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PROGRESSION: MAINTENANCE TECH I - II CONVENTIONAL EXAM
LATEST 2025 ACTUAL EXAM WITH COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS (100% VERIFIED ANSWERS)
|ALREADY GRADED A+| ||PROFESSOR VERIFIED||
What DOCSIS modem features enable their usage for monitoring
network conditions? - ANSWER-DOCSIS modems have evolved
to where they now collect information about RF signal conditions
that is used to optimize the signal that they receive from and send
to the cable modem termination system (CMTS). Tapping into this
collection of network information and feeding it into analysis
software, the modems can be used as probes for monitoring
network conditions.
Why is the upstream vulnerable to noise and ingress created
inside every connected customer premises? - ANSWER-The
upstream is a many-to-one concept in which the transmitted
signals from modems are transported over a common upstream
path, which also makes the upstream vulnerable to noise and
ingress created inside every connected customer premises.
Why are micro-reflections some of the more challenging types of
linear distortions to troubleshoot and repair? - ANSWER-Micro-
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reflections can be challenging to troubleshoot and repair because
they can be caused by things that are easily overlooked, such as
loose F-connectors, unterminated taps or outlets, or fittings that
have corroded.
What recourse do broadband cable operators have if citizens
band (CB) and ham radio signals ingress into their network? -
ANSWER-None, as long as the radio transmissions are at or
below legal power levels, it is the cable operator's obligation to
prevent these signals from entering their network.
How is impulse noise characterized when viewed on a spectrum
analyzer? - ANSWER-Impulse noise will appear as random
spikes of energy across the entire return path frequency spectrum
(5 to 42 MHz).
How can the amount of thermal noise added to a network be
minimized? - ANSWER-By ensuring that the RF input is at or
above the specified minimum input level to all amplifiers.
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What location in the network is common path distortion (CPD)
most severe? - ANSWER-At the output of a forward amplifier
because the forward levels are highest and the return levels are
lowest
What distinguishes a micro-reflection from other types of signal
reflections? - ANSWER-In micro-reflections, the echoed signals
arrive back at the source with a time delay relative to the incident
or transmitted signal, ranging from nanoseconds (ns) to a few
microseconds (µs).
What are the symptoms of hum on an upstream digital modulation
channel? - ANSWER-Bit errors occur, similar to impulse noise
and ingress on the upstream path.
Why is it imperative to keep all ingress and impulse noise, even
that outside the frequency range of the RF return carriers, to a
minimum? - ANSWER-Regardless of the frequency, if the impulse
noise or ingress is high enough, it can cause laser clipping.
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When looking at a cable modem's PreEqualization Tap response,
what do you know if the ninth bar is less than 10 dB below the
eighth bar? - ANSWER-That there are high micro-reflections and
that the cause is near the modem, likely in the drop system.
What practice can uncover potential return path problems in the
drop system that can be mitigated before entering the network? -
ANSWER-Prescreening the drop system for ingress or egress.
Why is installing high-pass filters (HPF) at the tap on drops
without two-way services considered a short-term solution to
ingress and impulse noise migrating into the hybrid fiber/coax
(HFC) network? - ANSWER-The HPF will have to be removed
when cable modems and digital set-top boxes (STB) are activated
at the addresses that have an HPF installed.
True or False? Unlike troubleshooting in the HFC network, the
drop system can be disconnected and isolated from the HFC
network for troubleshooting the forward and return signal paths. -
ANSWER-True
PROGRESSION: MAINTENANCE TECH I - II CONVENTIONAL EXAM
LATEST 2025 ACTUAL EXAM WITH COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS (100% VERIFIED ANSWERS)
|ALREADY GRADED A+| ||PROFESSOR VERIFIED||
What DOCSIS modem features enable their usage for monitoring
network conditions? - ANSWER-DOCSIS modems have evolved
to where they now collect information about RF signal conditions
that is used to optimize the signal that they receive from and send
to the cable modem termination system (CMTS). Tapping into this
collection of network information and feeding it into analysis
software, the modems can be used as probes for monitoring
network conditions.
Why is the upstream vulnerable to noise and ingress created
inside every connected customer premises? - ANSWER-The
upstream is a many-to-one concept in which the transmitted
signals from modems are transported over a common upstream
path, which also makes the upstream vulnerable to noise and
ingress created inside every connected customer premises.
Why are micro-reflections some of the more challenging types of
linear distortions to troubleshoot and repair? - ANSWER-Micro-
,2|Page
reflections can be challenging to troubleshoot and repair because
they can be caused by things that are easily overlooked, such as
loose F-connectors, unterminated taps or outlets, or fittings that
have corroded.
What recourse do broadband cable operators have if citizens
band (CB) and ham radio signals ingress into their network? -
ANSWER-None, as long as the radio transmissions are at or
below legal power levels, it is the cable operator's obligation to
prevent these signals from entering their network.
How is impulse noise characterized when viewed on a spectrum
analyzer? - ANSWER-Impulse noise will appear as random
spikes of energy across the entire return path frequency spectrum
(5 to 42 MHz).
How can the amount of thermal noise added to a network be
minimized? - ANSWER-By ensuring that the RF input is at or
above the specified minimum input level to all amplifiers.
,3|Page
What location in the network is common path distortion (CPD)
most severe? - ANSWER-At the output of a forward amplifier
because the forward levels are highest and the return levels are
lowest
What distinguishes a micro-reflection from other types of signal
reflections? - ANSWER-In micro-reflections, the echoed signals
arrive back at the source with a time delay relative to the incident
or transmitted signal, ranging from nanoseconds (ns) to a few
microseconds (µs).
What are the symptoms of hum on an upstream digital modulation
channel? - ANSWER-Bit errors occur, similar to impulse noise
and ingress on the upstream path.
Why is it imperative to keep all ingress and impulse noise, even
that outside the frequency range of the RF return carriers, to a
minimum? - ANSWER-Regardless of the frequency, if the impulse
noise or ingress is high enough, it can cause laser clipping.
, 4|Page
When looking at a cable modem's PreEqualization Tap response,
what do you know if the ninth bar is less than 10 dB below the
eighth bar? - ANSWER-That there are high micro-reflections and
that the cause is near the modem, likely in the drop system.
What practice can uncover potential return path problems in the
drop system that can be mitigated before entering the network? -
ANSWER-Prescreening the drop system for ingress or egress.
Why is installing high-pass filters (HPF) at the tap on drops
without two-way services considered a short-term solution to
ingress and impulse noise migrating into the hybrid fiber/coax
(HFC) network? - ANSWER-The HPF will have to be removed
when cable modems and digital set-top boxes (STB) are activated
at the addresses that have an HPF installed.
True or False? Unlike troubleshooting in the HFC network, the
drop system can be disconnected and isolated from the HFC
network for troubleshooting the forward and return signal paths. -
ANSWER-True
