Volpe Firm | Technology Blog

15 05, 2025

Reddits Top DOCSIS Troubleshooting Questions Answered 

Mia Colabrese2025-05-15T14:10:16-04:00May 15th, 2025|

We went deep into r/CableTechs, pulled the most‑asked DOCSIS questions, and tackled them on air—now you can watch the full replay! I’m Brady Volpe, joined by cable legend John Downey, breaking down everything from upstream ingress hunts and OFDM migraines to T3/T4 storms and mid‑split mysteries. 🔍 What you’ll learn Why RxMER bounces and how to spot the real culprit The drop‑swap vs. plant‑sweep debate for return‑path noise Ideal DS/US power windows in a mid‑split (85 MHz) world Reading ICFR, Max P‑V & Tilt on an OFDM meter—when to roll

29 04, 2025

THE CABLE CLIMB: Andy Parrot

Mia Colabrese2025-05-07T09:40:51-04:00April 29th, 2025|

What does it take to climb from summer installer to President & CEO? In this episode of The Cable Climb, host Brady Volpe sits down with Andy Parrott, President & CEO of Vyve Broadband to unpack the hard-won lessons, setbacks, and milestones that powered his 30-year rise through the broadband ranks. Episode Highlights • How a “no summer break” ultimatum launched Andy’s career in 1993 • Early installer days, 3 a.m. snow-storm callouts, and proving Dad wrong • Charter start-up chaos, Suddenlink’s gigabit firsts, and leading Vyve

21 04, 2025

DOCSIS 3.1 OFDM Field Measurements

Mia Colabrese2025-04-21T12:01:21-04:00April 21st, 2025|

Join Brady Volpe and Ron Hranac as they take a technician-level look into DOCSIS 3.1 downstream OFDM field measurements. Learn what to measure, how to measure it, and what those measurements really mean — from subcarrier spacing to RxMER and everything in between. If you’re a cable tech, broadband engineer, or just a DOCSIS nerd, this is the livestream for you. Topics covered: • OFDM vs SC-QAM differences • How to interpret RxMER per subcarrier • Locking to PLC, NCP, and Profiles A/B • Measuring channel power

4 04, 2025

THE CABLE CLIMB: Mike ODell

Mia Colabrese2025-04-07T10:29:42-04:00April 4th, 2025|

The Cable Climb with Mike O’Dell: From technician to engineer in cable industry! Join host Brady Volpe as he interviews Mike O’Dell, a Distinguished Engineer at Comcast, to uncover how he started out in hands-on cable tech roles and climbed his way to the top. Learn what motivated Mike, the pivotal moments in his journey, and the practical advice he has for anyone looking to thrive in the cable broadband industry. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: • How Mike navigated the transition from technician to engineering leadership

27 03, 2025

THE CABLE CLIMB: Ron Hranac

Mia Colabrese2025-04-07T09:54:32-04:00March 27th, 2025|

THE CABLE CLIMB with Ron Hranac: From the Bucket Truck to the Boardroom! Join host Brady Volpe as he interviews Ron Hranac—an industry veteran who climbed the ladder (literally!) from bucket trucks to boardrooms. In this inspiring episode, Ron shares how he built his career in the cable broadband industry, revealing practical tips and insights for anyone looking to get ahead in this ever-evolving field. Highlights in This Episode: - Real Career Journeys: Hear Ron’s firsthand experiences going from field technician to a top leadership role in

26 03, 2025

Mastering Cable Upstream RF Troubleshooting for DOCSIS Pros

Mia Colabrese2025-03-26T13:22:53-04:00March 26th, 2025|

SCTE 294 2024r1 EXPLAINED: Mastering Cable Upstream RF Troubleshooting for DOCSIS Pros In this episode, we take a deep dive into SCTE 294 2024r1, one of the most important industry references for cable professionals. Discover how to optimize your upstream RF spectrum by mastering topics like unity gain, sub-split vs. mid-split vs. high-split architectures, and common sources of noise and ingress. Whether you’re a seasoned engineer or a field tech looking to sharpen your troubleshooting skills, this guide will help you understand and resolve the most pressing issues

20 03, 2025

THE CABLE CLIMB: From the Bucket Truck to the Boardroom!

Mia Colabrese2025-04-07T09:56:20-04:00March 20th, 2025|

THE CABLE CLIMB: From the Bucket Truck to the Boardroom! Well where ever you want to be! Join us for "The Cable Climb"—a brand-new series featuring cable & broadband professionals who started from the ground up! From ladders and bucket trucks to leadership and innovation, these industry pros share their journeys, career tips, and insights on how to build a successful career in the cable industry. What You’ll Learn: Real stories from those who worked their way up Career advice for breaking into and excelling in broadband

3 03, 2025

DOCSIS 3.1 Performance and Impairment Priority

Mia Colabrese2025-03-03T10:02:00-05:00March 3rd, 2025|

In today’s evolving broadband landscape, DOCSIS technology continues to adapt to the demands of modern networks. During a recent podcast of Get Your Tech On, we explored how innovations like the profile management application (PMA) are shaping the way we think about impairments, plant efficiency, and network performance. My conversation with industry experts John Downey (Technetix) and Mike O’Dell (Comcast) highlighted critical insights that every cable technician and engineer should consider. The Challenge of Traditional Metrics Historically, receive modulation error ratio (RxMER), correctable codeword errors, and uncorrectable

3 03, 2025

RF network AMA

Mia Colabrese2025-04-02T10:04:44-04:00March 3rd, 2025|

Join us for our livestream event part 2, Tips, Tricks and what not to do in your RF network. Ask Ron Anything! (RF related) In this episode, AMA Brady Volpe and Ron Hranac in this episode Ron and Brady will answer your burning RF questions. --- Ron's Bio: Ron Hranac, a 50 year veteran of the cable industry, who has worked for cable operators and vendors during his career. He is a Fellow Member of the SCTE and co-founder and Assistant Board Member of the organization’s Rocky

7 02, 2025

Precision Impairment Location with OFDM & OFDMA Channel Estimation

Mia Colabrese2025-03-20T16:59:13-04:00February 7th, 2025|

Proactive Network Maintenance: Precision Impairment Location with OFDM & OFDMA Channel Estimation Are you ready to revolutionize your network maintenance approach? In this video, we explore how advanced OFDM and OFDMA channel estimation techniques are driving precision impairment location, setting a new standard in Proactive Network Maintenance (PNM). What You’ll Learn: • Precision Fault Detection: Discover how EQ and Pre-EQ channel estimation techniques pinpoint network impairments with laser accuracy. • PNM in Action: See why proactive network maintenance is a game changer for field technicians and network