When making any kind of test, it is important to set test conditions to make measurements that are relevant and reproducible. In fiber optics, we test fiber optic cables, especially the installed cable plant, with a test...
Several years ago, when the Fiber Optic Association (FOA) began online certification testing using a service called ClassMarker, we began getting better data on the results of the exams. That allowed us to evaluate our...
When a fiber optic tech splices cables, makes terminations behind patch panels or selects patch cords to interconnect cables or connect electronic equipment, they use color codes to make the proper connections. These color...
Editor’s Note: This article is intended to be used as a quick reference on multimode fibers and popular networks, so you may want to bookmark it for future reference. Ethernet is the name of the computer network used in...
For electrical contractors, the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of establishing and evolving their digital presence in a marketplace that has been profoundly impacted by the health crisis. Electrical...
Around the world, hundreds of millions of homes and businesses are connected to the internet on optical fiber, and almost every one with a network architecture called passive optical network (PON). There are two main...
For the last few months, I’ve been showing you photos of fiber optic installations I’ve taken as I wander around the city of Santa Monica, Calif., where I live. This month is another in this series, with a few detours around...
What will workplaces look like as they begin to reopen from the coronavirus? Will contact tracing with smartphones locate, track and report potential carriers? Will temperature and fever detection become required to gain...
In my May 2020 Fiber Optics column, I mentioned seeing a crew pulling cable in my neighborhood in a way that was likely to do significant damage to the cable. Now I’ll share with you some of the photos I took and analyze what...
As the world slowly returns to work and public spaces, technology is being leveraged to keep the coronavirus in check and prevent spread of the contagion. Many in the workforce and others will soon find themselves part of new...
In my July 2018 column, “Construction Without Disruption,” I said directional boring and microtrenching are the least disruptive construction practices used in urban areas, so I was pleased to stumble upon an excellent...
Is the fire alarm too loud? If you’ve ever been asked this question, you may have wondered whether the questioner had a point or not. First I reviewed the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listed horn available on the market...
As one of Chicago’s oldest family-owned electrical contractors, Taylor Electric Co. attributes its staying power to communication and quality work. The company focuses on vertical commercial and residential/hospitality...
As facial recognition manufacturers grapple with wide-ranging restrictions and outright bans in cities and states across the country, the physical security industry is stepping up with advocacy and education, focusing on the...
If you have ever installed fire alarm systems, you more than likely have run into issues that have made you question the design or installation drawings. Many of these questions develop into installation blunders due to a...
In my column in February’s print issue of Electrical Contractor, I suggested it was a good time to upgrade your KSAs—your knowledge, skills and abilities—in fiber optics. Online I thought I’d present you with an online self...
Who’s to blame in the Ring privacy breaches and subsequent lawsuits filed late 2019 and early 2020 against owner Amazon? Plaintiffs point the finger at potentially insecure Ring devices, while the maker’s defense is customers...
There's an impressive assortment of new construction technology on the market helping users complete more tasks while keeping their companies profitable and regularly securing work. There are undeniable benefits associated...
Most contractors feel confident that they have the qualifications to install any fire alarm system, regardless of size or complexity. You likely already know that only an unfinished fire alarm system can delay the occupancy...
One of my recent magazine columns focused on a noncommunications use of fiber optics—lighting. In this article, I’ll revisit the topic to flesh out that topic even more, using illustrations to show how fiber optic lighting...
