OTDR Training
OTDR training is one of the most important skills for technicians at companies that provide fiber optic services. Used to calculate the length of a span of fiber and the loss along that span, an OTDR is also useful for identifying, testing, and locating faults in optical fibers and dealing with similar problems that adversely impact a network. OTDRs come in a variety of types, ranging from smaller, portable models intended for use in the field, to complex laboratory-grade machines designed for more sophisticated tasks.
For an OTDR training course, the most important training tool is a length of fiber to test. Frequently training classes will use spooled fiber for this purpose or fiber in a temporary enclosure, but this is often unwise because it can damage the fiber – because many students will be using this test fiber over a length of time, it is more beneficial to the students to have a more professional fiber setup. This will also help to simulate the type of fibers they will be testing in the field.
Generally, the best type of setup is a Fiber Lab. This allows both the instructor and the students a number of advantages over using unsecured fiber. First, this provides an easily accessible, stable enclosure that keeps the fiber protected against damage, while providing stable measurements for students to analyze. A Fiber Lab also offers all types of fiber which a technician might encounter, at a variety of lengths for simulating a diverse array of situations. Finally, this setup allows for simulation of field splices, connectors, dirty or damaged fiber, and other such “events,” all of which are vital for a student to learn to make sense of when reading an OTDR.
To summarize, having a Fiber Lab available gives students a real optical network with which to practice, designed to provide real-world situations that will give them experience for working in live networks. The course instructors have a convenient teaching tool, as well as a means of testing students to make sure they will be successful using an OTDR in the field. Using this system saves instructors from having to develop their own solution, since this method is ideally suited for an optimal learning environment.[1]
[1] Miller, Kevin. M2 Optics. Printed 11.04.2012. Accessed 11.05.2013. http://www.m2optics.com/blog/bid/80296/OTDR-Training-Using-a-Fiber-Lab
