ACMA Restricted Cabling Registration Exam cheat sheet

Structured cabling hierarchy: work area outlet, horizontal cabling (max 90 m), telecommunications room, backbone cabling, entrance facility; patch cords add up to 10 m total in the channel.

Permanent link maximum is 90 m of horizontal cable plus one consolidation point; the channel limit of 100 m includes all patch and equipment cords at both ends.

Balanced twisted pair relies on twist rate and impedance symmetry: pair twists differ per pair to limit crosstalk, and untwisting at termination must be kept to the minimum achievable (commonly cited as under 13 mm).

Cable categories: Cat5e rated to 100 MHz, Cat6 to 250 MHz, Cat6A to 500 MHz; Cat6A is normally shielded and supports 10GBASE-T to 100 m, Cat6 supports 10GBASE-T to 55 m in unshielded form.

Copper cable jacket markings indicate fire performance: CM (general), CMR (riser), CMP (plenum); plenum-rated cable is required in air-handling spaces because it emits low smoke and low toxic gas.

Optical fibre: multimode (OM3/OM4/OM5) suits short building links with LED/VCSEL sources; singlemode (OS1/OS2) suits long-haul links; 850 nm is the standard multimode window, 1310/1550 nm for singlemode.

Bend radius rule of thumb: four times the cable outer diameter for unshielded twisted pair and ten times for fibre during installation; exceeding it changes attenuation and causes latent faults.

Separation from power: maintain manufacturer and standard-specified clearance between communications and low-voltage mains cabling, and cross at right angles where they must intersect to limit induced noise.

Labelling and records: each cable is identified at both ends, outlets map to patch-panel ports, and as-built records include cable routes, test results and pair/strand assignments.

Registration is personal and scope-limited: work must fall within the endorsed categories (e.g. structured, coaxial, optical fibre, aerial, underground) held by the individual cabler.

Cabling connected to a telecommunications network is regulated; the registered cabler is responsible for compliance with the wiring rules and for ensuring the work is safe and fit for purpose.

Customer cabling must be separated from the network boundary by the correct network termination device; work on the network side of the boundary is not open to registered cablers.

Testing and certification: completed work is verified against the applicable standard, results are recorded, and a compliance or test record is left with the customer.

Record keeping: job details, cable types, test results and as-built documentation are retained for the period required by the regulator so the installation can be audited.

Supervision rules: trainees and unregistered assistants may only perform regulated work under the required level of supervision by a registered cabler, who remains accountable for the outcome.

Safety obligations: identify and isolate hazards, use safe work practices for heights, trenches and confined spaces, and treat any cable as live until proved de-energised.

Continual competence: registration carries renewal conditions, including keeping skills current with standards changes and reporting changes to registration details.

Consumer protection: quotes and contracts must be accurate, work must be performed with reasonable care and skill, and complaints or defects must be addressed through the documented process.