Note
we have changed the format to place articles in
sections on one topic and all articles are dated so
you know if we repeat one - whcih we often do when
we think it's very important!
Women
Installers in Alaska
New Fiber U MiniCourse: Coloe Codes
Vidoe: FOA/Fiber U OJT-to-Cert Program Project
Management For Managers
Ransomware Hack Shuts Down Pipeline
Newsletter
Sections
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on any link to jump to that section
News Fiber
Contractor Breaks 16" Gas Main
Installing a Submarine Cable
UAE Achieves 98% FTTH
Graybar Helps Deliver Rural Broadband Techtricians
Training
Cable Installation for Drives and Parking Lots
OFC Goes Virtual
Technical
Connector Loss
Problems with Splicing BI SMF
Grounding Rules
Fire Resistant cable Loss Budget Calculator
Training/FiberU
New Fiber U MiniCourses, schools, remote OTDR
for training, making training classroom safe, onine
training, materials, more Resources
New FOA YouTube Videos. Safety
Where
Are The Jobs In Fiber Optics? FOA talks about all the
applications for fiber optics, what jobs involve and the
qualifications for the workers in the field in this YouTube
video.
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Trademarks:
The FOA CFOT® (Certified Fiber Optic Technician) and
Fiber U® (the FOA online self-study program) are registered
trademarks of the FOA. Want
to know more about fiber optics? Study
for FOA certifications? Free
Self-Study Programs are on "Fiber
U®." Looking for specific information? Here's the
largest technical reference on the web: The
FOA Online Fiber Optic Reference Guide.
Free
online self-study programs on many fiber optics and cabling
topics are available at Fiber
U, FOA's online web-based training website. FOA
Reference Books
Available Printed or eBooks The
fiber book is available in Spanish and French
Lennie
and Uncle
Ted's Guides are now also available as free iBooks on
iTunes. Click
on any of the books to learn more.
To keep
your FOA certifications active, you need to renew them when
they expire. Now we have a new more convenient way to renew
- an online store at Paypal - where you can quickly and
conveniently use your PayPal account or your credit card to
renew your certifications.
SPECIAL
OFFER - 1/3 Off Your Certification Renewal Cost
In the
near future, there will be a requirement for continuing
education to renew your FOA certifications. FOA is testing
an option for renewals where you take a short Fiber U online
course.
In
the February issue of Electrical
Contractor magazine, there was an article "Leading
By Example: Women in electrical construction" by
Claire Swedberg that captured our attention, The story
and photos focused on Deborah Kelley, a former line
constructor in Alaska were incredibly interesting. It
inspired Karen Hayes, FOA GM, to talk to Deborah and
here colleagues who were doing fiber optic installation
in Alaska to get their feedback on their work. The
article below is a result of Karen's conversations and
includes insights into their work and how techs learn on
the job. All photos courtesy of Deborah Kelly.
By
Karen Hayes, FOA GM
One important fact about the fiber optic jobs, and the
trades in general, is the lack of women filling the ranks
even as the industry faces severe skilled labor
shortages. There has never a better time to reach out
to women. We took an opportunity to interview a group
of 5 women working as fiber techs, all associated with the
NECA/IBEW Apprenticeship Program in Alaska.
Their experiences were varied – most were splicers but one
installed FTTH. All were very positive about
their jobs while acknowledging the personal choices you have
to make. Some loved working in Alaska’s harsh
environment but not everyone wants to be a lineman. As
Karen Lopez put it: “The work is hard on your body.
The travel is hard on your life.”
I asked if women are starting to fill the ranks of fiber
optic tech. The answer is yes but still
slowly. All were actively recruiting for the
union. They emphasized the need for
training. Throughout their careers all experienced the
“throw you into a job and let you figure it out” approach as
Karen put it. They contrasted this with IBEW
apprenticeship program where each individual enrolled
receives extensive training both in the classroom and as
apprentices in the field.
Most focused on the need to stay current with new
technologies and to develop necessary skills at all stages
of their working careers. Unfortunately,
companies are not spending as much $ on training as in the
past – mostly for budget reasons but recently, of course,
because of the pandemic. If any training dollars are
available, they generally go to new workers but these women
made a pitch for giving experienced workers the opportunity
to take advanced classes.
Karen pointed out “equipment is always changing – this is
accelerating with 5G.“ Tara Thornton lamented that
experienced workers who want to expand their knowledge and
sharpen their skills should not be overlooked.
Charlie Ruhl and Karen are contract workers - time-off
is not paid. Charlie said “don’t wait for your company
to provide training – seek it out yourself. She also
pointed out that splicers should get ongoing OJT training –
they need “refining of skills that comes from repetition to
develop muscle memory”.
I took an opportunity to introduce the idea of using Fiber U
for “continuing education”. Fiber U has almost 30
different courses, all are free and widely used around the
world. A certificate of completion exam is available
for each course at a cost of $10 or $20.
In addition to encouraging workers to use Fiber U for on
their own, the FOA has worked with employers and employees
to formalize an OJT program where workers
learn on the job under the supervision of experienced
co-workers utilizing training aids from Fiber U to help
employers develop qualified techs. Workers in the
program who complete the program will receive FOA
certification. (contact the FOA for more information).
In addition to technical skills, everyone agreed that “life
skills” are just as important to succeed at their
jobs. These skills include how you interact with
colleagues, solve problems and manage your work.
All agreed that women generally excel in these skills.
Also, having a good attitude is very important. Karen
brought this into focus: “Just ignore bullies and do your
job so well there will be nothing to criticize”.
Mary Beal-Kuhlman put it this way: “Let your work speak for
you. Don’t take criticism too personally.
The women also emphasized resourcefulness and cooperation to
get the job done. Mary weighs all of 95 lbs. but
learned to recruit her co-workers to help her and encourage
teamwork. She can’t lift a 350 lb manhole but she can
crawl into small openings.
Karen explained that as a FTTH tech coming into people’s
homes, she is very successful because she is personable and
patient - taking the time to listen to customers and solve
their problems or find out how to help them.
They all consider it their job to encourage women to enter
the trades and recruit young women into the IBEW
Apprenticeship program. Mary brought up the importance
of diversity – “it creates a more positive workplace –
everyone learns how to handle things better”. They all
shared that they take it upon themselves to mentor younger
co-workers and set an example for how to thrive at the job
site.
Mary describes being approached by students at a nearby high
school – asking her questions about her job. She
thinks of herself as an ambassador for the union and carries
brochures with her. Charlie mentioned the importance
of female role models
It was clear all 5 women depend on other female techs for
support. They all endorsed the importance of having a
support system at work and in your personal
life. The women techs have their own Facebook
group - Mary describes it as a place to share
technical information, practical advice like what clothes to
wear on the job or to vent with other women who understand
the unique world of “working on the line”.
The bottom line is that there has never been a better time
for a company to diversify their recruiting
efforts. Many fiber techs are retiring now and
the pace will accelerate. These 5 hardy Alaskan ladies
set a great example. I hope more individuals and
companies follow their lead.
New
Fiber U MiniCourse - Color Codes
FOA has created another Fiber
U MiniCourse, the Fiber
U Color Codes MiniCourse. This
course covers the color codes used in fiber optics. We cover
fiber color codes for numbering, cable jackets and
connectors used to identify fibers. After we finished, we
wondered "Why didn't we do this a long time ago!"
At the same time, we updated the FOA
Guide page on Color Codes with new information
and lots of color and created a new YouTube
video on Color Codes which we use in the Fiber
U MiniCourse.
Like the other Fiber
U MiniCourse, it will take less than an hour
to complete and you can get a Fiber U Certificate of
Completion when you finish.
To
explain How OJT works and FOA's OJT-To-Cert program, FOA
created a short 10 minute YouTube video that explains what
OJT is, who uses it and how to use Fiber U to organize and
enhance OJT for new employees and experienced workers too.
OJT is
the well-known term for "on-the-job training." Workers learn
on the job under the supervision of experienced co-workers.
FOA has been asked many times how its resources like Fiber U
can be used to help employers and their employee trainees
involved in OJT. The interest in OJT has been so high,
especially during the difficult year in 2020, that FOA has
worked with employers and employees to formalize an OJT
program and create training aids to help employers develop
qualified techs using OJT.
The
FOA
Fiber U “OJT-To-Cert” program includes
both fiber optics and premises cabling (copper, fiber &
wireless), so it covers techs working in both outside plant
and premises jobs.
The
FOA Fiber U OJT program combines online study at Fiber
U with OJT with mentoring by experienced co-workers
and their supervisor to help new employees
develop into FOA-certified technicians in only one
year. Upon completion of this
program, the trainee will be prepared to take the exam for
the FOA CFOT (Certified Fiber Optic Technician) and/or
CPCT (Certified Premises Cabling Technician), the most
widely recognized fiber optic and premises cabling
certifications in the industry.
Like
other FOA programs, the OJT-To-Cert program is free. The
FOA provides directions for use of the free Fiber U online
training programs and we provide a log for the trainee to
keep track of their progress. The only cost is the two
Fiber U certificates of completion and the FOA
certification exam at the end of the program.
If
you and/or your company is interested in the FOA
OJT-To-Cert program, contact FOA.
Project
Management For Managers
While
this subject could take an entire book to cover or a long
class, we did not do that. We thought about it but decided
managers are very busy and what they want/need is a short
overview of the issues of managing fiber optic projects with
listings of available resources. We ended up with two pages
for managers: Guide
To Fiber Optic Projects and Fiber
Optic Project Management (For Managers).
The
FOA Guide
To Fiber Optic Projects summarizes what's
involved in a fiber optic project. Then it becomes a
resource guide, with links to other pages in the FOA Guide
that provide much more information on the details of a
fiber optic project. A manager can read the page in a few
minutes, familiarize themselves with the links to other
pages in the FOA guide that can be used for future
reference.
The page Fiber
Optic Project Management (For Managers)
page discusses the role of the manager in a fiber optic
project and makes recommendations on what the manager
needs to know and focus on to make a project successful.
Again, it's an overview but provides links to additional
resources that can be used as needed.
We encourage managers to use these two pages as resources
and give us feedback: What do you think is missing and how
can we make it better?
Worst
Technical Boo-Boo Of The Month
In an
article in a major magazine by a manufacturer of fiber
splices: "‘ Under the wind cover is the area called
the fusion chamber - where the magic happens. Two pieces
of hollow glass are melted together, preserving the hole
so light can pass through it.‘
Ransomware
attack leads to shutdown of major U.S. pipeline system
Washington Post.A ransomware attack led one of
the nation’s biggest fuel pipeline operators to shut down
its entire network on Friday, according to the company and
two U.S. officials familiar with the matter. The attack on
top U.S. operator Colonial Pipeline appears to have been
carried out by an Eastern European-based criminal gang.
Are you sure you want that critical system connected to
the Internet?
Fiber
Optic Contractor Punctures Large Gas Main In Santa Monica
From
the SMDP website
A fiber optic contractor installing cable in Santa Monica,
CA, less than 2 miles/3km from FOA hit a gas main creating
an event that has led in many circumstances to true
disasters, but in this case disaster was averted, According
to the Santa Monica Daily Press:
"The
smell and sound of natural gas rushing from one of the
city’s largest mains prompted the evacuation of residents in
the city’s northeast corner Friday morning, but those left
behind have been stuck in the dark, without power, searching
for information.
"The situation started around noon Thursday when a
private contractor attempting to install fiber optic lines
on Stanford Street near Washington Avenue and Wilshire
Boulevard struck a 16” gas main, which prompted a large
response of state and local officials, some of whom said
they have been working since 3 p.m. Thursday."
FOA
contacted both the city works department and the fire
department but was unable to get more details. An inspection
of the area showed multiple openings in the road where the
contractor might have been doing directional boring.
How a contractor could have done this is puzzling. One does
not work around 16" (almost 500mm) high pressure gas lines
without great caution. When we find out more, we will
continue the story.
Submarine
Cable Connects Portugal to South/Latin America
With
some very interesting videos on how submarine cables are
installed
EllaLink
is a state-of-the-art optical platform offering secure high
capacity connectivity on a unique and low latency diverse
transatlantic route, linking the major terrestrial and
subsea hubs in Europe and Latin America. EllaLink will be
ready for service in 2021, providing the first-ever high
capacity direct fibers between the two continents with
points of presence in Sines, Madrid, Lisbon, Marseille,
Barcelona, Fortaleza, Sao Paulo & Rio and onward
connectivity to the USA, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle
East.
Ella Link has some very interesting installation
videos on the installation of the cable -
especially the "Final Splice" video and the ones on
the landings.
UAE has achieved the highest percentage of FTTH connections
with 98.3% in a recent survey by Fiber Connect Council MENA.
Qatar is close behind with 89.4%. The local service
provider, Etisalat, is also a long standing FOA-approved
school, Etisalat
Academy. Here is the report from
MENA Fibre News - April 2021.
"Mr. Abdulrahman Al Humaidan, Sr. Director/Fixed
Access Network Planning & Design, Etisalat, commented on
the study and the UAE achievement “Fiber connectivity is an
integral part of future networks, especially today, with the
availability of 5G, making it easier to bring futuristic
technologies and services to all subscribers. Today’s
achievement was made possible due to the wise vision of the
Leadership in the UAE, which resulted in positioning the
country among the most digitally advanced countries. This
has inspired us to realize our efforts to ‘Drive the digital
future to Empower Societies’ by delivering world-class
networks, infrastructure and innovative services.
Etisalat’s State-of-Art Fiber Infrastructure has empowered
us in addressing the current challenges imposed by the
COVID-19 Pandemic and meeting our customers’ digital
requirements, which resulted in Facilitating businesses to
work remotely and over a million students enjoying distance
learning. We will continue working towards maintaining our
global leadership in FTTH penetration, and enhance our
efforts in infrastructure readiness, to deliver access to
vital digital services to all of our customers during
today’s extraordinary difficult times “.
New
CFOT Participated in Techtricians/FOA Scholarship Program
Mr.
Charles and instructor Tom Collins of Techtricians.
Mr. Charles recently received a Certified Fiber Optic
Technician certification as part of a Scholarship program by
Techtricians and The Fiber Optic Association. We tried a
variety of blended learning strategies; traditional, online
assignments, and in person lab. Mr. Charles successfully
completed the certification and with an above average score.
He would make any company a valuable employee.
Training Using Hybrid Classes - Online And in Person
Tom has also been busy training electrical technicians at
the IBEW local 1579 in Augusta, GA. Tom's training
organization, Techtricians has completed 4 hybrid classes
with a total of 38 participants. They were required to
complete online assignments prior to their 3 days of intense
scheduled training. Lecture and labs were administered
in a safe environment. All of the participants
successfully passed the skills portion of the program as
well as on the last day of training passing the CFOT
certification test. With the hybrid online/in person
format, the certification test scores were above average!
Techtricians Instructor, Tom Collins, a retired IBEW Local
212 member and JATC trainer is excited and happy local
contractors are trained and bidding fiber optic work with a
skilled work force.
New
Technique For Simplified Cable Installation In Drives And
Parking Lots
FiberTRAX is a method of installing optical fiber in shallow
grooves in the surface of parking lots or driveways that is
simpler than trenching, microtrenching or directional
boring, Developed by Traxyl, it's similar to the
"nanotrenching" that Google Fiber unsuccessfully tried in
Louisville, KY, but doesn't seem aimed at high traffic
roads.
How
Graybar Is Helping Local Utilities Deliver Broadband to
Rural America
This
video was created as a promotion for Graybar but it has
some very good information on what a rural electrical coop
- or any rural fiber broadband system operator - needs to
know.
This
Broadband internet access has become a 21st century utility,
but many rural communities still lack access. Across the
U.S., member-owned utility co-operatives formed decades ago
to deliver electricity are now taking the lead to deploy
fiber networks. Learn how Graybar’s Managed Services can
help these companies keep network buildouts on time and on
budget.
High
Frequency Traders Benefit From Hollow Core Fibers
euNetworks
deploys Lumenisity's hollow-core fiber cable in London, the
first broad-based deployment by a carrier of hollow-core
fiber to a trading venue, offering a live route more than
30% faster than existing fiber-based routes. euNetworks
Fiber UK Limited, a Western European bandwidth
infrastructure company, announced it has deployed its first
ultra low latency cable system based on Lumenisity Limited's
CoreSmart NANF hollow-core fiber technology.
Lumenisity supplied the CoreSmart cable solution, with the
new deployment now conducting live data traffic between
Interxion: A Digital Realty Company, and the London Stock
Exchange.
According to
euNetworks, this marks the first commercial
deployment of hollow-core fiber technology in the world, and
is part of an agreement covering additional deployments over
the coming years between trading venues and other locations.
According to Lumenisity, "Data travels 50% faster in
hollow-core cable, reducing latency by 1/3, and providing a
round trip saving of 3μs per km. These latency savings are
very significant in financial trading applications."
On
fiber optic technology, standards, equipment,
installation, etc.
The
FOA Update Page
covers all the new technology and applications we covered
in this newsletter recently. Now you can review all that
new tech at once.
Want
to know more about fiber optics? Study
for FOA certifications? Free
Self-Study Programs are on "Fiber
U®." Looking for specific information? Here's the
largest technical reference on the web: The
FOA Online Fiber Optic Reference Guide.
Confused
Technical Question Of The Month
FOA
received a call from a contractor working on a network.
His subcontractor doing termination presented data on
terminations using mechanical splice-on connectors where
he claimed the TIA standard for these connectors was
0.75dB for th connector PLUS 0.3dB for the splice, for a
total of 1.05dB. He wanted to know if this were true.
No,
it is not true. These connectors have an internal splice
to a stub fiber already glued in the ferrule and factory
polished. The loss of the connector used to terminate a
fiber must include the splice since it is the termination
method and there is no way to test it separately from the
connector itself.
Typical
mechanical splice-on connector, also called a
prepolished/splice connector.
We noted the TIA loss value, 0.75dB was very high compared
to adhesive polish connectors which average around 0.3dB
loss when tested against a reference connector. In the
standards it has remained at 0.75dB to cover this type of
connector and array connectors like the MPO.
850nm
LEDs Extinct?
Two
equipment manufacturers told us this month that they could
not get 850nm LEDs - leadtimes were long and prices very
high. These LEDs are needed for multimode test equipment. In
transmission equipment, 850nm VCSELs are good subsititues,
but test equipment needs the more consistent, less coherent
light from the LED.
What
Do You Think? Splicing BI Fibers
FOA
received these photos with this description. When
you read this, if you have experienced similar issues,
please share the information with FOA at email
jim@foa.org.
"Can
you take a quick look at these two fibers being spliced
and let me know what you think. One fiber is
supposed to be G.657.A2 and the other is supposed to be
G.657.A1, but the MFD mismatch does not seem to confirm
this. Have you seen this scenario and if so, what
fiber types were they? The machine in SM mode does
not want to splice them, but in auto mode will splice them
with some degree of hesitation and time."
We
wondered if the mismatched BI fibers were confusing the
core alignment machines and if cladding aligment would be
better. We also contacted Joe Botha of Triple Play in SA
who has shared his tests on splicing dissimilar fibers
before and here's what he said:
"Yes,
we see this all the time, at every FTTH drop cable to
feeder/backhaul splice you will find this and at the ONT
TP.
Using
a Fujikura or Sumitomo fusion splicer set on “auto”,
splicing them is not an issue and the MFD difference does
not look as striking.
As
we know, what’s bewildering this fusion splicer is 657A1’s
9.2 μm vs. 657A2’s 8.32 μm MFD.
I’m a lucky guy… I recently got handed x15 10km reels of
Corning fibre, a mix of 657’s 652 and 655.
What is really cool about this is that I can now do
micron-accurate MFD research, because:
Each reel has a serial # with an associated spec sheet
containing the actual measured MFD i.e. 8.32 μm @ 1310 nm
and not what you will find on a generic spec or data sheet
e.g. 8.6 ± 04 μm.
I will soon do some research on this and publish the
outcomes.
I
would love to know on average, how much unidirectional
exaggerated loss a micron difference in MFD creates."
Stay
tuned for updates on this topic.
Communications
Systems Grounding Rules: Article 800 provides specific
requirements
In the
March issue of Electrical Contractor magazine, Michael
Johnston, the NECA Executive Director of Standards and
Safety wrote an excellent article on grounding and bonding
for communications systems.
"Communications
systems and equipment installed in buildings must comply
with the specific rules given in Chapter 8 of
the NEC . Even though these systems typically
operate at lower energy levels, improper grounding and
bonding can result in severe consequences for equipment
and property and present shock hazards. Article 770 and
the Chapter 8 articles of the NEC provide unique
and specific grounding and bonding requirements for
communications system installations."
Anyone
installing low voltage systems needs to know about
grounding and bonding and Michael's article is an
excellent introduction to the topic.
In an
article in a major magazine by a manufacturer of fiber
splices: "‘ Under the wind cover is the area called
the fusion chamber - where the magic happens. Two pieces
of hollow glass are melted together, preserving the hole
so light can pass through it.‘
"HOLEY smokes...."
Fire
Resistant, Flame Retardant Loose Tube Withstands 1000ºC
Fire For 3 Hours
The
first UL flame listed optical cable designed for indoor/
outdoor use in vital communication and emergency systems
that need to be operational during fire. The cable has a
patented design that ensures operation for more than 3 hours
in fires up to 1000ºC. The cable is halogen free and flame
retardant to protect against secondary damage to electronic
equipment during and after fire. Outer sheath is made from
black UV-stabilized and weather resistant LSZH jacketing
material.
The cable is reinforced with a steel wire braiding. The
fibers are protected in gel-filled loose tubes stranded
around a central strength member to ensure optimum
performance and long life. Each fiber and loose tube is
color coded for easy identification during splicing and
termination.
The outer sheath is marked to show fiber type and cable type
in addition to UL listings demonstrating compliance to NEC
770, NFPA 130 and NFPA 502.
According
to aggregated field data, the most frequently observed
problem is poorly cleaved fibers. When faced with this
problem, field operators are required to re-cleave, which
happens about every 6 to 7 splices (15%). Poor cleaves are
associated with lower efficiency and higher insertion loss
causing many problems. How can we prevent this? First, why
do poor cleaves occur? Even when using high quality
cleavers, we have seen poor cleaves. In our observation,
the following 3 key points are the major causes of these
poor cleaves.
KNOWLEDGE & SKILL
The lack of knowledge or skill can result in poor cleaves,
regardless of cleaver quality or deterioration levels.
This type of error can be categorized as ‘constant
failures’ in reliability engineering. To prevent this type
of error, a certain level of expertise is needed,
including the following: fiber cleaning, daily maintenance
of tools, how to put the fiber correctly on the cleaver
stage, etc. To accumulate this type of knowledge and
skill, technical training is one of the most popular
methods.
RANDOM CLEAVE ERROR
Dust, dirt, or other debris (fibers, coating, etc.) can
disturb a cleave, even when the operator has all the
necessary skills. This type of error can also occur
regardless of cleaver quality or deterioration levels,
making it a ‘constant failure’. Periodical cleaning &
maintenance is essential to prevent this type of error.
BLADE DETERIORATION
After thousands of fiber cleaves, the cleaver blade will
gradually deteriorate and near its end of life. This is
the so called “wear and tear failure” and it should be
distinguished from the 2 previously mentioned causes
above, since rotating or replacement of a worn blade is
required. It is not necessarily as a result of bad work
practices.
Sumitomo
Nanotune™ is designed to improve your field splice success
rate by 90% and reduce working time drastically. Being
cost effective and displaying excellent performance,
Nanotune Technology™ meets all of your fusion splicing
needs.
How
Many Fibers? - What's The Optimal Cable Size? (March 2021)
Is the
cost of fiber such a big part of the cost of the cable
plant? We decided to analyze cable costs for standard loose
tube cable capable of being pulled into conduit for
underground or lashed to a messenger for aerial
installation.
Gathering data was not easy, but we found several large,
reputable US distributors who listed prices for several
types of loose tube singlemode OSP cables from top cable
makers. All prices are for small quantities (km, not 10s or
100s of km). Prices are how they were quoted, in $US
per foot, so our readers outside the US should feel free to
convert into another currency and meters.
We
analyzed the data by cost per fiber per foot and got the
graph below.
The cost per fiber per foot increases rapidly below 24
fibers, probably because the cost of making cable doesn't
change much with fewer fibers; it's the cost of the
plastics, strength members and manufacturing process that
dominates the cost. However, after 24 fibers, the cost
settles down and slowly decreases for higher fiber counts,
reflecting then the cost of the added fibers.
Another way to think of this is that below 24 fibers, you
are paying for the cable; above 24 fibers you pay for the
fibers.
The thing to note of course is the cost of each fiber is
less than 2 cents per foot for any cable above 24 fibers.
When OSP construction costs are $5-25 or more per foot, the
cost of fiber seems to be quite cheap. Certainly installing
cable with additional fibers is very cost effective if it
means having fibers to expand the network without having to
install another cable. And, of course, that applies to urban
and suburban networks, not just rural.
Midspan
Access - Simplifying Installation Of Drops
Technical
questions we get here at FOA often remind us of things many
of us take for granted that are not known by many installers
and particularly network owners and users. Recently we
received an email like this from a network owner working
with a contractor on a 15mile (25km) cable plant with
roughly 17 locations where cable drops were needed. They
were not aware of the technique of midspan access, so we
created a new page for the FOA Guide on the subject (FOA
Guide Page on Midspan Access), a YouTube
video and a Fiber
U MiniCourse.
Try
The FOA's Online Loss Budget Calculator
FOA has
written many articles about loss budgets, something everyone
involved in fiber optics needs to know and needs to know how
to calculate. We've created a online Loss Budget Calculator
that does the work for you. Just input your cable plant data
and it calculates the loss budget. It works on any device,
especially smartphones and tablets for field use and even
allows printing the results.
"Who
Lost Lucent?: The Decline of America's Telecom
Equipment Industry"
This is a MUST READ for managers in telecom or any
industry! This
long and well-researched and annotated article in American
Affairs Journal should be mandatory reading for every
high level manager in a telecom company - or any other
company for that matter. To summarize the article, today,
America has no major telecom equipment company and fears the
major suppliers of equipment who are all foreign, especially
the Huawei from China. This article explains how America got
into this deplorable state.
More
Than 12 Million US Households Have Cut the Cord on Their
Home's Broadband Service - Parks
Associates: New
research on the US broadband market estimates the US has
more than 15 million households that have only mobile
broadband service. "High cost is the most prominent issue
driving households to cut the cord and go mobile only,
although service-related issues, from slow speeds to poor
customer experience, also contribute,"
IEC
60050 - International Electrotechnical Vocabulary -
An extensive dictionary for fiber optics in English and
French. Highly technical - this is one definition: "mode -
one solution of Maxwell's equations, representing an
electromagnetic field in a certain space domain and
belonging to a family of independent solutions defined by
specified boundary conditions"
Statistics
on US Labor In Telecom
Eric
Pearson sent us some links to US Bureau of Labor Statistics
data on the US Workforce. Granted it was updated in May
2019, but has lots of useful and interesting information on
where the work is and what workers are paid.
Telecommunications
Equipment Installers and Repairers (Install,
set up, rearrange, or remove switching, distribution,
routing, and dialing equipment used in central offices or
headends. Service or repair telephone, cable television,
Internet, and other communications equipment on customers’
property. May install communications equipment or
communications wiring in buildings.
1995-2020
- FOA's 25th Anniversary!
As part
of celebrating 25 years of serving the fiber optic industry
as its primary source of technical information and
independent certifying body, FOA thought it appropriate to
create a short history of the organization and how it has
developed to help the fiber optic industry. We also
wanted to recognize the contributions many people have made
to the organization over the years that made FOA what it is
today.
The FOA history is now archived on the FOA website where
you can read it anytime or link to it.Updated
info - dB, total internal reflection and science projects,
Worth
Reading - News Summary - Past Links Worth Repeating
DIRT
Report On Damage To Utilities
Common Ground Alliance (CGA) annual DIRT report provides a
summary and analysis of the events submitted into CGA’s
Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) for the year
2018. The complete report is available for download
here. In addition, there is an interactive
dashboard that allows users to filter the data
more by factors contributing to damages.
The
Internet Master Plan for New York City.
The New York City Internet Master Plan is a
comprehensive framework for the infrastructure and
services that provide connectivity to New York City
residents and businesses. This Master Plan will guide
City actions and public-private partnerships to
transform New Yorkers’ access to this essential
infrastructure for generations to come. Fiber
Trivia From Corning. The
Future Of Work Is Skills - So Stop Worrying About
Degrees - The
reality is the future of work is about skills, not just
degrees. (FOA Newsletter Feb 2020)
Besides
the FOA reference materials, two JDSU/VIAVI textbooks,
Reference Guide to Fiber Optic Testing, Volumes 1 and
2, were used as references for some of the FOA courses
and are recommended for instructors and students. The books
are available from VIAVI as eBooks and the everyone should
download them and recommend them to others.Download yours
now. Volume
1. Volume
2. Viavi Books Guidebook
To MPO Testing OptoTest
offers this complete guide to MTP®/MPO testing. In this
guide, you will learn all there is to know about the
different test methods, equipment options,
troubleshooting, and best maintenance practices to ensure
that you have the best testing experience.
Go
here to download the book.
50th
Anniversary of The Development of Low Loss Fibers
A history of the development of low loss fiber, a
fascinating story by Jeff Hecht on the OSA (Optical Society
of America) website. How
OFS Makes Fiber
Interesting YouTube video on how fiber is made. Perhaps a
little too much "show biz" but fascinating. If you have ever
seen fiber manufacture, look at this video. You will be
amazed at how big preforms have become!
Clearfield-FOA
Certification TrainingClearfield is now
offering their customers an FOA
CERTIFICATION course. This course provides
a basic understanding of fiber optic technology, as well
as Clearfield product knowledge and how Clearfield’s
integrated product systems work together in a fiber
network.
FOA
President and editor of this newsletter Jim Hayes has also
been writing a column in Electrical
Contractor Magazine for almost 20 years now.
Electrical contractors do lots of fiber work and this column
has covered some topics they are interested in including
installation processes, network design, fiber applications
and a lengthy series on dark fiber - what it is, how's its
used and how it benefits the growth of communication. A
recent web site redesign makes it easier to browse all these
articles - just go to http://www.ecmag.com/contributing-authors/jim-hayes
and you can see all of them.
Q&A
Tech
Questions/Comments From FOA Newsletter Readers Worth
Repeating
The
FOA Fiber FAQs
Page (FAQs = frequently asked questions) gathers
up questions readers have asked us (which first ran in
this newsletter) and adds tech topics of general
interest.
Good
Question!
The
FOA Fiber FAQs
Page (FAQ s = frequently asked questions) gathers
up questions readers have asked us and adds tech topics
of general interest.
Questions
From FOA Newsletter Readers
May 2021
Gloves
for Fiber Techs
Q: I was wondering if as part of the safety rules, in
addition to glasses, if it is recommended to use gloves.
If that the case, would you recommend a specific type of
gloves. A: FOA emphasizes the need for safety glasses
because of the problem with fiber scraps flying around,
especially when students in class are learning to strip
fibers. Proper safety glasses have side shields that provide
more protection than regular eyeglasses. For eyeglass
wearers, prescription safety glasses are available at very
reasonable costs that are much more comfortable to wear than
wearing safety glasses over the user’s prescription
eyeglasses.
We only recommend gloves when working with cables that have
sharp metallic armor in them or some heavy outside plant
cable. The metallic armor can cause serious cuts if one
slips when splitting or removing it. The gloves to use are
the kevlar gloves used to prevent cuts (they are also used
for chefs working with sharp knives.)
Once the cable is opened and you are dealing with buffer
tubes or bare fibers, gloves like the ones used for cables
can make the work difficult because gloved hands are clumsy.
Tight surgical rubber gloves might work for some, but still
make working with bare fiber difficult and provide limited
protection. There we recommend bare hands and being
very cautious.
April 2021
Multimode
In Premises Cabling Q: I wonder when/if single mode fiber will start
invading the enterprise. There's a whole ecosystem, of
course, in addition to physical fiber cabling.
Switches, server connections, protocols, etc. But I'm
wondering if you see the industry moving towards some set of
standards using single mode?
A: Today,
singlemode transceivers are as cheap as multimode for 10G
and cheaper at higher speeds. Indoor cell systems (DAS) use
singlemode. FTTH PONs (passive optical networks using
singlemode) are being used for LANs because they are cheaper
too. Both technology and costs point to the advantages of
SM. Multimode is the historical design and it's hard to
change. But structured cabling standards (TIA-568, ISO
11801) include singlemode and POLs (passive optical
LANs.)
February 2021
Documenting
Test Results
Q: We’re currently working on a bid that includes
presenting some test sheet documentation for OTDR &
Light loss testing. What should I do? A: High end LSPM or OLTS should store data and have
some software to report test results. Simpler units should
simply require logging data into a spreadsheet showing Cable
ID, Fiber ID, wavelength and loss. Details like launch &
receive cables and test results can be kept separately on
the spreadsheet. Today’s OTDRs will show you a trace and an
event table that lists each even in the fiber tested as well
as overall loss. Whatever OTDR you use should have software
for reporting test results. Here is an example of a report
from an EXFO and a trace from a Yokogawa.
Installing Cable
Q: Below are specs for an installation. We’ve never
installed a Fiber Optic run this long. Please see below
questions and info.
-Fiber Optic cable to be used is a 24 strand Single Mode
application
-Length of run is 7200 m long
-Appears that all the Fiber is on one reel. However do you
recommend having some junction points on pedestals along the
way for testing-maintenance purposes or just one continuous
run if possible? A: FOA has lots of information to help answer your
questions:
Re underground installation. See https://foa.org/tech/ref/OSP_Construction/Underground_Construction.html
and https://foa.org/tech/ref/OSP_Construction/Underground_Installation.html
in the FOA Guide.
There are other questions you need to ask:
Are there no intermediate connections or drops required?
It’s just one straight fiber run? You should be able to
install it continuously.
What is the installation type? Pulled in conduit or direct
burial?
If pulled in conduit and you can pull in one try, that’s
best. You should use a pulling capstan to limit tension,
attached to the cable with a breakaway swivel pulling eye
and use lubrication. Use the American Polywater guides (https://www.polywater.com/product/polywater-f-fiber-optic-pulling-lubricant/)
for choosing lubricant and decide if you need an
intermediate pull.
Direct burial is simple for a long run, just ensure you have
the proper equipment.
January 2021
Maintaining
Dark Fiber
Q: Do you have any standards that speak to how often
dark fiber should be tested with OLTS and OTDR? Such as just
at installation and when troubleshooting, or should they be
done on a regular basis? A: We at FOA know of no standards calling for
periodic testing of fiber optic cable plants.
Fiber optic networks generally do not require maintenance
and it is often detrimental to the network. It is the
opinion of FOA and most people in the industry that testing
should be done upon completion of the installation and data
submitted to confirm proper installation of the cable plant.
Data should then be stored for reference in case of problems
requiring troubleshooting or when new dark fibers are turned
up. Before lighting a dark fiber, it should be tested and
the results compared to earlier data. Since both tests have
some uncertainty, test results can vary as much as 0.5dB on
short cables, higher on longer runs.
If older fiber is being upgraded to higher speeds, now
cities like Santa Monica where we live are upgrading to 100G
networks, fiber characterization including chromatic
dispersion, polarization mode dispersion and spectral
attenuation (for DWDM) are advised. Of course, every time a
connection is opened, it should be inspected and cleaned.
And patchcords should be tested; even new ones in sealed
packages are often dirty. There is a reason people call the
plastic protective caps on connectors “dust caps!”
Otherwise, with fiber, we suggest the patch panels be locket
to keep unauthorized personnel from accessing them and
causing problems. Even disconnecting a connector can add
dirt to the connections and cause problems.
December 2020
Are FOA Videos and Web Up To Date? Q:
Are the videos on YouTube still relevant by today's
standards are are they out of date? A: Excellent question. We’ve discussed this within
the FOA many times.
For example the live action videos on cable preparation,
termination, mechanical and fusion splicing and testing are
quite old by tech standards but the processes have not
changed in two decades. Preparing loose tube, armored or
tight buffer cables has not changed in over 20 years, nor
has adhesive/polish connector termination.
Prepolished/splice connector and SOC process are different
and those processes have been updated. Testing processes are
the same with the main difference being the automating of
OTDR testing. Manufacturers have dumbed-down OTDRs so well
that it seems few techs know how they work or how to read a
trace, evidenced by the results of the FOA CFOT
Certification exam where questions on OTDRs are the most
often missed.
We just did a review of the copper installation for the
Premises cabling (CPCT Certification) and that has not
really changed in three decades - since the introduction of
Cat 5 cable!
We review and update the technical pages in the FOA Guide
all the time. Look at the Table of Contents (FOA Guide-https://foa.org/tech/ref/contents.html)
and see how many pages have the NEW symbol, indicating
updates in the last couple of months.
Also FOA is adding YouTube videos (https://foa.org/tech/ref/contents.html#YT
) and Fiber U MiniCourses (https://fiberu.org) on many
topics regularly - monthly this year, covering new tech and
the topics we know are lesser-known or new to most techs.
And let us know if there are topics you think we should
focus on in the future.
Microscope Power For Connector Inspection
Q: What
power microscope do you recommend to inspect
singlemode/multimode in 1.25/2.5 format (ST, SC, LC)?
A: Microscopes
in the range of 100-400 power are available. Many people
assume higher power is best - and it is for examining
polishing results in the center of the ferrule - but lower
power helps inspect more of the ferrule for dirt when used
in the field before connecting or testing cables. We prefer
the lower power.
So for patchcord manufacturers, 400, field techs 100.
Patchcord manufacturers will undoubtedly use video
microscopes, most field tech the optical ones.
November 2020
Loss For APC vs UPC Connectors Q:
I was wondering if there will be a standard connector loss
for a UPC connector and a different lower value for an APC
connector.. ex. upc has 0.5dB while APC is 0.3dB.
I would like to make all connectors uniform on a new network
infra to avoid mismatch and causing any possible damage on
the equipment when APC will be plugged into to a flat. A: There is really no statistical difference between
APC and UPC connector loss. The lower reflectance of the APC
actually reduces loss since the reflectance represents a
factor in connection loss, This issue of connector grades
has been discussed at international standards committees for
years. ISO/IEC wants to have grades of connectors, rated for
connector loss in ranges from 0.1 to 1dB, but I do not think
it’s standardized. I recommend using 0.3-0.5dB for loss
budgets, where in OSP networks it matters little, since
there are only a few connections and fiber and splice loss
is a larger factor.
Keeping UPC and APC connectors straight is easy - APCs are
Green, UPCs are blue. Everybody just needs to be taught
that!
OTDRs - Launch Cables And Range Q:
I have a question about OTDR launch cables. In
all readings about OTDR testing, it states that the launch
cable "needs to be of sufficient length ...". What
length is sufficient? How long should a launch cable
be? What is the maximum length of cable plant that can
be tested at one time? A: OTDR launch cables need to be long enough to allow
the OTDR to settle down after the test pulse leaves the
instrument and reflectance at the output connector overloads
the receiver. The dead zone is a function of the OTDR test
pulse and the condition of the output connector. If you are
testing short cables (<1km) with very short test pulses,
a launch cable can be 20-50m long. If you are testing a very
long cable with very wide pulses (some OTDRs have pulses
~4microseconds long, equivalent to ~1km) you would need a
2-5km launch cable. So the answer to that question is it
depends on how long the fibers are you are testing.
As to how far a OTDR can reach, the answer is generally not
specified in km but in dB. The best OTDRs have a reach of
~40dB at 1550nm which corresponds to ~150-200km, spending on
how good the splices are. That length of fiber would have
~30 splices for say 3dB splice loss.
Here’s the FOA
Guide page on OTDR testing and the FAQs
page Frequently Asked Questions about OTDRs.
Q: For this post, "Tight Fit: 6912 Fiber Cable
Pulled in 1.25 inch Conduit”, he asks if they can see one
end completely terminated? A: It takes about 2 full racks of patch panels or one
rack of splice trays. Sumitomo shows the splicing rack here
https://global-sei.com/data-center-solutions/splicing-rack.html.
Most systems using these cables will buy fully populated
patch panel racks with a splice rack for the cable to splice
to 6912 fibers terminated in the rack.
Q: And a second question:: How long does it take to
terminate? And over how many panels? A: A very experienced tech can splice one of these
cables in ~75-100 hours using ribbon splicing.
Q: I assume that's smaller fiber like 80 micron
cladding A: All the fibers in the high fiber count cables are
made with regular singlemode fiber - 9/125micron. TO make
the cables smaller, the buffer coating diameter is reduced
to ~200microns to make the fibers smaller.
Q: How was it prepared with the splice tray and ODF?
It might require a dedicated panel and splice tray. A: It takes about 2 full racks of patch panels or one
rack of splice trays. Most systems using these cables will
buy fully populated patch panel racks with a splice rack for
the cable to splice to 6912 fibers terminated in the rack.
Q: Is this an actual photo or was the cable installed
in a different type conduit. A: We were told that is the actual size of the cable
and conduit although not of the actual installation
discussed.
Q: What is the minimum bend radius of that cable?
What procedures did they use to maintain that bend radius
through those 90 degree curves? A: The minimum bend radius is 15X the cable diameter
for that cable (diameter 1.14” or 29mm), about 17” or
435mm. The conduit bends had to be controlled to be larger
than that radius. See the Fiber U MiniCourse Fiber
Optic Cable Bend Radius
Preparing Cable For Splicing
Q: Is there any standard on the preparation length of
strip jacket upto the splice tray. Ideally its better to
have a loop of buffer before getting into the tray if ever
the closure has enough space for slack.. its also nice to
put some hose to the buffer to add on protection. So far, i
don't see any standard and can't support the remarks on what
to follow. The practice was to take note on macrobend and
have enough length of fiber to reach the machine. A: There is a lot of variation in the size, shape
and design of splice closures, so the length varies
according to the closure and trays. For loose tube cable,
the length of buffer tube from the entrance to the splice
tray and the length of fiber needed in the tray are given in
the directions for that splice tray. Similarly for ribbon
cable, but the variations in ribbon cable designs often
requires special handling and sleeving for the ribbons. Most
manufacturers have specs available online.
Fusion Splice-On Connectors (SOCs) (From an FOA
Instructor)
Q: A question came up from one of our students
regarding splice on connectors. Is there a TIA or
other standards body that addresses this issue? We are used
to the 0.75 dB loss for a mated pair, however, when this
mated pair has two fusion splices that terminate the
connector, is there a recommendation?
One could make the argument that it does not make any
difference as the other alternative is splicing a pigtail
for termination of a cable. This pigtail splice is
normally included in the link loss budget
calculation. So similarly, with a splice on
connector it is the same as splicing on a pigtail. A: There are no specific TIA or IEC specs that
address these splice-on connectors or pigtails. If you used
TIA numbers and included the splice and connector it would
be 1.05dB - 0.75dB for the connection and 0.3dB for the
splice, that’s mated to a factory adhesive/polish
connector. Or if it were two similar connectors,
1.35dB.
Everybody, including the people in TIA standards groups,
know those numbers are too high for most single ferrule
connectors. They keep them at 0.75dB for prepolished/splice
connectors (w/ mechanical splices) and array connectors
(MPOs) which have somewhat unpredictable performance.
Internationally, IEC has created grades of connectors from
~0.3 to over 1dB. The newer mechanical splice connector kits
now use the Chinese copied cleavers which are super - at
least the few we have tested - and the connectors are now
much lower loss and consistent.
SOCs (fusion splice-on connectors) are spec’ed as the total
termination and are generally just as good as the typical
adhesive polish connector - 0.5dB is plenty of margin for a
those mated to a factory adhesive/polish connector.
Spliced on pigtails are generally considered a termination
and the splice is not broken out - like a long SOC. But I
cannot guarantee everybody thinks that way. But a fusion
splice is typically <0.1dB anyway.
The
word on the "Dig Once" program is getting out - FOA is
getting calls from cities asking us for information and
advice. Here are some links:
Fiber Optic Cable Plant - The Finished Product 4/2020 In
April, FOA received inquiries from several sources that all
deal with the same subject - what is involved in the
specification and acceptance of a cable plant at the end of
a installation project. And what are reasonable
specifications for a cable plant.
FOA has a lot of documentation on a project involving
designing and installing a cable plant in the
FOA Online Guide and our Textbooks, but the acceptance
process has usually been relegated to a few paragraphs. We
decided to add a page
on project "Deliverables" in the FOA Guide that covers
this topic in more depth. This page looks at a project, goes
into some depth on loss budgets and includes links to FOA
tech documents to help you investigate further.
Correction: In the article, the original list of fiber
specs for G.652 was wrong. It should be 0.4dB/km @ 1310nm.
Another
question we get often is "Is there a standard for fiber
optic installation." The answer is yes, but not from the
usual standards groups you might expect. Over 20 years ago,
the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) asked
FOA to help create a standard for installation. That
standard, ANSI/NECA/FOA-301 has been updated three times
already and is about ready for another update.
Unlike most of those groups who charge you a fortune for
standards, FOA covers the cost so ANSI/NECA/FOA-301
is available free from FOA.
Free online self-study programs on many fiber optics
and cabling topics are available at Fiber
U, FOA's online web-based training website. Free
online training at Fiber U
Color
Codes For Fiber Optics FOA has
created another Fiber
U MiniCourse, the Fiber
U Color Codes MiniCourse. This
course covers the color codes used in fiber optics. We cover
fiber color codes for numbering, cable jackets and
connectors used to identify fibers. After we finished, we
wondered "Why didn't we do this a long time ago!"
How Fiber Works Another
of the mysteries of fiber optics, like dB, is how optical
fiber actually guides light in the core of the fiber and
transmits it with low loss. FOA has several
pages in the FOA Guide on how fiber works with
animated graphics that illustrate the different ways step
index multimode, graded index multimode and singlemode fiber
work. We also have
YouTUbe video showing live demonstrations with a large
plastic rod simulating the core of an optical fiber.
When we decides this was a good topic for a Fiber U
MiniCourse. we decided to create a new video lecture on how
fiber works. The lecture uses our usual lecture format but
with videos that animate the process of total internal
reflection and guided rays (modes) in the cores of the three
types of optical fiber.
Got
An Hour Or Less? Learn Something New About Fiber Optics.
FOA has
introduced a new type of Fiber
U
course, the MiniCourse, a free online course you could take
in a short time, perhaps as you ate lunch at your desk or
took a coffee break. The
topics of these courses should explain what they are about,
and these are all very important topics to fiber optic
techs.
The courses have two components, video lectures and
readings, that are complementary. As usual there is a
self-test to allow you to check your comprehension. As with
other Fiber U courses if you desire, you can take a short
test for a Fiber U Certificate of Completion that costs
only $10. All these free courses and many more are
available at Fiber
U.
What
Fiber Techs Don't Know -
What
We Learn From FOA Certification Tests
As FOA
moves more testing over to our digital online testing system
at ClassMarker, we have access to more data about our
testing, including what questions and topics on the tests
are answered incorrectly most often. Having this data gives
us an opportunity to evaluate the questions and how they are
stated, but more importantly it allow us to help our
instructors teach the subjects and us to change our
curriculum and online courses to emphasize these particular
topics. These are some of the topics that we have noticed
are answered incorrectly more often in FOA and Fiber U
tests.
Most of the questions missed are on testing.
1. OTDRs - particularly what information is in the OTDR
trace.
2. The difference between dB and dBm
3. Loss budgets - both the concepts and doing the math
4. Insertion loss testing - single-ended or double ended for
testing patchcords or cable plants, how to set 0dB
references
5. Units of measure - fiber is measured in microns,
wavelengths in nanometers, etc.
At FOA, we're working to add Fiber U
MiniCourses on these topics and working with our
schools to emphasize these topics in their classes.
If you are going to be taking a FOA certification course or
test in the near future, these topics should be on your
final exam study list.
What We Learn From Hands On Labs
We learn about students performance in hands-on labs from
the feedback of our instructors and our own experiences too.
One big problem is the use of hand tools. Growing up today,
you learn how to use keyboards, mouses and touch screens,
but decades ago, you also learned how to use basic hand
tools. This is big enough of a problem that we're
considering adding some video lessons on basic hand tools to
prepare students for cable prep, termination and splicing
that require the use of hand tools.
FOA
"Work-To-Cert" Program
Experience
Plus Online Study At Fiber U = FOA Certification
This
year, more techs have become comfortable with online
conferences, webinars and training. Many have discovered
that they can become FOA Certified using their experience in
fiber optics and study for the FOA certification exams
online at Fiber U.Thousands
of industry professionals have applied to the FOA directly
for certification without the need for classroom training,
based on their knowledge and skills developed working the
field. Since FOA certifications are based on KSAs
(knowledge, skills and abilities), current techs already
show the skills and abilities required through their field
experience. FOA provides free online self-study
courses at Fiber U
for the knowledge part to prepare you for FOA certification
exams which you can also take online.
If you are an experienced field tech interested in
certification, and FOA is the internationally
recognized certifying body for fiber optics, you can find
out more about the FOA
"Work to Cert" program here.
If you are already a CFOT, FOA also offers many specialist
certifications you can obtain based on your experience as a
field tech. See what's available at Fiber
U.
Options
For Training Classes -
Social
Distancing and Masks
Outdoors
(11/2020)
Tom
Collins, Techtricians, FOA Director, keeps exploring new
ideas for training. This time, the course moved outdoors in
Daytona Beach, Florida. This solution works well as long as
it's warm and dry!
DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Labs
Knowledge
is easy to get online, but learning skills requires
"hands-on" practice and that requires tools and
components to practice with. Here at FOA, we've been
working on an online course that could help many
techs learn new skills or improve others using an
online self-study course and their own equipment. Recently,
we have updated the materials in the Fiber
U Fiber Optics Basic
Skills Labs which includes cable
preparation, splicing, termination and testing.
And we have created a Basic
Skills Labs - Copper Premises Cabling to
cover UTP (Cat 5) and coax copper cable
processes. As with all Fiber U courses, these
are free.
Several times in the FOA Newsletter we've discussed
the Fiber
U Basic Skills Lab. This online DIY lab course
assumes you have your own equipment to use for the
labs, but most novices, unless they work for a larger
company already in fiber optics, will not have
equipment. FOA instructors have found a solution:
purchase inexpensive equipment online. What they have
found are many low cost tools and components that are
perfectly suited to training.
If
you do not have tools or equipment and want to
purchase them, there is a new
Fiber U DIY Basic Skills Lab lesson with
directions on how to purchase inexpensive tools
online and use them to learn basic fiber optic
skills. Those tools and components are what we
describe here.
For example, you need a fiber cleaver
for splices and prepolished/splice connectors. A good
cleave is essential for a good splice or termination
with a splice-type connection. Good cleavers are now
available online at prices in the US starting at
$20US.
Besides the cleaver, another really good tool for
learning or teaching is a visual fault locator. These
devices used to be very expensive, but now are
available online for $10-20.
Many online sellers offer sets of fiber optic tools in
a kit for very low cost.
With plenty of tools available online, the next things
you need are components to practice on. No problem
here either. You need a patchcord, some mechanical
splices and some prepolished/splice connectors. The
connectors and splices are available from online
sellers for ~$1 each, easy to afford plenty to
practice on.
FOA has used all these available parts together into a
do-it-yourself
hands-on lab as part of the Fiber U Basic Skills
Lab. You can do this yourself at a very low
cost. We
even provide directions on how to search for
suppliers of these tools and components.
Caution!
FOA has not exhaustively tested these tools or
components enough to recommend them for field use. The
work we did with them to create teaching labs shows
they are certainly good enough to use for teaching the
installation processes in a training lab. We suggest
read the buyers reviews and do some of your own
testing before using them for anything other than
training and practice.
FOA
Guide "Basics Of Fiber Optics" Now Available Online in
Portuguese (6/2020)
FOA has
now translated the Basics of Fiber Optics textbook in our
Online Guide into Portuguese, joining Spanish and French
translations. For those speaking Portuguese, we have the
technical information and for schools we also have
curriculum available.
Ssome
schools have been closed during the pandemic, so FOA has
been working with them to create new online learning
experiences that can in some cases lead to certification
online. FOA certifications are still based on the KSAs -
knowledge from the classroom, skills from the labs and
abilities judged by instructors or proven by actual
experience.
ZOOMing
Much of what we're doing benefits from the capabilities of
"Zoom." Others have created videoconferencing apps, but none
work so well, especially with limited bandwidth. We've seen
remote labs that have an instructor showing students how to
use the tools they were sent then watching them duplicate
their actions. We have worked out methods to use Zoom to
proctor FOA's online certification exams. Blended
Learning
While most FOA schools have suspended in-person training
during this period, some are offering a "blended
learning" option. That means that students sign up for a
FOA certification course, take the classroom sessions on
Fiber U with the assistance of a FOA certified
instructor. Now online instruction can include reviewing
the labs using the Fiber
U Basic Skills Labs, then when it's possible to attend
classes at the school, complete the hands-on labs and
take the FOA certification exam.
Offline Fiber U
FOA has also created offline Fiber U modules to allow
students with poor or limited Internet access to use
the Fiber U Basic Fiber Optics and Premises Cabling
programs without Internet access. Contact FOA for
information on using this option.
Online Remote Labs
Alternatively, some schools are experimenting with
"remote labs," where the students get sent tool kits
and components and labs are conducted by
videoconferencing. Before the labs, the students may
watch demos by their instructor on videoconferencing
and/or review the relevant "virtual hands-on" lessons
in the Fiber U Fiber
Optics Basic
Skills Labs so they will already know
the steps in the exercises. And
Fiber U has the new
Fiber U DIY Basic Skills Lab lesson
with directions on how to purchase
inexpensive tools online and use them
to learn basic fiber optic skills. Videoconferencing
allows the instructor to remotely monitor their
work and provide help as needed. Contact
the FOA for more information.
FOA Zoom Exam Proctoring
Online
Certification Testing FOA has all its certification tests available
online, both for use by our schools and by our
direct "Work
to Cert" applicants. All FOA certification
tests require a proctor to oversee the applicant
taking the exam. In this time of social
distancing, getting a proctor can be difficult, so
FOA now has procedures for online proctors
administering the exam. Contact
the FOA for more information.
OJT - On-The-Job-Training
Many novices get a job and learn on the job. They
usually have an experienced tech who helps them gain the
knowledge and learn the skills they need to
perform their job. Thinking about this in relation to
the
FOA KSAs, the knowledge, skills and
abilities needed by a fiber optic tech, the tech
will learn skills but not the basic knowledge that helps
them understand the processes involved. FOA can offer
help here with our FOA's
OJT-to-Cert Program,
using our Fiber
U online self-study programs. While the tech
learns on the job, they become a Fiber
U trainee, getting the knowledge they need,
while working under their "mentor" at work. This is
particularly good for contracting companies who need
techs but do not have the usual training courses
available. Interested in OJT programs? Click on the
link below or contact FOA
for more information.
FOA offers free online self-study programs at Fiber
U. Many users are preparing for FOA certification
programs - taking courses at our schools or using the "Work-to-Cert"
program. Some of our schools are requiring Fiber U programs
as prerequisites for their classroom courses so they can
spend more time on hands-on activities.
FOA
School Offers Toolkit With Online Training
Slayton
Solutions (FOA Approved School #156) is offering a simple
fiber optic tool kit that includes a 29-piece set of fiber
optic tools and a power meter along with training videos
and online instruction for only $499. 29 Piece Kit
includes all tools and devices a technician needs to
install fiber optic connectors and test optical
power. Information
on the kit is available on YouTube.
You can contact them for more information at slaytonsolutions@sbcglobal.net
or https://www.fiberopticsinstitute.com
To
explain How OJT works and FOA's OJT-To-Cert program, FOA
created a short 10 minute YouTube video that explains what
OJT is, who uses it and how to use Fiber U to organize and
enhance OJT for new employees and experienced workers too.
As part
of developing the new Fiber U MiniCourses, we added several
new YouTube videos:
Lecture 56 explains the issues of cable bend radius
limitations, typical cable specifications and how to gage
the proper radius or diameter when installing or storing
cable. Lecture 57 covers problems with dirty connectors and
how to inspect and clean them.
Like all our YouTube lectures, they are all short
and easy to understand.
FOA
Loss Budget Calculator On A Web Page 5/2020
FOA has
written many articles about loss budgets, something everyone
involved in fiber optics needs to know and needs to know how
to calculate. We recently discovered how to get a
spreadsheet ported to a Web page, so we created this web
page that calculates loss budgets. We have an iOS loss
budget app, but with this web page, you can calculate loss
budgets from any device, smart phone, tablet, laptop, or
desktop computer that has web browsing capability.
We are
continually updating the Online Reference Guide to keep up
with changes in the industry and adding lots of new pages of
technical information. When you go to the FOA
Guide Table of Contents to see the latest updates -
look for .
Resources
For Teachers In K-12 And Technical Schools
Teachers in all grades can introduce their students to
fiber optic technology with some simple demonstrations.
FOA has created a page for STEM or STEAM (science,
technology, engineering, arts
and math) teachers with materials appropriate to their
classes. Fiber
Optic Resources For Teachers.
Safety
On
Safety
FOA
considers safety an integral part of all our programs,
curriculum materials and technical materials. We start all
our textbooks and their online versions with a section on
safety in the first chapter, like this: Before
we get started - Safety First!
The
US Department of Transportation has a website called "National
Pipeline Mapping System" that allows one to
search for buried pipelines.
Why
We Warn You To Be Careful About Fiber Shards
Photo courtesy Brian Brandstetter, Mississauga
Training Consultantcy
Safety
Leader Magazine
Safety Leader, a new quarterly magazine, informs and
educates electrical contractors on safety from various
angles—electrical, workplace, PPE, regulations, leadership,
line work, NFPA 70E, and more. Safety Leader is bundled with
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR in February, May, August and November.
To receive Safety Leader subscribe
to ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR magazine here or subscribe
to the ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR newsletter here. 2022
Conference On Damage Prevention In Phoenix
The magazine, dp-Pro, sponsor of the conference, has
also published it's latest issue with an article by FOA
on "New Construction Techniques in Fiber Optics" and a
overview of the FOA. You
can read the magazine here.
Best
Practices Guide For Underground Construction
We
assume you are familiar with the "One Call" and "Call
Before You Dig" (811) program, but are you also
familiar "Click
Before You Dig.com" and with the people behind
it - the Common Ground Alliance and their Best Practices
website?
Officially
formed in 2000, the CGA represents a continuation of the
damage prevention efforts embodied by theCommon
Ground Study.
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation and
completed in 1999, this Study represents the collaborative
work of 160 industry professionals who identified best
practices relating to damage prevention. Any
best practice or program endorsed by the CGA comes with
consensus support from experts representing the
following stakeholder groups: Excavators, Locators, Road
Builders, Electric, Telecommunications, Oil, Gas
Distribution, Gas Transmission, Railroad, One Call,
Public Works, Equipment Manufacturing, State Regulators,
Insurance, Emergency Services and Engineering/Design. Read
the CGA Best Practices Guide here.
The FOA is a, international non-profit educational
association chartered to promote professionalism in fiber
optics through education, certification and standards.
Founded in 1995 by a dozen prominent fiber optics trainers
and leaders from education,industry
and governmentas
a professional society for fiber optics and a source of
independent certification, the FOA has grown to now being
involved in numerous activities to educate the world about
fiber optics and certify the workers who design, build and
operate the world's fiber optic networks.
Want
to know more about fiber optics? Study
for FOA certifications? Free
Self-Study Programs are on "Fiber
U®." Looking for specific information? Here's the
largest technical reference on the web: The
FOA Online Fiber Optic Reference Guide.
Free
online self-study programs on many fiber optics and cabling
topics are available at Fiber
U, FOA's online web-based training website.
The FOA
has created a store on Zazzle.com offering lots of new logo
merchandise. It has lots of versions of shirts and other
merchandise with "FOA," "Fiber U," "Lennie Lightwave"
designs and more so you should find something just for you!
See FOA
on Zazzle.
Your
Name, CFOT® - It pays to advertise!
The
FOA encourages CFOTs to use the logo on their business
cards, letterhead, truck or van, etc. and provides logo
files for that purpose. But we are also asked about how to
use the CFOT or CFOS certifications. Easy, you can refer
to yourself as "Your Name, CFOT" or "Your Name, CFOS/T"
for example.
Feel
free to use the logo and designations to promote your
achievements and professionalism!
Contact
FOA at info@thefoa.org to get logos in file format for your
use.
Privacy
Policy (for the EU
GDPR): The FOA does not use cookies or any other
web tricks to gather information on visitors to our
website, nor do we allow commercial advertising. Our
website hosts may gather traffic statistics for the
visitors to our website and our online testing service,
ClassMarker, maintains statistics of test results. We do
not release or misuse any information on any of our
members except we will confirm FOA certifications and
Fiber U certificates of completion when requested by
appropriate persons such as employers or personnel
services. Read
the complete FOA Privacy Policy here.
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