A Community for Fiber Optic Professionals

I’ve been scouring the internet looking for a place for fiber optic professionals to meet and discuss our industry. The sad truth is, most of what is out there is abandoned, dated, or so choked with spam that it can no longer be used. There needs to be a place to go where people can ask questions and have questions answered. With so many talented people out there, there’s a real chance to make a solid contribution in our industry.

Fiber Optics covers such a wide swath of telecommunications that our community knowledge is spread out all over the place. A fiber optic blog could help to slowly reel some of that back in so that you can have the resources that so many other niches of the telecommunication sector have.

Actions speak louder than words. I’m going to make a commitment to you to try to provide the best blog content around. Some of the existing blogs were so possessive of their outgoing links that it made it impossible to get any kind of community interaction going. I’d like to change that, but I need your help.

Ordinarily our newsletter blasts are committed to providing you with the latest and greatest (and best priced) in fiber optic equipment and services, but this month let’s try a little community building. There are over 10,000 of you out there that we know about and that’s no small sum. Get involved by:

• Following our facebook group and posting questions
• Following our blog
• Posting your comments

I’ll be giving prizes out to people to contribute the best content!

Let’s carve out our niche on the internet! It’s about time!

Thanks,

Nick Tantillo
Marketing Manager
FiberOptic.com

New Product Alert! The EXFO FTB-1

EXFO has unleashed a new world class handheld testing platform. The system is geared for the front line technician and combines a variety of modules aimed at the FTTX and Ethernet testing market. You can check out this post or view more details on our website. Call now for more information or to request a quote!

Ask A Fiber Expert

Last Month's Puzzler: How do you identify macrobends in the fiber using an OTDR? For anybody who was stumped last month, here's the answer to the previous puzzler. Signals of different wavelengths will have different bend specifications. The higher the wavelength, the more likely that light will escape the fiber during a bend, causing attenuation. Therefore bends will have a greater loss at 1550 nm than at 1310 nm. Splices, on the other hand, tend to have similar loss characteristics at all wavelengths. If you test a fiber link at both 1310 nm and at 1550 nm, a non-reflective event with a higher loss at 1550 nm is more than likely a macrobend that can be corrected by repositioning the fiber in the splice tray.

??? Solve & Win Puzzle ???

Solve this month's FIBER CHALLENGE question and enter a drawing to win some FREE Fiber Optic SWAG!* No entries will be accepted after 3/20/2011. Answer the following question and simply e-mail the solution to marketing@fiberoptic.com for a chance to win! What factor is used to determine if all fibers in 1000 meter high fiber count cable, with inner and outer rows of buffer tubes, has the same 1000 meter length on an OTDR? Don't know the answer? Don't forget that FiberOptic.com offers comprehensive introductory & advanced fiber optic training courses! Visit www.theFiberSchool.com. *There are a limited number of winners each month. Due to international shipping costs, participants outside the United States will receive their prize along with their next order from FiberOptic.com

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