Electricians are aware of the danger of arc flash incidents. What you may not know is that there’s a way to sense arc flash and shut down the equipment extremely quickly using fiber optics. I had never heard about it until an...
Construction is always dangerous. Much of our concern is focused on the workers, such as the issue of high-powered fiber amplifiers discussed last month in “Something New to Worry About.” Damage to infrastructure is also a...
When making any kind of test, it is important to set test conditions to make measurements that are relevant and reproducible. In fiber optics, we test fiber optic cables, especially the installed cable plant, with a test...
Recently, I became aware of a new safety issue that may affect fiber installations and cut fiber optic cable repair. It was brought to my attention by a field technician who had been splicing broken long-haul outside plant...
Several years ago, when the Fiber Optic Association (FOA) began online certification testing using a service called ClassMarker, we began getting better data on the results of the exams. That allowed us to evaluate our...
I closed the January year-in-review column with, “Like I say every year, it’s always good to invest in training.” High-tech fields such as fiber optics are always changing, and you have to keep up with technology or risk...
In 2020, we learned that internet and broadband connectivity were necessities, not luxuries. In 2021, we learned we’re not prepared to make it universally available. The problem is not technology; old technology and new...
A few years ago, an instructor from the Fiber Optics Association complained to me about an ad from a fiber optic instrument company. He was indignant that it said, “Our OTDR Is Smarter Than You Are!” I understood his...
In Calibrating Fiber Optic Instruments, I discussed calibrating fiber optic power meters, which measure optical power. This article will discuss calibration in measuring optical loss, the most common measurement in fiber...
Last month, I described the long-time use of fiber optics by electrical utilities for communications and grid management. Now, let’s look at current events and see how this long history with fiber might solve the rural...
The House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill to spend $1.2 trillion on upgrading the nation’s infrastructure, including rebuilding roads and bridges, expanding internet access and other projects, on Nov. 5, 2021. It...
Optical power is to fiber optics like voltage is to the electrical field—it is the primary measurement unit and is fundamental to almost all other measurements. Optical power meters are used to measure transmitter output and...
Electrical utilities were among the first in the industry to adopt fiber optics, closely following the telephone companies, who were involved in developing the technology. Telcos saw fiber optics as the most cost-effective...
Several of the Fiber Optic Association’s (FOA) directors are experienced fiber techs and trainers interested in methods of delivering and assessing the effectiveness of online training. Needless to say, our discussions have...
When a fiber optic tech splices cables, makes terminations behind patch panels or selects patch cords to interconnect cables or connect electronic equipment, they use color codes to make the proper connections. These color...
While watching David Attenborough’s new series “Life in Color”—which I highly recommend—it’s easy to see how important color is in nature. Plants and animals use color for camouflage, warning, mating and plenty more. It’s...
In October 2020, I discussed data centers in smart buildings and how it could affect the building design, especially when considering the needs of power-user tenants. I briefly mentioned communications services entrance...
Editor’s Note: This article is intended to be used as a quick reference on multimode fibers and popular networks, so you may want to bookmark it for future reference. Ethernet is the name of the computer network used in...
Networks running on fiber optics are generally state-of-the-art, but even advanced networks can be improved. That means faster speeds and more traffic density. Many network enhancements can be done without upgrading the fiber...
When someone mentions safety, of course the first thing you think about is protecting your workers and yourself from harm on the job. While obviously important, I want to address another safety issue: installed fiber optic...
