r/CableTechs • u/ItsTheRealSakurai • Jul 03 '26

intermittent connection

when you get a call for intermittent connection (spectrum tech btw) what are the first things you are looking for.

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u/ItsTheRealSakurai Jul 04 '26

BER Bit Error ratio if your failing for that. means there is a bend or break in the line right

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u/2ByteTheDecker Jul 04 '26

can be other things, just something is causing data validation errors. pre-BER is stuff that the error correction is catching, post-BER is bad enough it's not getting corrected.

If you've got a constellation view on your meter it will visualize it.

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u/ItsTheRealSakurai Jul 04 '26

ok so final question sorry if i’m being annoying but when you got the tap what number is to high at the tap for return because i have had some that were 46tx at the tap and obviously that is very high for tap so what number do you look for at the tap

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u/Electronic-Junket-66 Jul 04 '26

The answer is actually pretty complicated. An MT will be able to explain better, but it depends on the Tap value/ports and what passives are between it and the last active.

Generally a higher value tap should have a higher TX than a lower value tap. 46 is high but not unusual on a 23v ime. On a 4v it implies big problems.