FX160 FiberBEAST™ | Quick Start Guide

Becoming Familiar with FX160 FiberBEAST

The FX160's FiberBEAST™, a (Bidirectional Easy Analysis by a Single Technician) test suite, uses a pair of VeEX FX160 test sets to perform bidirectional end-to-end OLTS and OTDR measurements on fiber links. Refer to the FX160 FiberBEAST article for more details about this bidirectional fiber optics test set and its test features.

Front View

Visual Fault Locator port (VFL option).
Broadband Optical Power Meter (OPM).
Optical test port for FiberBEAST bidirectional OLTS+OTDR test, standalone OTDR, and standalone OPM/OLS
Stylus (use when finer touch screen control is required).
Left Rocker button. Its functionality depends on individual test applications (e.g., push to expand left menu bar, scroll left/right, etc.).
Right Rocker button. Its functionality depends on individual test applications (e.g., push to expand right menu bar, scroll up/down, capture screenshots, etc.).
Touch screen LCD.
DC power socket (use VeEX-supplied AC/DC chargers only).
Power Indication LED.
1. Off - Power is OFF, not charging.
2. Orange - Battery is charging/AC Charger plugged in.
3. Green - Power is ON.
Micro-B USB port. Use USB OTG adapters and cables for USB-A memory sticks, Ethernet adapters, Fiber Scope, etc.
Save button (press to save current test results).
Power ON/OFF button. Press and hold for about three seconds, until you hear a beep.
Home button (press to return to main menu). Press and hold for about three seconds, to send the test set to sleep mode (no test running).

The FX160 OTDR is available in regular Point-to-Point (P2P) and PON-Optimized versions, with a selection of two or three wavelengths. All that hardware configuration information can be found on the back label, including supported wavelengths, dynamic ranges, and factory-installed options.

Connector Panel (Top View)

Fixed connectors shown without dust covers. The field-replaceable Optical Connector Protector option is also available for the OTDR/OLTS port.

Before Testing

For bidirectional end-to-end fiber testing, you will need a pair of FX160 test sets. One acts as a Controller (also known as Device A or Main) which you will keep and use to run the tests and gather results, and a Remote one that will be connected at the other end of the fiber (also known as Device B) and can run unattended. It is recommended to have both test sets with you, for referencing, before leaving the Remote test set behind. For example, on a PON construction validation test, one can reference and setup the Remote test set, and connect it to an F1 feed, then move to the subscribers' side and use the Controller unit to test all the distribution drops.

Referencing (an important step)

Press and hold the Power button for three seconds to turn the test sets ON. After finishing its quick bootup sequence, the test set displays the Main Test Modes menu. If you don't see the Main Menu, try tapping on the or soft buttons on the screen or by pressing the Home button.

1. On both test sets - Tap on FiberBEAST™ to open the test application. This may take a few seconds.

2. On both test sets - Close the OPM's dust caps and tap on the Zero button to adjust the sensors to the current environment.

3. Tap on the Reference button to set the reference values using one of the three options displayed:

A. Side-by-Side Referencing (most accurate) - You must have both test sets with you. Connect the OTDR ports on both test sets together, using the clean patch cords you will be using for testing. Set the Remote meter to the FiberBEAST mode by tapping on the FiberBEAST (FBST) button. Keep the Local (Controller, Main or A) test set in FBST mode, then press the Side-by-Side Referencing button on the Main test set. The test sets will perform insertion loss and ORL referencing automatically and store these references in the main unit. The remote unit does not require any user input or action.

B. Loopback Referencing - If you don't have the two test sets with you, in one site, this is an alternative. Use a clean patch cord to connect the OTDR port to the OPM port of the same meter. Then select Loopback Referencing mode and the unit will measure its insertion loss and ORL references for that patch cord. The loopback Referencing procedure must be performed on both test sets, Local and Remote, so the proper references are set on both sides.

C. Factory Settings - If you are connecting directly to the fiber's connectorized pigtail (no patch cord required) and didn't have access to both FX160 test sets for referencing, you may consider using the internal reference values (which were measured at the factory) for that test set's OTDR port. This setting will not account for the insertion loss or ORL of any added patch cords (if used).

Once the referencing is done, you should be able take the test sets to their respective test sites (ends of the fiber link under test), make the necessary connections and start testing.

Running a Bidirectional Test

Before you start, make sure to clean and inspect all fiber connectors and ports before making any connections.

Go to "Site B" and connect the OTDR/OLTS port of the Remote FX160 test set to the desired (dark) fiber link or port under test. This is usually the site or fiber cabinet closer to the network node. For example, in the case of a PON construction verification job, the remote tester may be connected to the F1 feeder, so a field technician can then go and test all the branches at the far end (closer to the subscribers). If no AC power is available at the site/cabinet, make sure the test set has a fully charged battery.
Then move to the far end of the fiber link, or "Site A", connect the OTDR/OLTS port of the Main FX160 test set to the corresponding fiber or port under test, and follow the procedure below.

Note: All the following steps are only required on the Main/Controller/Local test set. However, the FiberBEAST test application must be open on the Remote meter in order to perform a test. The remote unit does not require any additional user input or interaction.

4. Navigate to the FiberBEAST setup screen using the FBST button. Adjust any settings required before starting the test.

A. Select the wavelengths required for the test.

B. Select the measurements to be performed (OLTS, ORL, and/or each direction of the OTDR).

C. Use the text Message button to communicate with the operator of the other test set (far end), over the fiber under test.

D. Tap on the OTDR button to navigate to the OTDR screen to adjust its settings. Press the FBST button to return to this screen.

E. Use the P/F button to enable or disable the Pass/Fail criteria for IL (Insertion Loss), ORL (Optical Return Loss), and minimum Fiber Length. You can also adjust the Pass/Fail thresholds for each of those parameters. Tap on OK when ready.

F. Use the Auto Save button to enable automatic results saving and adjust the settings.

5. Start test by tapping on the Start button. All selected tests will run automatically. The bidirectional OLTS and OTDR results will be transferred to, and displayed, on the main unit.

Test Results Screen

A. To go back to the FiberBEAST configuration page, tap on the Setup tab at the top of the screen.

B. To go back to the FiberBEAST screen, tap on the FBST button, to adjust settings or start a new test.

C. Tap on the OLTS button to navigate to the OLTS screen to Zero the meter or perform a new reference.

D. Tap on the OTDR button to navigate to the OTDR screen to view detailed OTDR results (Link Map, events table, trace, etc.) and adjust OTDR settings.

E. Tap on the Results tab to display the latest test results.

F. Tap on Save/Next to store the current results (if not already saved) and start a new test. Any settings changes are applied to the new test.

G. Retest the same fiber, optionally overwriting the current result. Any settings changes are applied to the new test.

H. Load and view previously saved results.

I. Save the current test results.

Understanding Bidirectional OTDR Results

The FX160 FiberBEAST automatically analyzes traces in both directions and evaluates whether the fiber has passed based on the selected thresholds. However, you may want more details to understand and troubleshoot your fiber. Understanding bidirectional results on the FX160 FiberBEAST is no more difficult than the one-way OTDR results you’re used to.

Bidirectional Link Map

Events found in the fiber under test are portrayed in the A→B direction from left to right on the top row, and in the B→A direction from right to left on the bottom row. This means that events line up with the corresponding event in the opposite direction. Tap to select each event to view the corresponding measurement details, such as insertion loss and reflectance for each of the events in that direction. Pass/fail insertion loss thresholds are applied based on the average loss of the event in both directions, accounting for gainers or exaggerated losses from mismatched fiber.

Bidirectional Trace and Events Table

The A→B traces and B→A traces are displayed on the screen in an X-View format with corresponding events lined up. Each trace selected for deeper analysis by pressing the ⟳ on the upper right-hand corner of the trace. The bidirectional Events Table displays the insertion loss and reflectance in each direction as well as the average insertion loss of that event.