Cabling Installation & Maintenance articles from December 2003

Cabling Installation & Maintenance archives from December 2003

Year-end cleanup.(Editorial)
December 1, 2003... Here I go, doing an end-of-year emptying of the desk drawer--figuratively speaking, of course. Anybody who has been unfortunate enough to see my desk knows that there is not a square inch on its surface, in any of its drawers, or within five...

What to know when branching out.(Ask Donna)
December 1, 2003... I recently received a list of questions regarding T-1, channel banks and CSU/DSUs (channel service unit/data service unit) from the CEO of a credit union in New York State. It seems that the credit union is in the process of opening a branch...

Cabling Installation & Maintenance: editorial mission.
December 1, 2003... Designers, installers and owners of premises and campus communication systems are challenged by changing standards, products and technologies. Keeping pace with these changes requires access to current information from experts in voice, data...

The NEC as a living document: revising the National Electrical Code is a constant process.(Perspective)
December 1, 2003... The safety of the electric power, control, and communications systems in dwellings, offices, and industrial buildings in the United States relies heavily on the use of the National Electrical Code (NEC) for an installation standard, as well as...

Cabling for cable: a communications provider's system: regional cable TV operator turns on, tunes in and wires up.(design)
December 1, 2003... Cox Communications (www.cox.com), a Fortune 500 company and the nation's fourth-largest cable television provider, serves approximately 6.5 million customers in 23 states across the country. Like many of its competitors in the...

All tied up in network efficiency: cable-tie installation tools offer several benefits over hand tightening.(installation)
December 1, 2003... Maximizing network efficiency is the primary goal of a telecommunications system, and good installation practices are essential to assure high performance of the cable run. Yet, the practice of installing cable ties around a bundle of cable is...

Cleaning practices needed for testing optical-fiber LANs: a successful installation may depend not just on your connector termination technique, but also remembering to bring a box of cleaning wipes.(technology)
December 1, 2003... With the use of Gigabit and 10-Gigabit optical-fiber links becoming more common in new optical-fiber LANs, installers have taken interest in new technology and techniques. They have found that, typically, there are three steps to a successful...

Security market update: installations in need of wisdom: for 2004 and beyond, a growing demand will also mean knowing how to sell and install 'smarter,' cost-effective solutions.(security)
December 1, 2003... In the more than two years following the September 11 attacks, changes in the security market have been astounding. Widespread fear, terrorist threats, war, and government reform have created an overwhelming demand for security solutions in...

Seaport project pushes air-blown fiber installation methods to new level.(Industry spotlight)
December 1, 2003... Installers working in a Spanish port have completed the first phase of a cabling project that covered one of the largest distances yet for an air-blown fiber system. The installation covered a new 40-kilometer air-blown fiber LAN for...

CommScope hopes purchase of Avaya's Connectivity Solutions will open up global markets.(Industry spotlight)
December 1, 2003... CommScope Inc. (www.commscope.com) says its pending purchase of Avaya Inc.'s (www.avaya.com) Connectivty Solutions business will help it expand its reach beyond North America, opening up doors in the global community. "We have technology...

TIA puts broadband policy issue at top of telecom recovery list.(Industry spotlight)
December 1, 2003... The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA; www.tiaonline.org) says the Bush Administration needs to recognize the need for a national broadband policy in the United States, and help do something about it once and for all. "We are...

Estimating software for streamlined job bidding: cable installers are turning toward efficiency-driving estimating software designed to help win project bids and price out labor costs.(product update)
December 1, 2003... Contractors who are working in the structured cabling realm say estimating software solutions are helping them streamline a process that has until now been very difficult. Many who have used Excel spreadsheets in the past to come up with a...

Automatic grounding for racks.(New Products)
December 1, 2003... A patent-pending automatic grounding system is designed to eliminate the need to drill through the surface of an enclosure. Created to meet UL requirements for equipment grounding conductors, the grounding system that's built in to the...

Rooftop support system.(New Products)
December 1, 2003... The C-Port Series rooftop supports are designed for a variety of applications, including cable tray, conduit and even underfloor installation. Made from recycled rubber and designed to support up to 2,500 pounds, the weighted and...

Added safety when climbing.(New Products)
December 1, 2003... GlideLoc Safe-Climbing ladder systems are available for new structures as well as in retrofit kits for existing ladders. The system is designed to minimize safety hazards by allowing climbing without having to disconnect/reconnect the safety...

Intelligent Cat 6 patching system.(New Products)
December 1, 2003... The Real Time Patching System is an addition to the manufacturer's PowerCat 6 structured cabling system. It's comprised of intelligent patch panels, patch cords, cable, and physical layer management hardware and software. Featured is the...

Category 5e 50-pair backbone.(New Products)
December 1, 2003... Billed as the industry's first Category 5e 50-pair cable for use in riser- and plenum-rated installations, this media is constructed with two bonded 25-pair legs to ease cable pulling and deriver improved flexibility. An easy-tear web design...

Industrial strength optical-fiber converter.(New Products)
December 1, 2003... As a modular optical-fiber converter for DeviceNet bus systems, the PSI-MOSDNET allows for complete isolation of DeviceNet networks by converting the electrical copper-based signals to glass or polymer fiber. In the industrial cabling setting,...

Data cables for vehicle installation.(New Products)
December 1, 2003... The DataCELL 1939 SAE CAN-BUS data cable for industrial vehicle use is designed to exceed SAE J-1939/11 physical and functional specifications. The cable features a round, uniform diameter for easier stripping, pulling and routing in tight...

Handheld LAN troubleshooter.(New Products)
December 1, 2003... Designed for cabling equipped with eight-pin modular connectors and wired to TIA 568A/B, USOC or ISDN specifications, the Wire Mapper Pro Model CA7028 is a handheld LAN cable tester and troubleshooter. The device indicates distance and location...

Singlemode fiber connectors.(New Products)
December 1, 2003... Joining the manufacturer's multimode devices are the singlemode LightCrimp Plus optical-fiber connectors, designed for direct termination applications at patch panels and wall outlets. Featured is a fiber splice engine technology designed for...

Open access to LAN equipment.(New Products)
December 1, 2003... The Heavy-Duty Open Frame Rack features open access on all sides for secure positioning of LAN and WAN equipment. Vertical channels in the uprights are designed to hide and simplify cable management, while moveable cable managers are designed...

Raceway designed for healthcare projects.(New Products)
December 1, 2003... The Walker Wallduct raceway system is designed for the complex wire and cable management requirements of diagnostic imaging machines and similar healthcare equipment. The high-capacity raceway for wall or ceiling installation offers a cable...

Multi-use tester.(New Products)
December 1, 2003... The TDR900 is built to measure power, telephony, CATV, and LAN cable lengths, as well as to find the distance to an open or short. It features a library of 39 standard cable types and can be used for any cable consisting of at least two...

Installer-designed label system.(New Products)
December 1, 2003... Designed especially for industrial labeling, the PT-1400 and PT-1600 systems have been built with input from datacom and telecom professionals to quickly label equipment on-the-job-including network labeling in accordance with the ANSI/TIA/EIA...

Gel-filled Cat 5e outside plant cable.(New Products)
December 1, 2003... Category 5e outside plant (OSP) UTP cable is designed for light-duty use. It is especially designed for aerial installations or for above- or below-grade conduit. Applications include residential or commercial drops, and for interconnecting...

Home theater plate and video balun.(New Products)
December 1, 2003... The HTP-1 is a double-gang, in-wall plate designed to offer a simple solution to home theater installation. The plate provides connections for systems consisting of five satellite speakers, one passive subwoofer and two active subwoofers. It...

Locking "F" port security device.(New Products)
December 1, 2003... For coax installations, the PST Series high-performance, weather-resistant locking termination device lets you terminate, secure and disconnect a drop while offering long-life sealing for both the trap port and drop connector. The PST features...