Bi-Direction Testing with an OTDR

-Seymour Goldstein

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STANDARD OR APPLICATION NOTE

Have you ever wondered how a Standard and an Application Note differ? No, the answer is
not only that one is provided free by vendors. Both contain guidance and useful technical
information so what is the difference? Well, a Standard is developed by many experts using
consensus to provide accurate technical information and guidance while an Application Note, while
technically accurate, is developed by one vendor to position their brand. One case in point is bi-
directional testing using an OTDR. Many application notes have been written about bi-directional
testing with an OTDR but what do the Standards say?

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WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO MEASURE

First, lets examine what is typically being measured. The attenuation measurement of an
optical fiber link requires the measurement of the cabling under test as well as the two connections,
A and B, on both ends of the link (see Figure 1). Notice that test cords are attached to both ends
of the cabling under test. Otherwise, the attenuation (loss) at each connector could not be
measured. The importance of measuring the end connectors is amplified when short fiber runs have
fiber attenuation that is much lower than those of the connectors.

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WHAT IS A PROPER BI-DIRECTIONAL TEST

Launch and tail cords are used with OTDRs when the attenuation of the Cabling under Test,
connector A, and connector B must to be measured (see Figure 2). A proper bi-directional test
requires that only the OTDR be moved to the far end of the tail cord (see Figure 3). The launch cord
and tail cord should never be removed from the cabling under test. Only the OTDR is moved. Doing
otherwise would defeat the purpose of the test and waste time.
To reiterate, a bi-directional test consists of two measurements on the same optical fiber,
made by launching light into opposite ends of that fiber, then averaging the attenuation at
connectors without disconnecting the launch and tail cord from the cabling under test.

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WHAT IS A PROPER BI-DIRECTIONAL TEST

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According to IEC 61280-4-1, multimode testing

In order to properly measure the first and last connection for bi-directional averaging, the
launch and tail cords must remain in their initial measurement positions. Only the OTDR is moved.
This will ensure that identical optical fibers are mated to the cabling under test so that the effects of
mode field mismatch between the test cords and cabling can be averaged out.
If the launch and tail cord have identical backscattering characteristics and only the total
attenuation of the link is required, it may be sufficient to carry out an OTDR test in one direction.
However, it is rare that the launch and tail cord will have identical backscatter characteristics.

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According to IEC 61280-4-2, single-mode testing

OTDR testing is carried out from both ends of the cabling when it contains splices or
connectors (according to Figure 1, that is the case). Any differences in the component attenuation due
to variations in backscattering coefficients can be cancelled out by averaging the component
attenuation measurements taken from both ends of the system.
To accurately measure the first and last connection of the link using bi-directional averaging,
the launch and tail cords remain in their initial measurement positions. This will ensure that identical
optical fibers are mated to the cabling under test so that the effects of mode field mismatch between
the test cords and cabling can be averaged out. An individual attenuation is defined as the half sum of
the attenuation recorded from each end.

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WHY DO IT

When an OTDR sends a pulse of light from its optical port into the fiber under test, reflected
light is received on the same port. The reflected light can be Rayleigh backscattering which defines the
fiber attenuation of an OTDR trace and/or Fresnel reflections which define, for example, connector
return loss.
Rayleigh backscattering is fundamental to OTDR operation, and is the method OTDRs use to
measure end to end loss, and discrete losses at splices and connectors. The backscatter coefficient is a
measure of the amount of backscatter when an OTDR emits a 1 nano second pulse. It is defined by all
fiber vendors for their fiber specification. To make accurate measurements, the OTDR backscatter
coefficient (e.g. -79 dB) must be set in the OTDR.

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WHY DO IT

Now for the bad news backscatter coefficients vary along a fiber and from one supplier to
the next. The effect - differences between test cords and cabling may cause variations in the
attenuation or gain of individual connections. For example, when an optical fiber with a low
backscatter coefficient is connected to a fiber with a higher backscatter coefficient, the OTDR will
receive more optical power from the fiber with the higher backscatter coefficient. This can be
interpreted as a reduction in the apparent attenuation and may even appear as a gain (negative
attenuation). The effect is known as a gainer. Making an OTDR measurement from each end of the
fiber then averaging the results cancels out the component attenuation variance.

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WHAT DO THE STANDARDS SAY ABOUT THE TAIL CORD

In IEC 61280-4-2, attenuation measurements of installed single-mode optical fiber, provides

guidance on the use of a tail cord. Considered a non-recommended practice, measurement without
a tail cord, the Standard goes on to explain that with no tail cord, the attenuation of the connector at
the end of the cabling is not taken into account. In other words, an improper test is performed wasting
time and money. Further, if the cabling is short relative to the deadzone, a measurement is not
possible. The only time testing without a tail cord is acceptable, according to the Standard, is for
qualification of a repair of the cabling that has been tested before the damage.

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SUMMARY

DO:

Use a launch and tail cord when measuring the cabling under test
Never disconnect the launch and tail cord from the cabling under test when testing in multiple
directions
Move only the OTDR by disconnecting from the launch cord and connecting to the tail cord
Average the results from each measurement direction
Pay attention to Standards

DONT:

Move the OTDR with the launch cord

Neglect to use a tail cord
Waste your time with an improper measurement

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 Thank You!

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