What Is An Optical Time Domain Reflectometer And Why Is It Important To Fiber Optic Technicians?
- Date: 2008-06-18 - Word Count: 264
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An optical time domain reflectometer or OTDR is a type of test equipment used in the fiberoptic industry to troubleshoot optical cabling. An optical time domain reflectometer measures the time and intensity of the light which is reflected through a fiberoptic cable. OTDRs can find faults, breaks, bends and splices in fiber optic cables. This enables a technician to measure the quantity of light loss as well as identify the exact point at which the loss is occurring.
Light loss in fiber cable is a very serious issue since it can hamper or completely stop data transmission. With so many communications networks dependent on fiberoptic cabling to transmit data, having a way to quickly diagnose problems means repairs can occur much more rapidly leading to less network downtime.
An OTDR works by injecting a series of optical pulses through the fiber which are reflected back to the injection point and measured for deviations or aberrations in the light wave. Based on the measurement of the deviation the trouble spot can usually be precisely located.
Some critics of OTDR systems point out that they can produce inaccurate measurements if two faults are located close to each other. There is also the potential issue of faulty measurements which can sometimes occur if the optical pulse has to travel a great distance. However with the proper training a technician can compensate for these issues and interpret the readings correctly. When used correctly an optical technician will find an optical time domain reflectometer to be an invaluable instrument in the daily course of troubleshooting, repairing and maintaining fiber optic networks.
Light loss in fiber cable is a very serious issue since it can hamper or completely stop data transmission. With so many communications networks dependent on fiberoptic cabling to transmit data, having a way to quickly diagnose problems means repairs can occur much more rapidly leading to less network downtime.
An OTDR works by injecting a series of optical pulses through the fiber which are reflected back to the injection point and measured for deviations or aberrations in the light wave. Based on the measurement of the deviation the trouble spot can usually be precisely located.
Some critics of OTDR systems point out that they can produce inaccurate measurements if two faults are located close to each other. There is also the potential issue of faulty measurements which can sometimes occur if the optical pulse has to travel a great distance. However with the proper training a technician can compensate for these issues and interpret the readings correctly. When used correctly an optical technician will find an optical time domain reflectometer to be an invaluable instrument in the daily course of troubleshooting, repairing and maintaining fiber optic networks.
Related Tags: time, fiber, domain, light, optic, networks, optical, reflectometer, otdr, otdrs, fiberoptic
Visit www.industrial-test-equipment.com to find new and used discount Corning and Siecor OTDRs as well as discounted EXFO OTDRs and other optical test equipment at bargain prices. Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
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