Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!ames!umd5!mimsy!oddjob!uwvax!umn-d-ub!umn-cs!wsmith
From: wsmith@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu (Warren Smith [Randy])
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans
Subject: Re: Need Fiber Attenuation Tester/Fiber Connectorization
Keywords: Fiber Attenuation Test Equipment Portable Connectorization
Message-ID: <5815@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu>
Date: 10 Jun 88 19:20:04 GMT
References: <1820@aecom.YU.EDU>
Reply-To: wsmith@umn-cs.UUCP (Warren Smith [Randy])
Organization: University of Minnesota
Lines: 51

In article <1820@aecom.YU.EDU> glen@aecom.YU.EDU (Glen M. Marianko) writes:
>
>Finally, is attenuation testing alone a good enough test for a 
>fiber optic cable?  For example, ethernet link A to B is down - 
>pop off the fiber and attenuation test it.  Or, I just 
>connectorized a jumper cable, was it done properly using an 
>attenuation test?  
>
>** Important aside: anyone have information on do-it-yourself,
>cheap fiber connectorization?  I have no experience with this: 
>can you just buy duplex fiber, SMA 906 or ST connectors, chop the 
>fiber ends, polish it as best as possible with fine sand 
>paper/wheel and connectorize it for short patch-cord use?  What 
>kind of extra losses can I expect due to such non-scientific 
>connectorization?  Any company sell a do-it-yourself kit.  
>(Someone is probably going to want to flame me for this Q, but I 
>need to know if it is possible/feasible.)
>
>
>-- Glen Marianko glen@aecom.yu.edu 

Attenuation testing alone is quite sufficient for straight fiber
runs.  If you start crossing jumpers and splices things get messy
quickly.  Its also better if you can rely on your fiber having a low
loss and being reliable.  If your fiber does break in the middle
of a run (never happened here) you are basically out of luck if
you can't find it by visual inspection of the cable.

About do-it-yourself connectorization, it definitely is possible,
since we've done it here.  However there a few pitfalls to watch
for.  First and most important: buy a good microscope!!  Looking
at fiber with the scopes standard with many kits is not very
informative.  You need a scope with 100x magnification and good
lighting.  Avoid the ones that look light pen-flashlights.
Being able to rotate the angle at which you look at
the fiber face is very helpful for seeing fractures below the fiber
surface.  With experience I was able to get SMA connectors with very
low loss that looked much better than the "professional" connectors
done here by US West (theirs were biconic).

However, it takes time to do the connections and the connectors and kit
will cost you a fair amount of money.  You might see if one of these
companies like FOCS would be cost effective for your terminations.
I should add that I don't know much about the recent developments
in connectorization.  I've seen some of the new stuff, but I have
no idea how much it costs.

Randy Smith
...ihnp4!umn-cs!wsmith
wsmith@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu
-- 
Randy Smith