c/cable-installers

Hot take: New guys keep using the wrong crimp tool for RG-6 quad shield

I keep seeing trainees in our Denver shop using a standard RG-6 crimper on quad shield cable, and it just doesn't seat the connector right. The center conductor doesn't make solid contact, which leads to signal issues down the line. You need the specific hex crimp die for the thicker jacket, something I learned the hard way on a 50-unit apartment job back in 2018. What's the best way you've found to teach this to new hires?

The attic crawl space that went from horror movie to hotel lobby

I mean, I had a job in this old house on Maple Avenue last month, and the attic crawl space was a total nightmare. There were cobwebs thick like curtains and insulation falling everywhere, idk how anyone lived with it. The homeowner said they had a raccoon problem for about a year, and the critters just tore the place apart. After we sealed the entry point and I ran the new lines, I came back two weeks later to check the signal, and they'd cleaned it all out, put down plywood walkways, and even added a string of LED lights. Has anyone else seen a customer totally transform a workspace after you fix the root cause?

My old foreman from the 90s saw my fiber splicing kit and called it 'magic string'

Vent: Almost got zapped on a job in Fort Collins last week

Was up a ladder running a new drop and my drill bit nicked a line that wasn't marked on the old building plans. Anyone else run into hidden live wires in old construction?

Hit 500 feet of coax pulled through a single attic crawl space yesterday

It was in a big old house in Salem, and the path was so tight I had to feed it from the roof vent. The homeowner said they'd never seen anyone get a line to the far bedroom before. Anyone else have a weird record they didn't expect to set?

Just dropped $150 on a new cable toner and it's already paid for itself

Had a job in a big old apartment building with a rat's nest of coax in the basement. My old toner was giving me a weak signal and I was about to waste hours tracing lines. Bought the new one, found the right drop in under five minutes. Anyone got a different brand they swear by for messy multi-unit setups?

Why does nobody talk about using a small binder clip for coax in tight spaces?

Was doing a retrofit in a 1920s house in Portland and the wall cavity behind the outlet was maybe an inch deep. Couldn't get a proper strap in there, so I clipped a small binder clip onto the stud and fed the cable through the metal arms. Held it perfect for the drywall crew. Anyone have a better trick for zero-clearance spots?

Can we talk about how much signal loss a single kinked RG6 can cause?

Found a spec sheet from CommScope showing a sharp 90-degree bend can drop signal over 3 dB. Anyone else run into this on a job and have a good fix besides just replacing the line?

TIL my $150 thermal imager paid for itself on a single attic crawl in July.

Spotted a hidden hot spot on a main line that a regular toner missed, saving me from a future callback and a very unhappy customer, so what's the one tool you bought that surprised you with its value?

Always thought those cheap crimpers from the hardware store were fine until a whole apartment job went sideways

Last Thursday in the rain, I had to re-terminate 22 coax ends because my old crimper kept leaving a tiny gap that killed the signal. My boss finally handed me his Klein VDV226-110 and the difference was instant, like butter. What's your go-to tool for a wet weather install that you won't leave the truck without?

I think the 'never use zip ties on aerial drops' rule is too rigid, and a situation in a tight alley off 5th Street last month proved it to me.

When a sudden wind gust wrapped a customer's drop around a tree branch 15 feet up, I used a single UV-rated zip tie to secure it to a stable service line as a temporary fix, preventing a full pull-out and allowing me to safely reroute it the next day, so what's your go-to for a quick aerial emergency hold?

Got a call for a tricky crawl space run under a house in Tacoma last week

The access hole was only about 18 inches wide, and the main line needed to go 30 feet across. I was about to start the long, slow belly crawl with my fish tape when I remembered an old timer's trick: I tied a small nut to some heavy fishing line and used a slingshot to shoot it across. It worked on the third try, saving me probably an hour of dirty work. Anyone have a better method for tight spaces like that?

Pro tip: a customer's old house taught me about knob and tube wiring

I was running a new line in this 1920s bungalow last week and found the original knob and tube still active behind the baseboard. The homeowner had no idea it was still there, and neither did I until I pulled the trim. It was tucked right next to the new cable run I was putting in. What's the safest way you guys deal with that when you find it on a job?

My old boss in Phoenix insisted on using a 3/8 inch drill bit for every wall anchor, no matter what.

He said it was the only size that held properly and saved time. I followed that for years until a customer's drywall crumbled on a big install last month. The new guy on my crew showed me his set of different sized bits and it fixed the issue instantly. Now I'm wondering if sticking to one size is actually costing me more time fixing mistakes. Anyone else have a 'one size fits all' rule they had to unlearn?

Had to choose between fishing a line through a finished wall or cutting a new hole in a Denver condo

I picked the fish tape and spent 45 minutes working it through, but it saved the drywall and the homeowner was thrilled. Anyone have a better trick for a tight corner like that?

A homeowner in Phoenix said my wall plate installs looked 'rushed' and it stung.

They pointed out my screw slots weren't all vertical, which I'd honestly never considered. Do you guys have a specific method for that, or is it just about taking an extra second?

Just realized I was wrong about using a drill for wall plates

I always used a cordless drill to screw in wall plates, but after cracking three plates in a row on a job in Tempe last week, I switched to a regular screwdriver. The drill was just too much torque, even on the lowest setting, and the manual way gave me way more control and zero breaks. Anyone else find drills are overkill for this small job?

I watched three different guys this month try to pull cable through a 3/4-inch conduit without a fishtape first.

They all ended up with a nasty birdsnest that took an extra hour to fix, so just spend the 30 seconds to run the tape, seriously, has anyone else seen this happen lately?

Showerthought: I just saw the average cable installer's truck drives 25,000 miles a year

Read it in a trade magazine at the supply house. Honestly, that's like driving across the country eight times, no wonder we go through tires so fast.

Spent $250 on a thermal camera for finding wall studs and wires, best money ever

I was on a job in a 100 year old house last month, trying to fish a line through a plaster wall. I kept hitting something solid and couldn't figure out the framing. I pulled out this little thermal camera I bought, scanned the wall, and it clearly showed me every stud and a hot water pipe I had no idea was there. It saved me at least two hours of guessing and drilling extra holes. Has anyone else found a tool that paid for itself that fast?

Rant: A simple coax run in an old house turned into a 6 hour crawlspace nightmare...

That old compression tool I've had since '09 finally gave up the ghost last Thursday...

I was finishing a line in a crawlspace when the crimp just folded over, leaving me to hand-tighten the connector with pliers and hope it held until I could grab a new one from the van.

Warning: I just hit 100 attic runs in a single month and my knees are screaming

The sheer volume of fiber upgrades in the new Maplewood subdivision pushed me past that number, and I'm now looking for a better knee pad brand, any suggestions?

Showerthought: My old crew in Phoenix used to take 3 hours on a standard install. New guy with a different crimper tool cut it to 90 minutes.

Changed my mind about using a 6-foot ladder for attic runs after a job in Phoenix