Optical Time Domain Reflectometers (OTDRs) measure the amount of back scattered light from the optical fibre under test and therefore produce a 'footprint' of the installed optical fibre, thus producing a value for the attenuation of the fibre, usually expressed in dB/km and the length of the fibre. For this reason, the OTDR is a very useful tool for troubleshooting and for verifying the installation of the optical cable. Splice and connector loss measurements can be made as well as analysis of either sections of an installed cable or an overview of the complete end to end link.

If you need to know more about how an OTDR works, or want to understand the meaning of the display, or are simply curious, click here to review our OTDR Tutorial.

Micro OTDR Operating via a USB Computer Port

The uOR-100 and uOR-200 Micro PC-Based OTDR measures the attenuation in optical fibres and splices, as well as the length and the distance to any event, such as a break in the fibre link. The Micro OTDR is the perfect tool for the construction, maintenance and restoration of cable plants and also as an educational tool. The Micro OTDR is accurate enough for laboratory use but portable and rugged enough for field applications.
The Micro OTDR consists of the single, small rugged case; it is lightweight and uses minimal power. The Micro OTDR is used in conjunction with a PC or Laptop with a USB interface, eliminating the need for batteries completely. The USB connection allows the Micro OTDR to be controlled from a laptop or PC and runs off of Windows 9x/NT/2000 and XP versions. The Micro OTDR software allows the user to determine all the necessary characteristics of the Optical fibre and is capable of displaying, storing, reading, printing and analysing several traces at the same time.