Suffice it to say that I enjoy watching the game of professional football.  Is that the only thing I want to do on any given Sunday during late fall and Winter?  No.  But the displays of amazing athleticism during most games is inspiring and a ton of fun to watch.  Many folks wonder at the obscene amount of money that some of these superstars earn, but when you realize the relatively tiny number of people who are able to pull off some of these feats, it becomes apparent why they’re paid the exorbitant sums that they are.

So, no, I don’t watch every game every single time one is on.  Another factor you might not be aware of is that I did not play the game in any organized kind of way during my youth.  The public school that I attended didn’t have a team.  What I’m trying to get to is that my academic knowledge of the game is somewhat lacking.  I don’t know the difference between a full back or a half back.  I’ve got the Center, Quarterback, and Running backs down, but that’s about it; and I’m ok with that.

So it’s no wonder that I was unaware that in today’s NFL, there are radios involved for communications between the coaches and the team.  If this is not news to you, I should warn you that you might want to stop reading here.  For the rest, I’ll share some info that I would bet that you are unaware of, but I could be wrong.

The communication is only in a very minimalist way, but it’s still much improved over easily-stolen, archaic hand signals.  For those like me that were unaware of this feature of today’s games, allow me to elucidate.

Why did this come about?  Well… put simply, to cheat.  Ok, maybe originally it was done for no other reason than to gain whatever advantage they felt was available.  But in the long run, it was an unfair advantage.  It was 1956 and two Cleveland Browns fans - What?  Cleveland Browns fans?  Say it aint so - season ticket holders George Sarles and John Campbell developed a radio that would fit inside of the helmet of their favorite team’s quarterback.  Prior to this, the Browns’ Coach, Paul Brown had invented the “Messenger Guard System” whereby alternating linemen would run the play into the huddle.*1  While efficient, it delayed the game and was not liked by Quarterbacks used to running the offense on their own.  Brown immediately liked the idea and agreed to use the radio provided that the two inventors kept it a secret.  After a couple of refits, the device was used for four games.  At a Detroit Lion’s game the shenanigans were spotted and once the transmitter was discovered, protestations to the NFL began.  The last game in which the radio was used was against the New York Giants.  Offensive Coordinator, Vince Lombardi, was smart enough to use the Brown’s weapon against them; he eavesdropped on the conversations.  He relayed that info to Giant’s Defensive Coordinator, Tom Landry, who then used normal signals to let the Giant’s defense in on the upcoming play. Final Result?  NY 21, CLE 9.  Days later, the commissioner ironically agreed with the reports of unfair advantage, despite Cleveland's loss, and outlawed the radios.

*1https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/canton/2019/09/22/paul-brown-birth-radio-helmet/2725976007/

In 1993 the Play clock was shortened from 45 to 40 seconds.  This brought requests for radio re-instatements and again, the league agreed.  Since then, the NFL claims that, on average, between 8-15 seconds are shaved off of every play.  The rules are that each team is allowed up to 10 radios.  Only one player from each team can have a radio on the field at any given time.  The Quarterback is the offensive player allowed this feature, and the Defensive player varies from team to team, however both of the players equipped with the radio are designated by a small green sticker on the back of their helmet.  These players can only get info from the sideline coaches – not the upstairs booth – and comms are automatically suspended for the last 15 seconds on the play clock.  Each team is issued radios on game day from the NFL coordinator.  These have a special frequency set up by the FCC that does not interfere with local radio traffic and is especially hard to “hack”.*2

*2https://www.sportsnet.ca/football/nfl/insider-knowledge-nfl-coach-to-player-communication/

Hacking.  Hmmm.  Had anybody else ever listened in on a radio before?  Rumor has it, that prior to presenting their idea to Coach Brown, the two inventors had been testing the range of their new design.  Sarles had gone into the woods surrounding Campbell’s house to conduct the test.  Contact was eventually lost between the two.  When Sarles did not return, Campbell, fearing his friend was lost, went to look for him.  He eventually found Sarles being heatedly questioned by a local policeman.  The radios had bled over to the Police band and the PoPo  had come to investigate the strange chatter that they were hearing, only to find that it was coming from a guy talking to what appeared to be himself, wandering, apparently aimlessly, around in the woods.  And get this - he's wearing a Cleveland Browns football helmet!!  This was 1956 - Send the straight jacket.  With Sarles' confirmation of Campbell's dubious explanation, and the officer, being a "huge" Cleveland football fan, the police agreed to let them go and to keep the secret.*3

*3https://rugbydome.com/history-of-helmet-radios-in-the-nfl/

This may seem like an “off” subject when it comes to DataCom Inc., but when it comes to wireless communications, this fits exactly in Datacom’s bailiwick!  Many of today’s telephones transmit wirelessly.  Much of today’s alarms and Access Control equipment is also wireless.  The signal has to be clear and, even if it is intercepted, not easily hacked.  At DataCom Inc. we’re heavily vested in the world of WiFi 6E.  There, they’ve added channels and ways of wirelessly communicating to rival 5G and make inter-office communications work fast and flawlessly.  Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.  We would be happy to furnish a quote for us to rehab your office infrastructure to help bring you access into this fascinating world!

The topic on the radio yesterday morning concerned the value of going to college.  The assertion was made that it does not make financial sense to put yourself into significant debt to attain a degree in a field that you cannot: A. Find work, or B. Having found work, earn enough to not only support yourself, but pay back your aforementioned debt.  It was touched upon, that there are many fields which, require a degree, and will indeed earn a serious salary if hired, but have a glut of qualified people already in line for these jobs.  I was too close to work for me to call in and be put on hold so I did not call to chime in with my two cents.

What I would have said is that today’s youth, and their parents – and their guidance counselors(!) – MUST do the research into what will be the hiring climate in their field of choice at the time that the student will be completing their education and available for employment.  What salary is forecast for that time as well?  What kind of tuition can I expect to pay in order to attain a degree in this field?  What can I expect the slope of advancement to be once hired?  And yes, I am aware that I will have to start at the bottom and do my due diligence to advance. (You are aware of that fact, aren't you?)

I graduated Summa Cum Laude with an A.A.S. in Electrical Engineering with a concentration in Bio-Medical Engineering.  I was 31 years old when I started college.  If, at the tender age of 18, I had even entertained the idea of attempting this feat, I KNOW that it would have resulted in an inevitable, dismal, failure.  This life-lesson has lead me to believe that my convictions regarding career paths for most young people are correct.  Yes, there are exceptions; happily, I know that to be true.  But for the majority of others, here’s what I believe you should do:

Do the research mentioned above – but not only into college degrees; expand your research to include the Trades as well.  Trade schools are, most of the time, a less expensive education path, and simply by their very nature, provide a more hands-on approach to learning than what college typically offers.  There might even be a mandatory internship which will introduce you to the actual world of work that you are endeavoring to join.  If Trade school isn’t an option, then it would be time to really dig in and get on-the-job training.  You might have to begin your employment as a simple Laborer, but it will give you an opportunity to impress your boss with your attitude and work ethic and convince them that you are the obvious choice for the next promotion or to give you a shot at that job that you were originally asking for.  If we’re talking about a Union position, then your chance to shine will be in the apprenticeship class.  Pretty much all of these ideas will not only earn you a paycheck while you learn, but will ultimately lead to a skill that you will always have and can be quite lucrative.  Also, I cannot think of a Trade job where what you do can be replaced by a less expensive import.  

After you have been on the job for a few years and have achieved what you wanted, then it might be the time for you to attend college.  If you’ve worked as hard as I’ve talked about you will have matured; in addition, this path will have given you a chance to not only observe real-life work places and people, but to have saved some money for a college fund, and has  provided a financially viable fallback position should you ultimately find that college just isn’t for you.

One last thing.  Allow me a blanket statement: “Based on an Economic News Release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employees with wages and salaries have worked for their current employer for an average of 4.6 years.”*1  This would seem to infer that after just less than five years of employment, people, on average, are changing jobs.  Don’t allow yourself to believe that, after only this short amount of time, if you have not achieved everything that you want, it must be time to move on.  Sure more money is nice, but at what price?

*1 https://www.beresfordresearch.com/age-range-by-generation/

Ok, two last things.  I have personal knowledge of single-income households in days gone by where the father worked at a gas-station as a service attendant and the mother remained at home to raise the family and maintain the home.  While the pay may have been less than substantial, the position was never looked upon as sub-standard and provided the family an honest existence.  Many of these service-related  jobs have fallen by the wayside and no longer exist – at least not in the form we remember.  How many of today’s “marts”  are transitioning to self-checkout?  How much of today’s shopping, for whatever item or items, is conducted over the internet and the product then shipped or delivered to you sight unseen.  There are delivery services that will bring you your fast-food orders.  I’m not talking about this to belittle the laziness that brings this about.  I’m talking about it to give a graphic demonstration that EVERY job has worth.

DataCom Inc., like most small business’ after the last two years, is making every effort to grow.  We are a contractor that looks for employees with certain sets of skills.  This can make it more difficult to find qualified employees – but we also believe in the worker that shows up early, never complains, and is more than willing to learn on the job.  A worker that takes on more responsibilities without question is just as crucial to our success as the one with technical knowledge.  There are plenty of contractors out there who do what we do.  Our edge, as the Best in the Valley, is our commitment to quality and customer service; from the superlative products that we install to our rapid, consistent, response times regarding service calls.

Datacom Inc. is very proud to be a participant in The Mahoning Valley NECA/IBEW “Electrical Industry Substance Abuse Program”.  We have been affiliated with this fine program since its inception.

Every employee of signatory contractors agrees to abide by the standards of the program which include: Initial hire and then random drug and alcohol testing after that, as well as once-yearly refresher training.  In addition, a drug and alcohol panel following any on-the-job accident or if there is valid suspicion of an employee being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.  Following a few years of demonstrated, successful, implementation of this program, the Ohio Bureau of Workmen’s Compensation has recently made inclusion in this program mandatory to any contractor that bids State jobs, and retains the right to deny future medical claims if the procedures are not strictly followed.

While I do not profess to have extensive knowledge of the pharmacological arena of life, I did grow up in the 70’s.  Okay?  ‘Nuff said?  Well its all you’re going to get out of me for now.  Let’s just say that I have “some” experience, though years have gone by, of what I’m writing about.  One thing I can say is that, at our refresher training, I learn at least one new thing every year.  Last year, the statement was made that, and I’m paraphrasing here: “Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen do a better job at fighting pain than opiates.”  My first reaction was “Well then they’re not doing the right opiates.”  I’ve been taking Tylenol and Advil for my entire life.  Why, in my youth, following excessive physical training in the military, I would eat 2-3 500mg tablets of Orudis KT daily if not more!  On moving back to Ohio and attempting to purchase that fine product here, I was informed that it was not an over-the-counter product, that it required a prescription.  I do not believe that I was successful in convincing the pharmacist that it was indeed offered over the counter in FL.  Regardless, that stuff worked and neither I, nor anyone else that was taking it, “spaced out” or behaved as if we were intoxicated in any way.  (I couldn’t help but notice in researching today’s blog that they’ve taken Orudis off of the market due to possible side effects.  Yeah right; they just didn’t want anything that effective in the market.  Also, the drug in it is Ketoprofen.  Apparently it’s quite powerful and not entirely good for you.)  Enough about my history.  What are these people giving the training talking about?

“Acetaminophen is an analgesic and antipyretic drug which is used to relieve pain and fever. Acetaminophen blocks pain by inhibiting the synthesis of prostaglandin, a natural substance in the body that initiates inflammation.”*1

*1 https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=APq-WBsSK8oz4b3brIfGu7ONS5psSHmUkQ:1647452032829&q=www.rxlist.com+%E2%80%BA+how+does+acetaminophen+work&spell=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiV4M2Jlcv2AhXrpXIEHWzpCyIQBSgAegQIARAy

Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen work in incredibly similar fashions with the exception that Ibuprofen’s chemical makeup is more geared towards inflammatory pain like the arthritis-oriented variety.  “You should use acetaminophen for pain, but if you also have inflammation, consider taking ibuprofen instead. You can also take both of them together if you have pain and inflammation. However, never take more than the recommended dosage.  If you are confused between ibuprofen vs. acetaminophen usage, choose ibuprofen for inflammatory conditions and acetaminophen for "just pain".”*2

*2 https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/difference-acetaminophen-ibuprofen#:~:text=They%20act%20differently%20in%20the,like%20arthritis%20and%20menstrual%20cramps.

The training also stressed that there are verifiable distinctive changes in the way that a human brain behaves the very first time that opioids are introduced to the human body.  Not only to the neurological pathways that are damaged, but to the actual chemistry within the organ.  With the expanding U.S. Opiate crisis there have been a vast number of studies released that show these changes are the precursor to a brain that is indeed “addicted”.  This is why even a very short exposure to these drugs, though warranted for prescribing, vis-à-vis pain, are inevitably a poor choice.

In the studies that I read just now concerning the pain-alleviating effects of Tylenol and Advil, they were exploring all manner of pain management; from musculo-skeletal to hand surgery, from in-depth dental procedures to post C-section births, etc..  Seemingly very thorough studies, they appeared to be testing a wide gamut of pain-associated scenarios.  Even with these extensive varieties of agony, every one of these articles came to the conclusion that the use of these two very inexpensive, easily obtained, over-the-counter, drugs were the best “fit” for easing pain as well as, for the most part, doing no harm.  It was not expressed, but was implied in more than one article, that a small amount of pain endurance is preferable to a lifetime of opiate addiction.

"What about Cannabis?"  We’ve all heard that it is a wonderful pain reliever.  Of course, it is normally prior to a vote to legalize Medical marijuana and put out by some associate of whoever is going to profit immensely by passage of said vote.  “The association between cannabis use and the development of a psychotic disorder is supported by data synthesized in several good-quality systematic reviews. The magnitude of this association is moderate to large…”*3

*3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK425748/

If you need to reread that sentence, go ahead.  I’ll wait, and it is definitely worth it.  To move on.  "But what about THC’s ability to ease pain?"  From a 4-year Australian study: “Interpretation: Cannabis use was common in people with chronic non-cancer pain who had been prescribed opioids, but we found no evidence that cannabis use improved patient outcomes. People who used cannabis had greater pain and lower self-efficacy in managing pain, and there was no evidence that cannabis use reduced pain severity or interference or exerted an opioid-sparing effect.”*4

*4 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29976328/

Ok, so Cannabis has an extremely narrow sector of pain management that it is effective in.  "But still, wouldn’t it be better to be hooked on weed than on opiates?"  That’s a decision for someone who resides several pay-grades above me, but I learned that another outcome of the same study was: “Conclusions: Cannabis use appears to increase rather than decrease the risk of developing nonmedical prescription opioid use and opioid use disorder.”*5

*5 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5756122/

So I’m thinking that the best idea for any of us that might need a little pain relief would be to raid the medicine cabinet and find the Tylenol, or Advil and then try to relax in a dark, quiet, temperature controlled area until the pain subsides.

I always say how lucky I am to be working for a company that cares not only about its customers, but about its employees as well.  Membership in the NECA/IBEW drug program does afford the company a minor easement on our Workman’s Comp monthly premium, but it also affords us, the employees, valuable, factual, information on one aspect of our daily lives.  Thank you Datacom Inc. for caring about me.

I don’t know why it hasn’t taken up permanent residence in my memory, but for whatever reason, my Hire Date constantly alludes me.  So, once again, I had to look it up.  Not quite believing it myself, it is: 12/1/1994.  Seems like I’ve been here for quite some time.  Some of you reading this might agree, but I hasten to add that while this is definitely the longest duration I've been employed in one place, this little venture is actually the second of my “adult” employment pursuits.  Following what I would term as a spate of “juvenile” jobs - Summer help on the Road Department of the Village I grew up in, Pumping gas, Pumping Diesel Fuel, Mechanic’s helper, etc. - I went on to join the United States Navy.  Following 2.5 years of training was 7.5 years of being an Aviation Anti-Submarine Warfare Operator.  I was Aircrew, and flew on the mighty P3C “Orion”, an airplane with the primary role of surveillance.  That ten years contained some of the best times of my life and I met many wonderful people, a few of which I’ve managed to stay in touch with.

So why the history lesson?  I just wanted to brag about serving my Country.  Well sure, but not really.  It was to flesh out the idea that I’ve been working for a living for a decently long amount of time.  My employer, DataCom Inc. started as an IT infrastructure company that installed telephone systems, but has morphed into being more of a Tech Company than anything else.  We still do cabling, better than anyone else I’m aware of, but we’re installing and servicing all manner of Cameras, Alarms, Access-Control Systems, Audio systems, and other tech more than ever before.  I’ve been promoted to the position of Project Manager and spend more time in the office now.  Recently, due to the GM being overloaded, I was tasked with completing the ”Submittals”.  I’d never done this before and so had to learn from scratch.

One more bit of history.  Installing voice and data cabling into office spaces more often than not involves fishing cables into and through cubicles.  We’ve all seen them.  Other than one set we witnessed years ago at a “360 Communications” (the precursor to Verizon) call center, they’re all basically the same.  Some may be fancier than others, but they all fulfill the same purpose.  If you’ve ever occupied one of these special “cubes”, you know that a major drawback to them is the foot room below the counter top.  They’re small, but normally made to accommodate at least one set of drawers as well as your computer.  With smaller components, today's computers are not as large so this isn’t as big of a pain as it used to be, but they still require cables.  Before the wireless devices came on board you had the data cable, power cable, mouse cable, monitor cable, and keyboard cable.  They all had to be routed under the desk top down to the cp.  It usually made for a heck of a mess.  Under the desk also seemed to be a wonderful spot for everyone to store their 'stuff' in as well.  “Happy Birthday Margaret, From: Your fellow office workers” from two years prior was one of my favorite finds of years ago.  Here in Northeast Ohio in the winter, it wasn’t uncommon to find coats, purses, blankets, or a space heater under there as well.

It was not easy, comfortable, or fun to add, or work on cabling under those things.  At every seminar that we attended concerning our job, when it was asked if there were any questions, my hand would shoot into the air.  On being called, I repeatedly asked: “When are the manufacturers of cubicles going to make these things easier to run cable into?”  (That was often interchanged with: “When are the architects going to start learning how we do our job?”)  I was assured that the powers that be were working towards that end, but, with the occasional rare exception, I’ve seen no changes in cubicle design since that time.  This brings me to now and the task of writing submittals.

A submittal must be sent to the customer after you win a bid for a job.  Basically, very basically, even though they have accepted your bid, and for all intent and purpose you have the job, now you must prove that you are not only capable of doing the job, but you must submit information regarding the material that you are going to do this job with.  How does this work?  First, before you entered your bid, you consulted a Spec sheet – supplied by the customer’s architect who designed the job – which has EXACTLY what the job entails.  It lists acceptable parts and materials with drawings showing exactly where they want you to install said parts and materials.  Now your job was to figure out from these drawings the exact number of parts and materials that are needed to install them where they tell you to put them.  You then calculated a labor number that you believed you needed to charge in order to do this and still make some profit.

Ok.  With me so far?  The Spec's, written by them, give you EVERYTHING.  The only areas of your bid that might be different is if you can somehow get these pieces/parts for less than other contractors, or if your labor number is different, or if you require more – or are willing to accept less – profit.  Let's move on.  We did all of this, our bid was accepted and DataCom Inc. was awarded the job.

Another item that the Spec Sheet has is EXACTLY what they want for you to include in your submittals.  So I spent the last 6 work days cutting and pasting THEIR Spec sheet, so that I could include it in the submittal so that they could see that we plan to install WHAT THEY said, and WHERE THEY said.  I also marked up their print with a PDF program so that they could see how we plan on labelling the job.  Again, EXACTLY as they asked us to in the Spec.  I also included “Manufacturer’s Data Sheets” for each and every piece/part that we are planning to install.  Don’t forget; this is information on the EXACT pieces/parts that THEY Spec’d.  About the only information that I included in there that they didn’t necessarily have is data sheets on our testing equipment.

One last item I’d like to talk about.  Often the Spec sheet will say one thing in one paragraph, and then directly contradict it two or three paragraphs later.  These Spec’s are often hundreds of pages long.  So this faux pas occurs when the architect, not wanting to completely rewrite the Spec, cuts and pastes from an old project and changes it to the new one.  They change one item and are unaware that the contradiction even exists later in the document.  In these instances the unwritten rule for contractors is to comply with the drawing.  These drawings are often very intense and loaded with information.  It isn’t difficult to miss one tiny little symbol after staring at one of these for an afternoon.

To say that I’ve suffered brain fog for the last several afternoons would be an understatement.  I am not a cold-weather person, but after getting off of work yesterday the walk to my work van in that cool air with the sun shining was exhilarating!  I soaked in the Vitamin D and stayed in the chilly air for more than a few minutes.

If you’ve made it this far, I’m sure that you’re wondering what the heck I’m talking about.  Well… it’s somewhere between a vent and arrogance.  Yes, submittals are not fun.  But not everyone gets to do them.  I’ve worked long and hard to get where I am, but I’m still lucky to work for a contractor that not only “does the job right”, but is a part of this “brotherhood” of contractors.  These are big jobs; this one is for a 3-story Medical Office building soon to be built in nearby Salem, Ohio.  I expect we’ll start working in there sometime this fall.  Sometimes bigger jobs require bigger hoops to jump through.  I am happy to work for DataCom Inc., and if you ever need a submittal from us, just ask; I’ll be happy to generate one for you.

And if it doesn’t, then I guess I just don’t know what will!  Ok, I’ll admit that this shouldn’t be the first time that you’ve read of this product.  You just didn’t know it as I only alluded to it last October when I wrote about Anti-Bacterial cables.  What I wrote then was that a Plenum-rated cable contained Fluorine.  FEP is the product that is added to PVC prior to forming it into the outside jacket/insulation on IT cabling.  To quickly recap, PVC gives off a noxious, invisible, odorless gas when it burns.  This is what can incapacitate you before you even know that anything is on fire.  Adding chemicals to the PVC makes the smoke visible, quite pungent, and less noxious.  As anyone who has smelled this stink knows, you quickly become aware that there is a problem and quite possibly should evacuate!

So outside of a quick chemistry lesson, why are we writing about this today?  First let me revisit another blog (or two) from last year.  I wrote about ships backed up from coming into port in California and thereby delaying the delivery of many goods to our Country.  How is it today?  An article from February 10, 2022: “The number of container ships queuing to enter the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach declined to 78 vessels on Tuesday, down from the peak of 109 ships reached a month earlier, according to the Marine Exchange of Southern California.”*1

*1https://www.wsj.com/articles/container-ship-backup-at-southern-california-ports-is-receding-11644523945

They say the backup is receding and give the numbers to prove it.  I read this to say that it only declined 28%; meaning that day’s number of ships was still almost ¾ of the worst day’s tally.  That, to me, is not a significant improvement!

To tell the truth, the set back emanating from the west coast, for those of us on the east coast, probably will not compare to the drought that a possible trucker’s strike will bring.

But that’s not the gist of today’s writing.  Today, I want to make you aware of the coming shortage of Cat-6, Plenum, 4-pair, cable.  Not all cable mind you; just specifically the blue and the white varieties.  You know – the two most popular cable colors when it comes to Cat-6, Plenum, 4-pair, cable.  We were recently made aware of the fact that one of the two, let me repeat that; one of the two companies in this entire Country that manufactures the chemicals to turn PVC cable into Plenum cable has  inexplicably decided to shut down for a time.  No reason known, and the vague time period expressed is: “at least a month”.  Originally we were told two months.  I’ve written about “time” recently but I have direct physical knowledge that sometimes “only two weeks” can mean upwards of two years depending on who is declaring this limit to a duration.

I learned yesterday that the other company that produces this chemical has made the grandiose gesture of volunteering to take on the monumental task of producing product for both their own, as well as the shuttered company’s, customers.  Anyone who follows tech knows that millions of feet of Plenum cabling is pulled every day.  Yes the advent of 5G has taken an immense share of the data stream burden off of the physical infrastructure, but cabled connections vs wireless ones in the workplace still ranks as #1.  It procures better control over the network for the customer, while providing reliable, fast, trustworthy connections for their workers.  While I’m sure it will be a boon for the company that stepped up and took on these added orders, making themselves and their workers substantially more money, it also means that the lead-time for ordering the aforementioned cable has increased exponentially.

On being informed of this coming dilemma, we immediately ordered, and received, all of this vital product that could be found in our local area.  When we reached out to other locales, we were informed that someone else had beaten us to the prize.  There is no more to be had for the foreseeable future.  I am proud to work for a company that has the wherewithal to be able to make a purchase like this in today’s market.  We have worked hard, have earned and enjoy a great reputation, and deserve to be in this position where we can pre-order/purchase large amounts of the cable that we know our customers and the industry mandate.

Datacom Inc. is staying ahead of this trouble as best as we know how.  One thing I would like to assure you is that we will do everything in our power to satisfy our customers.  It isn’t really my place to speak for electrons but they, and the magnetic fields that they induce pushing the energy in the cable are 100% unaware of what color cable they are occupying.  And they are happiest when oscillating in a cable professionally installed by DataCom Inc. and her fabulous Installers & Technicians.

One of the oldest manufacturers of agricultural equipment, John Deere, the well-known moniker of Deere & Co. is under fire from both the public as well as the private sector.  In a nutshell, folks aren’t happy with their own supposed inability to easily repair the larger farm tractors; specifically, those systems that reside on the more technological side of the equation.  The tractor's computer is proprietary and contains code and programs that not even the dealers are able to modify. “Proponents of right to repair are really seeking unfettered access to onboard software and source code, efforts that C & B,..." (a John Deere agricultural equipment dealer) "...AED..." (Agriculture Engineering Department)  "...and the broader industry vehemently reject. The only reason customers need access to the source code is to enable them to modify safety and environmental protections on the equipment to improve performance.”*1  “Even the dealers can’t change the codes,” Burwell explains.”*1 

Seems like an open-and-shut case until you read into it a bit more.  #1: The large-farm owner operates on very strict time constraints.  They cannot afford to be delayed in their pursuits by having to wait for a “certified” mechanic to show up to repair a broken tractor the next day or later, only to be told the tractor will be down for a week while waiting for a vital part – that cannot be repaired - to show up.  While today’s modern machines have increased yields across the board – up 40% in average wheat fields – the sophistication in technology that brought this about comes with a price!

#2 The politicians, in their normal overzealous manner, have completely blown this problem out of proportion.  “The so-called “Right to Repair” movement, which is pushing legislation at all levels of government,” (“Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) introduced the “Agricultural Right to Repair Act…”*1) “is based on the false narrative that equipment end users are denied the ability to repair and maintain their own equipment.  The truth is, unlike the consumer electronics sector and other industries targeted by right to repair proponents, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and authorized distributors of heavy equipment already make diagnostic tools, parts and repair manuals available to their customers.”*1  “What they are prohibited from doing is modifying their equipment, particularly to circumvent important safety and environmental controls.*1

*1 https://www.farm-equipment.com/articles/20002-deere-hit-with-class-action-lawsuit-over-right-to-repair

As, hopefully, all of you are aware DataCom Inc. is a Technology Company first and an IT infrastructure Company second.  Day-to-day we work with existing high-end tech while simultaneously researching what is coming tomorrow.  Recently, our General Manager remarked that, to him, working at DataCom is like Christmas morning over and over.  He’s always the first one to open the box of new equipment that we want to explore and put it through its paces.  I just walked through our show room and observed that he has attached a new camera that we will install in a nearby city.  It looks remarkably like a UFO.  The spherical body contains (4) 5Mpixel cameras with auto-tracking.  When they detect motion, they direct the 2Mpixel PTZ camera in the dome to that spot and it begins following whatever was detected.  It also has 850’ IR range for low-light conditions.  He’s exploring its capabilities alongside of one of our temperature sensing camera.  (We use that one for daily covid screening.)

Without going into more detail, I think I’ve made it clear why the JD situation bothers me.  Datacom, like John Deere, sells technologically advanced systems that the consumer cannot repair.  We typically install our systems, and then turn it over to the customer to manage as little or as much as they want.   While the systems we work with do not typically require full-time monitoring like a tractor does, they ALL are capable of much more than the average user is even aware.  And why would they be?  As long as the system is doing what they want it to, why would anyone concern themselves with the notion that the system can perform other functions that are not needed?  We do not hesitate to instruct our customers on ALL of the aspects of their new system that they require, or enquire about.  If we are aware of a feature that we feel would enhance our customer’s experience with what we have sold them we make that information known and explore it further if it should interest them.

As regards repair of a system, this usually happens on the “physical” side of the equipment.  We are not code writers, and beyond replacing a card, do not rebuild equipment.  Admittedly, today’s IT equipment does not endure like that of yesteryear; but in all honesty, this is due more to the speed at which tech is advancing than to any lack of integrity concerning physical parts.  It seems, generally, that at about the 5-year birthday of any tech device, the owner will have become used to the features that their infant device brought to them initially when they installed it.  They become aware that they would like something new; something shiny.  Cooler, more rational heads prevail as they determine that they have not yet attained their full Return-On-Investment and can wait just a bit longer before replacing it.  Then, about 2-3 years later, they decide that they simply cannot live without the enhanced bells and whistles that come with that shiny new item and they spring for the cost of replacing it.  Thus, repairs are statistically a very small part of our revenue.  However if we were to fall prey to anything like what is currently facing John Deere?  In the article sited, the legislation proposed could force some dealers to supply replacement parts - AT COST!  Why would any dealer even consider this?  Though I consider it unnecessary, I can tell you that no company shall remain in business by simply covering their costs. 

I guess that I don’t truly visualize a lawsuit like the one that John Deere is currently facing coming our way after all.  Thank you for allowing me to talk this out with you.

One thing is for sure;  It has always been true, it remains true today, and we will do everything in our power to ensure that it remains true: DataCom Inc. sells High-Quality, High-Tech equipment.  And you may be sure that we will install and service it - as well as train our customers on the service/maintenance of it - to the very best of our abilities!

Hmmm, how “fast” will it get here?  Are  you trying to say something with that question?  Here, let me help – No; it’s just a question about time – but I like the way you’re thinking.  Allow me to elaborate; What we have to remember is that Time is Relative!  Before proceeding please note that the numbers supplied in this blog are very general in nature.  In Stephen Hawking’s book  “A Brief History of Time” he writes:  “Someone told me that each equation I included in the book would halve the sales”.*1  I'm not equating my intellectual level to Mr. Hawking's, but I like to think that this idea does apply somewhat to quoting numbers as well.

*1 A Brief History of Time. Bantam Books. ISBN 978-0-553-38016-3

7G and 8G have been on the fringes of internet conversation since before 2019.  Remember, that was before 5G was even euphemistically released.  I say euphemistically because I’m not entirely certain that it has truly been released even yet; at least not everywhere.  Though something of a relatively-late-arrival to the party, I remember the spotty coverage that was available when cellular telephones were first being introduced.  One relative of mine lived in an area that required them to carry a phone that required a satchel to house its transmitter.  You probably remember them by the slang name, “Bag” phone.  The transmitter of my relative’s had 5 watts of power!  (Today’s cellular device typically transmits at roughly 125mWatt (0.125 or 1/8 of a Watt).)  Also, while today’s cellular towers transmit at between 20-60W, towers of yesteryear peaked closer to their max of 100W for an omni-directional antenna.  The tower’s giant antenna as well as the larger space housing the facility means they can receive our cell’s lower power signal, and have room for much larger and much better receivers that can make use of this tiny signal.  So that’s how it worked originally, and, in many ways, now.

As the third generation (3G) and newer generations came into being, additional, improved towers were constructed.  As the purchasing of cellular devices began to proliferate, so too did the sheer number of towers and antenna farms.  The country, except for certain areas, was, for the most part, covered after 4G was released.  Possibly cooler heads at the cellular companies should have prevailed though as I cannot believe that the people making the decision to proceed at break-neck speeds to construct new towers were unaware that 5G was near to being released – AND – that for complete implementation of this new technology, 5G switchgear had to be retrofitted into ALL of these new farms.  I’m sure there was a certain amount of stockpile of 4G equipment already purchased just sitting waiting to be installed.  This represents a huge outlay of cash already spent.  This is where my disbelief of 5G ever being fully released comes into play.

I’ve read where the providers, wanting to save money, decided to “push” 5G technology across the existing 4G hardware.  Yes, it works, but do we really get the full experience that 5G provides?  Probably not, but it is enough of an improvement over 4G that we consumers just don’t seem to care.

Let's move forward.  Possibly those decision makers did eventually learn.  It seems that, knowing that 6G is getting closer and closer to release, they've "hedged" their bet regarding new construction somewhat.  Maybe they've learned from their past mistakes.  This is all conjecture of course, but they’ve probably run out of 4G switches.  While they have been installing the newer 5G switches into all of the newly constructed control rooms, they're not stock-piling them.  After all, as coverage is improved, there's less need of new antenna farms that would require this equipment.  They pulled off a feat by pushing 5G across 4G switches, why not push 6G tech across 5G gear?  Makes fiscal sense.  4G was the first truly “fast” connection.  Obviously 5G improves on that, and 6G will take it even further.  And while 5G definitely carries many innovative technologies encompassed within its system the speed at which it operates is a main component of these being able to function.  6G promises to improve these even further.

 

Now when it comes to innovation, 7and 8G is where its at!  Like 5 and 6G, higher speeds will be mandatory with 7 and 8G; but they already exist, even if in only experimental forms.  NASA uses their own network called ESnet, short for Energy Science Network, a set of private pipes that has demonstrated cross-country data transfers of 91 gigabits per second.*2

*2https://www.google.com/search?q=how+fast+is+nasa%27s+data+network&sxsrf=AOaemvKyJ_J1fIDEWKFihfhaHI043qS5Sw%3A1641309146309&ei=2mPUYYakEqiE9PwPgrewyA0&ved=0ahUKEwiG-YaFsZj1AhUoAp0JHYIbDNkQ4dUDCA4&uact=5&oq=how+fast+is+nasa%27s+data+network&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAMyBQgAEM0CMgUIABDNAjIFCAAQzQI6BwgAEEcQsANKBAhBGABKBAhGGABQihFYkR5gozZoAnACeACAAWeIAc0IkgEEMTAuMpgBAKABAcgBCMABAQ&sclient=gws-wiz

“With the terahertz spectrum now open for use, we’ll be normalized to ultra-fast speeds by the time R&D for 7G and 8G rolls around. We suspect we’ll start to see a shift away from an emphasis on faster internet speeds and towards the other emerging capabilities of later generations. This may include: 

First - Artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things: Both of these have emerged as the defining elements of 5G and beyond.

And Second - Coverage: With 6G, we’ve begun to see discussions about comprehensive coverage, or coverage in novel environments such as undersea and in space.” *3  

*3https://whatis6g.com/6-early-predictions-what-lies-beyond-6g/

That last paragraph gives me pause as I am both thrilled and scared to death by what it might mean.

Now, how fast will it get here?  Well believe it or not there is a sort of time-table to this stuff.  Maybe it's driven by the aforementioned need for the providers to recoup the R&D money already spent as well as get the full usefulness and life out of the 5G equipment that has previously been purchased and installed.  By that schedule, we’re looking at 2030’s release of 6G and 7G is slated for no earlier than 2040.  Of course the schedulers are using 2020’s technology and data to prophesy when these “should” be available.  What that speculates is that if there is some monumental breakthrough, some amazing discovery or step forward in physics, electrical engineering, chemistry, etc., it may shorten the interval until we witness these amazing technologies being available to the public.

Having said that, I leave you with this bit of trivial knowledge.  How come times seems to go faster as we age?  I know that as I was getting our Christmas tree out of storage this past December, it seemed like just a very short time ago that I was putting it away.  And yet I remember as a child it seemed as though an eternity passed between the holiday seasons.  What gives?  The way it was explained to me - and it seems plausible so I’ll relay it - is that, to a child born on Christmas day, the time between their birth and the next Christmas is their entire lifetime.  Consequently the period between that day and the next Christmas day - ½ of their total lifetime - seems to them like forever; and so on and so on as they (we) get older.  Not that it has anything to do with Christmas, but that the interval of one year shrinks in significance when compared with the sum total of time you have experienced alive.  While I can imagine prehistoric times, or the Old West in days gone by, the only time period I can directly relate to is my own personal time here on this planet.  So, for me, it will only be 2/17th’s of my life by the time 2030 rolls around.  I’m betting it flies by!

Researching 6, 7, and 8G is not an everyday occurrence for any of us here at DataCom Inc.  What is an everyday occurrence is staff and management striving to stay on top of the technological marvels that we are experiencing.  The speed at which what we install is progressing is astounding.   I don’t know the physical toll that a completely wireless society will perpetuate upon our bodies, and that isn’t for me to decide.  What I do know is that Datacom Inc. has a mission goal of staying on the cusp of technological improvements and expansion.  Training of our tech's remains at the forefront of our daily plan of action while management remains vigilant for emerging tech to make what we do better, faster, or sometimes – and only if the quality remains – cheaper.

Stop by or schedule an appointment with our designer to see what we can do for you!