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Fireman duty

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by mjd420nova

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If it wasn't so funny I'd shoot someone. After getting the proverbial call out in the middle of the night for a bad terminal on a supposed new
install, I'm about to fall asleep right here.
The problem, A new install of a terminal on a
controller, the first of up to 12 units and 3 printers. The first unit can't see the controller and nothing seems to correct the
problem. My arrival elicits sighs of relief
(my reputation precedes me) and questions from
others(why's he here) lead to the question from
me...What have you done so far?? From retermination of coax and checking baluns I can
find no faults yet. Quizing those on site I do
know gives me no clues. Among the many dirty looks and whispers behind my back, I start at
square one and reveal the answer. It's so
simple I have to laugh but don't let anyone know
what I found until I call there front desk and
clear the call and the site. All first units
must be node zero, not one. I just disappear
leaving them to wonder (why didn't I check
that?) I guess thats why it took 3 techs and
4 supposed programmers to pull out their hair
and stammer in front of superiors when asked
what's going on. The YO-YO man rides again.
Let's see, one and half hours drive each way,
45 minutes on site, I guess I only have to work
half the rest of the day (like that's going to
happen) and I can kiss the wife, get some dinner and hit the skid to catch up on what I missed
last night.

10 replies

by faradhi

It is amazing how people say they are tired of the cliche yet it still applies to so many situations.

by jdclyde

If it's too loud, your too old!

Oh, you weren't taking about THAT KISS, huh? ;\

[i]I, wanna rock n roll all niiiiggghhithttttttt[/i]

by dr dij

it is evil, switch to 10BT.
short of being a source for sharktank stories where the boss's son runs tv-coax for the net. I can't believe anyone is still using it.

much harder to troubleshoot, I've found that removing one station, which may not be the bad one can change it enuf electrically so it works, making systematic troubleshooting logically impossible.

even if you don't use a switch, hubs show link lights and regenerate the signal, making 10bt much more reliable. in addition to the common pair noise reduction that coax doesn't have.

by mjd420nova

It's not my call, I'm just the fireman.
Coax has been in use since the building was put
up in 1965. Have had very few problems and most
often as a result of users moving terminals around on the desk and running out of length,
a small yank and the connector comes off,
quickly before anyone sees they shove it back
on and then wonder why the terminal won't work.
Some of the newer buildings use twisted pair
pulled in with phone lines.

by jdclyde

Mine was a drop everything and drive 2 1/2 each way. The digi portserver "lost power" so no one could print. Because it was so far, I tried walking a "local" through a few basics.

Unplug everything and then replug it all back in. Plug something else into that socket to make sure there is still power going to it.

Drat, the box must have burned up.

Get up there, and was about to drag in my equipment when something in the back of my head stopped me. I walked in, looked at the wallwart and it had become loose at that point because of a user moving the equipment. Seems the didn't check that part of the cable.

Didn't say a word, and drove off into the sunset. Not how I had intended on spending the day, but I am paid the same if I am doing something productive or if I am listening to the radio in a car somewhere......

Believe me, I feel your pain.

by road-dog

I've flown cross-country to push a rocker switch on a power strip over to the "1" position. 2 grand service call, air travel (last minute) and a day's perdiem to flip a switch.

Also once had a service call where the janitor unplugged a router to plug in a floor buffer.... Every Thursday night for a month. I had to fly in and babysit for hours until the overnight backup failed and then get the Facility Manager to sheepishly sign the trip sheet...

by jdclyde

is a great comedy bit, and oh so true.

How many times to you hear people say "It is always in the last place I look"?

Have you ever heard someone talk about their "hot water heater"? I don't know about you, but I don't heat hot water, I heat COLD water.

It just goes on..... B-)

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