Who this course is for
Test, quality control, maintenance and network handover specialists
A Barad course
Measuring and testing a fiber network
Intermediate and practical6 learning sectionsOnce the link is lit, what do we need to measure to hand it over? In this course we look at test tools, reading the result and writing a report together.
The outline on this page is a proposal; the final program is announced before registration.
Before you join
Familiarity with dB and dBm, link components and connection methods.
What the program covers
- Choosing tools that match the aim of the test
- A basic reading of an OTDR trace
- Building a traceable report for handing over a link
Proposed course outline
The proposed program is laid out in six sections. Ask us about the details of the exercises and the tools you will need before you join.
01Test plan+
- Defining the test objective and the project's acceptance criterion
- The difference between power testing, loss testing and event analysis
- Laser safety and checking whether the link is live
02Inspection and cleaning+
- Inspecting a connector with suitable tools and a safe method
- The inspect, clean and re-inspect cycle
- Checking the reference cable and the compatibility of APC and UPC connectors
03Light source and power meter+
- Choosing the wavelength and setting the measurement reference
- Measuring end-to-end loss with suitable equipment
- Recording the results and comparing them with the design loss budget
04Setting up the OTDR+
- Setting the wavelength, pulse width, range and averaging time
- Understanding the launch fiber and the tail fiber
- The effect of the dead zone and the refractive index setting on the result
05Reading the trace and troubleshooting+
- Recognizing a connector, a splice, the end of the route and a bend
- Loss, reflection and events that appear to gain power
- Bidirectional comparison and checking for errors caused by settings
06Acceptance and maintenance report+
- Naming files and linking each result to the fiber number
- The results table, the reference trace and the route map
- Documenting non-conformance and retesting after correction
Suggested exercise
Analyze a sample trace, classify the events and compare the results table with the loss budget; write the likely causes of any non-conformance.
Before you join
Is this outline the final program?
This page is a proposed plan for the course content. The actual outline, the way it is delivered and the details of the exercises are agreed with participants before registration.
How are the time, cost and venue set?
To get this information, submit a coordination request for this course. The date, cost, instructor and venue are announced once the program is confirmed.
Does the course include hands-on practice?
This plan proposes one practical exercise. Running it as a workshop and using equipment depends on the facilities and the final program.
