NCTI Installer Tech
(-25) + (42) + (-62) +(20) = ?
-25
(17) x (-19) = ?
-323
7 3/8 / 7 1/4 = ?
1 1/58
(250 x 10^-6) - (7 x 10^-5) = ?
180 x 10^-6
3 6/9 + 6 1/3 + 9 5/9 = ?
19 5/9
0.5349 / 0.1420 = ?
3.7669014
The FCC requires the use of a ___ antenna for the measurement of signal leakage for logging and the CLI
Dipole
What is the letter and symbol designation for current respectively?
I and A
You are at a customer's home and you are asking the customer whether the problem is intermittent or constant. Which step are you using from the six-step troubleshooting process?
Identifying the problem
Which of the following wiring connects a speaker to an audio souce?
Stranded two-wire
To determine actual insertion loss on a two-way splitter, the input level at a particular frequency and the output port levels at that same frequency are measured. What is the actual insertion loss of the output port?
The difference between the splitter's input level and the measured output level of that port
What unit of measure is used to identify the field strength of electromagnetic radiation (signal leakage)?
µV/m
How much current would an applied voltage of 60 volts cause in a circuit of 300 ohms of resistance?
0.2 ampere
8.13 x 0.123 = ?
0.99999
How many ohms is the amount of resistance that allows 1 ampere of current to flow when 1 volt of electromotive force is applied to a circuit?
1
What is the minimum acceptable signal level of 0 dBmV at TV set inputs?
1 mV across 75 ohms
What is the input-to-output power ratio of a coaxial cable that has 1 dB of attenuation?
1.2589:1
What is the power ratio for 2 dB?
1.585:1
What is the input-to-output power ratio of 2 bels of a similar impedance cable?
100:1
Which of the following MHz are the aeronautical frequency bands?
108-137 and 225-400 MHz
The starting point of the entire decibel measurement system is in the bel, which is clearly defined as a ___ power ratio?
10:1
How much signal is necessary from the subscriber's tap port @ 750 MHz to provide a minimum of 3.0 dBmV to the TV set when the drop is 150 feet of Series 6 cable and just one outlet (use 5.65 dB per 100 feet for the attenuation rate and round off to nearest tenth of a dBmV)?
11.5 dBmV
How many watts of power are consumed in a DC series circuit where R1 = 50 ohms, R2 = 100 ohms, R3 = 183.33 ohms, IT = 0.6 amperes, and ET = 200 volts
120 W
What is the total voltage of a DC series circuit where ER1 = 20V, ER2 = 45V, and ER3 = 57V?
122 V
Analog signals less than and including 54 MHz, and over 216 MHz has a signal leakage limit of ___ uV/m at 30 meters?
15
(-17) - (-34) = ?
17
What is the effective speed of electric current?
186,000 miles per second
To maintain a 3 dBmV input signal to two TVs, what would be the minimum signal level at the tap if the drop is 150 feet long with an attenuation rate of 5.65 dB at 750 MHz with a 4-way splitter (-7 dB loss at 750 MHz)?
19 dBmV
What is the total direct current (DC) loop resistance of a 350-foot piece of Series 59 drop cable when the DC loop resistance of that Series 59 cable is 56.04 ohms per 1,000 feet?
19.614 ohms
What is the total DC loop resistance of a 1,850-foot piece of 0.500-inch coaxial cable with a DC loop resistance of 1.34 ohms per 1,000 feet?
2.479
When bending a bond wire, what is the minimum bend radius?
2.5 inches
When using an optical coupler, what is the insertion loss if the desired split ratio is 40/60?
2.7 dB
According to the FCC, leaks _____ and above measured _____ feet from the cable must be logged and repaired.
20 µV/m, 10
1:5 ration is equal to ___?
20%
When were additional rules enacted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that required closed captioning of much of the programming delivered via Internet protocol (IP)?
2012
How many ohms of resistance is required for a circuit with an applied voltage of 30 volts and a circuit current of 1.3 amperes?
23.077
How many watts of power are consumed in a circuit with an applied voltage of 60 volts and a load of 150 ohms?
24
A signal increase of 1 dB represents a ___ increase in power.
25.89%
(10 x 10^3) + (26 x 10^4) = ?
270 x 10^3
(20)/(-4) + (-2) x (-10) - (-2) x (7) = ?
29
What is the maximum tap value that can be installed when the tap is connected directly to a line extender amplifier output and: (1) the line extender output is 45 dBmV @ 745.25 MHz; (2) the longest amount of Series 6 coaxial cable from the tap to either of the two TV sets is 150 feet; (3) the Series 6 coaxial cable attenuation rate is 5.65 dB/100 feet @ 750 MHz; (4) the drop includes a splitter with a 4.0 dB loss; and (5) the minimum signal level required at each of the two TV sets is 3.0 dBmV?
29 dB
An input-to-output power ratio of 10:1 has an input-to-output voltage ratio of
3.162:1, the square root of the power ratio.
What is the port insertion loss of a two-way splitter if the splitter's measured input level is 9 dBmV at 197 megahertz (MHz) and the measured output port level is 5.5 dBmV at 197 MHz?
3.5 dB
What is ER2 in a DC series circuit where R1 = 150 ohms, R2 = 150 ohms, R3 = 550 ohms, IT = 0.2 amperes.
30 V
MER indicates digital modulation signal quality. What should be the minimum MER reading for a 256-QAM signal for error-free reception and adequate margin?
32 dB
(75 x 10^-3) + (25 x 10^4) = ?
32.5 x 10^4
(83 x 10^6) + (27 x 10^7) = ?
353 x 10^6
What is the uV/m level of a -37 dBmV signal leakage measurement at 127.2625 MHz?
37.75 uV/m.
0.00004 = ______ x 10 to the power of ______.
4, -5
67.84 + 81.786 + 4281.98 = ?
4,431.606
What is the square of 7?
49
What is 5 kV equivalent to?
5,000 V
How many ohms does R2 have in a DC series circuit where R1 = 33 ohms, R3 = 47 ohms, R4 = 56 ohms, and RT = 197 ohms?
61 ohms
-49/-7 =?
7
The deployment of ___ for use as a public safety communications technology will significantly increase the importance of controlling and reducing leakage and ingress issues.
700 MHz LTE
When checking for continuity of coaxial cable used in the broadband industry using the DC loop resistance, which of the following readings on the DMM indicates the cable is good?
75 Ω plus the correct DC loop resistance
(480 x 10^-5) / (60 x 10^-3) = ?
8 x 10^-2
What is the total resistance of kilo-ohms for a DC series circuit with R1 = 15 kilo-ohms, R2 = 25 kilo-ohms, and R3 = 47 kilo-ohms?
87 kilo-ohms
What is the square root of 81?
9
What does the ITU ITU-T j.83 Annex B refer to in the QAM settings?
A 6 megahertz (MHz) wide QAM channel
What is the form's name that a broadband cable operator must file annually with the FCC listing all measured leakage levels in their network?
A Form 320
Which of the following is the correct definition for a type of circuit graphic?
A block diagram is a simplified outline of an electrical system that shows circuits or parts as rectangles and other shapes.
Why is it essential to maintain a clear and confident tone of voice?
A clear tone of voice can influence the customer's image of you and the company you represent
What is approximately equivalent to a 1 mV decrease in a signal level of 40 dBmV?
A decrease in the level of 0.1 dB
Which of the following best describes a schematic diagram?
A diagram showing the electrical connections of the components or devices in a circuit
Which amplifier is designed for use in applications where the higher channels lose too much signal and the customer only subscribes to video service?
A forward path (downstream) equalizing amplifier
Which of the following best describes a number that compares an amount less than the whole to the whole amount?
A fraction
What are the three basic elements of an electrical circuit?
A power source, a load, and the connecting conductors.
It is essential to pay attention to warning signs of stress overload. Poor attitude is one of the behaviors that may indicate that you are overstressed. What are the symptoms of poor attitude behavior?
A significant change in attitude with a noticeable movement toward negative, hostile, cynical, or paranoid thoughts.
Suppose cable technicians do not have access to the latest commercial UHF test equipment. What can be used as a short-term solution to confirm if QAM signal leaks from the cable system?
A spectrum analyzer, preamplifier, and a high-gain UHF antenna
What do you call a simple line design representing a component or device in a schematic diagram?
A symbol
What is the purpose of a tagger when detecting and measuring signal leakage?
A tagger ensures any leak measured emanates from the cable system.
The leakage detector's calibration can be verified using the system's leakage carrier, an SLM, and ___
A variable attenuator
Per the FCC, acceptable leakage limits for a maximum acceptable field strength of 15 microvolts per meter (µV/m) at 30 meters (m) is for which frequencies?
Above 216 MHz
Where should an ohmmeter be connected within a circuit?
Across a resistor that is disconnected from the circuit voltage source.
Magnetic poles that are ___ will ___ each other when those poles are near each other?
Alike, repel
What determines the strength of an electromagnetic field?
An electromagnetic field is determined by the magnitude of mmf
When installing a drop amplifier, where is the best place to install it?
As close as possible to the premises entry point
How far should an aerial drop cable be placed from the power utility feed where the cables attach to the premises?
At least 12 inches
Why are some materials magnetic while others are not?
Because in most materials, half of the electrons in each atom spin in one direction while the other half of the electrons spin in the opposite direction, canceling each other, which results in no creation of a magnetic field for the atom
In analyzing faults at the customer's location, you will need to determine if the problem is localized or encompasses a larger area of the cable system. If the problem is affecting the whole house, how should you proceed?
Begin your isolation at the ground block
In which segment of the cable network do most of the issues reside that affect the quality and performance of the network?
Between the ground block and the devices within the home
How can the proper operation of a leakage detector in a monitoring vehicle be verified?
By creating a test leak
What does the CAP add to the EAS?
CAP adds the ability to receive national EAS alerts from the internet
Which constellation display looks like a series of tiny donuts and is usually caused by an ingress carrier?
Coherent interference
There are three essential requirements for current to flow in a circuit: power source, load, and what?
Connecting conductors
A common problem at the ground block is CPD. What usually causes CPD
Corrosion
Ohm's low states that ___ is directly proportional to ___ and inversely proportional to ___?
Current, Voltage, Resistance
Which signal reading is proprietary to Viavi meters and combines MER and BER scores to determine a signal quality score between 0 through 10?
DQI (Digital Quality Index)
When troubleshooting, a hard skill, the process, rules, and methods are relatively fixed and can be followed the same way every time. What does troubleshooting with soft skills entail?
Depending on the type of problem, the customer, and numerous other factors, using the creative part of problem solving
In the forward direction, optical splitters are passive branching devices that?
Divide an optical signal across several output fibers
How do you convert a fraction to a percent?
Dividing the numerator by the denominator and multiplying by 100.
Simplify and solve the equation: If E = IR then I = ?
E/R
Which Ohm's law equation solves for voltage?
E=IR
Digital artifacts can be caused by impulse noise. What is impulse noise?
Electromagnetic signal interference produced by power-line transients, motor arcing, household appliances, or electrical systems without shield wiring
Which of the following best describes a conductor?
Elements that have a small number of electrons in the Valence shell
What did the FCC allow broadband cable operators to do after amending some rules in October 2012 to help operators cut down on service theft?
Encryption of the Limited Basic tier
Which of the following best describes current?
Excessive flow for a specific conductor size can cause the conductor to become too hot and melt or burn the conductor's insulating cover.
Which of the following is considered a soft skill?
Explaining technical information
Which technique can be useful in helping others understand your emotional state and in providing them with direction around how to help you restore balance?
Feel, Felt, Found technique
Which of the following is one of the five basic rules that flux lines follow?
Flux lines always curve around through the body of the magnet to form complete loops
Which of the following is a good guideline for becoming a better listener?
Focus on the content of what the customer is saying and not the behavior
What best describes the type of electron flow called random drift?
Free electrons that change orbits in a random manner, resulting in no charge
Where does most of the leakage in the UHF band originate?
From the hardline cable plant
How is electric current produced?
From the transfer of energy from valence electron to valence electron because of applied charges
Which of the following protects a circuit from excessive flow?
Fuse
Which of the following automatically captures the location of leakage data right down to the street address?
GPS-assisted leakage measurement instruments
When analyzing the adaptive equalizer function, ideally, all the bars after the incident signal should do what?
Gradually taper of in amplitude as their distance from the incident signal increases
What does the left-hand rule for electromagnetism in a wire state?
If you wrap your fingers of your left hand around the wire with your thumb pointing in the direction of the current flow, your fingers will be wrapped in the direction of the magnetic field
What is the process for checking for ingress at a drop splitter at the customer premises?
Inspect the splitter and confirm that all of the splitter's F-connectors are properly wrench-tightened by using a 7/16-inch torque wrench
Elements without the production or movement of free electrons are considered?
Insulators
Which step in the process is running a trace using an OTDR during the six-step troubleshooting process?
Isolate the elements
When troubleshooting a drop splitter with defective port connections, which of the following is true about a bad connection at the splitters input port?
It affects all TV sets
Which of the following is a feature of the SLM?
It can be used in sweep mode to identify instances of ingress
Which of the following is true when too much amplification exists?
It can cause digital artifacts
What can result from active signal amplification?
It can result in high installation and operational costs for the network
Which of the following is true about a permanent-magnet loudspeaker?
It has a cone that moves back and forth in relation to the varying current of the original sound
Why is Series 59 coaxial cable no longer used?
It has poor signal loss characteristics.
Which of the following is true of fiber-optic pigtail splicing?
It is faster and more reliable than installing connectors in the field
Which of the following best describes total resistance in a circuit?
It is the sum of the individual resistances in the circuit.
Loose-tube fiber-optic cable is used for what purpose?
It is used as the main cable between the headend and the node
Why should you let the customer completely express their concerns as you work with them?
It might appear you are jumping to conclusions if you finish sentences for the customer
What effect does splitting an optical signal have?
It reduces the power of the signal to each output port
How was the bel divided to become a workable unit of measurement?
It was divided into 10 equal units called the dB
What happens when the cross-sectional area of a conductor doubles?
Its resistance decreases to half its original value.
When using the optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) to troubleshoot fiber-optic cable, what does locating a reflective event mean?
Light intersects with material (like air), causing it to bend differently from traveling within the fiber
Which of the following best describes load resistance?
Load resistance is the total resistance when the source and wire resistances are very small
When signal leakage occurs in the 698-806 MHz frequency spectrum, who should the cellular carrier contact?
Local cable system personnel
Which of the following is true about magnetism?
Magnetism was discovered when the Greeks noticed that certain stones attract iron
What are the units that can be used to represent signal level values?
Millivolt (mV), decibel millivolt (dBmV), and microwatt (µW) or nanowatt (nW).
Which of the following is recommended as a best practice for preventing future leakage and ingress?
Monitoring leakage for both VHF and UHF bands
By taking control of the expectations you have, you are?
More likely to improve your motivation and be a better problem solver.
Why should you take the time to take notes and accurately record data at each job location?
Notes and recorded data are tools that can help you accurately remember events at a site that can help you determine a plan of action or evaluate the decisions you made.
When troubleshooting a drop splitter with wrong cable connections, incorrectly connecting the input cable to a splitters output port and the TV cable to the splitter's input port, what usually results?
Only the TV set incorrectly connected to the splitter input port will have a good picture, while all the TV sets connected to the other output ports will have black pictures
Which circuit condition is one in which no current is allowed to flow?
Open circuit
Which equation is used to determine the maximum current or power rating a resistor can handle?
P = I^2R
Why are communication soft skills and customer satisfaction are linked?
Part of a troubleshooter's job is to influence the customer opinion about your company favorably
What information is provided from a Ping command?
Ping is used to measure the round-trip time for a ping packet to travel over the network from the cable modem to the cable modem termination system (CMTS), or other server, and back.
Which of the following adds resistance in a circuit?
Power source, load, connecting wire, and resistors.
Which of the following best describes stereotyped thinking?
Presuming that all members of a group have certain characteristics.
Why is it essential for a technician to understand which channels are being measured and not being measured when automated signal measurements are being performed?
Problems can be present and not detected on channels not picked up by automatic signal measurements, thus being overlooked by the technician
Which of the following best describes the power source in a circuit?
Provides a difference of potential
Across which resistor is the greatest voltage in a DC series circuit where R1 = 25 ohms, R2 = 50 ohms, R3 = 75 ohms, and R4 = 10 ohms?
R3
Which colors are used on a telephone station jack?
Red/green, yellow/black.
What coincided with satellite program distribution, which enabled the delivery of cable-specific networks and created demand for cable TV services in metropolitan areas?
Relaxation of tight regulations due to local broadcaster concern over competition from cable operators importing distant TV stations from other markets
How can an installer control the resistance of the drop cable being installed at a customer's premises?
Replace Series 59 cable with Series 6 cable because the Series 6 cable center conductor is larger in diameter, with lower resistance than Series 59 cable.
What is the opposition a material offers to the flow of current?
Resistance
Which term best describes the opposition a material or device offers to the current flow?
Resistance
Which of the following connectors uses a bayonet coupling mechanism?
ST connectors
Which is a common source of (Over-the-air) OTA ingress in lower frequencies?
Shortwave radio
Which of the following metals has the greatest conductance?
Silver
What does current flow encounter within a power source when traveling from the positive terminal to the negative terminal?
Source resistance
During a conversation with a customer, which of the following can be interpreted as a neutral, open position?
Standing with legs slightly apart and feet in the other person's direction
What is the justification for state-issued franchises in place of local franchises?
State-issued franchises are typically much easier to renew and manage because there is one main authority (instead of many local franchise authorities)
Which of the customer's drop network segments are typically checked when isolating a fault at the customer's home?
Tap, ground block, and drop cable
What is the best way to make sure your facial expressions do not contradict your words?
Tell the truth, allowing your facial muscles to relax
To break the habit of a negative self-talk cycle?
Tell yourself "not now" and move onto a positive thought whenever negative thoughts occur.
Which of the following best describes one-tenth bel or 1 dB
The 10th root of the 1 bel ratio
At a minimum, what information is necessary to provision the cable modem analyzer's modem in a network?
The MAC (Media Access Control) address of the instrument's modem
Which wiring standard is used in all modern Ethernet data cables, jacks, and connectors?
The TIA/EIA 568-B standard
What test equipment automatically identifies specific wiring problems on 4-pair UTP/STP patch cords and station wiring?
The UTP/STP test set
What prevents the electrons that orbit an atom's nucleus at high speeds from breaking away from the nucleus due to centrifugal force?
The attraction between the positive and the negative electron
The Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984 mandates that cable operators hold outreach programs such as job fairs, internships, mentoring, and interaction with schools and community groups. What other employment practices does this act mandate?
The cable operator must make their Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) procedures available for public inspection on their websites
When taking BER readings, the pre- and post-FEC BER are important to know. The harder the FEC is working, ___?
The closer the system is to failure
When displayed together on a spectrum analyzer and adjusted to the same power level, how will the amplitude of a digital carrier appear when compared to the amplitude of an analog video carrier?
The digital carrier appears to be at a lower amplitude than the analog video carrier
Which is true about a properly installed bond-to-ground at the interface between the drop and the customers inside wire?
The ground clamp must be attached to a bare metal pipe or the corner of the metal electrical panel
Which is true when connecting a device to the correct AC to DC power supply?
The input ampere rating is the maximum load the supply will draw on the 100V AC circuit
When visually identifying correct cable connections for a directional coupler in an attic with a loop-through system, which cable usually comes from the outside wall, which cable typically goes down the wall to the TV, and which cable typically continues on through the attic to another section of the house?
The input cable usually comes from the outside wall, the tap port cable usually goes down the wall, and the output port cable usually continues through the attic to another section of the house
Which of the following best describes the load in the electrical circuit?
The load is part of the electrical circuit that uses the electrical energy provided by the power source to carry out some desired function.
What happens in a magnetic material where some of the magnetic domains are pointing in the same direction?
The magnetic field is weaker
Which of the following best describes the relationship between an ampere and a coulomb?
The number of amperes is equivalent to the number of coulombs passing a given point during one second
If there is no signal on the input cable to the second directional coupler in a loop through drop system, what is the likely cause
The output cable of the first directional coupler's output port was disconnected
Which of the following is true in a DC series circuit?
The same amount of current flows through each component
What happens to a signal when the output of a line extender is 3 dB lower than it normally should be?
The signal is 3 dB lower than normal from that point on
Which orbital shell has a maximum electron capacity of 18 electrons?
The third shell
What test equipment measures cable lengths and locates faults on both twisted pair and coaxial cable?
The time domain reflectometer (TDR)
Why are semiconductor materials not good conductors nor good insulators?
The valence shells are only half-filled
What does it mean if a splitter has a high amount of isolation between the splitter output ports?
There is less chance of passing RF interference from one TV set to another
What is the relationship between VHF (very high frequency) and UHF (ultra-high frequency) leakage and ingress?
There is little or no relationship between VHF and UHF leakage and ingress
Through which resistor is the greatest current flowing in a DC series circuit where R1 = 10 ohms, R2 = 15 ohms, R3 = 20 ohms, and R4 = 5 ohms?
They all have the same amount of current flowing through them.
Why do values expressed in dBmV progress nonlinearly compared to a linear mV?
They are based on logarithms of power ratios
What exemption for proof-of-performance (POP) testing does the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) allow cable networks having less than 1,000 customers?
They are exempt from performing POP testing, but if requested by the FCC, they must be able to prove compliance with the minimum technical criteria
Which of the following statements best describes creative-problem solving?
Thinking outside of the box and looking at problems from a fresh perspective
Other than proving compliance with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requirements, what are some other benefits of regular signal leakage monitoring and repair?
Tighter networks that allow fewer signals to leave the network and fewer interfering signals into the network
Why is the optical network documentation required within the fiber network?
To identify where individual fibers are extracted from a cable and routed to a particular area
What is the role of a franchise authority?
To provide the permissions necessary to allow a cable operator to use the public right-of-way within the franchise area to access and connect customer premises.
A customer is having trouble accessing a specific website. What performance utility should the technician run to identify the router-to-router network hops that a data packet travels across en route from the modem analyzer to the website's server?
Traceroute
Which of the following best describes a device that cleans up source power and feeds it to the AC to DC converters?
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)
Which of the following describes the process for troubleshooting signals?
Use the sweep function to check for reflections called CNN (composite carrier to noise)
Which represents the values expressed in dBmV preceded by a minus sign (-)?
Values of voltage less than 1 millivolt (mV) across 75 ohms
You are at a customer's home and you believe you have solved the problem. When you check to be sure the resolution did not introduce any new problems, which step are you using from the six-step troubleshooting process?
Verify the solution
Which of the following is best described as a measurement of the force or pressure that causes electrons to move?
Voltage
Which of the following is a respectful way to treat customer's property?
Wearing shoes with oil-resistant and non-marking soles
Which of the statements is true of axioms?
When A = C and B = C, then A = B because both are equal to C, which supports the axiom: Quantities equal to the same quantity are equal to each other.
Which of the following best describes normal current flow?
When conductors are correctly connected, there is a complete current path
Which of the following is true when talking about overall magnetic field?
When created by a straight piece of wire, the overall magnetic field is weaker than that created by forming loops of wire
When examining a power cord for damage, what part of the cord is the most vulnerable?
Where the cord meets the plug
What is another way to create an electromagnet besides stroking a piece of magnetic metal, such as a piece of iron with another magnet?
Wrap a coil of insulated wire around an iron bar and pass an electric current through the wire
The letter S in the acronym RESPECT (for showing respect to customers) stands for sincere and means
You are empathetic and want to help the customer achieve a better user experience
The attribute of being "active" as a critical thinker means
You observe and take notes relevant to the issue.
