Breaking into the Business - Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks
The key to a successful business is supposedly
discovering a niche - "Find something that you're good at and stick with
it."
It sounds like good advice, and I don't doubt its
value as a business plan, but the problem is that a niche and a rut can
often look pretty much the same.
Contractors can add a new dimension to their
repertoire by exploring new markets and opportunities, such as fiber
optics. The more options you have, the better your chances of being
happy and prosperous.
Just imagine looking forward to your work and its
challenges. If you're a sole proprietor, can you picture yourself doing
the same things 10 or 20 years from now? It might be in your best
interest to look into something that would require less physical effort.
The expression about not being able to teach old
dogs new tricks is somewhat of a fallacy. The real problem is that the
"old dogs" are too tired and don't want to learn any "new tricks."
There's a big difference between "can't learn" and "won't learn."
We've all got it within ourselves to achieve many
different things, but we have to want to do it. How to get the
initiative or inspiration to get started, or where to get it, is left up
to you. I can tell you that once you do manage to jump in and get
started, you'll find it easier than you thought it would be.
I found myself in a position that many find
themselves, having done several different types of work over the years
and having found none particularly satisfying or stimulating for very
long. Being out of school for almost 30 years made the thought of
structured schooling or training seem like, for lack of a better word, a
"scary" thing. I decided to look into fiber optics due to the growing
demand for this technology.
I've been thinking about fiber optics for some
time. This interest may have started as part of my daughter's elementary
school science project on light and refraction (rainbows). I recently
looked up some history on fiber optics in an encyclopedia and dug up
some information on the Internet.
Last year at the Electric 2000 trade show in New
York City I met the founder of Fotec, Jim Hayes, who has been in the
business of fiber optics for more than 20 years. His company
manufactures test equipment for fiber optics. They offer some basic
online training as well as concentrated basic and advanced courses at
their facility in Medford, Mass. (aka Fiber U).
Their approach toward training is to provide the
installer or user with basic knowledge of theory and technology and then
concentrate on the practical aspects of designing, installing, testing
and troubleshooting fiber-optic systems. Fotec, which provides
non-vendor specific training, also offers installers access to
certification (by exam) through the Fiber Optics Association.
FIBER IN MY DIET
I made arrangements to go up to Fotec (Fiber U) in
Medford, Mass., for training. I'd travel across on the ferry from Long
Island, N.Y., to Bridgeport, Conn., and drive the rest of the way up.
The basic course would last two days and then I'd stay for the advanced
course for a total of four days. One odd coincidence was that on the
same day I was leaving to start my return to schooling, I attended the
high school graduation of my eldest daughter, Elizabeth, the same one
with the science project that may have first sparked my interest in
fiber optics years ago.
The first day I started off a little apprehensive,
not sure what to expect and a few minutes late because of unexpected
traffic (and Boston's noticeable lack of street signs). I had a few
last-minute jitters about what I was doing. The instructor at Fiber U,
Elias Awad, had started his introductory remarks and I took a seat right
in the front. That may not have been my first choice if I had more
chance to think about it, (or more seating options) but I was glad I
did. I found the introduction intriguing and his informal teaching style
refreshing. I was immediately put at ease. This was going to be okay
after all.
MAKING CONNECTIONS
As I looked around the room I saw that it was a
class of about 10, which is great for personalized attention. After some
basic theory and background, we paired up for some hands-on practice
stripping fiber and making our first terminations. Our instructor kept a
watchful eye on us as we worked, sometimes offering suggestions, but
basically allowing us to learn by doing. The chief focus for the first
day was on safety. I learned that these little pieces of glass (about
the diameter of a human hair) can really cause problems if they find
their way into eyes or mouths.
During breaks and our catered lunch, I found out
(not surprisingly) that some of the attendees were local contractors
looking to expand into fiber and some others were from out of state. I
was surprised to learn that at least one person was from outside the
U.S., which might have been a direct result of the reach of the
Internet.
I think that we all broke fibers the first day but
still managed to make up our connectors and polish them. We were also
shown simple ways of testing our connectors for relative signal loss. By
the end of the day I thought that I had become pretty good at feeling
when the strippers cut through the buffer and managing to pull it off
the hair-thin fiber without breaking it. It was a challenge to guide the
fiber into the tiny hole in the connectors, not unlike the difficulty in
threading a needle, but nothing that couldn't be improved upon with the
proper amount of light and wearing of one's glasses. (My mom has a pair
of glasses that she wears for reading with a slight magnification that
would probably be great for something like this).
One thing I discovered was that the fiber itself
can be surprisingly strong and flexible in some ways and not nearly as
delicate as one might imagine. After the first day's class, any
misgivings I had about not being able to understand or work with this
technology were all but gone.
The second day started off with more basic
information and theory. We then moved on to refining our termination
skills. The instructor emphasized the importance of following more
deliberate and proper procedures. The best terminations or splices are
those that cause the least signal degradation (loss).
CLEAVING AND TERMINATING
We were shown how much better our terminations
could be just by doing something as simple as keeping everything clean.
Cleaving the fiber (cutting it square) and polishing may require a
lighter touch than electricians are used to, but I found it easy to
adjust. We were shown that there are definite steps that can be followed
to greatly increase the quality and integrity of the terminations.
Days three and four were spent learning more
different termination and splicing methods and advanced methods of
testing. We learned how to work with a number of different types and
brands of connectors. The fusion splicer was one of my favorite things
to work on. It's an impressive piece of equipment that, in effect, melts
or fuses two pieces of fiber together with little or no loss.
The other interesting thing that we got to use was
the Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR), a piece of test equipment
that can help diagnose problems and losses in fiber systems and a show
them as a graphical display. One useful feature of this equipment is
that it only has to be connected to one end of the fiber.
To sum it all up, I have to say again that it
was a very rewarding and enlightening experience. I'd have no
reservations about recommending fiber optics to anyone that enjoys
doing precision-type work and likes to take pride in workmanship. Of
course, advanced-system design may require more study, but the
knowledge and skills needed for basic-system design and installation
of fiber optics are easily attainable and within the reach of almost
anyone with the desire to learn. I'm very pleased to have gotten
this knowledge and training. Where will it take me? I'm not so sure,
but I'll keep you posted...
Bill Addiss
Electrical Contractor Network
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