In this video I'm going to show you
how to certify an ST to ST duplex fiber link
using the DTX CableAnalyzer
and the optional fiber modules
these are the series 2 fiber modules
with the interchangeable adapters.
I've already changed the SC adapter
to an ST adapter.
that's going to allow me to do a
one jumper reference, and avoid any
concerns about negative loss readings
ending up in my test results.
On the table here, you will notice that
I have inspection and cleaning equipments.
And that is critical.
Without inspection equipment, it really
does become a crapshoot when you start
doing measuring. So, please have
inspection equipment on hand.
You may think they're clean,
but you're not going to know
until you visually inspect it.
Also on the table here, I have my test
reference cords. Not patch cords,
but test reference cords, or TRCs.
When you're doing a measurement,
specifically if you're doing it to
the ISO/IEC 14763-3 standard,
you must use reference-grade
connectors on the end. That means
for Multimode better than 0.1 dB,
and for Singlemode better than 0.2 dB.
Now, even if you're just testing
to the TIA standard, you really want
to use reference-grade connectors.
Why? Because it gives you consistent,
repeatable test results.
So, you'll notice that at one end
I've got my two ST adapters.
That makes sense, I'm doing
an SD to SD duplex fiber link.
On the other end,
I've got an SC and an ST,
and that's why they call them
hybrid test reference cords.
That's going to allow me to do the
one jumber reference. So, the first thing
that I'm going to do is connect it to the
output port on the main unit.
Also, on the output port fiber, is this red thing,
which is a mandrel. And this mandrel is critical.
If you don't use a mandrel
your results are going to be pessimistic.
So please use a mandrel.
Then, I'm going to take the other end of this fiber,
and connect it directly to the remote unit.
I'm not going through a bulkhead adapter.
And I can do that, because on the
remote units on the input port
we've changed it from SC to ST.
I got a 50-50 chance of getting this right,
but because these are Fluke TRCs,
red is hot, and black is cold.
So we go from the output, which is hot
to the input, which is cold. So my black
is going to go to the input port.
Be gentle, find the key, push it in and turn.
I'm then going to take my other
test reference cord, which, again,
I've inspected, made sure everything's clean,
connect it to the output port on the remote unit.
Again, I've got my mandrel.
Critical.
And connect it to my main unit on the input port.
And, again, it's got the ST input port on there.
So, which one am I going to use?
I'm going to use the black one.
And that chirp indicates that I got
the polarity correct.
It's just a question of finding the key.
Don't force it.
In and turn.
Okay. Let's talk about setting up
the DTX CableAnaylzer.
So we'll rotate the dial to 'setup'
and with fiber loss highlighted
we hit the ENTER key.
And we see our test limit is TIA,
that's what I'm going to use today.
If I was going to use another standard
such as ISO/IEC 14763-3,
I would hit the ENTER key,
f1 'More',
and go and select 'ISO',
and there's my standard.
Fiber type, I've got that set as OM2
at the moment. You'll notice I'm using
aqua cables, which means it's OM3 fiber,
so I need to change this to OM3.
That's an important setting.
At the bottom of your link where test's report
you're going to see a list of supported
applications for the fiber you just tested.
If I'd let that at OM2 fiber
and my link was greater than 82 metres
then 10GBASE-SR would not show up
at the bottom my link where test's report.
But, by selecting OM3, as long as my link
doesn't exceed 300 meters
or 2.6 dB in loss. Actually, both,
Then 10GBASE-SR will show up
at the bottom of a test report.
Remote End Setup is Smart Remote,
because I'm doing duplex testing,
and bi-directional testing is set to no.
Neither the TIA or ISO/IEC requires
bi-directional testing, however, your
consultant, end-user, or cabling vendor
offering the warranty, may.
So please check with them.
Next is the adapter count,
The number of adapters.
This is the number of adapters added
after you set the reference.
We're not setting a reference
through any bulkhead adapters.
We're simply going to be testing
a fiber link patch panel to patch panel,
which has got a bulkhead adapter in one end
and a bulkhead adapter in the other end.
So adapter count is two.
Changing this will change the test limit
within the tester.
Our number of splices is zero,
even if you're using mechanical connectors,
such as UniCams where there's a
mechanical splice inside, this remains zero.
The only time you increment this is if
you're doing pigtails with fusion splices,
or indeed if there's a splice in the link itself.
Our connector type is a ST.
That doesn't affect the outcome of the
test result, it just affects the help screens
that appear on the DTX.
And then in our test method, which is one jumper.
That is an important setting
if you're doing the ISO standard,
because if you swapped it to a three jumper
it would affect the test limit.
In TIA it doesn't, but it is recorded
with the test result, so make sure
this is set at one jumper.
Then we go across to tab number 3,
where we see the index of refraction.
This is going to affect the length
reported by the CableAnalyzer.
So please go to the cabling vendor's website,
download their latest datasheet, and
make sure that the values on that datasheet
match what's on the screen here.
If it doesn't, change the values here.
So, I'm going to rotate my dial to
'special functions' to set a reference.
Before I do that, it's very important
to mention my sources have been
switched on for at least 5 minutes to stabilize.
If I don't allow them to stabilize, I could
end up with negative loss readings.
And if your instruments were stored in a
cold location, it could take more than
5 minutes to allow them to stabilize.
So, with 'Set Reference, highlighted,
I hit the ENTER key.
It draws a picture of my setup
and I hit the TEST key again.
And now it's going to zero out
any losses on the output ports
and the fiber going to the
main and remote units.
And it's going to come back with
power values and these are in dBm,
dB milliwatts.
Now, as a guide, if I'm doing 50 micron,
I want this to be better than -24 1/2 dbm
where -22 1/2 is better than -24 1/2.
And that appears to be the case here today.
If I'm doing 62 1/2 micron
I want it better than -20 dBm.
If I'm doing Singlemode, I want to see
this better than -8 dBm, and noting
that, if you're doing Singlemode,
you want to make sure that your
test cords are laid out straight,
otherwise you could end up with negative
loss readings and pessimistic readings here,
particularly at 1550 nanometers.
So that said, I f2 'OK'. and above the f1 key
I can actually put the length of the
test cords that I'm using in here.
It doesn't affect the outcome of the
test result, but it will appear on the
test report itself.
f2, 'OK'. And now a step
that very few people do. I want to
make sure that my sources are stabilized,
so I'm going to rotate the dial to 'auto test'
and run a test.
If my sources are stabilized,
I should see 0 dB loss on both fibers.
The input fiber noted here is the
fiber going to the import port on the
main unit. I hit ENTER and I see 0 and 0,
which means that my source
on the remote is stable.
I then go and look at my output fiber,
which is the fiber connected to the
output port on the main unit,
and it's also showing 0 and 0.
Good, my sources are stabilized.
On to the next step.
Now I'm going to remove the fiber
from the input port on the main unit
and cap it.
And also remove it from the input port
on the remote unit, and again,
cap it to protect it.
Then on the main unit where the mandrel is,
you will find your ST connector.
Black, which is cold,
because it's going to the input port.
So I connect that in, find the key,
push down, turn. I'm also going to
do the same on the remote unit as well.
Find the key,
push down, turn. So now
my main unit I present it with duplex ST,
and my remote duplex ST.
So I could plug this in to one end,
plug this in to the other end,
and start testing. However, I don't know
how good these test reference cords are
so what I want to do is test them.
I'm going to do that by connecting them
through a bulkhead adapter.
So I'm going to grab my
bulkhead adapter here,
and hot to cold, so red to black,
and then
the same on the other fiber.
That chirp indicates that I've got the
polarity correct. So now I'm going to run
an auto test, which is going to tell me
how good this connection here
is in the middle, and hence how good
my test reference cords are.
Okay, so let's run the test.
Remember, ideally, I want to be
around about 0.1 dB, because these are
Multimode test reference cords.
My input fiber is 0.3, 0.3, which is excellent,
and my output fiber 0.1 and 0.11.
Now, that 0.11, that's okay, because
we have a little bit of loss on the fiber
as well to take into account
when we added it to the input port.
So that 0.11 is actually okay,
that's acceptable. Now, at this stage
it's a good idea to get the technician
to save the result here, because now
you have proof that your test reference cords
were good at the time of measurement.
And now you're going to get good,
consistent readings.
So now we verified our test reference cords.
Going to disconnect them
from the bulkhead adapters
making sure that I cap them,
because I want to protect them,
particularly if I'm walking to the
other end of a building site.
And now
this will be connected to the
patch panel at the one end,
this to the patch panel at the other end,
and now I'd run a test.
And that is how you would
successfully test an ST to ST duplex
fiber link using the DTX CableAnalyzer
with the series 2 modules, using the
preferred one jumper reference method
that one jumper reference method
will avoid you getting negative loss readings.