Trouble in Paradise

Chasing dial tone is what we used to call it. It was (and still is) a sweet sound to go off hook with a butt set and hear the clear sound of dial tone. Sometimes that wasn't the case. Often times on a trouble call you would hear a hum, a crackle, a 2nd dial tone, or even a radio station! All these were very common troubles in South Georgia. After a few years I learned exactly what trouble to look for just from the sound. Whether I was looking for a ground, high open, or cross battery, I would start my troubleshooting process the same. This skill that I was learning would follow me into troubleshooting T-1's, analog circuits, phone systems, access control, CCTV, and other low voltage applications.

It took me years to realize that OSP copper cabling in the telecom world is just one big series-parallel circuit. 48VDC (130VDC for T-1's), cable resistance, grounds, cable distance, bridge taps, reg units- all this played out to be one giant circuit.

Measuring for shorts, grounds, and noise became a daily task. When I transitioned into a phone system tech, I used the same process for premise cabling. I was also able to add another layer of troubleshooting with programming. PBX's were basically blank slates and depending on the size, could take hours to program.

Everything I learned in the phone world carried over into fiber and low voltage systems. 12VDC and 24VAC for analog cameras, relays for access control, power and OTDR readings for fiber - all of these came fairly easy.

My starting point was to find a spot to open the circuit, test both directions, work my way towards the trouble. It may take 2 or 3 times but eventually you will end up right on top of it.

Programming or provisioning throws a loop into the mix when all the physical components test out okay. Now with everything being on a data network, it becomes even more challenging. Everything an ICT tech touches today typically has to be programmed. GUI's and phone apps have made this easier in the last few years.

All this being said, troubleshooting is my favorite thing! I love going behind others that were unsuccessful in fixing something, and fix it. Working with a technician over the phone, hundreds of miles away, and putting them right on top of the problem. Going behind another company that spent 3 days at a customer site, just to walk in and have them going in 30 minutes. It is the most satisfying thing.

Troubleshooting is what "puts the hair on your chest" as my Grandpa would say. It is the pathway to being a well rounded technician.