How to Test Fiber Optic Cables by OTDR

OTDR, full name of which is optical time-domain reflectometer is one of the

most popular method of testing the light loss in the cable plant. In most
circumstance, it also indicate an fiber optic testing instrument to characterized
the optical fibers. OTDRs are always used on OSP cables to verify splicing
loss or locating damages to the fiber optic cables. Due to the decline in the
OTDR price over recent years, it is more and more applied by technicians for
the system installation process.

OTDR uses backscattered light of the fiber to imply loss, which is an indirect
measurement of the fiber. OTDR works by sending a high power laser light
source pulse down the fiber and looking for return signals from backscattered
light in the fiber itself or reflected light from connectors or splice interface.

OTDR testing requires a launch cable for the instrument to settle down after
reflections from the high powered test pulse overloads the instrument. OTDRs
can either use one launch cable or a launch cable with a receive cable, the
tester result of each is also different.
Test With Launch Cable Only
A long lauch cable allows the OTDR to settle down after the initial pulse and
provides a reference cable for testing the first connector on the cable. When
testing with an OTDR using only the launch cable, the trace will show the
launch cable, the connection to the cable under test with a peak from the
reflectance from the connection, the under testing cable and likely a reflection
from the far end if it is terminated or cleaved. Most terminations will show
reflectance that helps identify the ends of the cable.
By this method, it can not test the connector on the far end of the under
testing cable since it is not connected to another connector, and connection to
a reference connector is necessary to make a connection loss measurement.
Test With Launch And Receive Cable
By placing a receive cable at the far end of the under testing cable, the OTDR
can measure the loss of all factors along the cable plant no matter the
connector, the fiber of cables, and other connections or splices in the cable
under test. Most OTDRs have a least squares test method that can substract
out the cable included in the measurement of every single connector, but keep
in mind, this may not workable when the tested cable is with two end.

During the process you should always keep in mind to start with the OTDR set
for the shortest pulse width for best resolution and a range at least twice the
length of the cable you are testing. Make an initial trace and see how you
need to change the parameters to get better results.
OTDRs can used to detect almost any problems in the cable plant caused
during the installation. If the fiber of the cable is broken, or if any excessive
stress is placed on the cable, it will show up the end of the fire much shorter
than the cable or a high loss splice at the problem locations.
Except OTDR testing, the source and optical power meter method is another
measurement which will test the loss of the fiber optic cable plant directly, The
source and meter duplicate the transmitter and receiver of the fiber optic
transmission link, so the measurement correlates well with actual system loss.
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