December, 2005
Previous Issues:11/05,
10/05, 09/05,
08/05, 07/05,
6/05, 5/05,
4/05, 2/05,
01/05, 12/04,
10/04, 9/04,
8/04, 7/04,
6/04, 5/04,
4/04, 3/04,
1/04, 12/03,
11/03 10/03
9/03, 8/03,
7/03, 6/03,
3/03, 10/02
, 8/02, 5/02
-
- CFOTs - Register
Now On The FOA Searchable Database of Installers, Contractors
and Consultants
- The FOA is compiling a database
of CFOTs who do installation, contracting or consulting. Our
goal is to have it as a searchable database for everyone needing
a contractor, many of which call us at the FOA for advice.
- The database lists CFOTs according
to their areas of expertise and locations where they will do
installs, plus a short description of their organization, work
experience, etc. The database can be searched by any parameter
so the user can get a close match to their needs for fiber optic
expertise.
- If you are a CFOT who wants
to be listed, go to the FOA
Installer Database and register now. As soon as the database is ready, we'll announce
it to the world of end users.
- Job Openings For Fiber Techs
in New Orleans Reconstruction
- As a result of the development
of the FOA Installer Database (http://www.thefoa.org/index_installers.html),
we received an inquiry from a contractor looking for 40 fiber
optic and telephone installers to reconstruct the communications
systems in New Orleans and other areas devastated this year by
hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Fiber optic techs interested in this work should have relevant
experience and their own tools. Companies with a full complement
of OSP installation gear are welcome (and encouraged!) to apply.
Housing is a problem and may require living in trailers or campers.
Please do not contact The FOA - contact the company
directly!
Jerry Belle
T1 Communications
http://t1communications.com
1-770-460-1998
And remember -please do not contact The FOA - contact the
company directly!
- Removing Fiber Shards From
Your Skin
- Another use for duct tape! A
reader suggests applying the sticky side of duct tape to the
area where you stick the fiber into your skin and the adhesive
will pick the fiber shards out. Sounds worth a try to us, but
we'd like more feedback. Be careful, but if you do have an accident,
try this and let us know.
-
-
- Which Had You Rather Terminate?
or |
|
- Now, isn't that a compelling
reason to choose fiber optics!
- FOA Instructor Development
In Jamaica
- In keeping with the mission
of the FOA as an international non-profit educational organization
dedicated to promoting professionalism in the field of fiber
optics, FOA board member Tom Collins traveled to Jamaica in October.
Jamaica is interested in how fiber optics can improve their telecommunication
systems.
While there, Tom conducted a TrainTheTrainer session
with two instructors from Vector Technology Institute. (Donovan
James, left, and Rohan Morris,right)
Both instructors demonstrated a high level of skill and knowledge
about fiber optics and instructional methods. The FOA looks forward
to strengthening their relationship with Vector Technology Institute
of Jamaica and helping them train and certify more local fiber
optic technicians.
In addition to conducting the TTT session, Tom presented at the
Jamaican Computer Society (JCS) conference on incorporating fiber
optics into existing IT systems. After the presentation he opened
the floor to the conference participants who asked many interesting
questions about how fiber optics can enhance their present IT
systems.
-
- New Fiber Cleaner
- At a recent show, we saw the
new Chemtronics "QbE" fiber optic cleaning system.
It's a continuous wet or dry wipe in a square box that has a
soft surface on one side to wipe the connector against. Several
types of wet cleaners are available or you can use QbE dry. Besides
using it for cleaning connector ferrules, the wipes can be used
to wipe fibers before cleaving or for buffer tube gel removal.
See more at the Chemtronics
website.
-
-
-
- High Density Interconnects
Use Standard Ferrule Design
- LumaCon has taken a simple idea
and created what seems to be an ideal high density fiber optic
interconnect. Combining machined metal connectors with 1.25 mm
(LC, MU compatible) ferrules makes for a rugged high density
connector for backplanes and multifiber connections without the
use of more restrictive ribbon technology. More information is
at the LumaCon website.
-
-
-
- Cable Plant Documentation
At Reasonable Cost
- Peter Buitenhek lives in San
Diego and has been in cabling for 20+ years. He has developed
five software packages for horizontal cabling design, bid and
tracking that are inexpensive, quick and accurate. His packages
are based on Microspft Excel spreadsheets which makes them cost
effective and easy to use. His web site is at profitdeveloper.com.
-
-

Order The Fiber
Optics Technician's Manual directly from Amazon.com.
|
- Third edition of The
Fiber Optic Technicians Manual Now Available!
-
- 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
-
- FOTM Lab Manual is available from Delmar (ISBN:1418028754,
Price: $19.95) with tons of hands on exercises.
-
- 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 now uses
the new edition, along with the new NECA/FOA-301
Installation Standard.
|
-
-
- Another good book: Eric
Pearson's Successful Fiber Optic Installation - a cookbook for fiber optics!
- Excess Fiber Inventory For
Sale
Gamma Spectrums, Inc. has been the largest access recovery
distributor for Alcatel USA in the last four years. They have
a fiber optic inventory of $5.2 million standard cost value. The
cable was re-spooled, tested and certified on June 30, 2005
(document attached) and has been stored in Gamma's warehouse in
Dallas, TX. Should you have interest in large quantities of OSP
cable, contact:
Laslo Olah
President
olah@gammaspectrum.com
www.gammaspectrum.com
P: (1) 972.907.2222
F: (1) 972.907.2581
Hicare Consult Ltd. Fibre Optic Cable Stock consists of Long
Haul fibre inventory made up of according to specs below. All
Cable stored in Secure Warehousing on 6000 mtrs reels. All original
invoice available:
A. Approx. 1905 KMs of Lucent Manufacture, Accuribbon Type, True
Wave (TW), 216 Strands fibre. This cable was received into stock
between October 1999 and January 2000.
B. Approx. 942 KMs of Corning Manufacture, 2 Core Non-Metallic,
NZ-DSF, 216 strands Fibre. This cable was received into stock
between June and July 2000.
C: approx. 1905 KMs of Lucent Manufacture, Accuribbon Type, True
Wave (TW), 216 strands fibre. This cable was received into stock
between October 1999 and January 2000.
D. approx. 942 KMs of Corning Manufacture, 2 Core Non-Metallic,
NZ-DSF, 216 strands fibre. This cable was received into stock
between June and July 2000.
The cable was manufactured for
a German city-to-city and inner city network. The cable is the
same stock that forms the fibre optic rings of many major European
cities. There are no export restrictions on the cable whatsoever.
All Cable stored in Secure Warehousing on 6000 mtrs reels.
Altan R. Koraltan "hicare-altan"
<altan@hicareconsult.com>
+44 (0) 208 372 2132 cell +44 (0) 7956 176 393
-
- Jobs:
-
- Fiber Design Engineer
Seeking a fiber design engineer for a contract or direct position
preferably based out
of Birmingham AL or Charlotte NC. Requires a BSEE, or similar,
and 3 or more years
experience in design and construction of telecommunications outside
plant networks.
Other responsibilities include coordinating with municipalities
/ utilities as well as
general and sub contractors, supervising construction, quality
checking the network post
construction and creating "as builts" to accurately
document the network.
The successful candidate will develop a maintenance plan with
P&L responsibility to
include general maintenance and break / fix accountability to
maintain aggressive
service level agreements. We offer high growth potential with
an aggressive organization.
Client is offering a competitive salary, health insurance and
the potential for profit
sharing and or stock options based on performance.
Carey Wienrich, Fiber Optic Recruiter
Voice 800-711-8286
E-Mail job4photonics@aol.com
Web <http://www.fitzrecruiters.com>
-
-
- Senior Process Engineer
Reports To: Director
of Research and Engineering
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
Assist in the development, improvement and implementation
of manufacturing procedures and facilities. Develop written S.O.P.s
used in the manufacture and testing of specialty optical fibers,
including metalized fibers. Design and implement improvements
to all production processes and assume responsibility for the
technical guidance on all production operations. Formulate and
implement Statistical Process Control (SPC) capabilities. Maintain
and repair equipment. Establish and maintain preventative maintenance
and calibration schedules. Provide liaison and support as necessary,
to Production in the research and development of new fibers and
fiber products. Prepare for full scale production capabilities,
based on new/revised production specs. Operate fiber drawing
towers, assist in testing as necessary.
Salary: Open
Contact:
Mr. Joseph Pagano
CFO
Fiberguide Industries, Inc.
1 Bay Street
Stirling, NJ 07980
Fax No: (908) 647-6601
E-mail: jpagano@fiberguide.com
-
-
- Check Last
Month's Job Openings
-
-
-
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 free 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.
-
-
-
-
-
- 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.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Tech Puzzler
- Fiber is touted for it's resistance
to electromagnetic interference - electrical noise. Why does
fiber not get affected by electronic or electrical noise?
-
- 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!
-
- 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: Fiber is made of glass or plastic, which
cannot carry current and is not affected by electrical signals.