Basic Broadband Troubleshooting
When using an optical coupler, a desired split ratio of 40/60 will result in an insertion loss of
2.7 dB.
Why is it important to maintain a clear tone of voice?
A clear tone of voice can influence the customer's image of you and the company you represent.
Which coaxial connector provides better isolation between the center conductor and the coaxial shield?
BNC (Bayonet Neill-Concelman) connector.
Which of the following wiring is used to connect a speaker to an audio source?
Stranded 2-wire.
What test equipment measures cable lengths and locates faults on both twisted pair and coaxial cable?
The time domain reflectometer (TDR).
Which of the following formulas is used to calculate normal attenuation of a certain length of coaxial drop cable?
(Cable length in feet/100) x Cable attenuation in decibels (per 100 feet) at frequency (f).
Acceptable leakage limits per the FCC specify a maximum acceptable field strength of 15 µV/m (micro-volts/meter) at 30 meters for frequencies
Above 216 MHz.
Loose-tube fiber-optic cable is used for what purpose?
It is used as the main cable between the headend and node.
Which colors are used on a telephone station jack?
Red/green, yellow/black.
Which of the following is the best way to speak with a customer?
Talk to the customer using nontechnical terms.
Which of the following is true about 110-type punch-down blocks?
they are used to connect data jacks to service provider cabling
The deployment of ______________ for use as a public safety communications technology will greatly increase the importance of controlling and reducing leakage and ingress issues.
700 MHz LTE.
Which of the following is the frequency allocation dedicated specifically to public safety communications?
700 MHz Long Term Evolution (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 digital multimeter (DMM) indicates the cable is good?
75 Ω plus the correct DC loop resistance.
During the six-step troubleshooting process, you need to ask the customer questions such as, "Have any other contractors worked at the premises lately?" What step in the process do such questions most closely resemble?
Analyze the situation.
Some set-top boxes with poor shielding can cause which of the following problems?
CB or ham radio interference and ingress on all cable channels.
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 shielded wiring.
Which of the following describes the process for troubleshooting signals?
Encoding data on a carrier wave in the upstream and downstream.
Which of the following best describes stereotyped thinking?
Presuming that all members of a group have certain characteristics.
Which of the following is an industry standard step to take when preparing cable for use with an F-connector?
Pull back the braid so it covers the outside jacket, making sure that no braid or foil is touching the center conductor.
Which of the following refers to an eight-pin, eight-conductor plug and jack capable of supporting Ethernet and telephone?
RJ45.
What should be done to correct signal leakage from a drop splitter with a defective cover plate?
Remove and replace the splitter.
Which of the following connectors uses a bayonet coupling mechanism?
ST connectors.
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 direction of the other person.
Which of the following is one of the common sources of over-the-air ingress?
Strong over-the-air television channels.
The majority of ingress is caused by which of the following?
The customer.
What is the theoretical output level and the actual output port insertion loss of a two-way splitter when: (1) the measured input level to the splitter is 9 dBmV @ 197 MHz; (2) the manufacturer-specified insertion loss is 3.5 dB @ 403 MHz; and (3) the measured output port level is 4 dBmV @ 197 MHz?
The theoretical output level @ 197 MHz is 5.5 dBmV and the actual output port insertion loss is 5 dB.
What is the relationship between VHF and UHF leakage and ingress?
There is little or no relationship between VHF and UHF leakage and ingress.
Which of the following is a respectful way to treat a customer's property?
Wearing shoes with oil-resistant and non-marking soles.
When examining a power cord for damage, what part of the cord is the most vulnerable?
Where the cord meets the plug.
What kind of reasoning is described as applying a general statement that you know to be true to a new situation?
Deductive.
What test equipment automatically identifies specific wiring problems on 4-pair UTP/STP patch cords and station wiring?
The UTP/STP test set.
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 experience.
The attribute of being "active" as a critical thinker means
You observe and take notes relevant to the issue.
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.
What type of fiber-optic attenuator is used to check out and optimize network performance by adding loss, typically from 0 to 65 dB, in either stepped or continuous movements?
Variable attenuator.
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?
Verifying the solution.
In troubleshooting, hard skills can be utilized the same way each time, whereas soft skills
Will depend on the type of problem, the customer, and numerous other factors.
What is the design difference between a loop-through system and a home-run system?
A loop-through system has a splitter or directional coupler at each outlet that provides signal to those outlets and passes the remaining signal to the next outlet, while a home-run system has a dedicated cable run to each outlet from a common splitter.
Which is the best amplifier to use when the digital set top box, cable modem, or embedded multimedia terminal adapter (EMTA) is unable to consistently and reliably transmit information back to the headend because of a long cable drop run?
A return path (reverse or upstream) amplifier.
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
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.
Which category of wiring reduces both Near-End Crosstalk (NEXT) and attenuation due to a larger-gauge conductor?
Category 6 (CAT-6).
Which of the following can be a consequence of over-tightened connectors?
Damage to the connector or mating surface.
Once you have restored the operations of the customer's service, how should you communicate this to the customer?
Describe the nature of the problem and what you did to correct it.
Which of the following is most likely to reduce signal quality on a fiber optic transmission as opposed to causing a catastrophic failure?
Dirt on the connector.
In the forward direction, optical splitters are passive branching devices that
Divide an optical signal across a number of output fibers.
Which of the following is a method for controlling expectations?
Identify the source of emotional overload.
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.
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.
When troubleshooting a drop splitter with defective port connections, which of the following is true about a bad connection at the splitter's input port?
It affects all TV sets.
Which of the following is a feature of the signal level meter (SLM)?
It can be used in sweep mode to identify instances of ingress.
Which of the following is true of fiber-optic pigtail splicing?
It is faster and more reliable than installing connectors in the field.
Using a phrase such as "You didn't..." when speaking with a customer should be avoided because
It sounds like you are making an accusation.
When using the optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) to troubleshoot fiber-optic cable, locating a reflective event means
Light intersects with a material (like air), causing it to bend differently than if it was traveling within the fiber.
What type of loss occurs in a transmission line when the fiber-optic bend radius decreases?
Macrobending.
Which of the following is a characteristic of a good listener?
Makes eye contact with the customer.
An optical power meter (OPM) is used to
Measure the power in an optical signal.
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 splitter's output port and the TV cable to the input port of the splitter will usually result in which of the following?.
On 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.
When checking for ingress at the tap, when would you replace the drop cable between the ground block and the customer's tap?
Only if necessary as a last corrective measure.
Communication soft skills and customer satisfaction are linked because
Part of a troubleshooter's job is to favorably influence the customer's opinion of the cable company.
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 wiring standard is used in all modern Ethernet data cables, jacks, and connectors?
The Telecommunications Industry Association/Electronics Industries Alliance (TIA/EIA) 568 B standard.
Which of the following non-verbal signs might indicate that the customer is happy with what you are saying?
The customer's pupils are dilated.
To determine actual insertion loss on a 2-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.
Which of the following 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 110 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 typically goes down the wall, and the output port cable typically continues on through the attic to another section of the house.
When measuring inadequate port-to-port isolation in a drop splitter, the higher the amount of isolation between the splitter output ports,
The less chance of passing radio frequency (RF) interference from one TV set to the other.