FBR Solutions
Course map
FBR Solutions field curriculum for OSP techs: HFC architecture, hardline craftsmanship, taps and passives, line extenders and distribution amps, high-split upgrades, plant testing, plus fiber/node literacy at the coax boundary.
HFC Foundations & Hardline Craft
Signal flow, maps, materials, tools, connectors, cut-outs, 60/90 VAC power
Passives, Actives & High-Split
Cascade devices, AOI platforms, spectrum expansion
Testing, Balance & Fault Finding
Sweep, ingress, diagnostics, LO/TO habits
Fiber & Node Literacy for HFC Techs
Fiber-to-the-node, optical testing basics, Remote PHY context
Modules
21 total
- 1Start →HFC Foundations & Hardline Craft55 min2 pg12 Q
HFC Plant Fundamentals
Hybrid fiber-coax architecture from headend through hub, fiber, node, and hardline cascade — forward and reverse paths, DOCSIS shared return, design map basics, dBmV level language, and the noise funnel that governs modem performance.
- 2Start →HFC Foundations & Hardline Craft50 min2 pg12 Q
Reading Plant Design Maps (AM975 Example)
Use PDF design prints to find node identity, power supplies, active amp tables, EOL tags, tap values, and street routing — then reconcile what you see in the field before cut-outs or amp work.
- 3Start →HFC Foundations & Hardline Craft50 min2 pg12 Q
Hardline Cable Sizes & Construction
Hardline coax construction from center conductor through flooding compound and jacket; velocity and attenuation; size tradeoffs; messenger wire; bend radius; reading jacket print; and matching connectors to verified cable series.
- 4Start →HFC Foundations & Hardline Craft55 min2 pg12 Q
Coring Tools & Technique
Coring science for hardline pin connectors: size-matched mandrels, blade wear, square cuts, side-load failures, size stamps, jacket strip vs core depth, flood cleanup, and field cleaner discipline.
- 5Start →HFC Foundations & Hardline Craft50 min2 pg12 Q
Pin Connectors — Anatomy & Install
Hardline pin connector anatomy, O-ring sealing, seizure theory, positive stop engagement, pin length, male/female pairing, heat shrink sequencing, and moisture failure modes on aerial and underground splices.
- 6Start →HFC Foundations & Hardline Craft55 min2 pg12 Q
Full Cable Prep Sequence
End-to-end hardline prep using manufacturer cut marks: measure, square cut, core, clean, inspect, stage hardware, install, and QA — with .625 vs .750 differences and common reject criteria.
- 7Start →HFC Foundations & Hardline Craft55 min2 pg12 Q
Coring, Splicing & Cut-Outs
Hardline cut-out rules, minimum section lengths, expansion loops, torque from the AOI moto card, time-stamped documentation, and splice QA — integrated with coring and defect drills from evolution field standards.
- 8Start →HFC Foundations & Hardline Craft50 min2 pg12 Q
Plant Powering & Electrical Safety
60/90 VAC plant power fundamentals: power supplies, power inserters, ferroresonant regulation at field level, current through taps and amps, fuses, DMM and NCV measurement habits, and why coax plant is never RF-only.
- 9Start →Passives, Actives & High-Split75 min2 pg12 Q
Directional Taps
Directional coupler theory applied to taps: through vs tap loss, value selection, cascade math intro, terminators, power passing, GigaXtend 5–1225 MHz bandwidth, and high-split upstream relevance.
- 10Start →Passives, Actives & High-Split65 min2 pg12 Q
Passives — Splitters, DCs & Power Inserters
Trunk and distribution passives: 2-way and 3-way splitters, directional couplers, power inserters, equalizers as passives vs amplifier EQ, housing seals, and orientation discipline.
- 11Start →Passives, Actives & High-Split90 min2 pg12 Q
Line Extenders (LE) & AOI Gear
Line extender role in cascade, gain/tilt/noise figure at tech level, AOI QuantumLink internals overview, diplexers, −20 dB test points, lid power supply, boosters vs LE naming, pad calculator, AOI equipment video, and safe replace sequence.
- 12Start →Passives, Actives & High-Split75 min2 pg12 Q
Mini Bridgers, Distribution Amps & Boosters
Bridger vs LE vs booster roles, multi-port outputs, legacy FlexNet recognition, when to deploy each type, ALC/MAN concepts, power doubling/hybrids overview, and safe replacement discipline.
- 13Start →Passives, Actives & High-Split75 min2 pg12 Q
High-Split Architecture & Field Deployment
Deep dive into Spectrum high-split frequency plans: classic 42/54 vs mid- and high-split classes, DOCSIS 3.1/4.0 drivers, symmetrical multi-gig goals, field BOM changes, ingress criticality, leakage compliance, and node vs amplifier work boundaries.
- 14Start →Testing, Balance & Fault Finding80 min2 pg12 Q
Signal Testing with Viavi OneExpert
Comprehensive field test workflow: Viavi OneExpert modes, OneCheck acceptance, ingress scan, channel and DOCSIS checks, spectrum analysis, forward/reverse sweep, test point math, MER/BER awareness, and when to sweep versus level-only verification.
- 15Start →Testing, Balance & Fault Finding70 min2 pg12 Q
Amplifier Replace, Balance & Verification
Photo-first amplifier replacement and balance: diplexer verification for high-split, pad and EQ selection theory, ALC vs MAN gain modes, LED diagnostics, order of operations, post-work meter verification, and job documentation standards.
- 16Start →Testing, Balance & Fault Finding75 min2 pg12 Q
Systematic Plant Troubleshooting
Symptom-to-cause diagnostic trees for low/high level, tilt, noise, water ingress, seizure failure, open center conductor, and shield faults; return path funnel methodology; high-split-specific faults; divide-and-conquer with field meter.
- 17Start →Testing, Balance & Fault Finding65 min2 pg12 Q
Field Safety — Plant, Power & RF Hazards
Practical technical safety for hardline work: plant AC and trunk DC, NCV and DMM verification, aerial strand and bucket practices, 811 dig requirements, RF burn awareness, lockout/tagout for amplifier modules, and task-appropriate PPE.
- 18Start →Fiber & Node Literacy for HFC Techs70 min2 pg12 Q
Fiber Fundamentals for HFC Technicians
Optical plant concepts for coax-focused techs: why fiber feeds the node, single-mode vs multimode in CATV, 1310/1550 nm wavelengths, dBm optical vs dBmV RF, attenuation and bend radius, SC/APC vs UPC connectors, cleanliness discipline, and laser safety.
- 19Start →Fiber & Node Literacy for HFC Techs75 min2 pg12 Q
Optical Node Architecture & RF Boundary
Node as optical/electrical conversion point: downstream receiver, upstream return laser, RF test points at node, hardline vs fiber technician scope, service group sizing impact on high-split noise, and when coax faults mimic node problems.
- 20Start →Fiber & Node Literacy for HFC Techs65 min2 pg12 Q
Fiber Testing & Inspection for Coax Techs
Introductory fiber test discipline for hardline technicians: connector inspection microscope, cleaning procedure, optical power meter and light source use, OTDR trace awareness at field level, escalation criteria for fiber crew, and brief MPO context for DAA deployments.
- 21Start →Fiber & Node Literacy for HFC Techs60 min2 pg12 Q
Distributed Access Architecture (DAA) Overview
Brief solid introduction to Distributed Access Architecture and Remote PHY: why DAA pairs with high-split, how fiber moves deeper in the plant, what changes for OSP hardline techs, Ethernet to RPD, and coexistence with classic node-plus-coax cascades.