In the last two decades, the world of technology and inventions has come a very long way. Better understanding of the scientific processes and applications of various laws of physics has led to the creation of many innovating gadgets and machines that have helped us in improving the standards of life. These inventions have affected the fields of medicine, manufacturing, electronics and many more. We have seen how the production of electricity and its large scale implementation has remodeled the society we live in. Manufacture of semiconductor chips helped kicked down barriers which eventually lead to the creation of laptops and eventually the likes of tablets and smartphones. Projects like the Human Genome project have helped us in not only identifying causes of diseases by better understanding their genetic causes but also allows us to better tackle some diseases by finding more proficient treatments for them.
One of these groundbreaking innovations was the creation of optical fiber cables. An optical fiber (just like most cables) has an outer casing which acts like an insulator and strands of glass fibers which constitute its interior. Optical fibers have now become the foundation for telecommunications. They are capable of carrying information over long distances. Their higher bandwidth also enables them to carry a large amount of information. Today we live in the age of optical fiber cables as they carry most of the telephone systems, cable television systems and internet services all around the world. Optical fibers work on the phenomenon of “Total internal reflection” which allows light to travel through these cables without much loss of energy. The central component called the core serves as a path for the transmitting light to travel while an outer casing called the cladding keeps the light on the right path by reflecting it back inward thus allowing long range communication with minimum loss of energy.
What is an ODTR tester?
So with a general introduction of the optical fibers out of the way, let’s shift our attention to the second important component of our article: the ODTR tester. Before we delve into how you can use an ODTR tester to test any optical fiber cable, it is better to have some background knowledge regarding what an ODTR tester is especially if you are new to this line of work. With optical fiber cables being utilized in almost all forms of telecommunication systems, methods have been developed to keep track of any performance issues that may arise during the functioning of these cables. The term ODTR stands for “Optical Time Domain Reflectometer”. It is an instrument that is used for checking, verifying, troubleshooting and maintaining optical fiber systems. What these instruments do is help visualize the path light takes through an optical fiber cable. The data collected from studying this path helps us to understand and pinpoint any faults and shortcomings present in the cable.
The testing capabilities of an ODTR are not juts limited to the cable itself. Optical fiber systems often have secondary components installed throughout the entire pathway to help in the transmission process. These components include the likes of splitters, splices, multiplexers and connectors etc. An ODTR can also determine the performance capability and condition of these components. Their working principle involves the input of a light signal at either ends of the optical fiber cable. The transmission of light usually involves scattering of the input light pulse while some portion of this light returns due to the process of reflection. The results are then derived with the help of this returning signal. Things like time taken for the signal to return, the amount of signal loss etc. are then reviewed.
Where to get an ODTR tester
If you are someone who is looking for an ODTR tester, then you came to the right place. Now before I suggest you anything, one thing that we need to be clear on is that there is no such thing as a perfect ODTR tester. One simple search online and you will come across a large number of these products produced by different manufacturers. But we can suggest you some high quality products that are tried and tested in our books. Once again, it’s your money and ultimately your decision as this is only a recommendation. So if you are looking for an ODTR tester we highly suggest you give ODTR Fiber Optic Tester 1310/1550nm 26/24dB a look. This ODTR tester can be purchased from Qiirun which is a website that sells optical fiber related products. The website also offers a 30 day return policy, so you don’t have to worry about buyer’s remorse either which is always a plus. So what makes this ODTR tester a good starting option in a sea of other testers available online? Let’s take a look:
- The best thing any device can have is its ease of use and ODTR 1310 excels in that regard. The tester features a user friendly easy to understand UI to avoid any confusion. This is supported by a 4.3 inch screen which features touch functionality. The tester also comes with a n auto ODTR mode which makes it easier for any new comers to get up to speed with its working making a perfect choice for newbies.
- The tester has an 8 GB internal memory which allows up to 2, 00,000 curves to be saved at one time. It also allows you to transfer your data to your PC for storage or analyzing purposes. Multiple measuring units are supported (Feet, Miles and KM) so you can choose the one best fitted four your operations.
- Of course all of this would be useless if you keep running out of battery. No worries because this tester has a 4,000 mAh Lithium battery allowing for 20 hours of standby and 12 hours of continuous testing time. An LED flash is also present for convenient usage.
- Other key features include OPM support of CW/270/330/1k/2KHZ frequency identification with ability to run OLS and VFL in the background. The tester also features multitasking capabilities. Optical and insertion loss test are also key features among many more.
As mentioned above, what you buy is above to your own personal preferences but if you are looking for a good quality ODTR tester with ease of use, good battery timing and overall satisfying performance, then ODTR Fiber Optic Tester 1310/1550nm 26/24dB serves as a good starting point.
