Reference · Glossary · 11 Terms
Glossary: A
Outside plant terms that start with A, in plain language, with links to the OSP map and the operations steps.
ADSS
Also Called: All-Dielectric Self-Supporting Cable
All-dielectric self-supporting cable. Fiber cable built to span between poles without a messenger strand, often placed in or near the power space under the power owner's rules.
- See Also: Messenger, Supply Space
Aerial Drop
A drop run overhead from a terminal to the building, held with drop clamps and kept at the required clearance over drives and roads (NESC Table 232-1; owner spec).
- On the Map: Aerial Drop
- SOP Step: AE-11 Terminal Coils, Closures, Drops and Risers
- See Also: Drop, Drop Clamp, Midspan Clearance
Aerial Splice Closure
Also Called: Aerial Closure · Strand-Mounted Closure
A splice closure mounted on the strand with brackets, with its slack stored nearby so it can be lowered to a splicing vehicle.
- On the Map: Aerial Splice Closure
- SOP Steps: AE-11 Terminal Coils, Closures, Drops and Risers, SPL-10 Closure Sealing, Grounding and Mounting
- See Also: Splice Closure, Slack Loop, Snowshoe
Anchor
Also Called: Anchor Rod · Screw Anchor · Helix Anchor
Hardware set in the ground that holds a down guy: screw (helix), expanding, plate or rock. It is set in line with the load, and setting one is excavation that needs a locate ticket under state one-call law.
- On the Map: Anchor and Anchor Rod
- SOP Step: AE-06 Anchors
- See Also: Down Guy, Lead, Locate Ticket
APWA Color Code
Also Called: Uniform Color Code
The uniform color code for locate marks. Orange is communications, red electric, yellow gas and oil, blue potable water, green sewer, purple reclaimed water, pink survey and white proposed excavation.
- On the Map: Locate Marks
- SOP Steps: UG-02 Pre-Construction Survey, Staking and White-Lining, UG-03 One-Call Locates (811) and Ticket Management
- See Also: Locate Marks, White-Lining
Aramid Yarn
Also Called: Kevlar
Strong synthetic yarn in some cables and drops that carries tension. It is cut with aramid shears.
- SOP Steps: SPL-01 Job Preparation, SPL-03 Closure and Cable Preparation
- See Also: Strength Member
Arc Check
Also Called: Arc Calibration · V-Groove
A splicer self-test that calibrates arc power for the conditions. Run it, and clean the V-grooves, before splicing, per the splicer manufacturer's instructions.
- SOP Step: SPL-01 Job Preparation
- See Also: Fusion Splicer
Armor
Also Called: Armored Cable · Shield
A corrugated steel layer under the jacket that protects cable from rodents and crushing. It is removed to length and bonded to the closure ground per the closure instructions, the NESC and the owner's bonding standard.
- SOP Steps: SPL-03 Closure and Cable Preparation, SPL-10 Closure Sealing, Grounding and Mounting
- See Also: Bonding
As-Built
Also Called: As-Builts · Record Drawings
Final drawings and records of what was actually installed, prepared from field redlines, bore logs and photos. As-builts drawn from the design instead of the field cause trouble on the next outage.
Attachment Height
The engineered height on the pole where the new strand attaches. It keeps the required separations above and below and the midspan clearance in the span (NESC; owner spec).
- SOP Steps: AE-02 Field Survey and Make-Ready Engineering, AE-05 Framing Poles
- See Also: Comm Space, Framing
Attenuation
Optical power lost along a fiber, stated in dB per kilometer. It changes with wavelength, which is why tests are shot at more than one wavelength.
- See Also: Insertion Loss, Loss Budget