> KUDOS TO YOU BROTHER . IT IS SAD BUT TRUE TO THE LAST WORD I OFTEN WONDER WHY I BOTHERED TO PURCHASE SWEEP EQUIPMENT. YES IT HAS PAID FOR ITSELF BUT SWEEPING HAS LOST THE PRESTIGE THAT IT ONCE HAD . AND WHAT ABOUT THE "SWEEP TECHS" THAT HAVE NEVER CUT ANY CABLE BEFORE ? GONE ARE THE DAYS WHEN YOU COULD SWEEP WHAT YOU SPLICE OR IF YOU FIND SUCH A JOB IT IS A RARITY . WITH MSOS PUSHING TO HAVE IT DONE YESTERDAY BUT ONLY WANTING TO PAY WELL INTO TOMORROW IT DOESNT LOOK PROMISING.FIXING THE OCCASIONAL SUCKOUT , TRACKING DOWN INGRESS , CHANGING OUT A BAD FACEPLATE , ISNT BAD ,BUT RESPLICING HALF A NODE FOR AN ALL INCLUSIVE PRICE SUCKS . BACK TO THE OLD CONNOTATION YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR . I SINCERLY HOPE THAT THE NEW YEAR WILL USHER IN SOME NEW THOUGHT ON THE PROJECTS , AND THAT ALL WILL BENEFIT IN THE LONG RUN.THERE ARE STILL THOSE OUT THERE THAT SAY THIS IS JUST WHINNING , BUT IT IS SAD TO SEE YOUR LIFE 'S CAREER OF CHOICE IN SUCH A SAD STATE .
> >
> >
> > >my brother is a sweep tech in n.cal for att he tells me he does more splicing in a week then sweeping .he also tells me that not only can the splicers not read the maps properly.but that he has talked to the splicing contractors and they have told him that they hire fresh green cards to splice for 10 dollars a pole regardless of what they splice on it.i myself blame it on the price slashing going on in the business.i am a sweep tech also,but spliced prior to sweep.i have 10 yrs. in cable.YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR
.i feel your pain as a sweep tech i am the last one at each location.not only do i see the same things you do (visually)but i see the things you don't thru the stealth or calan i'm responsible to make things work.for no extra pay and falling prices it's very tempting to go back to being a splicer and to only climb poles once instead of chasing some a-hole who can't cut a stinger to length,or won't take the time to tighten a fitting.in my experience i have found that q.c. if it's done right behind the splicer is effective but many mso's don't feel the need for q.c. rather pass it on to the sweep tech by this time the splicer has already moved on to hack somewhere else.bottom line to get quality splicers you must pay quality money.which begs the question how do i know who's a good splicer a who's not.don't be afraid to spend money to q.c. immediatly.sad but true.i also see alot of pushing guys to make deadlines and meet #'s.this can also be avoided by making time on jobs to q.c.before they start.you can't rush quality.haste makes waste.sorry for the cliches.remember the 7 p's proper prior planning prevents piss poor projects.splicers waiting on parts or cable or fiber away from home bleeding money then being asked to splice mircles to meet deadlines don't cut it either.if you want put blame on contractors for the state of the business at present.you should look at the bigger picture of mso's tripping over each other to out do the next guy.like there not rich enough. the people suffering are the quality minded people who won't work for sh** pay.read the postings on this site most people out of work on this site are seasoned vets bitchin about hackers taking their jobs.most times i am working for a guy who knows nothing about cable.here i go again opening another can of worms.mso's should make sure the guy or girl their hiring is competant to run a project.i have actually worked for people who couldn't read a sweep trace,and have admitted to me that this was their first cable job,and they were running the sweep job.the mso's are bitchin about us the people who make it all work, the people who's blood sweat and tears and splinters are left on those poles, the people who've made it all possible through the years,the people that spend no time with their children or at home if they even have a home.when they should look no futher than their own offices.the changes need to come from them.they have made it this way only they can change it.peace out.happy holidays to all 
