So idk if this will mean anything to anyone's models, but I was rereading spanreed scenes and hit upon a thing that I think completely changed how we think of spanreeds.
(This is basically all copy pasted from messages I sent in Discord)
Shallan finds Tyn's spanreed blinking, and after setting it up and flipping the dial to indicate she's ready to receive...
It just hangs there immobile not moving, and Shallan assumes the person attempting to contact her stepped away
Which could mean a couple things.
When set to the right setting a spanreed just, refuses to move unless moved by its pair, but that comes with complications.
Is the partner reed hanging in a rack? Then wont moving it move Shallan's out of position? Or is it able to move independently still while Shallan's is locked in place until the partner reed is set to the right setting?
(Perhaps the partner reed already is in correct position but is also hanging immobile, and will only move if the person moves it? I doubt this one)
--WoR Ch 42 btw
Aside from this, I went and broke back down how the settings if the spanreeds work.
So there's about 4 settings that we see from the perspective of someone receiving a message
Off, Request/Accept, Receiving, Sending
I assume that setting you switch to time accept someone's request is the same one they set their spanreed to to send said request, so that's why I have it labeled as I do.
It blinks in Off mode when someone is trying to contact you
Turns ruby one notch to acknowledge request, then after setting up board and putting reed in place, turns another notch
After the sender writing is finished, turn a notch to write a response, place back at the start location, then turn back to the previous notch
--WoK Ch 28
the WoR scene only mentions Shallan turning the dial to indicate she had set up, and then the reed hangs there
I think it basically works like this:
You want to contact someone
Switch to what I call Request/Accept
When the person on the other end also switches to Request/Accept, I assume you get an indication.
Then, once theyve set up, they set themselves to Receive, and you get an indication.
Then you place your reed in the same spot, and switch to Send
Then you tradeoff back and forth to have a conversation
If conjoiners can be made to transmit in only one direction then that solves a couple problems with the ship and accidentally pulling and moving things