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Introduction
When
To Use an OTDR
How
Does an OTDR Work
The
OTDR Trace
Understanding
Measurements
Examples
on Use
Micro
OTDR
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Using test instrumentation to test
your fibre optic cable plant without understanding how they work
can be disastrous. While today's instruments are accurate and
easy to use, they all require adequate knowledge of their operation
and "quirks" to get good data. As an example, we have
seen several instances where users of OTDRs (Optical Time Domain
Reflectometers ) accepted the automatic results of the instruments
without evaluating the displays (or perhaps not knowing how to
interpret the displays.) The data was highly misleading and the
consequences of the bad data was very costly. The reason was
simply that the OTDR was being used outside of its normal operating
parameters and the interpretation of the display is critical
to understanding what is happening in the cable plant.
In this section, we will examine the OTDR in detail and show
examples of good and bad data. Then we will try to give you guidelines
on using them.
If you are going to use an OTDR, try to get training from the
manufacturer or at least read the manufacturer's manual thoroughly
- until you understand it fully. That will help you operate the
unit properly. Much of the information here is not included in
the manual, which generally only tells you which button to push.
This article will help you understand how the instrument works,
how to interpret what it is measuring and keep you from being
misled by it. Either work systematically down the menu on the
left, or select the particular topic for your needs. |
