Not so new new guy

**Thewiredownbelow** · February 27th, 2011, 12:53 AM

What I mean by this title is that I have been worked in the telephone industry for 3 decades!!!! So as to say, I'm "Not So New" to locating.

The reason I'm here is that I've had to make a career change due to an injury on the job, I can't do my splicing job anymore & I'm too young to retire. I've been retrained as a CAD Drafter but with no experience in the field I feel like I'm 18 & fresh out of school & can't get a job. So I am trying to get back into the Comm. biz again as a locator in Washington state where I decided to settle 20 some odd years ago.

My first time locating cable was back in the early 8o's useing a "Cable Hound", my how technology has changed since then!!
Now with the Metrotech locators it is almost like a plug & play device on computes!!! Getting so easy.
Anyways I thought I'd say hello to you all & try and learn somethings about finding "Thewiredownbelow" !!! (a spoof on the Bob Segar song, The fire down below)

Jim Sr

**TheCableVine** · February 27th, 2011, 11:22 AM

Welcome aboard. We appreciate anyone with any experience no matter what part of the cable business you are/were in. Whether you buried it, repaired it, or locate it. Everyone is welcome.

When Goldenboy gets a look at your picture I'm sure he will want to know where you hooked into a monster like that.

**Thewiredownbelow** · February 28th, 2011, 02:46 AM

Thanks for the welcome from a fellow North Westerner.
I have certainly followed many a bad mark, repaired them & then chewed on the ones that left em but couldn't run fast enough.... LOL

After our briliant management decided they would not pay to have locates preformed by a locating company (due to either stupidity or cost cutting, which seem to go hand in hand in these types of decisions) they decided that the splicers had too much extra time on our hands and needed to do it, how long could it take to locate a cable? Well they found out quickly that when you take valuable time from maintenance duties it equals more out of service tickets piled up which entailed more overtime and emergency callouts. They even expected us to mark all the other utilities at our own digs!!!! I'm glad I was able to leave that company not soon after that.

Tell Goldenboy that I hooked it:
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In the mouth!!!! LOL

**Mke** · February 28th, 2011, 09:27 AM

Welcome aboard. SW Washington huh? Two neighbors joining the board within the same week..... go figure.

How you like trying to get the paint to float in weather like this?

Mke

**Thewiredownbelow** · February 28th, 2011, 02:27 PM

They say good things come in pairs, right? Who is the other PNWer?

Well as far as technology goes, they still have not come up with a solution to this problem. Maybe if they tried to reduce the precipitation amounts it might give us a fighting chance!!!

Jim Sr

**Mke** · February 28th, 2011, 05:31 PM

He goes by "Locates with a Cape"...... He's probably dodging rain drops as we speak.

I'm still trying to dry out from this mornings adventure. I actually had to use keel out on the asphalt. Fortunatley, Keel can mark under water.

mke

**Thewiredownbelow** · February 28th, 2011, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by Mke

He goes by "Locates with a Cape"...... He's probably dodging rain drops as we speak.

I'm still trying to dry out from this mornings adventure. I actually had to use keel out on the asphalt. Fortunatley, Keel can mark under water.

mke

That is something I didn't know!!! Keel, please, need more data!!!!

**Mke** · March 1st, 2011, 08:37 AM

http://www.markal.com/productDetail74.aspx

The only thing we use on hard surfaces when its raining.

The only warning I give is: if your not careful, the wax gets everywhere, and some colors may stain. So treat it more like paint, and less like pencil.

If your company doesn't have any, and doesn't want to get any, let me know, I can toss you a couple of sticks to try out.

Mke