Study Guide For The FOA CFospT Outside Plant
Fiber Optics Exam
Using The FOA Online Reference Guide To Fiber Optics
Objective: To
provide students preparing for the FOA CFospT exam and
CFOTs wanting a
refresher course focusing on outside plant fiber optics a
guide to
using The
FOA Online Reference Guide to Outside Plant Fiber
Optics or the printed textbook, the
FOA
Reference Guide to Outside Plant Fiber Optics
.
Note:
All links to other web pages will open in a new window
to prevent you
losing your place on this page. Remember to close
those pages once you
have read them!
If you have industry experience or
attend a FOA-Approved
training course, you can also become certified as a
fiber optic technician by taking the certification
exams from The Fiber Optic Association (FOA).
The FOA CFospT
exam is a closed book, “proctored”* exam of fiber
optic knowledge
based on The
FOA Online Reference Guide to Fiber Optics,
OSP
fiber section, the FOA
Reference Guide to Outside Plant Fiber Optics
printed textbook and the FOA
Installation Tech Bulletins.
This guide will help you study for the
CFospT exam
using The FOA Online Reference Guide to Fiber Optics
OSP
fiber section, and
other online
resources on the FOA website. In addition to this
review, The FOA
requires some “hands-on” training and/or work experience
in the fiber
optic industry which you must document for the FOA.
We assume you have already gained a good background in
fiber
optics and have met the FOA requirements for work
experience. To help
you prepare for the exam, we have provided explanations
below of the
importance of each section of the website. These questions
will allow
you to test your own knowledge of the material in the
text.
This self-study review course for the
FOA CFospT exam refers to:
The FOA Online Reference Guide to
Fiber Optics (http://www.thefoa.org/tech/ref/)
OSP
fiber section,
The FOA Reference
Guide to Outside Plant Fiber Optics textbook (http://www.thefoa.org/FOArgOSP.html)
The FOA Tech Bulletin Installing Fiber Optic
Cable Plants (download from FOA Tech Topics: http://www.thefoa.org/tech/guides/INSTL.pdf)
The NECA/FOA-301 Fiber Optic
Installation Standard. You may download a free copy using
directions at http://www.thefoa.org/NECA301-MO.html
Lennie Lightwave’s Guide To
Fiber Optics (http://www.vdvworks.com/LennieLw/)
FOA Reference Books
FOA books are now available in
printed form, from Amazon on the Kindle and from Apple
iTunes for the iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch.
New FOA Videos on 
Visit the FOA YouTube channel "thefoainc" to view
videos on how to work with fiber optic components.
Studying For The CFospT Exam
There
are two ways to study for the CFospT exam: 1) Reading the
textbook
and testing your knowledge with the chapter questions or
2) Studying the material included
in the The FOA Online Reference Guide to Fiber
Optics and taking
the quizzes (Test Your Comprehension) on each page and
studying
the FOA Installation Tech Bulletin (downloadable
from FOA Tech
Topics). Either way, you should be prepared for the CFospT
exam. This is
a study guide for the CFospT exam based on using the
FOA Online
Reference Guide to Fiber Optics and the printed
textbook.
Guide to The FOA Online Reference Guide to Fiber Optics
This online reference guide to fiber optics was created as
an
alternative to the printed FOA textbooks for
training designers and installers of fiber optic networks.
It only
includes a short introduction to the basics of fiber
optics, leaving
the physics and mathematics of fiber optic technology to
the high level
textbooks. Instead it focuses on the practical aspects of
designing,
installing, testing and troubleshooting fiber optic cable
plants and
networks.
This reference has been edited from the
training programs developed by a number of other
professional
instructors in fiber optics, all of whom are involved in
teaching fiber
optics courses regularly. The material comes from their
practical
experience and the assistance of a large number of vendors
who provided
the latest product information. Those instructors have
joined together
to produce this website.
The organization of the
site follows the typical training programs given by most
instructors.
It starts with a section on the basics of fiber optic
technology , which includes topics
covering the jargon and the technology of fiber optics,
how fiber is
used in networks, components, installation and testing, to
give the
reader a complete, concise section to learn about the
technology. This
section is a concise summary of the material that is
covered in the
CFospT exam.
The site is then divided into additional
sections that
cover all the relevant topics in much greater detail and
includes
“Virtual Hands-On” tutorials on common processes used in
fiber optics.
The timeliness of the material is important in a
technology like fiber
optics that is moving rapidly. New product innovation and
rapid cost
reduction are the norm for fiber optics. We have tried to
include the
latest material and intend to update the material
regularly, a major
advantage of web-based reference materials.
Using Outside
Plant Fiber Optics Online For Studying For The
CFOT Exam
Study The Topic
Studying the topics under Outside Plant Fiber
Optics,
reading supplemental materials relevant to your interests
and work and
correctly answering the section quizzes will prepare you
for the CFospT
exam. Below you will find a summary of the material in
each section and
suggestions for supplemental reading.
Test Your Comprehension
At
the end of each website section, there is an online quiz,
called “Test
Your Comprehension,” which asks questions about what’s
important in
each section. These quizzes will automatically grade your
responses and
provide the rationale for the correct answer. These
questions should be
used to identify areas that need more study before taking
the CFospT exam.
Notes on Additional
References:
Besides links to the pages in the FOA
Online
Reference Guide to Fiber Optics, we include
references to the
appropriate chapters in the new printed textbook the FOA
Reference
Guide To Outside Plant Fiber Optics (FRG).
For those who also
have the
textbook and are also using the online reference guide,
the
correlations between online reference topics in and
the book chapters are included.
References: FRG=FOA
Reference
Guide To Fiber Optics
Basic
overview: (FRG Chapter 1)
This is an introduction to fiber optics, including some
history, and an
overview of where it is used. A short section discusses
the differences
between fiber and copper and what has become the basis for
fiber’s
dominance of the communications industry. Finally, to
emphasize their
importance, safety and the need for cleanliness are
discussed.
The Jargon
and the Technology: (FRG
Chapter 2)
The first thing one needs to understand in order to be
able to
comprehend a new technology is the “language” unique to
that
technology. This section gives concise, often illustrated,
definitions
of the terms used in fiber optics. It is a most important
section, as a
basic understanding of the terms used will make the rest
of the
material much easier to comprehend.
Basic
Applications and Transmission Systems : (FRG
Chapter 3 and 4)
In this section, network applications for telecom, CATV
and various
other OSP networks are described. Fiber's role in each of
the
networks is covered in detail. It is important to
understand how each
of these
types of networks use fiber and how they differ.
Supplemental reading: Fiber
Optic Datalinks, Applications
of Fiber Optics, Fiber To The Home (FTTH,
FTTH
Architectures, FTTH
PON Protocols)
Optical
Fiber: (FRG Chapter 5)
This section covers the heart of fiber optic technology,
the fiber
itself. Here you learn how fiber works, the different
types of fiber
and important fiber specifications. Like the Jargon
section, this
section provides important background information for many
of the other
sections.
Supplemental reading: Fiber
Optic Components, Optical
Fiber
Cables:
(FRG Chapter 6)
This chapter is an overview of the purpose of cables
(basically
protecting fibers in the outside world) and how they are
used. It
covers the different types of cables and their
applications. Choosing
cable types appropriate for the application is very
important for
designers of networks, as it affects network cost and
reliability, but
requires knowing the different types available and their
properties
that determine the correct choice.
Supplemental reading: Fiber
Optic Components, Cable. View
VHO: Cable Preparation, More videos
on cable preparation on
Splicing and
Termination: (FRG
Chapter 7)
This is an overview of splicing and termination types
and techniques.
The student should physically examine samples of splices
and the most popular
connectors (ST, SC, LC) if possible but the page includes
photos of
most types. You should understand which splices or
connectors are used where, the
various methods of splicing and termination, as they are
important issues in fiber installations.
The discussion of splicing covers technical details of
fusion and
mechanical splicing, with emphasis that most SM outside
plant splicing
is fusion, while mechanical splices are used more for
restoration and
MM splicing.
Supplemental reading: Fiber
Optic Components,
Termination and Splicing. View VHO: at least one of
the
adhesive/polish connector tutorials, the PPS termination,
SM
termination and at least one of the splicing tutorials.
More videos on splicing and termination on
Testing
: (FRG Chapter 8)
This section contains a lot of material. The types of test
equipment
are important to understand, as are the relevant
specifications and
applications for the instruments. Three types of testing
are included:
continuity testing, insertion loss tested by a light
source and power
meter and OTDR testing according to industry standard test
procedures.
This section includes the basics of testing but
supplemental tutorials
cover actual processes.
Supplemental reading: Testing
& Troubleshooting Fiber Optic Systems.
Read “Fiber Optic Test Instruments and the VHO on
“Insertion Loss Testing” and “Using an OTDR.” Testing
long haul networks (CD, PMD, Spectral Attenuation)
Network
Design : (FRG
Chapter 9)
This section covers only an overview of fiber optic
network design;
essentially enough for the reader to understand the
process behind
network design. Since the FOA has a certification on Fiber
Optic
Network Design, there is a large amount of reference
material on this
reference site that is appropriate for advanced study.
Supplemental reading: Designing
Fiber Optic Networks
Installation:
(FRG Chapter 10)
The topic of fiber optic cable plant installation is a
very diverse
subject, since fiber is used in so many different types of
installations in so many different environments. This
section provides
an overview of the installation processes for many
applications, with
an emphasis on safety.
Supplemental reading: Installation
of FO Cable Plants. Read
topics of interest to you plus “Safety Procedures” and
“Cleaning Fiber Optic Connections.”
Glossary
of Terms:
This section is provided for reference purposes and as an
elaboration to the Jargon section.
Additional Reference Materials
While the OSP
fiber section
covers the primary information covered in the classroom of
most fiber
optic courses and in the CFospT exam, we have provided
much additional material that provides
greater details on many relevant subjects. Here is a
summary of the
topics covered.
This section is a “work in process” where we
will be updating and adding additional information
regularly. Some
topics are included without links while work continues on
those topics.
Applications
of Fiber Optics
While the major emphasis of The FOA is communications
applications of
fiber optics, we have an interest in other applications
like sensors,
lighting and inspection. This section includes articles on
all these
various applications.
Fiber
Optic Technology and Standards
This section includes additional technical topics of
general interest
and references to fiber optic standards.
Fiber
Optic Components
This is one of the most important topics for study and
this section not
only elaborates on component types and specifications, but
includes
many slide-show tutorials and what we call “Virtual
Hands-On” tutorials
covering fiber optic processes like cable preparation,
temination and
splicing, in step-by-step format. These “Virtual
Hands-On”
tutorials have been created from studies of the
process that
analyzes them in detail, breaks them into individual steps
and explains
those steps including background information and options.
These
“Virtual Hands-On” tutorials are generally considered
better than
videos as they are easier to understand and each step can
be studied as
long as desired. Links to videos are also included for
those who prefer
online video.
Designing
Fiber Optic Networks
Since the FOA has a certification on Fiber Optic Network
Design, there
is a large amount of reference material here and on the
FOA Tech Topics
site that is appropriate for advanced study. Those
interested in the
topic or the FOA CFOS/D certification should study this
section
carefully.
Installation
of FO Cable Plants
This is one of the most important topics for fiber optic
technicians
involved in field installation. It covers topics that
primarily
elaborate on the Basic coverage of installation and
explain exactly how
some common elements of installation like attaching
pulling eyes or
“figure-8-ing” cable are done.
Testing
& Troubleshooting Fiber Optic Systems
The proof of the quality of any fiber optic installation
or
manufacturing process is the test results. In this
section, we have
provided much more information than is commonly available
on fiber
optic testing, covering the instruments, the tests broken
down into
specifics for various components or subsystems, and
several
explanations of technical issues often glossed over that
can greatly
affect measurement validity.
Using
Fiber Optic Systems
While our primary focus has been on installation,
understanding how to
use the systems, from managing design and installation
thorugh
maintenance and rstoration, is a major issue for owners of
the systems
and their contractors.
Manufacturers
and Other Groups Technical Information
The FOA has a page of links to companies' technical
information
(white papers, instructions, videos, etc.) also available
for reference.
Future Reference Usage
As a CFospT or CFOT, you will have unlimited access to
this website in the
future. Feel free to use it as a refresher course at any
time or access
it from the field when you need a quick reference on a
process or
procedure or just to help educate others (such as
contractors
discussing procedures or standards with their customers.)
If you have a
web-enabled device like a smart cell phone or iPad, most
of the site has been
designed to be viewable from one those devices.
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