspect of the Kennedy case.

My situation is this - on another thread an alternative timeline has been put together regarding the Tippit murder.
In my opinion this timeline brings different key testimonies together in a way I find most satisfactory.
The problem is that this timeline, created through the testimonies, requires a discrepancy of 6 minutes between the Tapes and "real time" around the time of Tippit's murder.
In my OP I have established that "police time" and "real time" were pretty much in synch.
Is there any way, in your opinion, such a discrepancy might have occurred?
You seem quite clued up about it and I've fried my brain on this, getting nowhere.

[Chris Scally]

Dan - you refer in your OP to a recording and transcript, and to notations about "splices" and material being "duplicated", or words to that effect. As I said, I'm working completely from memory here, as I've put most of my files into off-site storage, so could you tell me what transcript and copy of the recordings you are working from, please. Your answer might just help jog my memory, and if so, I'll do my best to help you out.

[Dan DAlimonte]

Question: Were the dictabelts "voice activated" or "sound activated? I have read it was the latter.

For example, Bowles said in his piece cited earlier that there were instances on the recordings where a sound activated a dictabelt but no actual sound was recorded. Or could be heard.

Hey Chris - second Dan here - if no one extended this tp you - Welcome to the Forum.
As for the different variations in the Radio Relays I came up with my theory way back in the 90's and I used the originals as released by SS Agent Warren Or Warner in Dec 1963.  In other words they were the very first released or the first on record.  I did notice the discrepancies Yes - there is a misplaced page and it does happen just before an arrest.   Yes Everett 67 said - Did-  they - head south - Yes - from the Dispatcher.  In later versions - Do you want me to go south - Answer - Yes.  This happened right after Craig stated to someone he thought was an SS man about suspects fleeing in a station wagon.  Craig stated the SS man seemed more interested in the car than the discriptions of the suspects?
Etc ...     

[Dan O'meara]

Dan - you refer in your OP to a recording and transcript, and to notations about "splices" and material being "duplicated", or words to that effect. As I said, I'm working completely from memory here, as I've put most of my files into off-site storage, so could you tell me what transcript and copy of the recordings you are working from, please. Your answer might just help jog my memory, and if so, I'll do my best to help you out.

Hi Chris,

I've been using this version on the McAdams site - https://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/dpdtapes/index.htm

The first splice is mentioned on page two, about half way down the section that has the time call 12:55 (obviously all splices on Channel 1)

The second splice occurs just after the 1:12 time call (page two). I find this splice odd as there is a relatively short time between splices.

The third splice occurs on page three, just after the 1:32 time call.

The fourth splice occurs on page three, just after the 1:44 time call.

Just using the time calls as an incredibly rough approximation

The first splice occurs after 27 minutes (12:28 to 12:55) but there is no way of knowing when the tape was spliced before 12:28

The second splice occurs after 17 minutes (12:55 to 1:12)

The third splice occurs after 20 minutes (1:12 to 1:32)

The fourth splice occurs after 12 minutes (1:32 to 1:44)

[Chris Scally]

Hi Dan D'Alimonte -

OK, I recall the Secret Service transcript, made by SA Warner. Unfortunately, it is probably the worst, and most inaccurate, transcript that was produced. In fairness to the Secret Service, the transcript was made in Washington, and almost certainly by people who were totally unfamiliar with the geography of Dallas, and the terminology of the DPD. Also, we know that the first thing Agent Warner did was to copy the original dictabelts, after which he sent the copies (on an unknown medium) to Washington for transcription. Also, the transcript was produced in something of a hurry, so unfortunately the end result was what can only be described as chaotic, and very misleading.

Chris 

[Martin Weidmann]

Hi Dan D'Alimonte -

OK, I recall the Secret Service transcript, made by SA Warner. Unfortunately, it is probably the worst, and most inaccurate, transcript that was produced. In fairness to the Secret Service, the transcript was made in Washington, and almost certainly by people who were totally unfamiliar with the geography of Dallas, and the terminology of the DPD. Also, we know that the first thing Agent Warner did was to copy the original dictabelts, after which he sent the copies (on an unknown medium) to Washington for transcription. Also, the transcript was produced in something of a hurry, so unfortunately the end result was what can only be described as chaotic, and very misleading.

Chris

Hi Chris,

Just one question. I think you are familiar with what J.C. Bowles to the HSCA. With that in mind and what you have written here, what is your judgement about the reliability of the time stamp calls on the recordings/transcripts?