I really do think the Fiber QuickMap
I really do think the Fiber QuickMap

is the most misunderstood tool in our range
is the most misunderstood tool in our range

of fiber optic testing equipment.
of fiber optic testing equipment.

Here I got a situation where my demo box
Here I got a situation where my demo box

and the fiber was broken so I've just
and the fiber was broken so I've just

reterminated the connector here.
reterminated the connector here.

Now, what would happen in the real world is
Now, what would happen in the real world is

that you would be terminating a whole
that you would be terminating a whole

bunch of connectors and then put them in
bunch of connectors and then put them in

the patch panel while dressing the cables.
the patch panel while dressing the cables.

And then maybe at some point somebody
And then maybe at some point somebody

is going to come along and certify
is going to come along and certify

those fibers with the DTX CableAnalyzer
those fibers with the DTX CableAnalyzer

or their fiber testing tool.
or their fiber testing tool.

And it's inevitable some of those fibers are
And it's inevitable some of those fibers are

going to fail. You're not going to know
going to fail. You're not going to know

which ends. Once you've figured out
which ends. Once you've figured out

which end you're going to have to pull the
which end you're going to have to pull the

connector at the back of the patch panel,
connector at the back of the patch panel,

which is going to be difficult to get to.
which is going to be difficult to get to.

You're going to try and avoid breaking
You're going to try and avoid breaking

other fibers in the process.
other fibers in the process.

I think you get the point.
I think you get the point.

The point that I'm trying to make here is,
The point that I'm trying to make here is,

while the connector is out of the patch panel,
while the connector is out of the patch panel,

why not test it?
why not test it?

And here's how. Grab your Fiber QuickMap
And here's how. Grab your Fiber QuickMap

and the launch fiber. The launch fiber
and the launch fiber. The launch fiber

is a glorified long patch cord.
is a glorified long patch cord.

It needs to be at least 30 meters.
It needs to be at least 30 meters.

This launch fiber here I think is
This launch fiber here I think is

around about 105 meters. I've got it
around about 105 meters. I've got it

connected into my replacement connector here,
connected into my replacement connector here,

and what I'm going to do is I'm going to
and what I'm going to do is I'm going to

run a test and I've set the threshold
run a test and I've set the threshold

within the tester so that if
within the tester so that if

this connection here is worse than
this connection here is worse than

half a dB, and the reflectance is worse than
half a dB, and the reflectance is worse than

-35 dB, then it's going to flash a warning
-35 dB, then it's going to flash a warning

at this location here and tell me I have
at this location here and tell me I have

an issue. Let's run that test now.
an issue. Let's run that test now.

It takes approximately 6 seconds
It takes approximately 6 seconds

to run the test.
to run the test.

It tells me that I got two events here.
It tells me that I got two events here.

The first is my connection I just
The first is my connection I just

repaired and the second event is the end
repaired and the second event is the end

of my fiber. I'm always going to go
of my fiber. I'm always going to go

and look at the first event.
and look at the first event.

When I look at that first event,
When I look at that first event,

I see that my reflectance is good.
I see that my reflectance is good.

It's -38 dB, better than -35 is really
It's -38 dB, better than -35 is really

what I'm aiming for here.
what I'm aiming for here.

But you'll notice that loss limit is flashing.
But you'll notice that loss limit is flashing.

That means that, at this location
That means that, at this location

where I did the repair, the loss
where I did the repair, the loss

has exceeded half a dB.
has exceeded half a dB.

Okay, looks like I'm going to be
Okay, looks like I'm going to be

reterminating this connector again.
reterminating this connector again.

Just give me a moment, I'm going to
Just give me a moment, I'm going to

reterminate this connector
reterminate this connector

and then we'll make the measurement again.
and then we'll make the measurement again.

I'm back, I've reterminated my connector.
I'm back, I've reterminated my connector.

Let's run that test again.
Let's run that test again.

And it's not warning me anymore,
And it's not warning me anymore,

so that tells me my loss in that first
so that tells me my loss in that first

connection is better than half a dB, and
connection is better than half a dB, and

my reflectance is an excellent -38 dB.
my reflectance is an excellent -38 dB.

Since we're here, let me talk you
Since we're here, let me talk you

through the menu set up.
through the menu set up.

We got the backlight, we can change
We got the backlight, we can change

that from 60 seconds all the way down to
that from 60 seconds all the way down to

50 seconds. IOR, Index of Refraction.
50 seconds. IOR, Index of Refraction.

That's going to affect the length
That's going to affect the length

reported by the Fiber QuickMap.
reported by the Fiber QuickMap.

Really, you can just leave that alone.
Really, you can just leave that alone.

After IOR we have feet and meters,
After IOR we have feet and meters,

if you like to operate in feet
if you like to operate in feet

we can swap it to feet.
we can swap it to feet.

Here we have our loss limits,
Here we have our loss limits,

and as you can see it's selected
and as you can see it's selected

as half a dB. And I can change
as half a dB. And I can change

that all the way to 6.1 dB,
that all the way to 6.1 dB,

just in case I was using splitters,
just in case I was using splitters,

or increase it in increments of 0.2 dB.
or increase it in increments of 0.2 dB.

And then, finally, my reflection limit.
And then, finally, my reflection limit.

I've got it set at -35.
I've got it set at -35.

I can change that to -30, -25,
I can change that to -30, -25,

indeed all the way down to -20.
indeed all the way down to -20.

And if I press that it wraps around to -45.
And if I press that it wraps around to -45.

If you're field polishing, you might
If you're field polishing, you might

struggle to get to -35, but that's
struggle to get to -35, but that's

where you want to be if you're
where you want to be if you're

going to be doing OTDR testing.
going to be doing OTDR testing.

For any OTDR you need
For any OTDR you need

a good reflectance in order to get
a good reflectance in order to get

a good loss assessment at the event.
a good loss assessment at the event.

So -35 dB is a good value to have
So -35 dB is a good value to have

and certainly for the highest speed applications,
and certainly for the highest speed applications,

reflectance does come into play.
reflectance does come into play.

So I've got it set at -35 dB.
So I've got it set at -35 dB.

And that is the Fiber QuickMap.
And that is the Fiber QuickMap.

Oh, just one more thing:
Oh, just one more thing:

battery life. Two double-A
battery life. Two double-A

batteries in the bag there and you
batteries in the bag there and you

should be able to get 1,500 tests
should be able to get 1,500 tests

before you have to replace those batteries.
before you have to replace those batteries.