Get Your Tech On

Why did the cable industry choose 75-ohm coaxial cable — and not 50 ohms? The answer is rooted in physics, engineering tradeoffs, and decisions made decades ago that still define every HFC network running DOCSIS today. Brady Volpe and Ron Hranac break down one of the most fundamental design choices in cable network history: why The post 75 ohm in coaxial cable appeared first on Volpe Firm .

Watch a brief recap of SCTE Tech Expo, John Downey and Brady Volpe break down the latest DOCSIS 4 innovations, Low Latency L4S for gamers, and the role of AI from Harmonic and OpenVault in transforming networks. Gamers will be thrilled to hear how L4S (Low Latency, Low Loss, Scalable throughput) is shaping the The post SCTE EXPO 2025 Recap appeared first on Volpe Firm .

Hey everyone—welcome back! You usually see me talking coax, DOCSIS, MER… but today we’re flipping the script: it’s fiber time. Join Brady Volpe and Andrii Vladyka, Vice President, Growth and Technologies at Harmonic, for a LIVE fiber lab demo like no other! In this session, we’re turning a virtual CMTS (vCMTS) into a PON The post Turning My vCMTS into a PON OLT – Live Fiber Demo with multi-Gbps ON...

Unlock the next evolution in cable networks with PTP-less vCMTS (virtual CMTS) and DAA (Distributed Access Architecture)! In this in-depth session, Brady Volpe (The Volpe Firm / OpenVault) sits down with Harmonic’s Andrii Valadka and Adam Levy—one of the primary inventors behind PTP-less technology—to break down how this innovation simplifies timing requirements, reduces costs, The post PTPless vC...

Join Brady Volpe on The Cable Climb as he interviews Mike Collins, Product Manager at VeEX, Inc., about his 40-year journey in the broadband industry. From his early days as a cable technician in the 1980s to developing cutting-edge test equipment for DOCSIS 3.1 and 4.0 networks, Mike shares invaluable career lessons and insider The post THE CABLE CLIMB Mike Collins appeared first on Volpe Firm .

Join Brady Volpe and Ron Hranac as they take a technician-level look. Educate cable broadband technicians and engineers on how to effectively use a QAM analyzer to diagnose and resolve issues with SC-QAM (Single Carrier Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) channels in the HFC plant or CMTS environment. If you’re a cable tech, broadband engineer, or just The post SC-QAM appeared first on Volpe Firm .

Brady Volpe and DOCSIS expert John Downey recap the latest from ANGA COM 2025 in Germany. 🇩🇪 We discuss: • Why Europe is going 90% fiber and the impact on HFC • The powerful low latency DOCSIS demo from Harmonic and what it means for streaming and gaming • Charter’s acquisition of Cox and what The post ANGACOM 2025 Recap: Fiber Domination, Low Latency DOCSIS, and Charter-Cox Merger Insights appear...

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a lab curiosity for cable operators—it’s quietly rewriting the rules of DOCSIS operations. Following is an overview of my take on where artificial intelligence is delivering value today and how it will reshape high-speed data service as DOCSIS 3.1 and 4.0 roll-outs continue across North America and beyond, The post AI: for 10G Reliability appeared first on...

How do you grow from climbing poles as an HFC line tech to designing next-gen DOCSIS and managed-Wi-Fi networks? In this episode of The Cable Climb, host Brady Volpe sits down with Billy Williams, Design Engineer – DOCSIS & Video Systems at Comporium, to trace a 25-year journey that proves field grit and continuous The post THE CABLE CLIMB: Billy Williams appeared first on Volpe Firm .

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 The post Reddits Top DOCSIS Troubleshooting Questions An...

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 • The post THE CABLE CLIMB: Andy Parrot appeared first on Volpe Firm .

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 The post DOCSIS 3.1 OFDM Field Measurements appeared first on Volpe Firm .

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 The post THE CABLE CLIMB: Mike ODell appeared first on Volpe Firm .

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 The post THE CABLE CLIMB: Ron Hranac appeared first on Volpe Fi...

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 The post Mastering Cable Upstream RF...

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 The post THE CABLE CLIMB: From the Bucket Truck to the Boardroom! ap...

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 The post DOCSIS 3.1 Performance an...

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 The post RF network AMA appeared first on Volpe Firm .

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 The post...

Great episode with a ton of questions. Watch or listen as Brady Volpe, Mike O'Dell and John Downey go in-depth Qualifying Network Performance and Impairment Priority. Brady Volpe, Founder of The Volpe Firm and CPO at OpenVault, and Mike O'Dell, Distinguished Engineer at Comcast,  John Downey, DOCSIS Senior Industry Consultant In today’s broadband landscape, The post Qualifying Network Performance...

Join us for our next livestream event, 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 post Tips, Tricks and what not to do in your RF network appeared first on Volpe Firm .

We had a very busy episode with a lot of watcher questions. Watch or listen as Brady Volpe and John Downey go in-depth into the latest research on low-latency DOCSIS technology presented in "Latency Outcomes Across Access Network Architectures" at SCTE TechExpo! We'll be breaking down the key findings of 'Latency Measurement - Baselines', The post Unleash Ultra-Fast Internet: Low Latency DOCSIS Ex...

Join us for our next livestream event, understanding unity gain is an important concept that applies to the forward and reverse paths of most cable networks. Without it, network performance can be degraded. In this episode, Brady Volpe and Ron Hranac will walk you through the principles and practices of unity gain, what it The post Understanding Unity Gain appeared first on Volpe Firm .

Brady Volpe and John Downey dive into the SCTE TechExpo24 paper, “HFC - The Gift That Keeps on Giving?” by Dr. L. Alberto Campos and CableLabs. Get ready for an exciting breakdown of the current state of HFC networks and architectures—this is one episode you won’t want to miss! We’re kicking things off with The post How HFC Networks Keep Up with Today’s Broadband Demands: Amplifiers, Coax, and Mor...

Welcome to another legendary episode of Get Your Tech On! Join Brady Volpe and John Downey as they break down all the hottest trends and innovations from SCTE TechExpo24. This episode dives into what’s new with DOCSIS 3.1, DOCSIS 4.0, and real-world demos showcasing 9.8 Gbps down and 3.7 Gbps up. We also explore The post DOCSIS 3.1 & 4.0 Demos, AI Insights, and vCMTS Innovations from SCTE TechExpo...