PROGRESSION: MAINTENANCE TECH II - III CONVENTIONAL EXAM
2025/2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
✔✔The quality and attenuation value of a mechanical splice of optical fibers is
dependent on which tool during the preparation process? - ✔✔The quality and
attenuation value of the mechanical splice of optical fibers is dependent on the quality of
the cleaving tool.
✔✔What step should be performed at the beginning of every fusion splicing operation? -
✔✔Make a number of test splices to set up the fusion splicer and to verify the
instrument's settings and calibration for both the environment and the type of fiber to be
spliced.
✔✔Which fusion splicer alignment method uses a camera to align the optical fibers
before splicing? - ✔✔The profile alignment system (PAS) method.
✔✔What are the main elements of an optical transmitter? - ✔✔Data encoder/modulator,
electrical interface, laser, optical interface.
✔✔What is one process that has to happen before digital modulation can occur in an
optical transmitter? - ✔✔The data must be encoded.
✔✔In networks transporting data rates that are higher than _____, Fabry-Perot (F-P)
lasers are considered inadequate. - ✔✔2.5 Gbps.
✔✔Why are the amplitude levels into an optical transmitter different between analog
television and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) carriers? - ✔✔Because analog
carriers have a video sync pulse, which can be used to set amplitude. QAM carriers
don't have a sync pulse; the average power of the carrier is used to adjust the QAM
carrier's amplitude.
✔✔What are the main elements of an optical receiver? - ✔✔Demodulator, electrical
interface, optical detector, optical interface.
✔✔A technician is determining whether the optical power into an optical receiver is
within the acceptable dynamic range. He finds that the optical power is too high, but the
loss budget agrees with the design. What should he do to optimize the optical power in
this situation? - ✔✔Install an optical attenuator.
✔✔Typically, what is the first step to take when adjusting an optical receiver? - ✔✔Turn
on the optical receiver.
✔✔Which type of optical amplifier produces no measurable distortion to the modulated
light wave? - ✔✔Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFA).
, ✔✔Which component of a digital optical network is used to receive digital modulation
light waves and convert them to an electrical signal? - ✔✔Optical transponder.
✔✔Which type of optical coupler provides the least amount of insertion loss? -
✔✔Fused.
✔✔Which category of fiber-optic cable design typically uses some variation of the star
topology? - ✔✔Signal distribution.
✔✔What is the ideal way for a broadband cable network designer to plan the
replacement of coaxial cable with fiber-optic cable to shorten amplifier cascades? -
✔✔Use the existing coaxial network infrastructure.
✔✔What is a design option for a broadband cable network to maximize the use of its
optical fiber resources? - ✔✔Leasing spare fibers.
✔✔Which of these items should be identified on a route map? - ✔✔Parks.
✔✔Which type of map contains node information? - ✔✔Design map.
✔✔How many meters of slack cable are typically used in an aerial installation? - ✔✔15-
25 meters.
✔✔What is one example of a stipulation in a franchise agreement that would affect
network design? - ✔✔A 100% fiber-optic network.
✔✔When activating a fiber-optic network, which acceptance-testing stage includes
adjusting attenuation levels for the first time? - ✔✔During equipment activation.
✔✔What information should always be included in fiber-optic network documentation? -
✔✔Fiber assignments.
✔✔Why might a technician who is troubleshooting an outage in an optical network want
to refer to the network's as-built documentation? - ✔✔It will help the technician
determine specific cable lengths.
✔✔The number of rectifiers used in a DC power plant design - ✔✔Is dependent upon
the load placed on the system.
✔✔What is true of online uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems? - ✔✔They are
recommended for commercial applications such as data centers and
telecommunications operations.
2025/2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
✔✔The quality and attenuation value of a mechanical splice of optical fibers is
dependent on which tool during the preparation process? - ✔✔The quality and
attenuation value of the mechanical splice of optical fibers is dependent on the quality of
the cleaving tool.
✔✔What step should be performed at the beginning of every fusion splicing operation? -
✔✔Make a number of test splices to set up the fusion splicer and to verify the
instrument's settings and calibration for both the environment and the type of fiber to be
spliced.
✔✔Which fusion splicer alignment method uses a camera to align the optical fibers
before splicing? - ✔✔The profile alignment system (PAS) method.
✔✔What are the main elements of an optical transmitter? - ✔✔Data encoder/modulator,
electrical interface, laser, optical interface.
✔✔What is one process that has to happen before digital modulation can occur in an
optical transmitter? - ✔✔The data must be encoded.
✔✔In networks transporting data rates that are higher than _____, Fabry-Perot (F-P)
lasers are considered inadequate. - ✔✔2.5 Gbps.
✔✔Why are the amplitude levels into an optical transmitter different between analog
television and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) carriers? - ✔✔Because analog
carriers have a video sync pulse, which can be used to set amplitude. QAM carriers
don't have a sync pulse; the average power of the carrier is used to adjust the QAM
carrier's amplitude.
✔✔What are the main elements of an optical receiver? - ✔✔Demodulator, electrical
interface, optical detector, optical interface.
✔✔A technician is determining whether the optical power into an optical receiver is
within the acceptable dynamic range. He finds that the optical power is too high, but the
loss budget agrees with the design. What should he do to optimize the optical power in
this situation? - ✔✔Install an optical attenuator.
✔✔Typically, what is the first step to take when adjusting an optical receiver? - ✔✔Turn
on the optical receiver.
✔✔Which type of optical amplifier produces no measurable distortion to the modulated
light wave? - ✔✔Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers (EDFA).
, ✔✔Which component of a digital optical network is used to receive digital modulation
light waves and convert them to an electrical signal? - ✔✔Optical transponder.
✔✔Which type of optical coupler provides the least amount of insertion loss? -
✔✔Fused.
✔✔Which category of fiber-optic cable design typically uses some variation of the star
topology? - ✔✔Signal distribution.
✔✔What is the ideal way for a broadband cable network designer to plan the
replacement of coaxial cable with fiber-optic cable to shorten amplifier cascades? -
✔✔Use the existing coaxial network infrastructure.
✔✔What is a design option for a broadband cable network to maximize the use of its
optical fiber resources? - ✔✔Leasing spare fibers.
✔✔Which of these items should be identified on a route map? - ✔✔Parks.
✔✔Which type of map contains node information? - ✔✔Design map.
✔✔How many meters of slack cable are typically used in an aerial installation? - ✔✔15-
25 meters.
✔✔What is one example of a stipulation in a franchise agreement that would affect
network design? - ✔✔A 100% fiber-optic network.
✔✔When activating a fiber-optic network, which acceptance-testing stage includes
adjusting attenuation levels for the first time? - ✔✔During equipment activation.
✔✔What information should always be included in fiber-optic network documentation? -
✔✔Fiber assignments.
✔✔Why might a technician who is troubleshooting an outage in an optical network want
to refer to the network's as-built documentation? - ✔✔It will help the technician
determine specific cable lengths.
✔✔The number of rectifiers used in a DC power plant design - ✔✔Is dependent upon
the load placed on the system.
✔✔What is true of online uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems? - ✔✔They are
recommended for commercial applications such as data centers and
telecommunications operations.
