Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2004
- Messages
- 37,936
I have been having internet, phone , and TV problems for about a year. It is intermittent, but some diagnostic and forensic troubleshooting on my part showed it was clearly related to heavy rain. Either we get real poor reception/data feed or it stops altogether.....when it pours. I would place a cell phone call and they would send a guy out the next day...no problem with that. By the time they get here the problem is gone, or mostly gone. The technician says the problem is in MY computer, or MY modem ( actually it is their modem, and they changed it three times), or MY TV converter ( don't have one),etc.....never their wires ( which I say is the problem). Today it was MY security system being connected to both MY Verizon landline and their cable line. We haven't had Verizon since we switched to all cable four years ago. After a little discussion I convinced the tech that he was seeing the old line from the NCA ( Network Customer Access) to the CAB (Cable Access Box), and it was not connected to the Verizon lines anymore. ( I told him I used to do this type work). He then said the problem was that line was not compatible with their line. Now, both are 22 gauge phone lines...just plain copper wire. Only difference is that the old line was far heavier insulated than their little gray line ( which was why the original tech who installed the cable phone system left it there). He insisted it was the problem, so he and I pulled a new line from the old Verizon box to the new cable box . The phone was working fine when he got here, and it was working fine when the new line was replaced....so we had fixed something that wasn't broken, but he insisted the problem was solved permanently now.
I took out my trusty drawing pad and drew a flow chart of the wiring and data flow of the phone/TV/data lines. I asked how the phone line could make the other two go bad. He looked at me sort of funny, and that is when I told him I used to work as an electronics engineer ,as well as running fire and phone systems. I said that the only common element of all three systems is the cable drop from the pole, and the signal splitter. The splitter had been replaced each time by the last three techs who came out, along with the modem.
I said that if he was positive the problem was fixed, OK, but I would call him on his cell phone the next rain and he could come while it was still raining and see for himself that the problem was not gone.
He was a very nice fellow, and I did not want him getting in trouble, so I told him straight out that I had insisted the drop be replaced every time and they always said it was good....but all they did was test it for signal strength ( which they always said was a little low, but blamed it on my drop being the last one in the neighborhood system). I had told the service tech on the phone this time I wanted it replaced, and they said they would if the problem could not be figured out. The service technician said he couldn't replace it if it tested good...so I said just sit there and I'll get someone on the phone who could authorize that. He quickly said he would go up the pole and check the filter, maybe that was bad. When he got up the pole, he started laughing. He took out his cutters and cut the cable drop and let it fall to the ground. A squirrel had eaten the entire sheath, shielding, and coax core away for about 6" on the top of the cable. There was a bare thread of the center conductor left. All it needed to do was rain hard and water would short the whole signal out. Half a day later it would dry up and be OK. After replacing the drop, everything is fine now. Signal strength is 30% higher,too. I put the bad section of cable up on the shop wall to make me smile every time I look at it.
I took out my trusty drawing pad and drew a flow chart of the wiring and data flow of the phone/TV/data lines. I asked how the phone line could make the other two go bad. He looked at me sort of funny, and that is when I told him I used to work as an electronics engineer ,as well as running fire and phone systems. I said that the only common element of all three systems is the cable drop from the pole, and the signal splitter. The splitter had been replaced each time by the last three techs who came out, along with the modem.
I said that if he was positive the problem was fixed, OK, but I would call him on his cell phone the next rain and he could come while it was still raining and see for himself that the problem was not gone.
He was a very nice fellow, and I did not want him getting in trouble, so I told him straight out that I had insisted the drop be replaced every time and they always said it was good....but all they did was test it for signal strength ( which they always said was a little low, but blamed it on my drop being the last one in the neighborhood system). I had told the service tech on the phone this time I wanted it replaced, and they said they would if the problem could not be figured out. The service technician said he couldn't replace it if it tested good...so I said just sit there and I'll get someone on the phone who could authorize that. He quickly said he would go up the pole and check the filter, maybe that was bad. When he got up the pole, he started laughing. He took out his cutters and cut the cable drop and let it fall to the ground. A squirrel had eaten the entire sheath, shielding, and coax core away for about 6" on the top of the cable. There was a bare thread of the center conductor left. All it needed to do was rain hard and water would short the whole signal out. Half a day later it would dry up and be OK. After replacing the drop, everything is fine now. Signal strength is 30% higher,too. I put the bad section of cable up on the shop wall to make me smile every time I look at it.
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