As they say, the devil is in the details. Knowing the little things that count can help get the job done, and save time and money. Let’s look at some little things that matter for fiber optics.
Created by: Jim Hayes
1. Which of these “little things” is the biggest problem with fiber optic connections?
A. Dirt and contamination on connector ferrules
B. Fiber that is so small it is hard to work with
C. Tools that are difficult for workers with big hands to use
D. Dust caps that are hard to find when you drop them
2. Using ______ when testing insertion loss of multimode cable will give you more consistent and lower-loss measurements.
A. Higher power from the test source
B. Well-used, broken-in reference test cables
C. A mandrel wrap mode conditioner to the launch cable
D. The “0 dB” reference mode on the power meter
3. When terminating fiber with cleave and crimp connectors with a mechanical splice in the connector, the results will be more consistent and lower by ______.
A. Exactly following manufacturers’ directions
B. Using a high quality fiber cleaver
C. Testing connectors with a visual fault locator during termination
D. All of the above
4. Mating a dirty fiber optic connector to a clean fiber optic connector can make both connectors and the connection dirty and high-loss.
A. True
B. False
5. A desire to make smaller fiber optic connectors led to the development of the little ______ connector.
A. ST
B. SC
C. LC
D. MPO
6. If an optical time-domain reflectometer (OTDR) shows a “gainer” on a splice, measuring from the other direction will show the ______.
A. Correct loss
B. Greater loss than the actual loss
C. A gainer also
D. No splice event at all
7. If the OTDR measures the splice loss in both directions, even if there is a gainer in one direction, you can average the readings and get the ______.
A. Splice's actual loss
B. Splice's average loss
C. Types of fiber used
D. OTDR resolution
8. If you are patching cable connections on an installed cable plant that is 50/125 OM2 fiber but you have only 50/125 OM3 and OM4 patchcords, you ______.
A. Can use either OM3 or OM4 patchcords to connect to the OM2 cable plant
B. Can use the OM3 patchcords only
C. Can use the OM4 patchcords only
D. Must get the proper mating OM2 patchcords
9. Before splicing fibers, you must always clean the fiber carefully after cleaving it.
10. Sometimes people say they are stripping the “cladding” when they strip fiber, but ______.
A. The cladding is a solid part of the glass fiber and cannot be stripped
B. They are stripping the primary buffer coating
C. They are confused by drawings that show core and cladding as separate
