High-Speed Fiber Optic Installation Part 1

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

Several weeks ago, a representative from our internet provider stopped by to inform us that their company had now expanded their new High-Speed Fiber Optics System into our area, and it was now available to us at a reduced price.  Did we want it?  Yes, we wanted it, and he signed us up with an installation date the following week.  We were happy about the prospects of having the new faster system, and greeted the installation technician with expectation when he showed up as scheduled. 

Photo Credit: https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;repairman-clipart

That happy expectation didn’t last long.  After an inspection of the power pole he needed to access, in order to connect us onto the new system, he gave us the bad news.  At some point in the past, that pole had been braced with a metal support because of underground rotting (presumably an acceptable ‘Temporary Fix’ at the time), and now for safety reasons, he said his company wouldn’t allow him to climb that pole, or even lean a ladder against it.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

He apologized for the inconvenience and assured us that he would notify his company of the problem so they could have the power pole replaced as soon as possible.  Well, that was several weeks ago, and then last Friday morning a crew showed up to replace the power pole. There were three large trucks (one loaded with new power poles) and four workers ready to go to work.  They soon discovered that there was no access to the power pole area for their large equipment trucks.  After much exploration of the area and many long coordination phone calls, the crew informed us that a different approach was needed, and they would return Monday with all the proper equipment to do the job.

Photo Credit: https://images.search.yahoo.com/electric+power+repair+truck

Well, here it is Monday morning, and the crew showed up as promised, right on time, with their three big trucks and the same four workers. This time they had brought along a remote-controlled (tracked) mechanical machine to do all the heavy lifting for them, and to provide access to the pole installation area.  When I first saw it sitting on its trailer, I couldn’t imagine how that small machine could do all the work that was going to need to be done.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

This is an amazing machine!  It’s called an Altec Mobil Aerial Derrick Digger Machine and I discovered it can do any of the tasks that their truck mounted telephone pole replacement machine can do.  However, for today’s operation they employed a track-mounted machine which was able to drag the new telephone pole thru the wooded area (not accessible by truck) and, also be able to do everything they needed to do to set the new pole.  As the operator walked the machine off its trailer and down the street towards the woods, it looked like a man walking a child, as it would hesitate every so often, and then pick up the pace again.

Photo Credit: Bill Lites

—–To Be Continued—–

Bill is a retired Mechanical engineer living with his wonderful artist/writer wife, DiVoran, of 65 years in Titusville, Florida. He was born and raised in the Southwest, did a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, attended Northrop University in Southern California and ended up working on America’s Manned Space Program for 35 years. He currently is retired and spends most of his time building and flying R/C model airplanes, traveling, writing blogs about his travels for Word Press and supporting his wife’s hobbies with framing, editing and marketing.  He also volunteers with a local church Car Care Ministry and as a tour guide at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum there in Titusville.  Bill has two wonderful children, two outstanding grandchildren, and a loving sister and her husband, all of whom also live in Central Florida, so he and DiVoran are rewarded by having family close to spend lots of quality time with.

One of Bill’s favorite Scriptures is:  John 10:10