It must be spring time

[Daskinor]

It was a chill Tuesday. Just your normal variety stupidity.

Suddenly it happened!

50 phone calls in 10 minutes. A whole building was out.

We run to the switches and sure enough the link between here and there is down. The switch on our end is good so we ran over the the second building. That switch was also on, and its diagnostics came back clean.

Alright we thought lets just swap the connection over to some dark fiber. Still nothing.

Everyone was cursing, swearing and saying naughty things. It was during this time we had a problem solving meeting in between the two buildings. Mostly because it was such a nice day.

Then it happened, like a flash. A bird of play flew past and landed. But where did it land you may ask. On a fiber optic cable strung between the two troubled buildings.


The fiber was crushed, so everyone was sad. We pulled out the OTDR just to be sure. Nothing could be done but start some early St. Patties day fun!

Now as I sign off from lunch time fun. The pints of Guinness are all but gone. The bosses joined us and even payed for the meal. Now its time to go home and pick something out green.

[Geek King]

Wait...you just had base fiber strung between the buildings? With little enough protective covering that a hunting bird could crush it? Sorry man, but they were just begging for trouble. You need a ground conduit or a heavy, rated outdoor line for that sort of thing.

[technical.angel]

I was just thinking the same thing.

Same thing happened here. We had some uncovered fiber (I guess where it ran into the box) that a mouse was playing on.

[Daskinor]

The fiber was a self support 24 strand armored single mode. However it was a quick fix. We used to have microwave transmitters on the roof. However we were close enough to the NSA building in Fort Meade Maryland, that they made us take it down. Even with all the proper federal clearance and FCC paperwork. We guess it was interfering with their doppler radar or some crap.

The bird on the other other hand could of flew off with a whole cow.

[Ironclad Alibi]

The bird on the other other hand could of flew off with a whole cow.

I told this to my wife who suggested it was a crow. She didn't think it was a larger bird like a hawk, vulture or eagle since she has never seen one of these perched on a wire, but always something more substantial.

Any thoughts on what kind of bird it was?

[Sandman]

However we were close enough to the NSA building in Fort Meade Maryland, that they made us take it down. Even with all the proper federal clearance and FCC paperwork. We guess it was interfering with their doppler radar or some crap.

I would then ask to see if they had their clearance by the FCC for their equipment. If not.. they would be at fault.. straight from Part 15 of the FCC regs!

If it was happening unintentionally.. there's a little Part 15 notice on almost all of our electronic equipment.. read what it says..

(Got to love about being knowledgeable about Part 15.. being a ham radio operator!)

[Daskinor]

I told this to my wife who suggested it was a crow. She didn't think it was a larger bird like a hawk, vulture or eagle since she has never seen one of these perched on a wire, but always something more substantial.

Any thoughts on what kind of bird it was?

I forgot to mention its run with but not lashed to a 200 pair OSP cable. Cables where run at different times. Someone at work called it a turkey vulture but no one is sure.

[BlaqueKatt]

I would then ask to see if they had their clearance by the FCC for their equipment. If not.. they would be at fault.. straight from Part 15 of the FCC regs!

If it was happening unintentionally.. there's a little Part 15 notice on almost all of our electronic equipment.. read what it says..

Part 15 generally does not apply to the National Security Administration(which the op was referring to), or the US military either-in fact not to most Federal agencies.....as it only applies to UNLICENSED transmitters-government agencies 99.999999% of the time do have a license...