---

 

 

 

 

Third edition of The Fiber Optic Technicians Manual Now Available! The third edition of The Fiber Optic Technicians Manual has arrived and is available from Delmar Learning or direct from many booksellers, including Amazon.com. The third edition is about 15% bigger, with new or updated material on most chapter subjects, including more "hands-on information, but the price remains the same, $54.95. ISBN No. 1401896995 If you really want "hands-on" info, the FOTM Lab Manual is also available from Delmar (ISBN:1418028754, Price: $19.95) with tons of hands on exercises. Intended as a manual for teaching labs, it has step-by-step instructions on cable preparation, termination, testing and troubleshooting. A must for classes, it's also a great reference for any fiber optic user. An Instructor's Guide to the FOTM is also available from Delmar. (ISBN: 1401897002, Price: $33.95 ) For information on the Lab Manual or Instructors Guide, contact Delmar directly at 1-800-347-7707 for further information.   Remember the CFOT Test will use the new edition, along with the new NECA/FOA-301 Installation Standard.

 

---

FOA Runs Fourth Summer TTT, Then Trains IBEW JATC Apprenticeship Instructors

The FOA held its fourth summer Train-The-Trainer seminar in Cincinnati this past July, then held two classes for IBEW JATC Apprenticeship Instructors at the NJATC National Training Institute. Here you see Tom Collins, who conducted the Cincy TTT course and a hands-on course at NTI, at the FOA booth during the NIT trade show. Jim Hayes taught two weeklong TTT sessions where he had 20 JATC instructors (below) learning the tricks-of-the-trade in teaching fiber optics. 

 

---

New PowerPoint Presentation In Spanish

A new PowerPoint presentation in Spanish for instructors and anyone else interested has been posted on the FOA website for downloading. It is an explanation of fiber optics in Spanish, created by Francisco Castro Cabrera of Mexico City, who is starting up our new FOA chapter in Mexico. It is complementary to our PowerPoint introduction to fiber optics in English. Here is more information on the presentation in Spanish.

---

Corning Cable Systems Renting Equipment

Need some specialized splicing or test equipment but don't want to buy it? Corning is offering rental services now. The big advantage should be knowing you are getting equipment in good condition and having outstanding tech support. See the Corning Cable Systems website for more details

 

---

FOA To Exhibit At NECA & FTTH Council Shows

The FOA will exhibit at the NECA Show in New Orleans September 18-21 and give a technical presentation our new NECA/FOA installation standard. We will also be at the 2005 FTTH Council's Conference & Expo October 3-5 at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, NV, where we may be ready to discuss a new FOA FTTH certification program.

 

---

'We've been waiting for this' department: 3M Introduces Hot Melt LC Connector

The LC connector has become the de facto standard for high speed fiber optic links, but until now, installers were limited to adhesive (epoxy or anaerobic) or prepolished/splice versions. 3M is now offering a Hot Melt version of the LC, which of course, offers all the advantages of a Hot Melt connector (fast termination, high performance and the "second chance" where you can reheat it and try polishing again if you just pull the fiber back a couple of mm before the adhesive cools and sets.) More information is available from 3M website (www.3Mhotmelt.com/introducing) or 800-426-8688.

PS: note how much this duplex version - actually 2 coupled simplex connectors - looks like the FOA proposal for a standard connector!

 

 

---

Fiber-in-a-Box to Improve Contractor Productivity

Packaging fiber like UTP in a box should saves time and money on installation and testing.

Graybar and Berk-Tek have joined together to launch Fiber-in-a-Box, a fiber optic cable solution designed to help contractors save time and money. Fiber-in-a-Box is a tight-buffered fiber optic cable for Plenum or Riser environments. Each box includes 1,000 feet of 6 fiber or 12 fiber multimode Plenum rated (OFNP) distribution cable (62.5/125 micron) and features Berk-Tek's adjustable EZ-BrakeTM system with anti-backlash control. Ideal for horizontal, backbone or centralized optical cabling installations, the all-dielectric cable construction has 900 micron buffered fibers surrounded by aramid yarns and jacketed with next-generation lead-free polymer compound.

Contractors gain savings from the innovative packaging featuring countdown sequential foot markings every two feet to ensure cable length accuracy and minimize waste. (That's also a neater way to find out fiber length than expensive OTDR or OLTS testing!) The compact, stackable cartons protect the cable from damage that can occur during traditional pull and cut procedures. Since the packaging eliminates this kind of handling damage, the factory guarantees the cable, and pre-installation testing is unnecessary.

Fiber-in-a-Box is available exclusively at Graybar, a leading North American distributor of high-quality components, equipment and materials for the electrical and telecommunications industries. For a limited time while supplies last, purchases qualify for a $50 rebate on 12 fiber cables and a $25 rebate on 6 fiber cables.

 

FOA CFOT Renewals Get Free Copy of NECA/FOA Installation Standard

Every CFOT will now receive a free copy of NECA 301-2004, Installing And Testing Fiber Optic Cables, produced by The FOA in cooperation with NECA (The National Electrical Contractors Association). This is an important reference document for defining the installation and testing of fiber optic cable plants in a "neat and workmanlike manner."

The FOA feels this is such an important document that we are giving a free copy (normally priced at $15) to every active CFOT when they renew their active status.

The FOA has also sent free copies to all FOA-Approved schools. The new FOA CFOT exam to be used after August, 2005, will include questions from the standard. Schools should be including information from the standard in their classes already.

 

 

---

 

Job Openings:

 

ADC is currently seeking a Product Specialist for fiber optic cable and related ancillary products to support the sale of leading edge fiber optic cables in a wide array of applications. Position is located in Vermont. Responsibilities include support of the Product Manager- Fiber Optic Cable, in the definition, direction, profitability, and market share goals of the products over its entire life cycle. The Product Specialist will assist in the preparation and implementation of the annual budget. The Product Specialist also plays a key role as a member of the product development team through the establishment of the product road map, development of product requirements, management of changes to the requirements and the establishment of development and customer support project priorities. In addition, the Product Specialist will be responsible for assisting with training of ADC sales and external customers on the fiber cable products offered by ADC. The Product Specialist will be expected to exercise good judgment by operating within broadly defined guidelines to complete tasks consistent with obtaining product line results and support of the day-to-day operations of the business.

ADC is a world leader in providing global network infrastructure products, services and software that enable the profitable delivery of high-speed Internet, data, video, and voice services over our customers' unique networks. ADC (NASDAQ:ADCT) has sales into more than 90 countries.

All replies must be submitted through the ADC careers website. Search for job opening "02592" at www.adc.com/careers/index.jsp

 

Diamond USA is looking for a Mobile Fiber Optic Service Manager. Are you looking for a challenge in the Fiber Optic and Premises Network Markets? Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur within a company? Are you a "hands -on" type of person in the field? Diamond USA is looking for a candidate that has proven field fiber optic technician experience, strong industry knowledge, excellent customer interaction skills, the ability to manage multiple jobs and assignments and train employees and customers. The position will include field support of installers and designers, certification of installers, diagnostic and restoration of fiber optic data networks, and provide field and market expertise to sales team. RCDD is a plus. Pre-employment drug screening and MVR required. We offer competitive salary with benefits, 401K.

Please submit resume with salary requirements to:

Diamond USA, Human Resources

27    Industrial Ave.

Chelmsford, MA 01824

Fax: 978-256-6544 E-mail: hr@diausa.com

---

 

 

 

 

Tech Puzzler

What's a substitute for index matching fluid in mechanical splices?

 

Answer below

 

 

 

 

New Tech Topics

Does Glass "Flow"? Is it really a liquid?

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) on General Topics and Testing

Fiber Or Copper? Making decisions, overview and LANs

What Happens When You Mate Mismatched MM Fibers?

 

New PowerPoint Presentation Introduces Fiber Optics - in English or Spanish!

The FOA has created a short PowerPoint presentation that introduces you to fiber optics and talks about job opportunities in the field. It was intended for instructors to introdcue studnets to the field, but it's a good introduction for anyone. It's about 3 meg file so it takes a while to download and you need PowerPoint to view it. See http://www.thefoa.org/ppt/

---

FOA Website Expands To Support Fiber Optic Educators

Instructors' Home Page And New Online Train-The-Trainer Program
The FOA has always focused on creating better educational opportunities in fiber optics - it's our charter: we're a non-profit educational organization. We've done two things recently to expand that commitment - both here on the FOA website.

We have over 120 schools and hundreds of instructors teaching at those organizations, and we'll notify them about these new web pages, but we invite any instructor interested in fiber optics to dig in and use these pages too.

First, we've created a home page for instructors where we'll cover topics just for them, like our TTT program and resources just for instructors. It's at http://www.thefoa.org/instructors/index.html

Secondly, we've put our TTT seminar online, in both PPT and PDF format at http://www.thefoa.org/instructors/index.html

 

Our online TTT program is the beginning of qualifying for the FOA CFOS/I Instructor Certification. Soon we'll have the program set up for instructors to register to begin qualifying for the certification.

---

 

 

FOA Certification Top Choice

The FOA CFOT and CFOS programs continue to gain momentum in fiber optics. Over 15,000 CFOTs have been certified by over 120 schools as the FOA completed its 10th year. Since our founding in July, 1995, we have dedicated ourselves to promoting fiber optics and professionalism in fiber optics personnel, focusing on education and certification. We are continuing to add new schools and more CFOTs as users of fiber optics learn that a CFOT is the indication of a professional, well-trained fiber optic technician. Now with FTTH (fiber to the home) finally taking off, demand for CFOTs is rising and schools are responding by expanding programs rapidly.

The FOA now has approved programs at 125+ organizations, welcoming new additions like the Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Corning Cable Systems for their installation training programs and NASA's Goldstone Tracking Station. The complete list of FOA-Approved schools is at http://www.thefoa.org/foa_aprv.htm.

Your Name, CFOT - It pays to advertise!

The FOA encourages CFOTs to use the logo on their business cards, letterhead, truck or van, etc. and provides logo files on this site for that purpose. But we are also asked about how to use the CFOT or CFOS certifications. Easy, you can refer to yourself as "Your Name, CFOT" or "Your Name, CFOS/T" for example.

Feel free to use the logo and designations to promote your achievements and professionalism!

Remember To Renew Your Certification !

Remember to renew your FOA certification. All current CFOTs have a ID Card with their certification data and we keep a database of current CFOTs to answer inquiries regarding your qualifications if needed. If you forgot to renew, use the online application form or the FOA online store to renew NOW!

Want To Get FOA Email?
We have been asked if we could send the FOA newsletter by email or post it on the website. We are looking into that and will definitely get one started soon. When you renew your certification, you will be asked if you are interested in email newsletters and if so, you will be asked to give your email address for us to use in a mailing list. If you want to get started now, send an email to info@thefoa.org with the subject "eMail List"
Note that The FOA never releases its mailing lists for any use! Your data is always safe with us.

To Contact The FOA:

 

The Fiber Optic Association

1119 S Mission Road, # 355

Fallbrook, CA 92028

 

Office Hours 10AM-5 PM Pacific Time

Telephone: 760-451-3655

Fax: 781-207-2421

info@thefoa.org
info@thefoa.org

---

Officers and Board of Directors Jim Hayes, President, Treasurer Eric Pearson, Director of Certification Tom Collins, Gateway Comm. College Bill Graham Karen Hayes   FOA Staff: Jim Hayes, newsletter, website editor Karen Hayes, Administration Administration: The FOA is managed under contract by: VDV Works LLC 1119 S Mission Road, # 355 Fallbrook, CA 92028 Telephone: 760-451-3655 Fax: 781-207-2421 email: info@vdvworks.com

FOA Board of Advisors Elias Awad, Clerk, Director of Education Tony Beam Dave Chaney F. Douglas Elliot, Past President William H. Graham Jim Hayes, President, Treasurer John Highhouse, Past President Danny S. Lyall Eric Y. Loytty Bob Mason Eric Pearson Paul Rosenberg, Past President Dan Silver Richard James Smith Dominick Tamone Tom Collins Van Ewert Elias Awad

---

Want to write for the FOA Newsletter? Send us articles, news, anything you think might be interesting to the rest of the membership!

Return to Top

Return to The FOA Home Page

(C)1999-2005, The Fiber Optic Association, Inc.

Tech Puzzler: We've used mineral oil and vaseline from the local drugstore. Alcohol can be used also, but it evaporates rapidly, making it only good for temporary use in testing.